'I went to one of the UK's best towns to live and it feels very European'

I visited one of the 'best towns' to live in the UK - and I think it's clear why it's on the list. The best towns and villages to live in England and Wales were recently announced, with results calculated based on a number of your usual criteria. Categories examined include proximity to open space, National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, numbers of listed and period homes, figures and the percentage of homes with their closest primary school ranked Outstanding by Ofsted.

In total an impressive 447 locations with a population of 5,000 or more were examined for the list - and a certain few came out on top. Making the top 20 list at number 17 was the beautiful Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent. I visited this lovely little town, which is home to just over 56,000 people. A trip here on a warm summer's day was a wonderful experience for a number of reasons, and it's easy to see why it is considered one of the best towns to live in England.

Royal Tunbridge Wells scored high in a number of categories in the analysis by Garrington Property Finders. When it came to natural beauty, it nabbed the number 3 spot on the list. Out of the thousands of towns examined, it scored within the top 300 when it came to value for money and culture and heritage.

For me, it was the main market street, which is called The Pantiles, that stood out. Visiting on a sunny Saturday, I got to browse through the various market stalls selling everything from locally made crafts and fashion to jewellery. The market was busy but not jammed - with a lovely atmosphere that was a welcome escape from the madness of .

What you also find on this street is many bars and restaurants with on-street seating, giving the town its European feel. Basking in the sun, locals enjoyed a drink and a bite as they watched the world go by. To me, that's not a bad way to spend a weekend in the town where you live.

Interestingly, there are water springs here where people go to buy the water, which is said to be top-quality stuff. Aside from that, it is just a great place to eat, drink and shop. Plus, there are annual events held here, giving locals plenty of cultural experiences to look forward to.

Royal Tunbridge Wells is also home to some gorgeous walks offering some amazing views of the surrounding . Standout walking routes include Ashdown Forest, The Wealdway and The Sussex Border Path.

There are also gorgeous stately and historic homes you can visit such as Penshurst Place, Hever Castle and Chiddingstone Castle.

My visit consisted mainly of The Pantiles and enjoying the artisan market. Of course, there were some stops in the local bars where I sat outside and enjoyed the sunshine.

I also went to the High Rocks, which is a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest, located in a scenic local park. It dates all the way back to the last Ice Age which to me is fascinating. There are also traces of Middle Stone Age and residents.

The town that took the top spot on the list was Redbourn in Hertfordshire, followed by Epsom in Surrey in second place. But for me, Royal Tunbridge Wells is a winner - and definitely deserves its spot on the list of best places to live in England and Wales.