Beauty is subjective, or “is in the eye of the beholder.” Beautiful cities are each unique. Some are surrounded by breathtaking nature, while others are built with grand, distinguishable architecture. The world’s most beautiful cities boast some of the richest cultures in the world.
Because beauty is subjective, determining the most beautiful cities in the world must be done through a survey. Flight Network surveyed over 1,000 travel writers, bloggers, and agencies about which cities they find to be the most beautiful. The result was 50 cities that are meant for the travel bucket list.
The top ten most beautiful cities in the world are:
According to the Flight Network survey respondents, Paris is the most beautiful city in the world. Paris has distinguishable architecture, most notably the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées, and Palace of Versailles. As the most beautiful city in the world, it’s no surprise that Paris is called “the city of love.”
Two U.S. cities – New York and San Francisco – made the top ten most beautiful cities. New York has the perfect mix of history and modern culture, with sights such as the Statue of Liberty, Broadway, Times Square, and Central Park. San Francisco sits on the opposite coast of New York and has its own character with trolleys, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and Fisherman’s Wharf.
No two of the 50 most beautiful cities are alike. Each city has unique, defining characteristics that make them their own – from the people to the food, the architecture, and the culture overall.
Ranking | City | Country |
---|---|---|
1 | Paris | France |
2 | New York City | United States |
3 | London | United Kingdom |
4 | Venice | Italy |
5 | Vancouver | Canada |
6 | Barcelona | Spain |
7 | Cape Town | South Africa |
8 | San Francisco | United States |
9 | Sydney | Australia |
10 | Rome | Italy |
11 | Singapore | Singapore |
12 | Lisbon | Portugal |
13 | Amsterdam | The Netherlands |
14 | Prague | Czech Republic |
15 | Rio de Janeiro | Brazil |
16 | Budapest | Hungary |
17 | Istanbul | Turkey |
18 | Tokyo | Japan |
19 | Vienna | Austria |
20 | Beunos Aires | Argentina |
21 | Toronto | Canada |
22 | San Diego | California |
23 | Quebec City | Canada |
24 | Hong Kong | Hong Kong |
25 | Chicago | United States |
26 | Bruges | Belgium |
27 | Madrid | Spain |
28 | Havana | Cuba |
29 | Dubai | United Arab Emirates |
30 | Jerusalem | Israel |
31 | Edinburgh | United Kingdom |
32 | Quito | Ecuador |
33 | Zurich | Switzerland |
34 | Cusco | Peru |
35 | St. Petersburg | Russia |
36 | Berlin | Germany |
37 | Hanoi | Vietnam |
38 | Queenstown | New Zealand |
39 | San Miguel de Allenede | Mexico |
40 | Seoul | South Korea |
41 | Dubrovnik | Croatia |
42 | San Sebastian | Spain |
43 | Bangkok | Thailand |
44 | Cartagena | Colombia |
45 | Dublin | Ireland |
46 | Marrakesh | Morocco |
47 | Bergen | Norway |
48 | Jaipur | India |
49 | Beijing | China |
50 | Athens | Greece |