Glasgow and Edinburgh top poll as the UK's favourite cities

Published on Tuesday 5 September 2006 00:27

GLASGOW was named the UK's favourite city by a prestigious travel survey yesterday, beating Edinburgh into second place.

Readers of Conde Nast Traveller voted Scotland's biggest city into first place in its annual tourism poll, toppling last year's winner London.

The former industrial powerhouse also leapfrogged its close rival Edinburgh, which came second in the magazine's Readers' Travel Awards 2006.

It is the second time Glasgow has taken the top spot in the poll, which has been going for nine years. London was ranked third this year, ahead of Newcastle in fourth place and Leeds in fifth.

Conde Nast said Glasgow, which was in second place last year, had been singled out for its people and hospitality as well as its lively nightlife.

The city's attractions include free galleries and museums such as the city council-owned Kelvingrove Museum, the most popular tourist attraction outside London with more than one million annual visits, and the Burrell Collection of art.

Edinburgh - which has secured the poll's top position for three out of the last five years - was favoured for its safety and cleanliness.

Glasgow's Lord Provost, Liz Cameron, hailed the poll result as fantastic news. "A lot of people have worked very hard to transform Glasgow in recent years and this is evidence of how successful we have all been."

City of Edinburgh Council's tourism spokesman, Donald Anderson, added: "I have no worries about losing to Glasgow - it's a wonderful city."

London has the best restaurants and accommodation, according to the poll, while Newcastle is the easiest city to get around.