Liverpool Rises in Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards 2026

Key Points

• Liverpool has received an award in the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards 2026.
• It was placed fifth in the publication’s list of the 10 best cities in the UK.
• Liverpool was also listed as the second friendliest city in the UK with a score of 92.86.
• The city climbed up from being jointly the eighth friendliest city in 2025 to the second in 2026.
• Edinburgh was voted the best and the friendliest city in the UK in the 2026 awards.
• The top cities ranking is based on more than 295,000 votes by the readers.
• According to Condé Nast Traveller, Liverpool’s antique stores, art galleries and art venues help in making the city’s environment creative.
• It recommended Titanic Hotel Liverpool formed out of a warehouse.
• These results are after Liverpool’s recognition in the same award in 2024 and 2025.
• Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership made the local announcement on 8 October 2026.

Liverpool (Liverpool standard) October 08, 2026 — Liverpool has received international recognition in the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards 2026, ranking among the UK’s leading cities for both overall appeal and friendliness. As reported by Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership, the city was placed fifth in the publication’s ranking of the 10 best cities in the UK and second in its list of the UK’s friendliest cities.

The recognition places Liverpool alongside Edinburgh, London, Bath, Glasgow and other destinations featured in the annual reader-voted survey. Condé Nast Traveller said its 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards marked the 29th edition of the event and that, as in the previous two years, the results were based solely on votes from its UK readership.

In the best-cities category, Liverpool finished fifth behind Edinburgh, London, Bath and Glasgow. The publication described Liverpool as “a capital of cool”, noting that vintage shops, art galleries and art venues help create a creative atmosphere across the city.

What position did Liverpool achieve among UK cities?

Liverpool was ranked fifth in Condé Nast Traveller’s list of the 10 best cities in the UK for 2026. The ranking was published on 6 October 2026 and was based on more than 295,000 reader votes.

As reported by Condé Nast Traveller, the publication said: “The once-gritty city is now a capital of cool, where vintage shops, art galleries and art venues inject a creative atmosphere into the streets.”

The article also recommended the Titanic Hotel Liverpool for visitors, describing it as a hotel converted from “a soaring, cavernous former warehouse”.

Liverpool’s fifth-place finish came as Cambridge and Aberdeen dropped out of the top 10. Oxford returned to the list in eighth place, while Birmingham remained in 10th position.

Why did Liverpool rank second for friendliness?

Liverpool ranked second among the UK’s friendliest cities, with a score of 92.86. The city moved up from joint eighth place in 2025, when it shared that position with Brighton.

Condé Nast Traveller described Liverpool as the highest climber in this year’s friendliness rankings. The publication said Liverpudlians were “wildly outgoing, thoughtfully inclusive, and always on the lookout for more to join their notoriously good nights out”.

The article added that visitors could find several conversation topics in the city, including its maritime history, football rivalry and the legacy of the Beatles.

Edinburgh took first place in the friendliness category with a score of 93.47. Birmingham was third with 92.15, followed by Glasgow with 88.34 and Manchester with 86.26.

Which cities finished ahead of Liverpool?

Edinburgh was named the best city in the UK in the 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards, rising from fifth place in 2025 to first in 2026. London finished second, while Bath came third and Glasgow fourth.

UK best cities 2026	Position
Edinburgh	1st
London	2nd
Bath	3rd
Glasgow	4th
Liverpool	5th
Manchester	6th
Brighton	7th
Oxford	8th
Belfast	9th
Birmingham	10th

In the friendliness category, Liverpool finished behind Edinburgh only. Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester, Belfast, London, Aberdeen, Bath and Brighton completed the top 10.

What did Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership say?

Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership announced the recognition in an article published on 8 October 2026 under the headline: “Liverpool celebrated as one of the UK’s best and friendliest cities in Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards”.

The organisation said Liverpool had received “international recognition” in the awards and ranked among the UK’s leading cities.

The Destination Partnership has previously highlighted Liverpool’s performance in the awards. In 2025, it said the city had been named in both the Best Cities in the UK and Friendliest Cities in the UK categories.

In a letter published in November 2025, the partnership’s managing director, Natalie Wyatt, said the recognition demonstrated how Liverpool continued to attract visitors from across the world.

How were the 2026 awards decided?

The 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards were based on votes from Condé Nast Traveller’s UK readership. The publication said the best-cities list received more than 295,000 votes.

Condé Nast Traveler, the United States edition, separately reported that its 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards survey received 798,867 votes in its 39th annual survey. The UK results were published by Condé Nast Traveller, the UK edition.

The awards cover destinations, hotels, resorts, cruises, airlines, dining and other travel-related categories. The publication said the results celebrate the places and services chosen by its readers.

Has Liverpool received similar recognition before?

Yes. Liverpool was also recognised in the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards in 2024 and 2025.

In 2024, Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership reported that the city had been named one of the UK’s best and friendliest cities. The organisation said the awards were based on votes from global travellers at that time.

In 2025, the partnership said Liverpool had again been included in the best-cities and friendliest-cities categories.

The latest results show a notable rise in the friendliness ranking. Liverpool moved from joint eighth in 2025 to second in 2026, while retaining a place among the UK’s top five cities overall.

Background of the development

The Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards are an annual reader-voted survey covering travel destinations, accommodation, transport and hospitality. The 2026 UK edition was the 29th annual event and was based on votes from the publication’s UK readership.

Liverpool has a long-standing visitor economy built around its maritime heritage, music culture, football, museums, galleries, waterfront and nightlife. The city’s recognition in the 2026 survey follows earlier appearances in the same awards, including in 2024 and 2025.

Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership works to promote the city region as a visitor destination. Its recent materials have also referred to Liverpool being named the third-best destination in the UK in Tripadvisor’s Best of the Best Travellers’ Choice Awards 2026.

Prediction: How can this affect visitors and local businesses?

The recognition could influence travel choices among readers who use Condé Nast Traveller’s city guides and award lists when planning UK breaks. Liverpool’s fifth-place ranking and second-place friendliness result give the city visibility in two major categories rather than one.

For hotels, restaurants, attractions, tour operators and independent shops, the awards may provide additional promotional material for marketing campaigns aimed at UK staycationers. The publication’s recommendation of the Titanic Hotel Liverpool also gives that business direct exposure to readers considering a visit.

For local tourism organisations, the improvement in the friendliness ranking may support efforts to present Liverpool as a welcoming destination alongside its established cultural and sporting attractions. The result follows earlier recognition in 2024 and 2025, providing a consistent record that destination marketers can reference in future visitor campaigns.

For residents and hospitality workers, the result reflects reader feedback about the welcome visitors receive in the city. If the recognition contributes to increased visitor interest, businesses across the visitor economy may see greater demand during peak travel periods, although the awards themselves do not measure future visitor numbers.