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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Katie Weston

10 coolest places to live in UK according to Americans including unsung coastal city

The 10 coolest places to live in the UK have been named by a US travel blog - with an unsung coastal city taking second place.

London snagged the top spot on the list, compiled by Nomads Nation, which described the capital as "proud, multicultural and never boring".

The travel site referenced Dalston as a particularly cool area, owing to its bars and cafes, as well as Bethnal Green for its "trendy eateries".

It also gave some cons for living in London however, including rent affordability, bad traffic and central parts being filled with tourists.

Portsmouth, located on the south coast of England, followed in second place with its "lively student scene and tons of history".

London snagged the top spot on the list, compiled by Nomads Nation (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Nomads Nation said: "Portsmouth packs a whole lot of history into a relatively compact city.

"Set on Portsea Island, the city is home to a historic cathedral, medieval sea defences, and row upon row of heritage houses where – once upon a time – there was a pub on almost every corner!"

It picked out Southsea for its "still affordable but decidedly more upmarket feeling" than the rest of the city, as well as its transport connections, shops and trendy bars.

In third place came Brighton, described as the "place to go for LGBT culture, veganism and beachside living".

An aerial view of Brighton West Pier (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

It added: "For a cheaper alternative to Brighton centre itself, Hove is a quieter option; there are still plenty of pubs and restaurants to be found here though."

Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, took fourth place for its "hefty helping of local culture", as well as its "soaring" gothic buildings and renowned Fringe Festival.

Oxford, described as being "home to one of the most famous universities in the world", came in fifth place, followed by Manchester with its "rough around the edges appeal".

Edinburgh took fourth place for its "hefty helping of local culture" (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

In seventh place was Bristol - referred to as an alternative to London - while Exeter came in eighth for those who want "laid-back city life a stone’s throw from outdoorsy pursuits".

In ninth and tenth place came Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, and Cardiff, the capital of Wales, respectively.

Referring to the list as a whole, Nomads Nation said: "There are a surprising amount of amazing places to base yourself in the United Kingdom, from cities close to the countryside, to coastal bastions of culture, there’s so much to choose from here.

Oxford, described as being "home to one of the most famous universities in the world", came in fifth place (Getty Images)

"You might want to go for the liberal living of Brighton, the history of beautiful Edinburgh, or maybe you’ve always wanted to live in London (we don’t blame you), maybe you want to try out a few; whichever you choose, you are in for a special time."

It comes after a separate list by Time Out rated five neighbourhoods in the UK among the 51 coolest in the world.

Cliftonville in Margate, Shawlands in Glasgow, Walthamstow in London, the Northern Quarter in Manchester and Kelham Island in Sheffield all appeared in the survey.

Manchester came sixth with its "rough around the edges appeal" (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

And back in September, research by Homeviews revealed the top 10 places to live in the UK - with London failing to make the shortlist.

Edinburgh came out on top with more than eighty per cent of residents giving the area top marks as the city was praised for its transport links and choice of shops and restaurants.

Meanwhile, Worcestershire, Aberdeen, Bristol, Manchester, North Yorkshire, Bedfordshire, Merseyside, Norfolk and Leicestershire all made the top 10.

The top 10 coolest places to live in the UK, according to Americans

1. London

2. Portsmouth

3. Brighton

4. Edinburgh

5. Oxford

6. Manchester

7. Bristol

8. Exeter

9. Belfast

10. Cardiff

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