READERS' TRAVEL AWARDS 2003

This year's overall winner is Leeds. Even though you don't think it is necessarily the most beautiful city in the UK (it mustered a relatively low 78.10 for aesthetics/architecture), it is certainly a fun place to be, scoring more than 90 for nightlife/entertainment and food/ restaurants. It also received the top score of 84.76 for value for money. Once again, Oxford and Cambridge came out on top for culture (93.17 and 91.93), closely followed by London (91.82). The most user-friendly city in the UK is Glasgow (84.48) and the cleanest, appropriately, is Bath (77.46), followed by Chester (77.33), while Liverpool is by far the friendliest, raising a cheery 96.84 for people/hospitality.

If it's value for money you're after, head straight for Bangkok or Cape Town: those cities were awarded top marks (97.69 and 96.84) on that criterion. But money isn't everything, as you have shown by voting the Eternal City your favourite city outside the UK, awarding it a picture-perfect 99.39 for aesthetics/architecture and a civilised 98.18 for culture (beaten only by Florence, which you awarded an astonishing 99.58). Generally, you gave the top five European cities the best scores for looks, food and culture, while Sydney and New York picked up more plaudits for accommodation and nightlife/entertainment. Singapore's reputation as the most hygienic city is confirmed by a near spotless 99.59 for cleanliness; only Stockholm came anywhere near, with 96.36, a full six points ahead of the rest. And where do you feel safest? Well, you insist it's Dubai: you gave the buoyant UAE city a reassuring 88.18.