Two cities that didn't feature at all in last year's Condé Nast Traveller UK Readers' Choice Awards have muscled into the top 10 for 2026 — and one of them is a genuine surprise. Oxford, hardly an obscure pick, landed at number eight, while Birmingham — a city whose accent routinely gets voted the country's least attractive — took tenth place.
The awards are voted entirely by readers, who judge UK cities on liveability, nightlife and green spaces. The rest of the 2026 podium looks familiar: Edinburgh took first place, London came second, and Bath, last year's winner, slipped to bronze.
Oxford's return to form is no shock. It's a compact, leafy city built around one of the world's most famous universities, with cobbled lanes and riverside walks — and it sits within easy reach of both London and the Cotswolds, making it a simple weekend add-on.
Birmingham's entry is the more interesting story. The city's food scene is the headline: it has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any English city outside London. Aktar Islam's Opheem leads the pack (he's since opened sister restaurant Oudh 1722 in London), while Riverine Rabbit in Stirchley earned a Bib Gourmand, with chef Ash Valenzuela-Heeger also picking up Michelin's Young Chef award. Big names have noticed — Big Mamma Group, Blacklock and Pizza Pilgrims have all opened outposts recently. The drinking scene runs from the Jewellery Quarter's traditional pubs to internationally rated cocktail bar Passing Fancies, plus Fox & Chance and wine spot Loki. On the hotel front, The Grand is currently the standout in the centre, complete with a jazz speakeasy and afternoon tea.
There's plenty beyond the plate. Birmingham has a deep comedy and live music pedigree: the Glee Club was the UK's first comedy club outside London, and the Hippodrome and Utilia Arena (formerly the NIA) programme shows almost nightly. Digbeth is now a filming hub — MasterChef shoots there, as did the recent Peaky Blinders film, so a Cillian Murphy sighting isn't impossible. The Jewellery Quarter still makes around 40 per cent of the UK's jewellery and claims Europe's largest concentration of jewellers. Shoppers get the Bullring, Grand Central and the Mailbox — and, for better or worse, the world's biggest Primark. Families are covered too, with Cadbury World, the Sea Life Centre and serious green space, from the Botanical Gardens to Cannon Hill Park and the vast Sutton Park.
Why it matters: if your mental image of Birmingham is concrete roundabouts and a mockney accent, this is a nudge to reassess. It's now one of the most rewarding short-break cities in England for food specifically, and it costs considerably less than London. Oxford's inclusion is a reminder that the classic university-city break still holds up — and pairs neatly with a Cotswolds detour.
