Charming destination named 'UK's cosiest city' for autumn escapes

As the autumntakes hold, we can often expect damp, dull weather but there's so much more to the season than cold weather.

Especially when finding the perfect spot for a velvet hot chocolate and good book is on everyone's agenda, but one UK city has officially been named the cosiest of them all.

If you're planning a UK retreat this year - Chichester is the place to be as new research by Betway, thanks to its mix of indie bookshops, cafés and parks - making it the top destination for snug autumn vibes.

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The cathedral city in West Sussex boasts six independent bookshops and 67 coffee shops, alongside 15 parks and gardens, earning it the highest ‘cosiness score’ in the country.

Brighton came in second, with 12 indie bookshops, a huge 267 cafés and 56 museums But also the highest rainfall of the cities investigated, with 308mm in autumn. Wells, the UK’s smallest city, landed in third place thanks to its cobbled streets, 22 cafés and eight parks.

Bath followed in fourth, famed for its Roman Baths and Jane Austen Centre, and Inverness rounded out the top five as the only Scottish city to make the list. Other cities making the top ten include Canterbury, Ely, Chester, York and Winchester.

For Chichester, the combination of culture and comfort was unbeatable, with researchers saying its abundance of coffee spots and green spaces give locals and tourists alike plenty of ways to enjoy the changing seasons.

The UK's top 10 cosiest cities

Chichester

Brighton

Wells

Bath

Inverness

Canterbury

Ely

Chester

York

Winchester

The ranking looked at the number of indie bookshops, cafés, museums and green spaces per 10,000 people as well as average autumn rainfall to work out which cities offer the cosiest setting as the nights draw in.

So, whether you fancy curling up with a book in Brighton, strolling through Bath’s historic streets, or enjoying the autumn leaves in Chichester’s Bishop’s Palace Gardens. You don't have to go too far as Britain is packed with cities perfect for a cosy escape this season.