The Times has released its list of the 25 prettiest villages for a mini break in the UK, and several are within reach of Greater Manchester
17:05, 08 Jul 2025Updated 17:05, 08 Jul 2025
Cartmel was included in the list, a village famous for its sticky toffee pudding (Image: Getty Images)
A village in Cumbria boasting two Michelin-starred restaurants, a resort in North Wales inspired by the Italian riviera and a popular seaside spot have all been named among the UK’s prettiest villages for a mini break by The Times.
The publication listed 25 villages across the UK which have “maintained their ageless appeal and also moved with the times”, five of which are within reach of Greater Manchester and “have a special appeal in the summer months”.
The Times’ list includes villages of all shapes and sizes, ranging from a “hamlet to one with a rom-com-worthy collection of trendy shops.”
Included in the list are Askwith in North Yorkshire; Cartmel in Cumbria; Ashford in the Water, the Peak District; Portmeirion and Abersoch, both in North Wales.
Stay connected with our City Life newsletter here
Each one offers a unique stay, whether you fancy a foodie getaway in Cartmel, which boasts “two Michelin-starred restaurants, and a shop that has industrial quantities of its sticky toffee pudding as well as local cheeses” or a seaside getaway in Abersoch, “Wales’s trendiest village come summer, with regattas, golf and a surfy sense of cool.”
Abersoch in North Wales made the list (Image: Daily Post Wales)
Askwith, located within the southern tip of the Yorkshire Dales, made the list thanks to its beautiful old buildings “surrounding by superb walks” which contrast with the forward-thinking Penny Bun restaurant with rooms, which focuses on “hyper-local food…best enjoyed on a raised terrace that maximises the staggering views.”
Naturally Cartmel in Cumbria, famed for its sticky toffee pudding and Simon Rogan’s restaurant L’Enclume made the list, with The Times praising its “serious good looks”.
Over in North Wales, two villages were included: Abersoch and Portmerion. The former was named the “trendiest village” in Wales in the summer months, a place “often described as Cheshire-by-sea”.
Portmeirion features beautiful pastel-coloured buildings (Image: Ian Cooper/North Wales Live)
The “totally enchanting” colourful village of Portmerion, inspired by Portofino in Italy, was included in the list. Described as a place “unlike anywhere else in the UK”, it features “ a melange of eccentric buildings in Pokemon colours, exuberant gardens and pale blue benches.”
The Peak District didn’t go unnoticed, either. The Times recommends going to Ashford for “peak village perfection”, where you’ll find a “medieval Sheepwash bridge, a church that dates from the 12th century and a thriving cricket club that plays on the village green, as well as a collection of very charming limestone cottages with carefully tended gardens.”
The UK’s prettiest village mini breaks in the UK, according to The Times
- Beaulieu, Hampshire
- Askwith, North Yorkshire
- Cartmel, Cumbria
- Cuckfield, West Sussex
- Evershot, Dorset
- Blakeney, Norfolk
- Mells, Somerset
- Firle, East Sussex
- Cookham, Berkshire
- Blanchland, Northumberland
- Portloe, Cornwall
- Southrop, Gloucestershire
- Dedham, Essex
- Eckington, Worcestershire
- Walberswick, Suffolk
- Ashford-in-the-Water, Derbyshire
- Hambleton, Rutland
- Ascott-under-Wychwood, Oxfordshire
- Plockton, Highland
- Ballintaggart, Perth and Kinross
- Pennan, Aberdeenshire
- Portmeirion, Gwynedd
- Tintern, Monmouthshire
- Abersoch, Gwynedd
- Strangford, County Down
For more of the latest What’s On news, click here.