A British seaside resort has joined the likes of New York City and Cape Town in a ranking of the world’s best cities to visit.
Earlier this month, TimeOut released its 50 Best Cities in the World for 2025 with a number of unsuprising inclusions like Thailand’s capital Bangkok and the vibrant coastal capital of the southeastern Australian state of Victoria, Melbourne.
But a beloved British coastal city also made the top 50, with the entertainment and culture outlet hailing its combination of eateries and connections to London, with it’s relaxed beachside atmosphere.
Explaining why Brighton was included in the list, TimeOut said that while the East Sussex city “might never entirely shed its reputation as a run-of-the-mill seaside town” but the people who live there know the city “has a whole lot more going for it than that”.
“Brighton has essentially plucked all the important parts of a sprawling cosmopolitan metropolis (connections to London in under an hour, an array of properly excellent restaurants, energetic late-night spots) and paired it with the easy-breezy beachy attitude to life that makes you feel welcome in an instant,” the magazine says.
It hails The North Laine as Brighton’s “hippy-esque beating heart”, and notes what it describes as the city’s “passion for sustainability” which is “emphasised through everything from vegetarian eateries such as Iydea to homeware shops like Dowse, which staunchly support small designers with green credentials”.
It also lavishes praise on the beach, with its donut shops and fairground rides, as well as nearby “standout restaurants” including Riddle & Finns, as well as the “buzzy bars” where you can enjoy locally-brewed beer and active venues like Sea Lanes and Yellowave volleyball.
The guide is put together using a survey of more than 18,500 city-dwellers who “shared their thoughts on their city”, answering questions on “everything from food, nightlife and culture to affordability, happiness and the overall vibe.”
A panel of more than 100 city experts from Time Out’s global network, also named what they believe to be the most exciting cities in the world “right now,” with a combination of both sets of data used to produce the list of best cities in the world for this year.
Brighton ranked 34th on the list, ahead of places of popular travel destinations like Prague and Marseille.
Meanwhile, the top spot was taken by Cape Town in South Africa, with Bangkok, New York, Melbourne, London, New Orleans, Mexico City, Porto, Shanghai and Copenhagen also making the top 10.
Grace Beard, Travel Editor at Time Out, said: “Our annual list of Time Out’s Best Cities in the World right now proves that if you want to know what makes a city truly great, ask a local.
“Thousands of city-dwellers worldwide responded to our survey this year.
“This list not only showcases the world’s most exciting cities to visit in 2025, where world-class culture, great food and exciting nightlife can be found on every corner, but also reflects the places where locals feel most at home,” she added.
