There are no shortage of lists floating around the internet but the folks from Travel & Leisure, one of the world’s most popular travel sites, take theirs pretty seriously.

They recently released their 2015 World’s Best List and, would you believe it, one of our own makes an appearance. Come on, you know it’s not Benoni, but let’s work our way through the top five and see who cracked the nod. Below from CNN:

1. Kyoto, Japan

For more than 1,000 years, Kyoto was the imperial capital of Japan, and vestiges of this royal history remain in sites such as the Kyoto Gosho palace.

While the two-year-old Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto appeals to luxury travelers with its private Zen gardens overlooking the Kamogawa River, it’s also worth considering a stay in a traditional ryokan, or guesthouse…

Of course, this traditional city has a touch of the modern, too, such as the sleek new Yoshio Taniguchi-designed wing of the Kyoto National Museum and the Nishijin neighborhood, with its kawaii artisan shops.

2. Charleston, South Carolina

South Carolina’s oldest city has consistently charmed T+L readers with its antebellum aesthetic and old-fashioned Southern hospitality.

It’s the only U.S. city represented in the overall list, and repeatedly appears on its America’s Favorite Cities lists…It’s been applauded for its beautiful, jasmine-fringed neighborhoods and historic battlegrounds.

Not far from downtown is Sullivan’s Island and Folly Beach, where locals and visitors go to cool off amongst the grassy, soft sand dunes on hot summer days.

Nice to see them get a mention for the right reasons in the wake of the horrific killing spree by Dylann Roof.

3. Siem Reap, Cambodia

The unmistakable silhouette of Angkor Wat, the massive, 12th century Buddhist temple, is perhaps Siem Reap’s best-known landmark.

Other Khmer ruins, like Ta Prohm (best known for the way enormous strangler fig and silk trees root down through the sandstone structure) are like gateways into an ancient and spiritual past…

Away from the ruins, along the urban center’s riverfront are art galleries, where tourists can browse black-and-white prints of the striking shrines, and boutique hotels, such as the Belmond La Residence d’Angkor and Raffles Grand Hotel D’Angkor.

4. Florence, Italy

This Italian city is a perfect example of a destination that’s constantly reinventing itself and offering even veteran visitors variation and excitement.

Known for being a Renaissance repository with such highlights as Michelangelo’s David and red-roofed buildings reflected in the river Arno, Florence is livelier than ever.

New art galleries, such as EX3 and Museo Novecento, feature contemporary works, and aperitivo time at the local bars lures sightseers with salumi and rustic crostini.

5. Rome, Italy

It’s impossible to tire of the capital city’s storied landmarks, such as The Pantheon and The Colosseum, both relics of the Roman Empire.

Not to mention St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel in the sovereign Vatican, and the 2,300-year-old cobblestones that make up Appian Way.

When you’ve had your fill of the old, a new breed of design-forward buildings have risen in brilliant contrast to the original masterworks.

So, where does our crown jewel fit in then? Down at number nine, wait for it…

9. Cape Town, South Africa

Forget everything you thought you knew about Africa.

Cape Town is cutting-edge, artsy and buzzing with energy.

There are few places in the world where you can exercise your shopping skills (Woodstock’s Neighborgoods Market on Saturday mornings is the place to go for Afrikaans jerky and silk-and-leather sandals), take off on a safari, or enjoy world-famous cuisine all in one weekend.

Atlantic-facing Clifton Beaches are the South Beach of South Africa, known for enormous natural boulders tumbling into the sea, pristine sunbathing conditions and the capoeira dancers that entertain crowds with fire and African drums on Monday nights.

Their words, not ours, but it’s hard to disagree with how lekker it is down here in Slaapstad. Thanks guys, we love a good ego boost now and again.

You can click HERE for the rest of the top ten.

[source:cnn]