It’s official: Cape Town crowned world’s most beautiful city
· The South African
All the world’s a stage, and Cape Town keeps stealing the spotlight after topping yet another prestigious list.
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The English publication Time Out just released its “World’s Most Beautiful Cities” list for 2026. To put together the list, they asked 24 000 people worldwide if they would describe their city as “beautiful”.
Based on these folks’ responses, Time Out revealed the names of the top 20 cities that define beauty in all its forms.
CAPE TOWN TAKES THE CROWN
Ultimately, Cape Town was crowned the world’s most beautiful city for the year 2026.
The Mother City received an overall beauty score of 86% – a stunning result to match its stunning scenery, if we do say so ourselves!
From its urban epicentre to its rural outskirts, the Mother City boasts a beauteous charm like no other. Image: PexelsIn fact, the city’s natural beauty speaks for itself: it’s a picturesque expanse of mountain rises, green forestry, satin-blue oceanfronts and abundant fynbos.
In terms of architecture, Cape Town certainly doesn’t slouch in this department. Its buildings, both residential and commercial, are a testament to its layered past, its blended present and its forward-looking future. From the colourful Bo-Kaap and the austere City Hall to the gabled houses of local wine farms, the Western Cape metropolis isn’t short of structural splendour.
WORLD’S MOST BEAUTIFUL RUNNER-UPS
Cast your gaze upon the other 19 cities that have captivated the world with their breathtaking charm this year (along with their respective beauty scores):
- Edinburgh, Scotland – 84%
- Sydney, Australia – 78%
- Chicago, Illinois, United States of America – 77%
- Lisbon, Portugal – 74%
- Paris, France – 68%
- Stockholm, Sweden – 68%
- Porto, Portugal – 67%
- Medellín, Colombia – 66%
- Riga, Latvia – 65%
- San Diego, California, United States of America – 61%
- Panama City, Panama – 60%
- Cambridge, England – 60%
- Florence, Italy – 60%
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 60%
- Bath, England – 60%
- Bangalore, India – 59%
- Vienna, Austria – 59%
- Brasília, Brazil – 59%
Edinburgh in Scotland follows closely behind Cape Town with a score of 84%.
“With its collision of architectural styles, from the New Town’s crescents of Georgian townhouses to the Old Town’s tight, higgledy-piggledy medieval streets and striking Gothic spires, the Scottish capital is famously an absolute delight to walk around,” per Time Out.
What do you think of Cape Town’s first-place ranking, folks? Let us know in the comments below – also, be sure to check out the Mother City’s other accolades here!