THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CITIES TO WAKE UP IN, ACCORDING TO INSTAGRAM

With spring now upon us and each morning getting lighter and brighter, Premier Inn has researched over 250 of the most populated cities in the world on Instagram to reveal the places that are being photographed the most when we wake up in the morning.

The number of hashtags for #goodmorning{city} were counted and compared for cities in the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, Africa, South America and Asia.

Instagrammers are rising early and getting their cameras ready to catch a glimpse of the UK’s most beautiful cities to see the sunrise in. London takes the top spot globally, and as such is also the UK’s most popular city to explore first thing in the morning, followed by the stunning Welsh capital Cardiff.

In fourth place is Edinburgh, which is the most popular Scottish city amongst early birds, with #Goodmorningedinburgh posts showcasing the reflections of the sunrise on the Water of Leith, the city’s main river, and purple and pink skies framing St Mary’s Cathedral.

Cities on the west side of the country see more morning snaps on Instagram, with Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham and Bristol all making the top 10.

UK’s top 10 most popular morning cities

Top UK cities and towns
Instagram hashtags
London
39,600
Cardiff
1,850
Manchester
1,050
Edinburgh
900
Glasgow
680
Bristol
570
Brighton
550
Liverpool
380
Newcastle Upon Tyne
350
Birmingham
340

Over 39,000 mentions for mornings in London: London is clearly a big hit amongst early morning Instagrammers capturing fresh, crisp scenes of various parks dotted around the city and sunshine-covered pictures of landmarks such as London Bridge, Big Ben and the River Thames. Plenty of shots show Londoners making the most of the sunrise as day breaks, taking in the quiet before the city bustles to life.

Over 1,850 mentions for mornings in Cardiff: Many of the posts under #goodmorningCardiff show off the city’s beautiful greenery and stunning architecture, with many getting out early to beat the crowds and capture some amazing shots of Cardiff’s plentiful canals, Cardiff Castle and Llandaff Cathedral.

Over 1,050 mentions for mornings in Manchester: Golden morning swirls of sky are captured in many of the morning posts from Manchester, with the sun peeking out over the waters of Salford Quays as it brings in the day. Instagram users can take a seat next to the Alan Turing Memorial in Sackville Park or wander over to Castlefield, a conservation area home to one of the most peaceful parts of the city, to enjoy a morning stroll and take pictures of the Bridgewater Canal and cobbled pathways.

Over 900 mentions for mornings in Edinburgh: Photos shared of Edinburgh often feature the breath-taking panoramic views from Calton Hill, with the morning light flooding the UNESCO World Heritage Site’s Athenian acropolis, making the perfect backdrop for an Insta-worthy snap. Morning people in Edinburgh are spoiled for choice, though, as they can also visit the city’s Royal Botanical Gardens, Edinburgh Castle and Edinburgh Old Town to catch iconic photos of the city at dawn.

Over 680 mentions for mornings in Glasgow: Scotland is clearly popular amongst early-risers, with Glasgow featuring over 680 posts relating to mornings spent in the city on Instagram. Uploads showcase the award-winning Rouken Glen Park, Pollok Park and Botanic Gardens in their sunrise adorned glory.