These are the world’s BEST cities
THE top cities in the WORLD have been announced from far-flung Asia to the ‘city of love’ that has cheap UK flights.
Readers of Conde Nast Traveller voted for their “favourite urban sprawls across the planet” to decide which ones are the best and it might be time to book that bucket list trip to Thailand.
Taking the number one spot on the list is Bangkok which was praised for its “buzzy markets, glittering palaces and captivating religious sites unite – street food sellers dishing up tasty food between them all, of course.”
When Assistant Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski visited Bangkok she picked up tasty dishes for the equivalent of £1 – you can also pick up beer for as little as £1.14 according to Wise.
She said: “Within an hour of being in Thai capital Bangkok’s Chinatown we have sampled street food including noodle soup splashed with vinegar, fish sauce and sugar; crunchy corn parcels.
“A bowl of salty critters, displayed next to a row of scorpions on sticks; purple mashed potatoes shaped into doughy, salty balls; and traditional sweet luk chup, made with mung beans.”
She also visited Lebua Hotel’s Sky Bar, which was the filming location from 2011 buddy comedy film The Hangover 2 and it’s home to the “world’s highest open-air whisky bar”, Alfresco 64.
The city coming second on the list is much closer for Brits to visit, it’s Paris.
The French capital is said to have “topped bucket lists of international travellers for centuries thanks to an unrivalled food culture, grand monuments, world-class museums and subtly seductive atmosphere.”
From the UK it’s easy to reach the French capital either on the Eurostar or plane with one-way flights as little as £13.
There’s so much to do in Paris from sight-seeing landmarks like the Eiffel Tower or wandering around the Louvre.
When Travel Reporter Alice Penwill ventured to Paris for an extreme daytrip on the Eurostar she had some suggestions on how to spend time there.
She said: “To start the morning off right, it would be a crime not to pop into one of Paris’ many bakeries, or boulangeries, for a croissant and a coffee.
“Take one to go and stroll along the Seine before heading into the Musée d’Orsay where you can see work by artists like Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh.
“Afterwards, head back along the Seine to see the beautiful Notre Dame which has now reopened to visitors. And if you’re a fan of books, pop across to the famous bookshop, Shakespeare And Company.”
Turkey’s capital, Istanbul was named the third best city in the world which was called “chaotic in all the best ways.”
The publication said: “Centuries of history sit alongside a vibrant contemporary culture, with new waves of artisans luring travellers into chic boutiques after tours of places like Topkapı Palace, the Blue Mosque and the sweet-scented Grand Bazaar.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey suggests visiting the Karaköy neighbourhood which is set on Istanbul’s European side.
She described it as a “trendy pocket of an otherwise busy, but beautiful city.”
If you wander into Karaköy’s backstreets and climb towards neighbouring Galata, you’ll find that cobbled lanes and historic buildings lead to the landmark Galata Tower.
Head up for spectacular views across the Golden Horn, Bosphorus and historic peninsula – it’s especially beautiful in the late afternoon.
Valletta in Malta comes in at number five and it’s a popular spot for Brits thanks to its 300 days of annual sunshine.
Even in November it can see highs of 18C – and it’s reachable from the UK in just over three hours and flights are as little as £15.
It was voted last year’s top city thanks to its mix of ancient but also modern feel and architecture.
Other popular winter sun destinations that made the list include Cape Town in South Africa which in January and February has highs of 25C – while the UK shivers in highs of 8C.
There’s also no jet lag because Cape Town is either one or two hours in front of the UK – depending on the time of year.
When Head of Travel (Digital) Caroline McGuire visited, she saw Table Mountain, lots of wildlife, vineyards and was impressed with an area called Kalk Bay.
She said: “At the town’s upmarket Harbour House restaurant, we dined on seafood and good wine for the price of a Pizza Hut meal in the UK — all while watching seals swimming in the harbour.
“Our accommodation was the charming Chartfield Guesthouse, staying in a huge two-bedroom apartment. It was bigger than my house back home, and cost only £94 a night.
“Kalk Bay is a prime spot for visiting the endangered African penguins of neighbouring Simonstown – there must have been around 100 on the town’s shoreline.”
These are the top 20 cities according to Conde Nast Traveller…
- Bangkok, Thailand – score 97.68
- Paris, France – score 97.14
- Istanbul, Turkey – score 96.67
- Rome, Italy – score 95.96
- Valletta, Malta – score 95.76
- Shanghai, China – score 95.19
- Tokyo, Japan- score 94.76
- Seoul, South Korea – score 93.76
- Sydney, Australia – score 92.72
- Amsterdam, Netherlands – score 92.44
- Stockholm, Sweden – score 91.17
- Vienna, Austria – score 90.97
- Lisbon, Portugal – score 89.70
- Hong Kong – score 89.47
- Cape Town, South Africa – score 88.33
- Porto, Portugal – score 87.78
- Madrid, Spain – score 87.70
- New York, United States – score 86.47
- Jaipur, India – score 86.22
- Singapore – score 85.85
