Edinburgh named one of world's top cities in Time Out Best Cities 2026 list beating London, New York and Tokyo
Edinburgh has been named as one of the world’s best cities in a new ranking - beating the likes of London, New York City and Tokyo.
The Scottish capital has been ranked third on Time Out’s Best Cities 2026 list, only ranking behind Melbourne in Australia, and Shanghai, China.
The list has been voted on by locals, with more than 90 per cent of the respondents rating factors such as food, green spaces, and culture very highly.
Edinburgh was also noted as one of the happiest cities on the list.
The top 10 cities according to the Time Out Best Cities 2026 List, which can be found in full on the Time Out website, are:
- Melbourne, Australia
- Shanghai, China
- Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- London, United Kingdom
- New York, United States
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Seoul, South Korea
- Tokyo, Japan
Grace Beard, travel editor at Time Out, said: “Every year, we survey locals in cities all over the planet to create our definitive annual ranking, now in its tenth anniversary year.
“Time Out’s Best Cities with Intrepid Travel is not only a global snapshot of city living, but a celebration of the fun, culture and community that defines urban life.
“For 2026, we expanded our survey to reach 150 cities and added questions that dig deeper into the everyday lives of locals, including new categories for love, romance and community feel.
“The result is a truly diverse and exciting list of destinations, deeply informed by local insight and Time Out expertise, with smaller and second cities slotted between the world’s major metropolises.
“Our Best Cities ranking is a comprehensive rundown of the most exciting places to live in and to explore in 2026.”
Explaining Edinburgh's prominent position on the list, Time Out said: “Edinburgh turns everyday life up a notch, blending historic grandeur with modern vibrancy.
“Built around a towering castle and crowned by an extinct volcano, Edinburgh boasts cherry-blossom-lined parks, cobbled alleyways whose stories stretch back to the medieval period, and distinctive neighbourhoods that offer hours of exploration - from Stockbridge for independent boutiques to Leith for trendy new restaurants.
“The Scottish capital came joint-first for walkability in this year’s survey, meaning it's easy to navigate between comedy shows at the Fringe each August, while a thriving food and arts scene keeps locals and visitors coming back for more.
“94 per cent of residents rate the food highly, 91 per cent love the green spaces, and 90 per cent rate its culture, cementing Edinburgh as one of the happiest cities surveyed.”