Like people, every city is beautiful in its own way. Florence has Renaissance buildings while New York has towering skyscrapers. London has parks and old-school pubs while Barcelona has Gaudí and the beach. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, after all – but what does Architectural Digest think?
The design mag has just released a list of what it deems the most beautiful cities in the world, compiled based on each destination’s historical significance, nature spots, cultural landmarks and architecture.
Claiming the top spot, thanks to its unique culmination of Art Deco architecture and dramatic sand dunes, it’s Adelaide, the capital of South Australia.
‘Surrounded by remarkable coastlines to the west and rolling hills to the south and east, Adelaide scored top marks across the board,’ wrote Melissa Woodley, Time Out Australia’s travel editor, ‘[It’s] known for its distinctive natural beauty, featuring plenty of stunning seaside spots, along with boulevards lined with charming Art Deco buildings. ’
In second place was Tallinn, the Estonian capital, which is one of the world’s most impressively preserved medieval cities, and in third place it was Portsmouth (no, not the one in southern England), Dominica’s second-largest hub which boasts beaches, mangroves and coral reefs.
San Miguel de Allende in México and Antigua in Guatemala round out the top five, but you can take a look at the rest of the list right here.
These are the 20 most beautiful cities in the world, according to Architectural Digest
- Adelaide, Australia
- Tallinn, Estonia
- Portsmouth, Dominica
- San Miguel de Allende, México
- Antigua, Guatemala
- Singapore
- Paris, France
- Chefchaouen, Morocco
- Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Luxor, Egypt
- Istanbul, Türkiye
- Kyoto, Japan
- Barcelona, Spain
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Florence, Italy
- Djenné, Mali
- New York City, US
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Jaipur, India
To read more about each of the cities, you can do so directly on Architectural Digest’s page.
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