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It’s that time again, folks – when Time Out, after quizzing urbanites from all over the planet about what it’s like to live in their city, unveils its list of the most exciting cities in the world.
Time Out’s Best Cities with Intrepid Travel for 2026 is the tenth anniversary of our ranking, and while we crowned the brilliant Aussie city of Melbourne as number one, European hubs have once again staked their claim on a large portion of our 50-strong list.
But, how did we decide? Well, a whopping 24,000 city-dwellers were quizzed about all things food, culture, and nightlife, as well as happiness, affordability and quality of life. The data from this survey, plus insight from over 100 Time Out city experts, was used to decide our final ranking.
Topping the list for Europe is Edinburgh, the pretty, history-packed Scottish capital, which ranked third on our worldwide list. It received the joint-highest score for walkability, as well as a 94 percent approval rating for food, 91 percent for green spaces and 90 percent for culture. Oh, and the people living here are some of the happiest we spoke to, with 91 percent of locals claiming they find joy in their day-to-day experiences.
And you should visit now because, according to Time Out writer and former editor Chiara Wilkinson, ‘2026 will see the city’s long-running arts scenes come to the fore.’
‘The ever-evolving Hidden Door festival returns with its cultural takeover of forgotten urban spaces, as does Edinburgh Art Festival, hosting a partner gallery programme at venues across the city including a sculptural commission from Glasgow-based drag artist Sgàire Wood at Jupiter Artland.’ she writes, ‘Meanwhile, the astounding Berliner Philharmoniker will open the Edinburgh International Festival’s 2026 programme with a bang, with more acts to be announced in due course.’
In second place for Europe (and fourth overall) is London, and in third place (and eleventh overall) is Zurich. However, a total of 19 brilliant European hubs, from quaint English spots to sprawling Spanish hubs made our ranking – you can browse them all below.
These are Europe’s best cities for 2026, according to Time Out
- Edinburgh
- London
- Zurich
- Copenhagen
- Krakow
- Porto
- Madrid
- Valencia
- Paris
- Bath
- Bilbao
- Berlin
- Antwerp
- Naples
- Amsterdam
- Athens
- Vienna
- Dublin
- Lisbon
🏙️ Read Time Out’s brand-new list of the Best Cities in the World for 2026.
Ready to see the world’s best cities for yourself? Book your next trip with Intrepid Travel and start planning the ultimate adventure today.
Did you see that the overnight tourist tax is doubling in this major European city?
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