Skip to content

Top Navigation

Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
  • Trip Inspiration
  • Travel Guides
  • Plan Your Trip
  • World's Best
  • Destination of the Year
  • A-List Travel Advisors
  • Cruises
  • Travel Tips
  • News
  • Food + Drink
  • Travel Accessories
  • Check-In

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Join T+L Club this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Join T+L Club this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe
Book Now
Pin FB

Explore Travel + Leisure

Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
  • Explore

    Explore

    • World's Best

      World's Best

      The greatest islands, cities, hotels, cruise lines, airports, and more — as voted by you. Read More
    • The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2022

      The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2022

      Whether you're traveling solo or planning a family vacation, here are the 50 best places to visit in 2022. Read More
    • Let's Go Together Podcast

      Let's Go Together Podcast

      Start listening to T+L's brand new podcast, Let's Go Together! Hosted by Kellee Edwards. Read More
  • Trip Inspiration

    Trip Inspiration

    • Trip Ideas
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Spring Travel
    • Summer Travel
    • Fall Travel
    • Winter Travel
    • Solo Travel
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Luxury Travel
    • Beach Vacations
    • Adventure Travel
    • Road Trips
    • Family Travel
    • National Parks
    • Holiday Travel
    • Travel Photography
    • Photo of the Day
    • Culture + Design
    • Like a Local
    • Travel To
    • 50 Years of Travel + Leisure
  • Travel Guides

    Travel Guides

    See All Travel Guides
    • Mexico City
    • Maui
    • Charleston
    • Tulum
    • New York City
    • London
    • Paris
    • Iceland
    • Los Cabos
    • See More Travel Guides
  • Plan Your Trip

    Plan Your Trip

    Norwegian Cruise Line Will Require Vaccinations for All Passengers and Crew

    Norwegian Cruise Line Will Require Vaccinations for All Passengers and Crew

    Norwegian Cruise Line hopes to resume sailing out of the U.S. on or around July 4.
    • Travel Deals
    • Attractions
    • Travel + Leisure GO
    • Amusement Parks
    • Festivals + Events
    • Bus and Train Travel
    • Flight Deals
    • Budget Travel
    • Hotels + Resorts
    • Disney Vacations
    • Airlines + Airports
    • Ground Transportation
    • Get Outside
    • Wanderlust
  • World's Best

    World's Best

    • Top Hotels
    • Top Cities
    • Top Islands
    • Domestic Airlines
    • International Airlines
    • Tours
    • Safaris
    • See All World's Best
  • Destination of the Year
  • A-List Travel Advisors
  • Cruises

    Cruises

    • Find A Cruise
    • Caribbean Cruises
    • River Cruises
    • European Cruises
    • All-Inclusive Cruises
    • Family Cruises
    • Alaskan Cruises
    • Disney Cruises
    • See All Cruise Vacations
  • Travel Tips

    Travel Tips

    • Travel Trends
    • Packing Tips
    • Points + Miles
    • Budgeting + Currency
    • Customs + Immigration
    • Responsible Travel
    • Travel Etiquette
    • Travel Warnings
    • Weather
    • Mobile Apps
    • See All Travel Tips
  • News

    News

    • Wellness
    • Celebrity Travel
    • Animals
    • Jobs
    • Offbeat
    • See All News
  • Food + Drink

    Food + Drink

    • Restaurants
    • Wine
    • Beer
    • Cocktails + Spirits
    • Bars + Clubs
    • Celebrity Chefs
    • Cooking + Entertaining
    • Food Fairs + Festivals
    • World's Best Restaurants
    • A Spirited Occasion
    • See All Food + Drink
  • Travel Accessories

    Travel Accessories

    • Travel Bags
    • Shoes
    • Travel Tech
    • Shopping
    • Style
    • Gift Guides
    • See All Travel Accessories
  • Check-In

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Join T+L Club this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Join T+L Club this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes
Book Now

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. World's Best
  3. The World’s Best Cities in 2016

The World’s Best Cities in 2016

Melanie Lieberman headshot
By Melanie Lieberman July 06, 2016
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Charleston, South Carolina
Credit: Peter Frank Edwards
When we travel to an urban center, we’re often looking for the whole package — history, culture, exciting cuisine, modernity, antiquity, and everything in between. It sounds like a tall order, but the world’s best cities offer these attributes and more.

Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top cities, islands, cruise lines, spas, airlines, and more. Readers ranked cities on their sights and landmarks, culture, cuisine, friendliness, shopping, and overall value.

Our top 15 cities include less-obvious but incredibly rewarding destinations like Luang Prabang in Laos, and the capital of Lebanon. “Beirut is a strikingly beautiful city,” wrote T+L reader Maya Elchebeir. In a region that is being devastated by war and destruction, Beirut rises out of the desert dust, with its contemporary art museums and Ottoman architecture, to serve as a guiding light.  

Others are recurring winners, including Renaissance center Florence, Italy (at or near the top year after year) and Kyoto, which took the No. 1 spot in 2015. Globe-trotters have long celebrated the former imperial capital of Japan for the hospitality of its ryokans and the beauty of its some 2,000 shrines and temples.

Perhaps the best part of the 2016 World’s Best Cities list is its diversity: from the American South to the Middle East, the heart of Mexico to the capitals of ancient European and Asian empires, the most beloved cities on earth show how dynamic our world really is.
Start Slideshow

1 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

No. 15: Cuzco, Peru

Cusco, Peru
Credit: Jesse Chehak

Score: 88.958

1 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

No. 14: Bangkok, Thailand

Wat Benchamabophit, Bangkok Thailand
Credit: Getty Images

Score: 88.96

Ready to take off? Check out our Bangkok guide first.

2 of 15

3 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

No. 13: Siem Reap, Cambodia

Seim Reap
Credit: Getty Images/Corbis Documentary

Score: 88.961

3 of 15

Advertisement

4 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

No. 12: Beirut, Lebanon

Beirut from Harissa
Credit: Getty Images/Lonely Planet Images

Score: 89.00

4 of 15

5 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

No. 11: Rome, Italy

Spanish Steps, Rome
Credit: David Leventi

Score: 89.22

Make the most of your Roman holiday with T+L's guide to the city.

5 of 15

6 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

No. 10: Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town, South Africa
Credit: Getty Images/Westend61

Score: 89.46

6 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

No. 9: Savannah, Georgia

Savannah, Georgia
Credit: Getty Images

Score: 89.57

7 of 15

8 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

No. 8: Barcelona, Spain

Park Güell, Barcelona
Credit: Gunnar Knechtel

Score: 89.60

When to go, where to stay? Our guide to Barcelona has all the intel.

8 of 15

9 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

No. 7: New Orleans, Louisiana

Crescent Park, New Orleans
Credit: Getty Images/AWL Images RM

Score: 89.75

Get rolling with our insider's guide to the Crescent City.

9 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

No. 6: Kyoto, Japan

Ryan-ji Temple, Kyoto
Credit: Getty Images/Moment RM

Score: 89.75

10 of 15

11 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

No. 5: Luang Prabang, Laos

Bodhi Tree at Wat That Luang, Luang Prabang
Credit: Getty Images/Universal Images Group

Score: 89.85

11 of 15

12 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

No. 4: Florence, Italy

Florence, Italy
Credit: Andrea Wyner

Score: 89.85

Ready to say "ciao" to David? Peek at our Florence travel guide before you book.

12 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

No. 3: San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

San Miguel de Allende
Credit: Getty Images

Score: 91.19

Book a trip to San Miguel de Allende.

13 of 15

14 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

No. 2: Chiang Mai, Thailand

Wat Phra Singh, Chiang Mai
Credit: Getty Images

Score: 91.25

14 of 15

15 of 15

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

No. 1: Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina
Credit: Peter Frank Edwards

Score: 91.66

Charleston moved up from the No. 2 slot last year to No. 1. The city has shown incredible resilience and, as one reader wrote, there is still “no place quite like it.” In addition to historic battlegrounds and jasmine-scented streets (and an enthusiastic endorsement by Stephen Colbert), Charleston is home to award-winning hotels (including the Spectator, No. 2 hotel in the world this year) and restaurants. Antebellum charm, excellent boutiques, and the beautiful waterfronts at Sullivan’s Island and Folly Beach make this city one of the most beloved in the U.S. — and now, the world.

15 of 15

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Melanie Lieberman

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 15 No. 15: Cuzco, Peru
    2 of 15 No. 14: Bangkok, Thailand
    3 of 15 No. 13: Siem Reap, Cambodia
    4 of 15 No. 12: Beirut, Lebanon
    5 of 15 No. 11: Rome, Italy
    6 of 15 No. 10: Cape Town, South Africa
    7 of 15 No. 9: Savannah, Georgia
    8 of 15 No. 8: Barcelona, Spain
    9 of 15 No. 7: New Orleans, Louisiana
    10 of 15 No. 6: Kyoto, Japan
    11 of 15 No. 5: Luang Prabang, Laos
    12 of 15 No. 4: Florence, Italy
    13 of 15 No. 3: San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
    14 of 15 No. 2: Chiang Mai, Thailand
    15 of 15 No. 1: Charleston, South Carolina

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab
    • Travel + Leisure Wine this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletters
    Sign Up
    MeredithTravel + Leisure is published by Meredith Corporation under license from Travel + Leisure Co. Copyright 2022 Travel + Leisure Co. All Rights Reserved. TRAVEL + LEISURE is a registered trademark of Travel + Leisure Co., registered in the United States and other countries. Travel + Leisure magazine may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Travel + Leisure. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.travelandleisure.com

    View image

    The World’s Best Cities in 2016
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.