Edinburgh top choice for would-be travellers

Seven out of ten Britons would explore the country if they had more spare time, with Edinburgh the most attractive destination, research has found.

A survey of 2,000 people found 51 per cent would opt to visit Edinburgh given more free time.

York was the runner-up at 48 per cent, followed by Oxford (43 per cent), Bath (40 per cent) and London (37 per cent).

Virgin Trains published the results of its poll to mark the launch of its Free Me campaign, encouraging people to make the most of their spare time.

It found a third of people enjoy train travel because it “gives me time to myself”. The most popular activity overall is admiring views through carriage windows, followed by listening to music, reading and daydreaming.