How do you take the measure of a city? Is it statistical, like population? Environmental? Everyone wants a pleasant climate. Or it could be sociological – low crime rates and plenty of cultural happenings, to name a few, help improve standard of living. But Travel + Leisure magazine is concerned with only one facet of a city: visitor value.
It’s hard to visit the U.S. and skip New York. Likewise with Paris while on a trip to France. Travel + Leisure sees the glory of cities – as historical landmarks, cultural hubs, and even jumping-off points to smaller locales – and offers its take on the most desirable destinations, the most urbane of the urban areas.
(LIST: TIME’s 6 Best Summer Travel Destinations)
The magazine took into consideration what’s important for visitors: culture, food, shopping, and most importantly, cost – of both staying there and getting there. Topping the charts, perhaps surprisingly, is a city infamous for its traffic, pollution and recent governmental tensions. But bustling Bangkok, Thailand’s steamy capital, is also widely renowned: for its unique cuisine, its cosmopolitan nightlife and its stunning Buddhist temples. Below Bangkok lies two Italian cities and a U.S. metropolis.
If you’re looking to book your next trip, look no further than the T + L list. Their top 10 alone spans five continents. We dare say it’s time to put those frequent flier miles to good use. See the full list at Travel + Leisure‘s website. Here are the top 10.
- Bangkok
- Florence
- Rome
- New York
- Istanbul
- Cape Town
- Siem Reap, Cambodia
- Sydney
- Barcelona
- Paris
Nick Carbone is a reporter at TIME. Find him on Twitter at @nickcarbone. You can also continue the discussion on TIME’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.