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Last year, Time Out’s list of the world’s best cities was ranked according to how people rallied together during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, the chosen cities reflect everything we’ve been missing out on over the past couple of years; that being getting out and about, exploring restaurants, bars, nightlife, and museums.

The travel publication’s goal this year was to turn the ranking into “the ultimate travel bucket list for 2022”.

Nice to know that in that context, two of South Africa’s major cities were on the ranking, with Cape Town just missing the top 10 and Johannesburg squeezing in at number 49 out of 53.

We can use as much help as we can to bring in the tourists and encourage spending on all our local goods and services right now.

At number 11, Cape Town was chosen for its food, culture, “excellent swimming spots”, myriad “hiking opportunities”, and theatre-making.

Time Out is in the business of asking around 20 000 city-dwellers across the world, alongside its network of global editors, to pinpoint what makes their city great via a survey known as the Time Out Index, using that data to compile its global city rankings.

Here are some of Time Out’s stats for the Mother City:

93 percent of locals described their city as beautiful, the second-highest in the world, and for good reason.

…Eighty-seven percent of those polled in Cape Town said it was easy to relax – more than anywhere else in the world. Meanwhile, 93 percent said they rated the city highly for the variety of things to do.

Jozi was acknowledged for being a melting pot of opportunity, with the “phenomenal” nightlife and “booming” outdoor markets cited as the top reasons to visit.

Now for the number one city on Time Out’s global ranking of the best city in the world. For that, we’ll head over to CNN:

Not every city skyline includes an extinct volcano, an imposing hilltop castle and a line-up of centuries-old buildings, but Edinburgh’s awe-inspiring horizon is just one of the reasons why the Scottish capital is Time Out’s best city for 2022.

…It’s not just Edinburgh’s beauty that nabbed it the top spot for 2022, the city is also known for its buzzy arts festivals and growing foodie scene, and surveyed locals praised the city’s walkability, as well as its welcoming, inclusive feel.

Scotland actually did pretty well this year, with Glasgow ranked as number four on the list thanks to its dining options and friendly atmosphere. Plus the city’s new club, SWG3, helped the ranking due to its recent sustainability initiative to generate power via dancers’ body heat.

Crivvens!

Second was the Midwestern American hub of Chicago, praised as much for its nightclub scene as its pandemic-era resilience:

Then, Medellín, Colombia, celebrated for its nightlife, boutique hotels, and mouth-watering food, was placed third:

Here’s the full top 10 list, plus Cape Town at 11 because we are proud:

1. Edinburgh, Scotland
2. Chicago, USA
3. Medellín, Colombia
4. Glasgow, Scotland
5. Amsterdam, Netherlands
6. Prague, Czech Republic
7. Marrakech, Morocco
8. Berlin, Germany
9. Montreal, Canada
10. Copenhagen, Denmark
11. Cape Town, South Africa

You can head to Time Out for the write-up on each city (plus the other 42 cities) and add each place to your bucket list.

Explore away!

[sources:cnn&timeout]