What makes a metropolis stunning? A high-flying skyline, ample parkland, a decided-upon devotion to a single hue? Is it a spot the place you’ll be able to spend days exploring historical wonders, world-class museums, or surrounding mountains? Or just someplace with an indescribable spark — someplace with heaps of vibrant juicy oranges on the avenue market, dwell music enjoying within the sq., and younger lovers misplaced in their very own personal world. Certainly, the reply is completely different for everybody. With that stated, right here is our by-no-means exhaustive checklist of the world’s most stunning cities.

Barcelona, Spain

Lined meals markets, comfortable tapas bars, iconic Modernist structure and golden-sand Mediterranean seashores are large attraction elements for Catalonia’s colourful capital. However the tradition of afternoon siestas, 9 p.m. dinners (in case you’re an early hen), and leisurely strolling or people-watching on busy plazas (cease by Andreu Xarcuteria close to Santa Caterina Market beforehand and seize a jamon serrano bocadillo for the bench) seize the fantastically relaxed Spanish lifestyle.

Queenstown, New Zealand

Often known as the “journey capital of the world,” Queenstown is the final word playground for all issues open air. No matter your pace, this metropolis has it: mountaineering (heli-hiking for the deeply venturesome), snowboarding, skydiving, rafting, winery-hopping, and cruising the Milford Sound are only a few examples of actions on supply. Queenstown is constructed round a finger of Lake Wakatipu, a glacial lake whose reflection of the encircling mountain vary — fittingly named the Remarkables — makes the scene all of the extra gorgeous.

Istanbul, Turkey

If you happen to’ve already been to Rome, Paris, and Barcelona (maybe a number of occasions), think about flying eastward to Istanbul. The town is an intoxicating jumble of domed and intricately mosaicked mosques, Ottoman-era palaces, maze-like markets, and hilly cobblestoned streets the place you may run right into a bar social gathering spilling out the door and down the block. The meals scene stretches approach past the ever-present kebab; the mezze and grilled seafood are out of this world, and the town’s coffeehouse tradition goes into the wee hours of the morning. 

Paris, France

We will’t discuss in regards to the world’s most stunning cities with out mentioning Paris. Within the Metropolis of Gentle, there’s one thing to make the center go aflutter round each nook, be it an iconic monument, a comfy sidewalk cafe tightly full of stylish Parisians, or a proud boulevard lined with creamy stone Haussmann-era mansions. And the window show of a patisserie or boulangerie (baguettes do have UNESCO standing now, in any case) could also be simply as pleasant to behold as the town’s splendid artwork and structure. (Museé d’Orsay combines the latter two issues, presenting Nineteenth-century work and sculpture in a wonderful Beaux-Arts prepare station on the Seine.)

San Francisco, California

San Francisco’s geography alone secures its spot on this checklist. Set on a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, the steep metropolis affords stunning hilltop views of skyscrapers, bridges, mountains, and surrounding water. The Golden Gate Bridge, Painted Women, and cable automobiles (first utilized by locals to get round city within the 1870s) are immediately recognizable emblems of the town, however the less-obvious magic is in every single place: within the old-school Italian delis of North Seashore, the dim sum parlors of Chinatown, and newly revitalized inexperienced areas throughout the town (see: Presidio Tunnel Tops, a 14-acre park above freeway tunnels, opened in 2022).

Palermo, Italy

Sicily’s dynamic, decadent, sun-soaked capital is a dream for structure buffs, foodies, and all lovers of life. You may assume Italy’s greatest opera home could be in Rome or Milan, however it’s right here. Teatro Massimo’s copper dome hulks some 250 ft above the historic piazza it stands on (The White Lotus followers will acknowledge the theater from season 2). Palermo’s hanging gold-stone cathedral is among the metropolis’s many Arab-Norman constructions that date to someday across the flip of the final millennia. Head to its rooftop to see the traditional metropolis’s terra-cotta skyline tumbling down towards the Tyrrhenian Sea. 

Nevertheless it’s the heartbeat of life that actually makes the town a lovely place: whirring mopeds, swaying palms, Italian twosomes strolling arm in arm down centuries-old streets. Don’t miss the souk-like maze of the Ballarò avenue market, the place Palermitani purchase almonds, olives, spices, and tomatoes the colour of rubies by the bagful. As afternoon turns to early night, settle in for an Aperol spritz or earthy nero d’Avola on the bohemian Piazza Caracciolo and watch the night time unfold.

Cape City, South Africa

Perched between iconic flat-topped Desk Mountain and the Atlantic, Cape City may get by on simply its seems to be alone. However its heavy serving to of pure magnificence makes it a sizzling spot for actions, from adrenaline-fueled (diving with sharks, mountaineering Desk Mountain, or taking a rotating cable automotive to its peak) to leisurely (swimming and sipping cocktails on celeb-loved Camps Bay Seashore, biking alongside Sea Level Promenade) to cultural (museums, wine farms, cellar excursions, music festivals, and dynamic eating, from waterfront South African grills to hidden-gem dim sum bars).

Seoul, South Korea

A vibrant meals and nightlife scene, city inexperienced areas, and cutting-edge the whole lot has thrown Seoul into the higher ranks of greatest Asian cities. The previous and current dwell facet by facet, with electrifying social gathering districts, historical palaces, ultra-modern subways, Buddhist temples, skyscrapers, and avenue markets all sharing the city footprint. Nature is rarely laborious to seek out on this fast-paced neon metropolis: fantastically landscaped parks alongside the Cheonggyecheon Stream and Han River, mountain mountaineering trails, and free outside gyms supply a peaceable respite for locals at all times on the transfer.

Cartagena, Colombia

Cartagena rakes in guests with its successful mixture of Caribbean seashores and islands, 5 centuries of historical past, and walkable (and intensely photographable) previous city. The UNESCO-listed walled previous metropolis is among the most splendidly preserved (and once more, extraordinarily photogenic) in South America. Bougainvilleas burst from the balconies of buildings painted coral, cobalt, fuchsia, and vibrant marigold. 

A day nicely spent is just people-watching within the squares and sampling grilled arepas, coconut cookies, contemporary fruits, and different Colombian delights from avenue distributors. At night time, let the sounds of dwell salsa music lead you to a festive watering gap and its home band.

Kyoto, Japan

Beautiful, low-rise Kyoto is the antidote to sprawling, daunting Tokyo. The town packs an enormous punch on the UNESCO World Heritage entrance — it has 17 websites, together with temples, shrines, and the well-known Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji). Cherry, plum, and willow bushes spill towards Kyoto’s riverbanks and lanterns illuminate tiny beguiling alleys lined with picket teahouses. The Gion district within the night is further magical.

Go to the tranquil Silver Pavilion (Ginkaku-ji) and its excellent gardens early within the morning and proceed a brief approach up the mountain for a lovely view of the town. For extra serenity, sip matcha on the Home of Poet-Hermits (Shisen-dō) or step right into a Studio Ghibli scene come to life at Moss Temple (Kokedera or Saihō-ji), which requires advance reservations.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Attractive, dramatic, and at all times abuzz, Rio de Janeiro seduces with its gorgeous mountains, legendary seashores, samba avenue events, and exquisite folks. Brazil’s second largest metropolis is dwelling to celebrated Ipanema and Copacabana seashores and the biggest Artwork Deco statue on this planet — the 700-ton Christ the Redeemer standing atop Corcovado mountain — accessed by a steep railway experience. 

Past world-famous seashores and jungle-covered peaks, Rio’s magnificence is on full show in parks and gardens (the protected rain forest in Parque Nacional da Tijuca accommodates waterfalls, caves, and knockout vistas, whereas the Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro is a tropical oasis bursting with sun-loving natural world, together with 134 hovering Imperial palms). Head to charming, artsy Santa Teresa for cafe life and boutique procuring and Gamboa and Saúde for avenue artwork and samba beats.

Tbilisi, Georgia

Although it is considerably unknown and under-appreciated, Georgia’s capital is nothing in need of fairy-tale materials. The town’s Outdated City is a pleasure to discover, with carved picket balconies overlooking sleepy courtyards and cobbled streets lined with wine bars and conventional Georgian cafes. (Cease in a single for meat dumplings, khachapuri — Georgia’s well-known “cheese boat” — and home made wine.) Hike or courageous the funicular as much as Narikala Fortress, initially constructed within the fourth century, and relish the views of Tbilisi and the encircling Caucasus Mountains. 

Rome, Italy

Consider Rome as an open-air museum showcasing almost three millennia of luxurious artwork and structure. Get misplaced within the metropolis’s tangle of meandering alleys, hidden piazzas, and imperial streets and give you your personal golden ratio: Say, for each impossible-to-fathom world surprise — be it the all-mighty Roman Discussion board or St. Peter’s Basilica — cease for a creamy gelato, a life-giving bowl of carbonara, or an Aperol spritz and potato chip combo. When the warmth lastly breaks, discover the right perch to look at la passeggiata, the parade of dapper Romans out and about on their night stroll.

Hoi An, Vietnam

Hội An is a bit jewel of a riverside metropolis, and one among Vietnam’s most stunning locations to go to. Its amazingly preserved previous city (a UNESCO World Heritage Website) feels virtually untouched by the fashionable age. Fortunately, the town was spared the destroy of the Vietnam Warfare, so Hội An harbors a whole lot of historic timber-frame homes, in addition to sacred temples, pagodas, and a Japanese bridge from the 1700s. One of many first belongings you’ll discover is that the place is steeped in a wealthy yellow hue. Streets strung with lanterns and closely traversed by cyclists are different hallmarks of the scene. Be a part of the locals and go on a motorbike experience, or go for a cooking class, a riverboat experience, tea time at a neighborhood cafe, a seaside day, or a visit to the tailors for skilled bespoke clothes.

London, England

London is a wealthy, decadent layer cake of historical past. The Center Ages, the Victorian period, and the fashionable world coexist in England’s capital: medieval landmarks equivalent to Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London rub shoulders with Trafalgar Sq. and different icons of the Victorian age, with large, busy, Twenty first-century London bustling throughout. Aesthetes delight within the Gothic, Baroque, and Elizabethan buildings; the wealthy assortment of museums and artwork galleries (many free); colourful avenue markets; and luxurious gardens and inexperienced areas like Hyde, St. James’s, and Regent’s parks.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Cosmopolitan, charming Buenos Aires is a wedding of European aptitude and Latin taste. Odor the roses and search for inexperienced and yellow parrots at Bosques de Palermo, see the balcony from which Eva Perón addressed her followers on the distinctively rosy-hued Casa Rosada, and refuel with a cortado and cake in a bar notable (a historic cafe, the type of which 1850s Café Tortoni is the poster baby). The Argentinian capital is a metropolis of proud Paris-worthy mansions, foodie hangouts, and fun-to-peruse avenue markets and procuring arcades. Buenos Aires is the birthplace of tango, and it’s unthinkable to go to with out catching a seductive present carried out to a dwell band.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

A superb many motion pictures and TV exhibits have benefitted from Dubrovnik’s cinematic attractiveness: Recreation of Thrones famously tops the checklist, however there are additionally little productions by the identify of Succession and Star Wars. (The town’s magnificence has not solely caught the attention of Hollywood, but in addition UNESCO, which named Dubrovnik to a World Heritage Website.) It’s simple to cowl floor within the so-called “Pearl of the Adriatic” — within the charming, compact, and traffic-free Outdated City, you’ll see virtually mint-condition medieval structure, together with the Gothic-Renaissance Rector’s Palace and the city’s thick stone partitions — the most effective preserved medieval fortifications on this planet.

Sydney, Australia

Sydney virtually sparkles with its plied-by-yachts harbor, golden seashores, spectacular headland views, lush parks and gardens, abundance of sunshine, and general cleanliness. Take a ferry or boat tour to see the unmistakable Sydney Opera Home — a logo of Australia’s oldest and largest metropolis, and of the continent itself — and Harbour Bridge from the water. Discover the town’s wealth of picturesque coastal walks and actually nice seashores; beloved Queenscliff Seashore has a large stretch of fresh sand, pro-surfer-approved waves, a rock pool, and a lagoon. 

Sedona, Arizona

If you happen to’re seeking to get your non secular home so as, Sedona is the place to be. The Arizona desert city is surrounded by a spectacular red-rock panorama — buttes and canyons with a near-magical rosy glow. Go on a guided vortex tour to expertise Sedona’s well-known therapeutic vitality and cruise Oak Creek Canyon Scenic Drive, amassing postcard-perfect views alongside the way in which. Then, head again to city to buy crystals, browse artwork galleries, get a tarot studying, and unwind throughout a chakra-balancing, aura-cleansing spa session. Plus, a darkish sky coverage saves Sedona’s greatest spectacle for final: epic stargazing.

Chefchaouen, Morocco

Morocco’s “Blue Pearl” is a little bit of a no brainer right here. Tucked under the hovering Rif Mountains, the town is washed with probably the most spellbinding shade of blue. The primary factor the town instructions of you is wandering its cobalt alleyways (bonus factors for shade coordinating; even probably the most selfie-averse vacationers are going to need to take photographs), however you’ll be rewarded for visiting the Spanish Mosque and surrounding nature; Cascades d’Akchour and Talassemtane Nationwide Park are additionally standard websites.

Taipei, Taiwan

Taiwan is nicknamed “the attractive island,” so it tracks that its capital is among the many world’s most gorgeous cities. Get a lay of the land from the highest of Taipei 101 — one of many tallest skyscrapers on the planet — the place an 89th-floor observatory affords beautiful views of the town and its surrounding lush inexperienced mountains. Then, descend to avenue degree to go to tranquil temples, flower markets, kawaii-obsessed procuring streets, and food-stall-lined alleyways and night time markets. For a dose of Taiwan’s pure magnificence, hike Elephant Mountain (a.ok.a. Nangang District Mountaineering Path) or admire the inexperienced forests, grasslands, sizzling springs, and downtown Taipei views at Yangmingshan Nationwide Park.

Edinburgh, Scotland

An historical metropolis set on a dramatic panorama of extinct volcanoes and anchored by a grand, Acropolis-like citadel? Sure, Edinburgh positive is a stunner. When your quads want a break (Edinburgh’s hills could make you assume your veins are pumping battery acid), take a break in one of many many parks and squares or pop right into a pub for fortifying steak-and-ale pie and a easy Scottish stout. Consideration summer time vacationers, the greatest arts competition on this planet descends upon the town each August.

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

San Miguel de Allende is the uncontested queen of Mexico’s central highlands (although you possibly can name Guanajuato and Aguascalientes her girls in ready). This metropolis is a lovely maze of cobbled alleys, cool courtyards, and buildings inbuilt Spanish colonial, Baroque, neoclassical, and neo-Gothic kinds. The latter is greatest seen within the grand Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, the beautiful pink Seventeenth-century church that’s splashed throughout numerous brochures and journey photographs.

Singapore

Singapore is really a feast for the senses. Its skyline is outlined not simply by futuristic excessive rises, but in addition by surreal “supertrees,” undulating cloud forest domes, and a 540-foot Ferris wheel. Its enclaves like Chinatown, the Arab Quarter, and Little India and head-spinning avenue meals scene reveal the city-state’s multicultural previous. Colourful meals streets and hawker facilities are full of stalls slinging the whole lot from roasted pork rice and Malaysian fried noodles to honey lime juice and a few candy icy cendol (rice flour jelly with coconut milk). Go on a digestive stroll alongside Marina Bay’s illuminated waterfront or within the Botanic Gardens and Gardens by the Bay.

New York Metropolis, New York

The island of Manhattan helps stratospheric buildings, from the 104-story World Commerce Heart (tallest constructing within the Northern Hemisphere) to the mighty Empire State Constructing, although non-skyline architectural treasures — like Greek Revival mansions within the Bronx and Prospect Park’s darling little boathouse — are discovered everywhere in the 5 boroughs. For museums, the selection is yours: mummies and Monets on the Met, Warhol’s soup cans and “The Starry Night time” at MoMA, or interval rooms and “The Dinner Get together” at Brooklyn Museum. New York Metropolis takes its inexperienced areas significantly, with would-be treasured actual property devoted to Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Cosy Harbor, and extra.