Edinburgh named as 'best city in the world to visit right now' by Time Out

Edinburgh has beaten out the likes of London, Amsterdam and Chicago to be named the best city in the world to visit right now.

The capital topped the fifth annual Time Out Index, which was released today (July 11). The city ranked highly across the board, topping the global chart as the 'most beautiful' and 'walkable' city in the world.

It was also picked out as a great place for a stroll through nature and for having loads of exciting new things to do.

The annual list from the influential media and hospitality business aims to help people explore and experience the best cities around the world. To do so it surveys thousands of city-dwellers around the world about life in their hometown right now.

Using their responses, Time Out compiles its annual ranking of the world’s best cities, in order to point people in the direction of the places which locals are raving about - and both Edinburgh and Glasgow made it into the top 5.

This year, after a prolonged period of limited travel, Time Out said that with people itching to get back out there, they added extra weight to the things that make cities great places to visit as well as to live.

For 2022, eating and drinking; art, culture and museums; and nightlife were all highlighted places that locals rate highly for fun and for beauty and aren’t boring, overly expensive or overrated.

To make for an even more enjoyable break, the top picks also score well for practical stuff like walkability, good public transport and safety, as well as sustainability.

Chief content officer for North America & UK at Time Out, Dave Calhoun, said: “The Time Out Index 2022 combines the experiences and opinions of more than 20,000 people in hundreds of cities around the world and – for the inside scoop – we’ve also tapped into the expertise of Time Out’s global network of local editors and city experts to capture and celebrate what makes a city great right now.

“This year, we are showcasing the cities that locals, and our editors, not only love living in, but that we think everyone should be visiting. Many people will be planning their first city break in a long time, and our list of the Best Cities in the World provides the ultimate travel bucket list.”

Here’s the top 10 – the full list can be viewed here.

1. Edinburgh, Scotland

What the TO team had to say: "Edinburgh is this year’s number one city and it’s not hard to see why: the city ranks highly across the board and comes out top as the most beautiful city in the world (according to 95% of residents) and also the most walkable city (said 93%) – a perfect combination for visitors looking to explore historic landmarks, architecture and scenic hotspots on foot.

"Its dining and drinking scene is ever-evolving, with heaps of new things to do including the Port of Leith Distillery – Scotland’s first ‘vertical distillery’ – about to open. It’s also a great place for a relaxing stroll through nature.

"And self-expression is encouraged, with 88% of locals saying it is easy to express who you are in the city (ranking second for this after Amsterdam), something that’s celebrated every summer with the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which this year will be marking its 75th anniversary."

2. Chicago, USA

3 Medellín, Colombia - new entry

4 Glasgow, Scotland

What the TO team had to say: "Glasgow is the friendliest city in the world this year (78% of locals agree). It’s also the second most affordable city (with 87% saying it wasn’t expensive) so 2022 is the perfect time to visit and explore the place and meet the locals in this city that excels at being outgoing and at going out.

"At SWG3, the world’s first body-heated club, dancing literally helps keep the lights on; and there are now two Michelin-star restaurants after a long drought, yet a burgeoning dining scene is best characterised by friendly informality and good value for money."

5. Amsterdam, the Netherlands

6 Prague, Czechia

7 Marrakech, Morocco - new entry

8 Berlin, Germany

9 Montreal, Canada

10 Copenhagen, Denmark

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