VERY WELL
Inside the medieval town voted the best in the UK – with the oldest residential street in Europe
Plus, the top three staycation locations to visit in 2024
LAST year, the consumer watchdog Which? named Wells in Somerset as the best inland town in the UK.
Despite being a city, Wells topped the list thanks to its attractiveness, tourist attractions, scenery, shopping and food and drink.
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The consumer champion surveyed over 9,000 to reveal the best inland towns and villages in the UK.
Members were asked to rate their experience of visiting inland locations in the last year.
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Wells' photogenic architecture is a huge reason people visit the city, with the cathedral top of the list of best things to do on TripAdvisor.
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The 850-year-old structure is said to be the earliest cathedral to be built in the Gothic style in England.
Not only does it have one of the oldest medieval clock faces in the world, but it's also hiding another unique attraction.
Just a stone's throw from the cathedral lies Vicar's Close, which claims to be the oldest residential street in Europe.
Built in the 14th century, the picturesque close is still home to its original buildings.
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The cobbled street was built over 650 years ago to house the Vicars' Choral, with their successors continuing to live in these houses to this day.
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The residential street has received a 4.5/5 star rating from over 1,000 reviews on TripAdvisor.
One visitor wrote: "I wandered down here after visiting the cathedral. It is picturesque and exactly as described - minus the couple of cars, you could convince yourself you’d popped back in time."
Another person added: "A fascinating and unique little street of houses dating from the 14th century."
Elsewhere, the Bishop's Palace and Gardens - 14 acres of land surrounded by a moat - are also high up on the list of things to do in the city.
Other attractions in the tiny city include Wells Market Place, which runs twice a week.
There's also the Square, an indoor soft play centre in the heart of the city.
However, there's more to Wells than church buildings, with the nearby Ebbor Gorge also taking plenty of plaudits from visitors.
It's described by as the “loveliest and most unspoilt gorge in the Mendips”.
The limestone gorge is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest and is now managed by Natural England as a national nature reserve.
As well as wildlife, visitors can expect to see families clambering all over, and making great use of, the limestone walls and the walking trails nearby.
You could convince yourself you’d popped back in time
For those who are a bit more adventurous, Wookey Hole is not much further away, where visitors can go on an expedition through some of the country's most famous caves.
The picturesque city has featured in some major movie and television productions, including Hot Fuzz, Dungeons and Dragons and Wolf Hall.
Visitors can imagine following in the footsteps of film stars including Cate Blanchett, Chris Hemsworth, and Emily Blunt when walking through England's smallest city.
Wells is a 40-minute drive from Bath, and it's a 90-minute drive from Exeter.
There are plenty of other quirky towns and villages to visit in the UK too, including Bournville in Birmingham.
Bournville, Birmingham
Located in southwest Birmingham, Bournville is a tiny village that was built by the Cadbury family.
While the model village may sound fairly idyllic, it isn't without its quirks.
Because of its Quaker heritage, there are no pubs in Bournville, so those residents, and tourists, who fancy a swift drink need to visit boozers in other parts of Birmingham, like Selly Oak and Stirchley.
Painswick, Cotswolds
Often dubbed the "Queen of the Cotswolds" by travel experts and tour operators, Painswick has also been called the "most magical" town in the UK by holidaymakers on TikTok.
Even though Painswick is fairly small, there are several sites for day trippers to explore including St Mary's Church.
The church lies in the heart of the town and is surrounded by a churchyard dotted with graves, tombs, and 99 Yew trees.
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Another tiny village in the UK has been compared to a retro 1940s film set.
And an abandoned village in England only opens to tourists once a year.
Best staycation locations for 2024
1. Bristol
The arty harbour city was the top spot on the list and is bursting with culture and trendy cafes scattered along the River Avon.
A bubbling hub for creatives, Bristol is the birthplace of street artist Banksy, and you can admire some of his best early works on a free walking tour.
2. Hull
The Humberside port city started to get recognition last year, and it has a thriving nightlife scene - if that's something you're after.
The old town is crawling with history and classy buildings, whose walls have many stories to tell and The Deep is a fascinating aquarium attraction.
3. Isles of Scilly
Just off the Cornish coast, it's easy to see why the archipelago made it into the top three.
Here, you can expect golden sandy beaches where you will be able to spot dolphins beyond the shoreline, as well as seafront pubs serving up hearty grub.
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