01-07-2025
Scotland's best place to retire revealed as town with beautiful countryside and historic streets
Read on to discover others on the list
OAP SPOT Scotland's best place to retire revealed as town with beautiful countryside and historic streets
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HADDINGTON has been revealed as Scotland's best place to retire.
Haddington, East Lothian, offers beautiful countryside, coastal adventures and historic streets filled with quaint cafes and tearooms.
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Google searches for 'care homes in Haddington' have surged by 126 per cent, according to carehome comparison site Lottie.
Stonehaven, Glenrothes, Fraserburgh, North Ayrshire and Airdrie also made the list.
Elsewhere Scotland's happiest hotspots were unveiled in a fresh study, with two places making the UK's list of most contented areas.
The Guardian compiled the rankings using data from the University of Liverpool, considering factors such as access to green spaces, proximity to healthcare services, air quality, broadband speeds, public transport links, and crime levels.
Cultural and community amenities, including cinemas, theatres, museums, libraries, and pubs, were also given additional weight.
Introducing the list, money editor Hilary Osborne acknowledged: 'Not everyone will agree with our choices, and we can't guarantee happiness to everyone living in these locations.
"However, one of them might be your happy place.'
Perth has earned its spot as one of Scotland's happiest places, proudly known as "the gateway to the Highlands."
The paper described the Tayside gem as a city that "keeps its cards close to its chest" compared to Scotland's more famous hotspots.
But with "hippest villages" and top-notch "food destinations," Perthshire has plenty to charm both locals and visitors alike.
Dubbed a cultural powerhouse for its size, Perth boasts an impressive art gallery, a theatre, a concert hall, and a stunning art deco cinema – all for a population of just 47,000.
Its annual arts festival adds to the buzz, while June's Potfest, the UK's biggest ceramics festival, and August's Perthshire Pride keep the city's events calendar packed.
Perfectly placed, Perth offers easy access to Edinburgh in 90 minutes, Glasgow in under an hour, and breathtaking train journeys north through the Cairngorms to Aviemore and Inverness.
Just a half-hour from Edinburgh, the commuter town of Haddington also earned a spot on the list of happiest places.
