Every year, we survey thousands of city-dwellers across the planet about life in their hometown right now. Why? To create our annual ranking of the world’s best cities.
The list celebrates cities where locals feel most at home and where visitors love to explore. This year, locals were quizzed on everything from food and nightlife to happiness and romance. We then asked Time Out’s network of city experts to vote on the hubs they think are the most exciting places to visit this year, and after crunching all that data, 2025’s list has landed.
Not only did three African cities make the cut, but one South African hub scored the top prize. That’s right – this year, we crowned Cape Town the world’s best city! The ‘Mother City’, as it’s affectionately known, earned the accolade thanks to high praise from locals: 95 percent of Capetonians gave the city’s food scene a high rating, while a whopping 97 percent said their city makes them happy.
As Andrew Hallett, content director for Time Out South Africa puts it: ‘Where else in the world can you hang out with a colony of African penguins, taste some of the world’s finest wines, stroll along Blue Flag beaches, enjoy stunning views from atop one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, and sample some of the most eclectic nightlife and vibes in the world… all in one day?’ We can’t argue with that.
Elsewhere on the list, Marrakech came in 37th, with local expert Sally Kirby praising the city’s hospitality and burgeoning food scene. Lagos in Nigeria ranked 41st, with 72 percent of locals saying it was easy to make friends and meet new people.
Want to know how your city fared? Check out the full list of the 50 best cities in the world right now.
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Plus: These are Europe’s best cities right now, according to Time Out.
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