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.
