ABERGAVENNY has been named among the best places to live in Wales according to national newspaper The Sunday Times - although it missed out on the top spot.

The town in the north of Monmouthshire is famous throughout the UK for its annual food festival, but there's more to enjoy.

Why is Abergavenny one of the best places to live in Wales?

The Sunday Times says - from the scenery to the high street and a busy community eager to get involved in everything from choirs to litter picks, there’s something to admire everywhere you turn. This is a proper market town which along with the food festival and the many excellent restaurants, makes this a particularly good spot for anyone keen on eating well. 

Ruthin, Denbighshire, was named as the 2023 Best Place to Live in Wales in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live Guide.

Helen Davies, editor of Best Places to Live 2023, said: “When times are tough, where we live matters more than ever.

"Attractive surroundings, good neighbours and a comfortable home are the best defences when the stresses of modern life seem overwhelming. 

“This guide is a celebration of towns, cities and villages that are each a fantastic place to live in 2023 from Orkney to Felixstowe, the Chew Valley to Manchester city centre.

"Whether you’re downsizing, trading up or getting onto the property ladder, there will be somewhere to suit you.” 

Where else in Wales was on the Best Places to Live list?

The following are not ranked in any order other than alphabetical:

  • Abergavenny, Monmouthshire;
  • Barmouth, Gwynedd;
  • Gower Peninsula, Swansea;
  • Narberth, Pembrokeshire;
  • Pontcanna, Cardiff;
  • Ruthin, Denbighshire;
  • Solva, Pembrokeshire.

Wadhurst in East Sussex was named the overall winner of Best Places to Live.

It was praised by judges for its “good schools, convenient transport connections, an amazingly well-stocked high street and stunning scenery”. They said that it offers “pretty much everything needed for modern life in miniature”. 

Previous winners of the Best Places to Live in Britain title have been:

  • Stamford, Lincolnshire (2013);
  • Skipton, North Yorkshire (2014);
  • Newnham, Cambridge (2015);
  • Winchester, Hampshire (2016);
  • Bristol (2017);
  • York (2018);
  • Salisbury, Wiltshire (2019);
  • Altrincham, Cheshire (2020);
  • Stroud, Gloucestershire (2021);
  • Ilkley, West Yorkshire (2022).