A Yorkshire city “with a defiant spirit” has been named by National Geographic as one of its 25 top places to visit in the globe in 2026.

The world-famous magazine said Hull, which is looking forward to its maritime museum and historic ships reopening next year after a multi-million upgrade, had a “laid back charm which is hard to resist”.

It ranked as one of it top picks for “the most unique travel experiences next year” along with giraffes and zebras in an East African national park and snorkelling with manta rays in Fiji.

The list features Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Medellín, in Colombia and Vancouver in Canada, along with the Italian Dolomites, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in Australia, and Rwanda's Akagera National Park.

Archive pic: Date: 9th November 2021. Picture James Hardisty. The Arctic Corsair, a deep-sea trawler, built in 1960, that was converted to a museum ship in 1999. Is temporarily berthed in dry dock at Dunston's shipyard on William Wright Dock in Hull

placeholder image — Archive pic: Date: 9th November 2021. Picture James Hardisty. The Arctic Corsair, a deep-sea trawler, built in 1960, that was converted to a museum ship in 1999. Is temporarily berthed in dry dock at Dunston's shipyard on William Wright Dock in Hull

The magazine said the poet Philip Larkin had written the city off as “a frightful dump, chilly and smelling of fish” would be “be pleased to see what Hull has achieved.”

Nathan Lump, editor-in-chief of National Geographic, said: “In this year's 'Best of the World,' we especially wanted to highlight unexpected destinations that the algorithms are probably not serving you - for instance, Uzbekistan's Khiva or Rwanda's Akagera National Park,

"Of course, we know that not every trip can be an off-the-beaten-path adventure, so we were mindful to include some surprisingly compelling places that are also more easily accessible. Whatever kind of traveler you are, our goal is to ensure we're sharing fresh ideas that help you connect with that feeling of discovery and joy that comes from a great travel experience."

It is an incredible turnaround for a city which was inaugural winner of Crap Towns, The Worst Places To Live in 2003 – but went onto be City of Culture to great acclaim in 2017.

Hull's Maritime Museum is due to reopen next year

Arctic Corsair, the sole survivor of Hull’s once-mighty distant water, sidewinder fishing fleet, will float into dry dock on the River Hull, next Spring, alongside a new visitor centre as part of the long-running £65m Hull Maritime project. Visitors will be able to look inside the trawler, built in 1960 at a Beverley shipyard, and get a sense of the fishermen’s lives.

Queens Gardens has been undergoing a extensive refurbishment since 2022, in a project that is now expected to cost more than £21 million. It is expected to reopen later this year.

Councillor Mike Ross, Leader of Hull City Council, said: “To be named by National Geographic as one of the best places in the world to visit is a huge honour for Hull and a powerful recognition of how far our city has come.

"Hull has always had a proud story to tell, rooted in our maritime heritage, our resilience, and our creativity.”