Time Out's 50 Best Cities in the World: Which City Came Out on Top for 2026?

Time Out has released its annual list of Best Cities in the World, and this year's number one city is not from Europe or the Americas. It's not last year's top placer, either.

It can be recalled that last year, Cape Town was declared the best city in the world. However, for this year, the South African city only landed in the sixth spot.

Time Out's Best City in the World for 2026 Is...

For 2026, Time Out has hailed Australia's Melbourne as the best city in the world.

"Melbourne's coolest streets and neighbourhoods are filled with gems, from indie cinemas and rooftop bars to vinyl shops and quirky galleries," Time Out said.

"And don't let anyone tell you Melbourne is all personality over looks – we've got grand, heritage-listed buildings, laneways lined with colourful murals, world-class gardens and a river (the Yarra) that holds deep spiritual and cultural significance for local Indigenous communities," it added.

Last year, Melbourne landed in fourth place, according to CNN. It was behind Cape Town, Thailand's Bangkok, and the United States' New York in the rankings.

The 50 Best Cities in the World for 2026

According to Time Out, it spoke to more than 24,000 locals to come up with the rankings.

The 50 best cities in the world in full, according to Time Out, are as follows:

1. Melbourne, Australia
2. Shanghai, China
3. Edinburgh, Scotland
4. London, United Kingdom
5. New York, United States of America
6. Cape Town, South Africa
7. Mexico City, Mexico
8. Bangkok, Thailand
9. Seoul, South Korea
10. Tokyo, Japan
11. Zürich, Switzerland
12. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
13. Copenhagen, Denmark
14. São Paulo, Brazil
15. Hong Kong
16. Kraków, Poland
17. Porto, Portugal
18. Guadalajara, Mexico
19. Madrid, Spain
20. Valencia, Spain
21. Sydney, Australia
22. Paris, France
23. Singapore
24. Marrakech, Morocco
25. Hanoi, Vietnam
26. Bath, United Kingdom
27. Bilbao, Spain
28. Berlin, Germany
29. Adelaide, Australia
30. Beijing, China
31. Antwerp, Belgium
32. Chiang Mai, Thailand
33. Naples, Italy
34. Amsterdam, The Netherlands
35. Medellín, Colombia
36. Lima, Peru
37. Vancouver, Canada
38. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
39. Osaka, Japan
40. Athens, Greece
41. Chicago, United States of America
42. Cairo, Egypt
43. Buenos Aires, Argentina
44. Vienna, Austria
45. Dublin, Ireland
46. San Francisco, United States of America
47. Lagos, Nigeria
48. Auckland, New Zealand
49. Lisbon, Portugal
50. Bogotá, Colombia

Originally published on Travelers Today

Tags

Melbourne