WHEN Brits think about the best cities in the UK, the ones that come to mind are probably the likes of York, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester, Brighton or London.
But according to National Geographic, one of ‘best places in the world to travel to in 2026’ is Hull – all thanks to its lively bar scene, award-winning aquarium, and completion of a huge project costing millions.
Hull, is a port city in East Yorkshire that sits on the north bank of the river Humber.
National Geographic has named it as one of the best places in the entire world to visit next year, but it’s not always been so up and coming.
For example in Hull took top spot in the book Crap Towns: The 50 Worst Places to Live in the UK back in 2003.
However, it’s set to become more popular in 2026, and National Geographic mentioned that one of the reasons why is Hull’s investment into conserving its rich maritime history.
Hull was a very important trade route during the 13th and 14th centuries.
Thanks to this, you can see Dutch-influenced architecture buildings that line the streets of the quaint Old Town.
Since 2020, the Maritime Museum has been undergoing a huge revamp worth £11million, but it will finally reopen to the public next year.
This has been part of a wider £27.5 million project to promote Hull’s maritime history which has gone into restoring the museum and ships.
Another reason is the city’s new leisure spots that have transformed warehouses and the old waterside Fruit Market to become bars, restaurants, and art galleries.
The publication added: “There’s also a spectacular performance amphitheater, called Stage@TheDock, overlooking River Hull where it meets the Humber Estuary.”
It continued: “And a former shipyard has for over 20 years been the base for The Deep, one of the United Kingdom’s most highly respected aquariums and marine conservation centers.”
The Deep is one of the country’s best aquariums, and the attraction is listed as one of top thing to do on Hull’s TripAdvisor.
Inside, visitors will be able to see sharks, turtles, penguins, and the UK’s only Green sawfish.
Head into the city and you’ll find the towering Hull Minster, the largest parish church in England (by floor area), it’s over 700 years old and is known to have some of the finest medieval brickwork in the country.
If visitors want to get a panoramic view of Hull, they can choose to climb the 180 steps up the spiral staircase.
It’s not just all about history, as Hull is a star of the screen having been used in the backdrop of lots of well-known TV shows and movies.
It even has its own showbiz trail called ‘It Must Be Hullywood‘, a walking route designed for tourists to see sites of their favourite shows.
And they’re big shows too like The Crown, Bodies, Enola Holmes 2 and ITV‘s Victoria starring Jenna Coleman.
Visitors to Hull can download a guide or grab a leaflet to follow the trail at their own pace.
It’s not the first time Hull has been revealed to be a city on the rise, it was even named one of Time Out’s best places to visit in 2024. In 2017, Hull was named the UK City of Culture.
Last year, Sun Travel explored Hull as part of Sun Travel’s Best of British series, and writer Hope Brotherton went to explore the city, here’s what she discovered.
For shopping, Hope suggested heading to Humber Street which used to be lined with fruit and veg traders but now has cool independent clothing and homeware shops, an art gallery and some of the city’s trendiest restaurants.
When it comes to things to do, head to Dinostar, an interactive dinosaur museum designed specifically for inquisitive kids where there’s everything from yrannosaurus Rex skull to Triceratops bones.
Other stops include the William Wilberforce House Museum and the Hull & East Riding Museum of Archaeology.
Hull has plenty of pubs and in 2023 was crowned the UK’s cheapest place for beers last year – some of Hope’s favourite included The Minerva pub and the Lion and Key.
The city is also rightfully proud of their Hearth Restaurant & Bakery, which is even listed in the Michelin Guide.
After spending a weekend in the city, Hope said: “From its maritime history to its free walking tours and other cultural attractions, Hull has it all for a great weekend break.
After 48 hours in the city, I could see why the locals I met are so proud to come from Hull – I would be, too.”
National Geographic’s ‘best places in the world to travel to in 2026’…
The Dolomites, Milan, Italy
Québec, Canada
Beijing, China
Dominica
Rabat, Morocco
Hull, Yorkshire, England
North Dakota Badlands, U.S.
Manila, Philippines
Black Sea Coast, Türkiye
Khiva, Uzbekistan
Akagera National Park, Rwanda, East Africa
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
Route 66: Oklahoma, U.S.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Oulu, Finland
South Korea
Guimarães, Portugal
Basque Country, Spain
Maui, Hawaii, U.S.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Coastal Oaxaca (Costa Chica), Mexico
Fiji
Medellín, Colombia
Banff, Canada