IT’S official – Salisbury is one of the best places in the UK to live. Our city has made the cut in the 2023 list of most desirable locations- produced by lifestyle website, Muddy Stilettos.

The list was compiled by comparing everything from the cultural offering of places, to restaurants, schools and house prices, in association with estate agent and property consultant, Strutt & Parker.
On Salisbury, the judges said: “As Salisbury has a cathedral, it’s a city – one full of medieval splendour, windy streets, Gothic architecture, a large market square that plays host to festivals and markets and a cluster of funky independent shops and restaurants.
“Plus, it’s only a few short miles from the ultimate heritage attraction, Stonehenge – so when you’re bored of shopping, eating and drinking you can hot-foot it there and commune with your inner druid.”
The guide details a number of eateries and pubs in the town, including the 14th century Haunch of Venison – one of Wiltshire’s oldest pubs.
Also mentioned are the range of independent traders in the town, from womenswear boutique OsoBoutique to Casa Fina, which stocks ‘an elegantly curated range of vintage china and antiques and independent gifts and homewares’.

Salisbury has been included on the list due to culture such as independent businesses such as Casa Fina, run by Susi Mason

Susi Mason, owner of Casa Fina, said: “I think Salisbury is a fabulous place to live.
“It’s so well situated. You can easily get to the New Forest of to the coast, and if you want to go to Bristol or London, it’s easy.”
But it is the community that makes it special, she added.
“It’s got a fantastic community. As a business, we have really discovered that, through Novichok (the poisoning scandal in 2018) and Covid, the community really supported everyone in the city, which is great.”
For culture, the judges cited Salisbury Playhouse Theatre, Salisbury Arts Centre and the Salisbury International Arts Festival, which all come under the banner of Wiltshire Creative.

Salisbury has been included on the list due to culture such as independent businesses such as Fisherton Mill

Award-winning gallery, cafe, shop and event space Fisherton Mill also gets a mention.
Founder and editor-in-chief of Muddy Stilettos, Hero Brown, said: “When people decide to move, they’re searching for more than just a house – they want a home, a lifestyle that works for them and their family, and if they’re strategic, a long-term investment too.
“Our 2023 Top 250 Best Places to Live guide will give them that extra reassurance
they need to make their search easier in these difficult economic times.”
Average house prices in Salisbury stand at £326,181 over the last year, according to Rightmove, with terraced properties selling for an average of £293,491, flats for £194,138 and semi-detached properties for £310,845.
Elsewhere, schools are also praised, with the likes of Leehurst Swan and Godolphin, both prep
and senior, Chafyn Grove, and Salisbury Cathedral School, as well as Bishop Wordsworth School and South Wilts Grammar School all getting a mention.

Elsewhere in Wiltshire, Warminster, Marlborough Malmesbury and Sherston make the list.
For more details, and to see the full list, log on to https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live.