A 2023 survey by Travel + Leisure invited readers to vote on the world’s most beautiful cities. Recognising the answer is different for everyone, here is the by-no-means exhaustive list of the world’s (25) most beautiful cities.
Sydney Australia sparkles with its yacht-filled harbour, golden beaches, spectacular headland views, lush parks and gardens, and abundance of sunshine. Take a ferry tour to see the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge from the water. Explore the city's wealth of picturesque coastal walks and great beaches; Manly has wide, clean sand and perfect surf.
Barcelona Spain Covered food markets, tapas bars, iconic Modernist architecture and golden-sand Mediterranean beaches are big appeal factors for Catalonia’s colourful capital. But the culture of afternoon siestas, late dinners and people-watching on busy plazas, stop near Santa Caterina Market and capture the beautifully relaxed life style.
Adventure capital of the world, Queenstown New Zealand is the ultimate playground for outdoor activities. The city has hiking, skiing, sky-diving, rafting, winery-hopping and cruising Milford Sound. Queenstown is built around a finger of Lake Wakatipu, a glacial lake whose reflection of the Remarkables Mountain Range makes the scene stunning.
Istanbul Turkey is an intoxicating jumble of domed and intricately mosaiced mosques, Ottoman-era palaces, maze-like markets and hilly cobblestoned streets where bar parties spill out the door. The food scene stretches beyond the ubiquitous kebab; the mezze and grilled seafood are fantastic, as is the city’s coffeehouse culture at night.
In beautiful Paris France, go from a cosy sidewalk cafe tightly packed with chic Parisians to proud boulevards lined with creamy stone Haussmann-era mansions. The patisseries may be as delightful as Paris’ splendid art and architecture. Museé d’Orsay has C19th paintings & sculpture in a glorious Beaux-Arts train station on the Seine.
San Francisco CA US, set on a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, offers beautiful hilltop views of skyscrapers, bridges, mountains and ocean. Golden Gate Bridge, Painted Ladies and cable cars are emblems of the city. See North Beach, Chinatown’s dim sum parlours and Presidio Tunnel Tops, a 14-acre park above highway tunnels.
Sun-soaked Palermo Sicily is a dream for architecture buffs. Italy’s biggest opera house is here! Teatro Massimo’s copper dome is c250’ over the piazza below. The striking gold-stone cathedral is one of the many old Arab-Norman structures. From the rooftop, see the city’s terra-cotta skyline in the early evening, settle on the bohemian Piazza Caracciolo.
Perched between flat-topped Table Mountain and the Atlantic, Cape Town South Africa has endless natural beauty. Share in 1]adrenaline-fueled action (dive with sharks, hike or take the cable car up Table Mountain), 2]leisurely (swimming, cocktails on Camps Bay Beach, biking on Sea Point Promenade) and 3]cultural (museums, cellars, music festivals).
Visit Seoul South Korea’s vibrant food and nightlife scene, and urban green spaces. The past and present live together with party districts, ancient palaces, ultra-modern subways, Buddhist temples, sky scrapers and street markets. This fast neon metropolis has beautifully landscaped parks along Han River, mountain hiking trails and free outdoor gyms.
Cartagena Colombia has a great mix of Caribbean beaches and islands in South America, with 5 centuries of history and UNESCO-listed walled Old City. It is splendidly preserved and photogenic. Bougainvilleas burst from the balconies. Go people-watching in the squares and sampling grilled arepas from street vendors. At night find live salsa music.
Lovely low-rise Kyoto Japan is different from sprawling, daunting Tokyo. The city has a major UNESCO World Heritage front; 17 sites, including temples, shrines and Golden Pavilion. Plum, cherry and willow trees spill over Kyoto’s riverbanks, and lanterns-lit tiny alleys lined with wooden teahouses. Visit tranquil Silver Pavilion then Moss Temple.
Brazil’s second city, Rio de Janeiro Brazil, is home to celebrated Ipanema and Copacabana beaches and the largest Art Deco statue: Christ the Redeemer via a steep railway ride. See parks, rain forests waterfalls, caves, great vistas and Jardim Botânico. Artsy Santa Teresa is for cafe life, boutiques, and samba street parties.
Tbilisi Georgia’s capital is fairy-tale material. The Old Town is a joy to explore, with carved wooden balconies over-looking sleepy courtyards and cobbled streets lined with wine bars and traditional Georgian cafes. Brave the funicular to the C4th Narikala Fortress for views of Tbilisi and the encircling Caucasus Mountains.
Rome Italy is an open-air museum showing 3 millennia of sumptuous art & architecture. Visit the city’s tangle of meandering alleys, hidden piazzas and imperial streets. Note the all-mighty Roman Forum or St Peter’s Basilica, then stop for a creamy gelato or reviving bowl of carbonara. When the heat breaks, watch the parade of dapper Romans strolling
Hoi An Vietnam is a riverside jewel. Its preserved old town is an untouched UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spared the ruin of the Vietnam War, Hội An harbours hundreds of historic timber-frame houses, sacred temples, pagodas and C18th Japanese bridge. Go on a bike ride, cooking classes, riverboat rides, local cafes or a trip to a bespoke tailor.
The Middle Ages, Victorian era and modern world coexist in London UK: medieval Westminster Abbey and Tower of London, near Victorian Trafalgar Square, with busy C21st London bustling around. Delight in the Gothic, Baroque and Elizabethan buildings; museums and art galleries; street markets; and green spaces: Hyde, St James’ and Regent’s parks.
Cosmopolitan Buenos Aires Argentina marries European and Latin flavour. See green and yellow parrots at Bosques de Palermo, find the balcony from which Eva Perón addressed fans at Casa Rosada and refuel with cake in a bar notable. The city has Paris-worthy mansions, food hangouts, street markets and shopping arcades. It's the birthplace of tango.
Good TV shows benefitted from Dubrovnik Croatia’s cinematic looks eg Game of Thrones. And UNESCO named Dubrovnik a World Heritage Site. This Pearl of the Adriatic, in the charming and traffic-free Old Town, has mint-condition medieval architecture, including the Gothic-Renaissance Rector’s Palace and the town’s thick stone medieval fortifications.
Taipei Taiwan is the Beautiful Island. From a very tall skyscraper, Taipei 101, the observatory offers gorgeous city views and lush green mountains. Then visit tranquil temples, flower markets, shopping streets and food-stall alleys. Hike Elephant Mountain-Nangang District Trail, admire green forests, hot springs and Taipei views at the National Park.
An ancient city set on a dramatic landscape of extinct volcanoes and anchored by a grand, Acropolis-like castle? Yes, Edinburgh Scotland! After Edinburgh’s hills, rest in one of the many parks and squares or pop into a pub for steak-and-ale pie and a smooth Scottish stout. Note the biggest arts festival in the world descends upon the city every Aug.
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico is the uncontested queen of Mexico’s central highlands. This city is a beautiful maze of cobbled alleys, cool courtyards and buildings built in Spanish colonial, Baroque, neoclassical and neo-Gothic styles. The latter is best seen in the grand Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, a gorgeous pink C17th church.
Singapore’s skyline has futuristic high rises, undulating cloud forest domes and a 540’ Ferris wheel. Its enclaves like Chinatown, Arab Quarter and Little India reveal the city’s multicultural past. Colourful food streets and hawker centres are packed with stalls. Stroll along Marina Bay’s illuminated waterfront, the Botanic Gardens and Gardens by the Bay
Manhattan Island New York has huge buildings eg the 104-storey World Trade Centre and Empire State Building. Other architectural treasures eg Greek Revival mansions in the Bronx, are found in all 5 boroughs. See Monets at the Met, Warhol’s soups at MoMA, or The Dinner Party at Brooklyn Museum. See Central Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park.
26 comments:
Ranking the beauty of cities, and what they have to offer to their visitors, may sound like mission impossible. Some travelers prefer cities where they can spend days exploring ancient wonders and world-class museums, while others are drawn to cities with breathtaking skylines, urban vistas and modern architecture. But although we all have our personal favorites, there are some cities that are so exceptionally beautiful that they should be on everyone’s bucket list. If you’re looking for a destination with urban pleasures, consider visiting one of my favorite 10 cities in the world (a by-no-means exhaustive list):
1. CAPE TOWN (SOUTH AFRICA)
2. VANCOUVER (CANADA)
3. NEW YORK (USA)
4. ROME (ITALY)...
I've been to a few of these cities. I'm not really a big city person, but my choices would from where I have visited would be 1) San Francisco, 2) London 3) Paris 4) Stockholm 5) Charleston, SC 6) Barcelona and I'll finish with Boston.
Does a person have to love a city from personal experience or can we vote for cities based on films and friends' stories? I know Rio, Sydney and San Francisco well, but I added Cape Town because my S.A coffee mates say it is the loveliest city anywhere.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - cliched but true and necessarily subjective.
Such a detailed and prolific descriptions of various cities in the world. You are tempting me to take on the travelling again.
Luxury Travel Expert
thank you kindly. I don't know how many people gave you their preferences or what countries they live in, but the results seem to fit in well with the Travel + Leisure findings: not Amsterdam or Prague but certainly Cape Town, Vancouver, New York, Rome, Rio and Paris.
Erika
I wonder why neither survey mentioned Stockholm.. it is a beautiful city! And it isn't nearly as big as the cities normally mentioned, so I am not surprised you included it. I would too.
Joe
there are some 525 cities in the world, if we use the definition of city as having a million citizens or more. Even if you travelled every year of your life to distant cities, you would never have the chance to know them all well. Thus I am assuming that some people did not limit themselves to personal experience but relied on films, photos and friends' favourites. For example, I have never been to Casablanca in Morocco but it seems gorgeous.
jabblog
that is very true. We had a huge family reunion in Ballarat 3 weeks ago and at the end, we gave feedback to the organiser. I thought the guided tours through Ballarat's history and architecture were gorgeous, while the cousin next to me thought it was too cold and wet to stay any longer. Climate may not seem important, but it may well influence decisions about favourite cities.
roentare
before Covid, when I had a good income, I used to travel for 4 weeks every year during Melbourne's winter holidays (July). Since Covid started, I haven't travelled beyond North Caulfield :( Now is the time to start travelling again !!!!
Have you decided where you would go first? I would go to Japan.
Hello Hels, I was glad to see that Taipei ranked in your list, although Cleveland was conspicuously absent. I'll bet I could take you on a tour of Cleveland that would leave you enthusiastic indeed! In general, I have found that I enjoy each city I visit, for all cities have their attractions, which sometimes especially appeal to me in particular. Big cities often have major features and impressive museums, but smaller cities and even rural areas can be endowed with a matchless charm. Your own blog proves this. If I were lucky enough to get to Australia, should I concentrate on Melbourne and Sydney, or head straight to the gold-rush towns?
--Jim
Parnassus
I wonder if there is something magical about living on a small island. I don't know Taipei myself, but I do know Malta, Gibraltar, Sicily, Cyprus, Java, Singapore and Sri Lanka. Ocean views, limited populations, limited pollution and wonderful agriculture.
A greater proportion of Australians live in the capital cities than in almost any other country, so when you arrive, you must visit the coastal capital cities to understand this nation. You would certainly go to the gold rush towns if you love their unique 19th century history and their special architecture. But remember the gold rush towns are all inland so no beaches.
Thanks for a great post covering some of the most beautiful cities in the world.
I've been to Capetown, Paris, Rome, Madrid, Moscow. Capetown is indeed something special with its famous Table Mountain!
An interesting list. I support each one even though I have not visited them all. I like old European capital cities with fine architecture such as Budapest and Prague and St. Petersburg.
I prefer your choice of cities with the exception of Amsterdam. We didn't quite get into the vibe when we visited.
DUTA
Moscow isn't a city that often appears on Most Beautiful City lists, but St Petersburg certainly is. And the other city that used to be loved by all my family (before the war) was Odessa.
Rachel
my mother in law hadn't been back to her Eastern European home since 1951. When we took her back to Prague and Budapest in 1993, she wept and said they were still the most beautiful cities in the world.
CherryPie
of course everyone has different experiences in cities they are visiting, some for good reason and some for minor, fleeting reasons (eg they received an expensive parking ticket while they were there, or they were cold). I am passionate about 17th century Dutch art, so I tried to see _every_ single 17th century painting while we were in Amsterdam :)
I have been lucky enough to visit several of the places on your list.
My own favourite ones, in no particular order, are Vancouver, Melbourne, London, Paris & Budapest. Also high on my list would be Nantes, Ghent & Bruges.
CLICK HERE for Bazza’s daintily daft Blog ‘To Discover Ice’
bazza, Your votes seem to replicate the most beautiful cities in Europe and Europe's old colonies chosen by the survey, by Helen and most of the bloggers. Do you think the survey respondents had never visited Africa or Asia? Or did visit but didn't understand the very different cultures?
Yes a lovely lot of cities. Some i have visited. My favourites are Sydney, London, Paris, Prague, Berne, San Fransisco and Chicago.
James MacPherson Ferguson wrote an excellent review of Belmond Royal Scotsman
Let's highlight four of his points:
1. The stateroom sleeping cabin are very user-friendly, proving two twins or double bed configuration instead of the usual bunk beds.
2. Limited to a maximum of 40 privileged guests, so no overcrowding.
3. It is the only European train with an outdoor viewing platform and a brand new SPA Treatment Car
4. The Royal Scotsman train does not travel at night, but instead pulls into a track siding for a restful night.
diane
you and I enjoy very similar tastes :)
At lunch today, I put the survey question to my grandchildren and one of them also said Chicago! The other said Athens.
James
Thank you so much. I forgot to mention the double/twin beds instead of bunks (which spouse and I dislike) and I forgot to mention the restful, silent nights' sleep.
My vote would be similar to yours although I would always put London as my first choice.
Fun60
I think we all would vote for the cities we visited most frequently and had the best time in. So not only are Vienna, Prague, London, Venice, Tel Aviv and London beautiful cities, they are the cities spouse and I visited most often. Plus we lived in Tel Aviv and London for 2 years each, and loved every minute of the experiences.
Perhaps there weren't as many votes for non European cities because the population surveyed was not equally distributed around the world.
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