A cathedral city in North Yorkshire has been named among the best in the UK according to science, especially for its hospitality and culture.

Ripon has been described as ‘nigh-on perfect’ by The Telegraph when it comes to ranking the best (and worst) after being judged on 25 criteria.

The publisher conducted a survey out of the 69 cities in England, Scotland and Wales.

This included looking at the amount of green spaces, crime rates, listed buildings, hotels and pubs, as well as many other factors to spotlight some of the “finest” city breaks.

@the.yorkshireman A sunny Easter weekend in Ripon ❤️ #ripon #northyorkshire #yorkshire #uktowns #uktravel #ukholidays #thingstodoinyorkshire ♬ original sound - Deyaz

You can see all of The Telegraph’s best and worst cities according to science here.

Why is Ripon one of the UK’s best cities according to science?

Here is how Ripon scored in full:

  • Hospitality and amenities: 3rd
  • Culture and heritage: 7th
  • Transport: 51st
  • Nature and green spaces: 11th

Total score: 208

The publisher commented: “Yorkshire’s smallest city is nigh-on perfect, especially for heritage buffs. Medieval cathedral? Tick. Ancient market place? Tick. Wonky narrow streets? Tick.

York Press: Ripon was also recently crowned one of the prettiest places in the UK by The TelegraphRipon was also recently crowned one of the prettiest places in the UK by The Telegraph (Image: Getty)

“There are also independent shops, courteous traffic, and three rivers looping around its edges to frame the loveliness.

“Ripon gave up on its spa-town ambitions in the 1930s (there were no springs) but the splendid Edwardian building still stands, and it can confidently lay claim to the title of last traditional spa to be built in Britain.”

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It added: “Other visitor highlights include three quirky museums – Workhouse; Prison and Police; Courthouse – and nearby Fountains Abbey. You might not think of Ripon as a tourist hotspot, but it actually came second in our survey for 'hospitality and provisions'. As for York, up the road, it came 13th overall.”

When recommending places to stay, The Telegraph said: “Palladian, palatial Grantley Hall, located in film-set-perfect parkland, has B&B doubles from £516 per night.”

Read more about Ripon’s rankings as one of the UK’s best cities according to science on The Telegraph’s website.