Royal Yacht Britannia has been named as the best rated landmark in the UK in the Travellers’ Choice TM awards for Attractions, announced by TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site*.
The Edinburgh attraction, which served the Royal Family for over 44 years, was also named among the winning landmarks in Europe, along with the Houses of Parliament, which were named second in the UK rankings.
In its second year, the Travellers’ Choice awards for Attractions highlight the top landmarks and parks around the globe.
Royal Yacht Britannia Chief Executive Bob Downie said, “We are absolutely delighted that our passion for delivering outstanding customer experiences has been so highly valued on Tripadvisor, and to be No1 in the UK is a tremendous achievement that our staff can be very proud of.”
In the parks category, St James’ Park in London was named among the 25 best parks in the world, also claiming the number one spot in the UK and coming 9th in Europe.
In fact, London together with Paris and Moscow is home to more 2014 award-winning parks than any other city in the world with five winning parks. St James’s Park, Hyde Park, Regents Park, Greenwich Park and Richmond Park all claimed a coveted place in the UK top ten.
St James’ Park ranked 24th in the world, ninth in Europe and number one in the UK and it is easy to see why. The 23 hectares park is the oldest of the capital’s eight Royal Parks and includes The Mall and Horse Guards Parade. At the heart of ceremonial London, the park provides the setting for spectacular pageants including the annual Trooping the Colour.
Hyde Park, Edinburgh’s Princes Street Gardens and Holyrood Park come in second, third and fourth place in the UK and 11th, 12th and 17th in Europe respectively.
In the landmarks category, Edinburgh claimed two award wins, with Edinburgh Castle placing in the top ten along with the Royal Yacht Britannia. However, London claimed the most landmark wins of any UK city, with the Houses of Parliament, Bomber Command Memorial, Tower of London and Big Ben each taking second, third, fourth, and seventh place respectively in the UK.
“With schools breaking up for the summer holidays in a matter of weeks, these attractions will serve as a great must see and do list for families – especially as many of them can be enjoyed for free,” commented TripAdvisor spokesperson, James Kay.
“London cements its reputation as a city of fantastic parks with five award wins – only Paris and Moscow scored as many award winning parks. But for the UK’s best rated landmark you have to look outside the capital to Edinburgh, where the Royal Yacht Britannia has claimed the number one spot for the first time,” James continued.
Travellers’ Choice awards honour top travel spots worldwide based on the millions of valuable reviews and opinions from TripAdvisor travellers. Award winners were determined using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews for landmark and park attractions worldwide, gathered over a 12-month period.
Top 10 UK Landmarks:
1. Royal Yacht Britannia, Edinburgh
2. Houses of Parliament, London
3. Bomber Command Memorial, London
4. Tower of London, London
5. Durham Cathedral, Durham
6. Windsor Castle, Windsor
7. Big Ben, London
8. Cragside House and Gardens, Morpeth
9. Liverpool Central Library, Liverpool
10. Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh
Top 10 World Landmarks:
1. Machu Picchu, Machu Picchu, Peru
2. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
3. Taj Mahal, Agra, India
4. Great Cathedral and Mosque, Cordoba, Spain
5. St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, Italy
6. Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia
7. Bayon Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia
8. Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood, St. Petersburg, Russia
9. Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
10. Ancient City Walls, Dubrovnik, Croatia
Top 10 UK Parks:
1. St James’s Park, London
2. Hyde Park, London
3. Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh
4. Holyrood Park, Edinburgh
5. Regents Park, London
6. Peasholm Park, Scarborough
7. Windsor Great Park, Windsor
8. Bradgate Country Park, Leicester
9. Greenwich Park, London
10. Richmond Park, London
Top 10 World Parks:
1. Stanley Park, Vancouver, Canada
2. Garden of the Gods
3. Central Park, New York City, New York
4. Millennium Park, Chicago, Illinois
5. High Line, New York City, New York
6. Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth, Australia
7. Guell Park, Barcelona, Spain
8. Ibirapuera Park, Sao Paulo, Brazil
9. Retiro Park, Madrid, Spain
10. Luxembourg Gardens, Paris, France
For the complete list of winners from the 2014 Travelers’ Choice Attractions, as well as reviews and candid traveller photos, go to www.tripadvisor.co.uk/TravellersChoice-Attractions.
To see the best hotels for luxury, bargain, and more, as honored in TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards for Hotels from January, go to www.tripadvisor.co.uk/TravellersChoice-Hotels.
