Cape Town Crowned Best City in the World by Time Out

Time Out has recognized Cape Town as the Best City in the World for this year, scoring high for its stunning beauty, overall happiness, and excellent food scene.

The global magazine highlighted Cape Town’s offerings of remarkable food, vibrant culture, exciting nightlife, beautiful green spaces, and easy access to nature.

This recognition was based on the thoughts of over 18,500 people worldwide, including Time Out’s regular readers and a panel of more than 100 city experts from its global network.

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis expressed his delight at the city’s top placement on this prestigious list.

“While Cape Town often features at the top of global travel destination lists, this recognition is particularly meaningful as it is largely based on the responses from residents of the city themselves.

In addition to all the things that make Cape Town a must-visit tourism destination our unmatched natural beauty, blue flag beaches, wonderful cuisine, nightlife, and cultural diversity it is the overall happiness of residents that perhaps means the most in this extensive survey.”

Mayor Hill-Lewis emphasized that the city’s efforts are focused on making Cape Town the best place to live in the world, where people can build meaningful lives and feel a true sense of ownership.

Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, James Vos, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the incredible spirit of Cape Town’s communities.

“At the heart of it all are our communities sharing cuisine and cultures. This is a shared achievement, and we’re excited to continue attracting visitors from around the country, continent, and the rest of the world.”

The impact of this recognition on Cape Town’s economy and tourism is expected to be significant. The 2023 Gross Value Add of the industry for Cape Town was more than R27 billion, supporting over 91,000 jobs. Vos added,

“This acknowledgment from Time Out and their readers is sure to be a further boost to our wonderful local tourism industry, further fueling Cape Town’s economic growth. Cape Town isn’t just the best city to visit—it’s the best city to be a part of.”

Andrew Hallett, Time Out South Africa’s Content Director and a proud Capetonian, described the recognition as a “huge high five” to the residents who have worked hard to create a city that can be enjoyed by both locals and visitors.

“Cape Town provides not only an amazing playground for those looking for the best food, best sights, and best adventures, but it is also a place that people are happy to call home. If you’ve never been to Cape Town, do it! You won’t be disappointed,” Hallett added.

Grace Beard, Travel Editor at Time Out, explained that liveability was a key factor in this year’s survey. “This list not only showcases the world’s most exciting cities to visit in 2025, where world-class culture, great food, and exciting nightlife can be found on every corner, but also reflects the places where locals feel most at home,” she said.

This accolade is expected to further boost Cape Town’s status as a leading global destination, drawing even more tourists and contributing positively to the local economy.

The city’s unmatched natural beauty, diverse cultural offerings, and the happiness of its residents make it a true gem on the world stage.

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