Edinburgh a top city worldwide
Edinburgh just landed on Time Out’s Best Cities 2026 list, beating out London, New York, and Tokyo 19 reasons why Edinburgh should've topped the Time Out Best Cities 2026 list. What specific aspects of Edinburgh's culture led to this high ranking?
Edinburgh secured the third spot in Time Out's Best Cities in the World 2026 list, after Melbourne and Shanghai. Time Out surveyed over 24,000 city dwellers in 150 cities and 42 languages to compile the ranking. The survey included insights about food, nightlife, culture, affordability, and overall happiness. The Scottish capital earned high marks for walkability, sharing the top score with other cities. Locals gave Edinburgh's food scene a 94% approval rating, while 91% praised its green spaces. 90% of residents also rated the city's culture highly. Edinburgh's cultural scene will be in the spotlight in 2026, with the return of the Hidden Door festival and the Edinburgh Art Festival. The Edinburgh International Festival will commence with a performance from the Berliner Philharmoniker. Time Out contributor Chiara Wilkinson notes that each neighborhood in Edinburgh excels in a different area, from boutiques to coffee shops and nightlife.
