CNN
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The city is the star of your favorite TV shows and movies, the source of inspiration for countless songs and art, and one of the world’s most famous destinations.
So it may be no surprise that media company Time Out named New York City as the best city of 2024.
Time Out, along with our network of writers and editors around the world, surveyed nearly 20,000 city dwellers around the world to produce our latest roundup of the world’s best cities.
Factors such as the city’s food scene, architecture, and cultural events were taken into account.
Time Out says the goal is to provide “travel inspiration” as well as a “global snapshot of city life.”
Time Out magazine cited New York City’s countless museums and its thriving theater scene as reasons why New York City earned the top spot in the United States. New York City’s global reputation also played a role, with New York City ranked as the most desirable place for other global city dwellers to move.
Number two on Time Out’s list is Cape Town, South Africa, which Time Out ranked as “beautiful” by “all survey respondents” thanks to its stunning combination of ocean, cityscape, and spectacular mountain setting. It is a city where .
Time Out puts a special emphasis on Cape Town’s cultural attractions, from late night museum nights throughout the summer to theater and comedy at Theaters on the Bay and the newly opened Time Out Market Cape Town. did.
Katie Scott, who grew up in Cape Town and now lives in France, says: CNN Travel She considers the city “probably the most unpretentious coastal city in the world,” offering “top-notch restaurants, pristine wine farms, and a hip nightlife scene,” as well as opportunities to get out into nature. I admire it.
But Scott also points out that “the vast majority of people don’t have access to these things.”
“South Africa may be celebrating 30 years of democracy, but inequality in cities like Cape Town is greater than ever,” Scott said.
With that in mind, Scott says that “to truly understand this city and its people,” visitors should “break out of the tourist bubble and take a trip to Robben Island or the District 6 Museum. “You should,” he advises. Both spots are recommended by Time Out, a history of South Africa’s apartheid.
“Both locations offer unique and powerful insights into South Africa’s history,” Scott says.
Rounding out Time Out’s top five are Berlin, Germany (which Time Out praises for its vibrant nightlife scene), London, England (which Time Out praises for its “legendary” pubs and free museums and galleries), and Madrid, Spain (which Time Out praises for its “exceptional” (Praised at a restaurant). , according to the timeout).
Smaller cities in the top 10 include Liverpool, UK (7th place) and Porto, Portugal (10th place). Remarkably, Porto was named as the best city for “romance” by Time Out survey respondents.
Time Out travel editor Grace Beard said in a statement that all the cities on the list have a “strong community spirit and undeniable atmosphere.”
1. New York City, USA
2. Cape Town, South Africa
3. Berlin, Germany
4. London, UK
5. Madrid, Spain
6. Mexico City, Mexico
7. Liverpool, UK
8. Tokyo, Japan
9. Rome, Italy
10. Porto, Portugal