Japan has triumphed in our annual survey of the best world cities. Both Kyoto and Tokyo finished in the top five, in part because there has never been a cheaper time to go.
Japan’s capital is the second best-value destination for a long-haul holiday, according to the Post Office Travel Money’s cost of living barometer.A weaker yen against the pound has seen the city’s prices fall for UK holidaymakers. A three-course meal for two with a bottle of wine costs £42 on average.
The only long-haul destination cheaper than Tokyo was Cape Town, which is the best city in the world according to visitors. A holiday to the Mother City is 12% cheaper than in 2023 for Brits. A bottle of local beer will set you back just £1.81 on average.
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This year, almost 2,500 destinations were rated by travellers across seven measures. This included the quality of its cultural attractions, accommodation and food and drink. And to counter problems of overtourism, we’ve also included a ‘lack of crowds’ score to help you avoid the herd.
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Best long-haul city breaks ranked
Airfare/hotel rates (3-4 star hotels) from skyscanner.net and kayak.co.uk. Star ratings range from one to five. A dash (–) indicates we didn’t receive enough responses to provide a rating. City score Based on a combination of overall satisfaction and how likely people are to recommend the city as a holiday destination
Cape Town – best world city

High quality food and drink and low prices are part of the appeal in Cape Town. It was one of the few destinations awarded the full five stars for dining. Find upmarket seafood restaurants at the V&A waterfront, or sample Cape Malay specialities (like bobotie, curried ground lamb topped with savoury egg custard) in the colourful Bo-Kaap district.
The city has outstanding cultural sites, too, including the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art and District Six Museum on apartheid.
But it’s the scenery that really sets this city apart: no photo prepares you for the view from Lion’s Head lookout or the drama of Table Mountain (hike the Platteklip Gorge trail to the top and ride the Aerial Cableway back down). All that before we get to city beaches like Clifton and Camps Bay.
For the savvy traveller, the Mother City is the best of both worlds: a city break and nature escape in one which blossoms as European winters start to bite. And, to add to its appeal, there’s no jet lag.
Don’t miss the Cape of Good Hope: ruddy cliffs, two mighty oceans and lungfuls of pure air. You can stop off to meet Boulders Beach’s adorable residents, a colony of African penguins, on the way.
Which? Shorts podcast: listen as we visit captivating Cape Town, one of the world’s greatest cities. Find holidays to Cape Town with Which? Recommended Providers Trailfinders, Saga, Kuoni and Intrepid Travel.
Kyoto – second-best world city

If the fascination of Japan is its balance between technological future and ancient tradition, Kyoto is the yin to Tokyo’s yang. The imperial capital from the 8th century to the 19th is less a city than the repository of Japan’s cultural soul.
You come to explore Unesco-listed Buddhist temples (like hillside Kiyomizu-dera and Kinkakuji – aka the Golden Pavilion) and Zen gardens; to enjoy tea ceremonies in wooden houses on Sannen-zaka or Ninen-zaka lanes and see geishas in Gion district’s Shimbashi street (visit at dusk if possible).
There are also Shinto shrines: Fushimi Inari is the most dramatic, where 10,000 crimson torii gates snake like tunnels over mountainside paths.
Kyoto’s cherry blossom is Japan’s best and wildly popular, probably why the city scores five stars for culture but two for its crowds.
Don’t miss a visit to Arishiyama Bamboo Grove, where sunlight dapples between the towering green stalks and transports you to another world. Afterwards, take a houseboat tour on the serene Oi River (Oi-gawa). Arrive early to beat the crowds.
Find holidays to Kyoto with Which? Recommended Providers Trailfinders, Audley Travel, Exodus, Saga, Kuoni and Intrepid Travel.
Sydney – third best world city

Sydney may have slipped from the top spot but it remains the ultimate all-rounder: scoring five stars for its cultural attractions and vibrant cuisine. For visitors, it packs in those ‘pinch-me-I’m-in-Australia’ moments you seek. It’s the double-whammy of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House on a sun-spangled waterfront.
It’s surfers and salt-air on the cliff-walk from Bondi beach to Coogee; dining beachside at Doyles at Watsons Bay and even the screech of cockatoos in the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Bondi may have the fame, but northern beaches – such as Palm, Whale and Collaroy – are quieter, whiter and more spectacular.
This ocean-side city may be vast, but most sights are crammed into a pocket in the east. As a result, Sydney received the full five stars for ease of getting around.
Don’t miss the ferry ride to Manly: a beach suburb with pretty coves on North Head. You’ll get to cruise down one of the greatest harbours in the world, enjoying spectacular city views, on the way.
Find holidays to Sydney with Which? Recommended Providers Trailfinders, Kuoni, Audley Travel, Hays Travel, Riviera Travel and Intrepid Travel.
Chicago – fourth best world city

Chicago is skyscrapers and shopping as trains rumble on elevated tracks in America’s most atmospheric downtown, baseball at the Cubs’ historic Wrigley Field, then cocktails in a blues bar like Buddy Guy’s Legends, all packaged into a relaxed city. Imagine better cinematic appeal than Manhattan but without the crowds (or litter) – probably why it beat New York in most categories.
Architecture cruises float up the Chicago River through a canyon of art deco spires, modernist boxes and glass-skinned arcs. Pair it with the viewing platform at Hancock Tower to see the full scale of the city’s architectural achievement. From here the flat Midwest stretches for 50 miles in every direction, with more than 100 skyscrapers (the world’s first was built here in 1885) backlit by the twinkling water of Lake Michigan.
Back at ground level, walk the Magnificent Mile – a 13-block, tree-lined avenue through the heart of downtown walled in by stately turn-of-the-century hotels and palatial department stores.
Don’t miss The home of gospel music, Louis Armstrong and much of black American history in the Bronzeville neighbourhood.
Find holidays to Chicago with Which? Recommended Providers Trailfinders, Audley Travel and Saga.
Our research
In October and November 2024, 1,556 Which? members completed a survey about the city breaks they had taken outside of the UK and Europe in the past year.
The city score is based on a combination of overall satisfaction and the likelihood of recommending the city. Only cities reviewed by at least 30 people are included.