Britain has a habit of showing up in global beauty rankings, and not always where you’d expect. A recent list from Love Exploring pulled together some of the world’s loveliest small towns, and six UK towns and one Irish town were named among them[1].
The six aren’t grand cities or famous landmarks. They’re a seaside harbour, a honey-coloured Cotswolds hamlet, a medieval wool town, a border book town, a cobbled Sussex hilltop and a rainbow-painted island port. Here’s what earned each of them a place.
Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Tenby is a harbour and seaside resort town framed by golden sand beaches and grand Victorian houses painted in pastel hues.[1] It’s the sort of place where the colour of the buildings seems to match the mood of the holidaymakers on the front.
The town sits along Pembrokeshire’s 186-mile coastline, with a flourishing high street, 13th-century medieval walls and award-winning beaches[1]. Worth knowing, though: in the same ranking Tenby came in at 65th, behind Hay-on-Wye[2]. A lower position on a global list of this kind still puts it in selective company.
Bibury, Gloucestershire
Strictly speaking, Bibury is a village rather than a town[3], but the list included it anyway. Its fame rests on Arlington Row, a line of 17th-century honey-hued weavers’ cottages with sloping roofs[1]. William Morris is said to have once declared it the most beautiful village in the country.[4]
Recognition keeps arriving. Forbes, working with Unforgettable Travel Company, named Bibury the most beautiful village in the world in its 2025 list of 50.[5] That fame has a cost, as its 600 or so residents are now grappling with overtourism[5], so visiting thoughtfully matters here.
Lavenham, Suffolk
Lavenham is described as something like stepping into a fairy tale. It has more than 300 listed timber-framed structures that have remained largely unchanged since the 15th century.[1] The buildings lean and bow in a way that no modern developer would ever attempt on purpose.
Film fans might spot a familiar face. The Lavenham Guildhall was used as a set for the Harry Potter films, standing in as the derelict house of Harry’s parents.[1] It’s a neat reminder that the town’s well-preserved medieval look has real pull beyond the travel pages.
Hay-on-Wye, Powys, Wales
Hay-on-Wye sits on the Herefordshire border in Powys, Mid Wales, and was placed 48th out of 67 global destinations[6] in the ranking. That also made it the prettiest town in Wales[6] on the list. Recognised as Wales’s National Book Town, it has around 26 bookshops along a high street decorated in colourful bunting.[3]
Books shape the place. The Hay Festival runs across 11 days and attracts as many as 250,000 visitors.[6] The town’s position on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park also makes it a gateway to some of Wales’ most striking landscapes.[6]
Rye, East Sussex
Rye sits on the East Sussex coastline, known for its cobbled lanes and crooked architecture.[3] That look has frequently earned it the title of the UK’s prettiest street[3] and now a place among the world’s most beautiful towns.
Love Exploring’s own write-up describes a collection of half-timbered houses, steep cobbled lanes and ancient inns[4]. It also calls Rye one of the best-preserved medieval towns in England[4]. A wander up the hill past the old inns explains why.
Tobermory, Isle of Mull, Scotland
Tobermory is a harbour town on the Isle of Mull in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides.[1] Its rainbow-coloured buildings line the waterfront and famously inspired the children’s TV show Balamory.[1] The bright paintwork looks even better against Hebridean grey skies.
Colour has already won it attention. Tobermory ranked 11th in a separate list of the world’s most colourful places.[7] The horseshoe-shaped bay is filled with fishing boats, and cosy pubs, local seafood and scenic walking routes add to the appeal.[1]
