Richmond upon Thames, the leafy southwest London borough best known for its huge royal park and riverside pubs, has been crowned the happiest place to live in Britain for 2026, according to Secret London. The annual happiness rankings tend to flag up the same handful of desirable spots, and this year the riverside corner of the capital takes the top spot.
It is not hard to see the appeal. Richmond Park covers around 2,500 acres, making it the largest of London's Royal Parks, and its herds of red and fallow deer have been roaming there since the 17th century. Add the Thames Path running along the river, views from Richmond Hill that are so admired they are legally protected, and a village-y high street that feels a world away from the West End, and you get a place that manages to be both very London and quietly suburban at the same time.
For visitors, the happiness crown is a decent excuse to spend a day, or a weekend, there. Richmond sits on the District line and National Rail from Waterloo, so it is an easy trip from central London. Typical draws include a wander through the park, climbing Richmond Hill for the view, peeking at the remains of Richmond Palace by the river, and hopping over to neighbouring Kew, home of the Royal Botanic Gardens, or Hampton Court Palace a short train ride upriver.
The borough also has a properly good food and drink scene: riverside pubs, the pedestrianised lanes around the green, and a clutch of well-regarded restaurants. Being in zone 3-6 territory, it is an affordable day out compared with central London attractions — the park is free, the river is free, and a pub lunch with a view is the main expense.
The takeaway for travellers: rankings like this are a handy shortcut to places locals actually like living in, rather than the usual tourist checklist. If you have done the Tower and the museums, Richmond shows a slower, greener side of the city that many visitors never see — and now, officially, the contentment capital of the country.
