Are you planning a city break this summer? With so many destinations to choose from and pros and cons to weigh up, deciding on a location might feel overwhelming.
Luckily, Which? recently released the results of a survey where they asked over 1,500 members to rate their experiences of world travel over the last year, taking into consideration almost 2,500 city visits.
Each location was marked on seven criteria, including:
- Quality of food and drink
- Cultural sights
- Tourist attractions
- Ease of getting around
- Shopping
- Accommodation
- Value for money
Which? then turned each city’s ratings into a score based on the panel’s overall satisfaction and likeliness to recommend the destination.
Read on to discover which five cities were at the top of the list.
1. Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town took first place with an impressive score of 91%.
Its incredible restaurants, wineries, and distilleries meant it received a five-star rating in the food and drink category, as well as for shopping and overall value for money.
Cape Town also received four-star ratings for accommodation and cultural sights and attractions thanks to the modern city and its proximity to nature, whether you’re looking for beautiful beaches or lush forests.
The impressive Table Mountain overlooks the city. As well as being a popular destination for hikers, you can also take the more relaxed cable car route to the summit and enjoy the stunning views from the restaurants.
2. Kyoto, Japan
Close behind Cape Town in second place is Kyoto, one of two Japanese cities to make the top five, with a rating of 90%.
As the former imperial capital, Kyoto is packed full of history. It received a five-star rating for its cultural sights and attractions, which include a staggering 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
One of the most famous of these landmarks is the Kinkaku-ji Temple, with its famed Golden Pavillion. The gorgeous architecture is absolutely worth a visit, but it can get crowded during the busy periods, so it might be worth heading over early in the morning.
Kyoto also received five stars for food and drink, as well as four stars for ease of getting around, value for money, accommodation, and shopping.
Toentei is a Michelin-starred, family-run kaiseki restaurant close to the Kinkaku-ji Temple. Each of the dishes is inspired by Professor Aoki Masaru’s stories. The restaurant’s signature dish is the delicious steamed horsehead tilefish in pickled plum and powdered kelp broth.
3. Sydney, Australia
Sydney takes third place with a score of 88% and was described by the panel as a “beautiful and buzzy” city.
The world-famous Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge earned it a full five-star rating for cultural sights and attractions. Keep an eye out for the performances happening when you book your trip or go on a behind-the-scenes tour to delve into the history and architecture of the Opera House.
Sydney also received five stars for food and drink, with the survey singling out the quality of the fish market and the local coffee. It also won over visitors thanks to the ease of getting around as the city is easily walkable.
4. Chicago, USA
Chicago took joint fourth place, tied with Tokyo at a score of 86% each.
The “Windy City” received five stars for its cultural sights and attractions, especially the iconic architecture and atmospheric lakeside setting.
Take a relaxing stroll down the Chicago Riverwalk, where you can stop to sip wine on a riverside patio or hop onto a tiki party boat to take in the sights the fun way.
Or you can head over to Millenium Park to visit one of the city’s most famous public artworks, ‘Cloud Gate’ – aka ‘The Bean’ – before visiting the Art Institute of Chicago, one of the top museums in the world.
5. Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo received five stars for food and drink, cultural sights and attractions, and shopping.
Like Kyoto, Tokyo is also home to UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Ogasawara Islands, a phenomenal group of semi-tropical islands that is only accessible by a 26-hour ferry, and the National Museum of Western Art.
The respondents also gave it four stars for accommodation, ease of getting around, and value for money.
The fascinating blend of historical monuments and modern architecture makes it the perfect place to visit if you want to do some shopping alongside your sightseeing. The Shibuya district is one of Tokyo’s busiest places for shopping and entertainment and is a brilliant place to buy some souvenirs for your loved ones.