My advice would be not to start by trying to anticipate which investment will be "the best", but by analysing your own attitude to investments and seeing which is best 'for you'.
If you are a cautious investor, don't jump in to stocks and shares straight away. Speak to an independent financial adviser (not a bank - when they see large amounts of money coming into your account they'll want to sell you stuff that suits them, and which may not be best for you) and be prepared to pay a fee for the advice, or accept that they will receive commission on the business, or both, but they must disclose this to you and must make recommendations which are appropriate to you, and justify them.
Single property investments and individual share selections are very high risk investments for someone who may be more afraid of an investment downturn than they realise.
Hope this helps