Cardiff ranked 'third best' capital city in Europe

Cardiff has moved up the rankings to become Europe's 'third best' capital city to live in, a new European Union survey has revealed.

The Welsh capital has climbed from sixth place to joint third, which it shares with Copenhagen and Stockholm. Meanwhile Oslo, the capital of Norway, came out in 1st place, and Belfast took 2nd.

Cardiff Castle is a popular tourist spot... even in the rain! Credit: Hannah McKay/PA Wire

The Quality of Life in European Cities Survey gathers the opinions of residents in EU member states, focussing on quality of life and levels of satisfaction with various aspects of city living, including:

  • Employment opportunities

  • Public transport

  • Education

  • Health

  • Cultural activities

  • Sports facilities

  • Shopping

  • House prices

  • Air quality

  • Public spaces

  • Safety

  • Green spaces

  • Cleanliness

St David's shopping centre is well known for its retail therapy Credit: Barry Batchelor/PA Wire

The survey takes place every two years and 2,000 Cardiff residents were asked for their opinions on the city.