London has been named fifth among the world’s top 50 best cities by Time Out magazine in a list based on the rankings of thousands of locals. The UK capital notched up the number five position on the list for the second year in a row, with tourists urged to visit in 2025 to see the new trains on the Piccadilly Line, as well as a new branch being added to the Victoria & Albert Museum – V&A East Storehouse – set to open in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in May 2025.
London was beaten to the number one slot by Cape Town, which apparently boasts “some of the most eclectic nightlife and vibes in the world” while Bangkok emerged as the runner-up in the list, “one of the world’s friendliest cities”, with “a warm welcome pretty much guaranteed”. New York and Melbourne took up the numbers three and four positions respectively.
Joe Mackertich, editor in chief of Time Out UK, wrote: “London is always going to be one of the best cities in the world. That’s inarguable, thanks to the capital’s brilliant cuisine, unkillable pub culture, unrivalled shopping opportunities and (best of all) the all-encompassing range of its people.
The UK capital notched up the number five position on the list for the second year in a row
(Image: Alexandr Spatari / Getty Images)
“Whatever you’re into, London can provide. What’s that I can hear? ‘What about nightlife?’ you’re saying, ‘Everyone knows everything in London shuts at midnight and all the clubs shut down forever in 2016!’ Wrong! London’s nightlife scene has seen some serious investment in the last year or so, meaning now is exactly the right time to come if you want fun.”
“Hoxton’s flat-roof-pub-turned-serious-club Lion and Lamb, the way-better-than-it-should-be Here at Outernet, Hackney Wick’s thriving Colour Factory, the grassroots-tastic Cause and the already legendary Fold in Canning Town.”
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Macketich also referred to “a host of new hype-y queer bars”, including La Camionera, The Wing and a Prayer and The Divine, adding: “Does that sound like a moribund metropolis to you?”
The top ten list was rounded off with New Orleans at number 6, Mexico City at number 7 and Porto, Portugal’s second largest city, making a surprisingly high appearance at number 8. Shanghai came in an number 9 and finally, Copenhagen, a capital city famed for its high fashion and culinary brilliance, completed the upper list at number 10.
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