The best cities in the world to explore

Barcelona comes top in new index

(Getty/iStock)

The world’s best cities for exploring have been revealed in a new index.

Barcelona came top in the list, which was compiled by TravelSupermarket based on a range of criteria, including how well connected cities’ transport links are, the cost of fares and the abundance of cycle hire schemes.

The price comparison giant scored each city out of 100, with the Catalan capital being awarded an overall score of 81.3 thanks to its 345 walking tours, 6,000 cycle-scheme bikes and an efficient metro, plus relatively good-value taxi fares.

Spain also bagged the next spot on the index, with Madrid swinging into second place with a score of 75.8. The Spanish capital offers 166 walking tours and 1,580 bikes in cycle hire schemes, as well as ranking seventh for public transport efficiency.

Completing the top five are Shanghai and Beijing in China, ranking third and fourth respectively, and Istanbul, Turkey coming in at number five.

The UK makes it into the top 10, with capital city London coming in eighth place thanks to a score of 63.5.

Its 13,600 bikes made London the fourth best city for cycle hire, and the city also came in 10th overall for the efficiency of its public transport system. London has 498 walking tours too, but lost points for high taxi fares.

At the other end of the spectrum, Las Vegas was deemed the worst city for exploring, with just 33 walking tours available and only 1 per cent of journeys there taken by foot. The US fared poorly in general, with five of the bottom 10 being based in the States.

“Discovering new cities, exploring new cultures: it’s a massive part of modern travel and it’s easier than ever to do,” said Joey Tyson, travel editor at TravelSupermarket.

“But if you’ve only got a few days to spare, getting the most out of a city can be a challenge. Time is of the essence when you’re exploring, and you need a city that’s well connected, easy to get around and, ideally, cheap to do so.

“The findings show Spain and China are leading the way in terms of easy urban exploration, with the top four cities consisting of Barcelona, Madrid, Shanghai and Beijing. However, it’s interesting to see that no one area really dominates the top 10, with a pretty even split across Europe, Asia and the Americas.”

Best 10 cities for exploring

1. Barcelona, Spain
2. Madrid, Spain
3. Shanghai, China
4. Beijing, China
5. Istanbul, Turkey
6. Paris, France
7. Mexico City, Mexico
8. London, UK
9. New York City, New York
10. Tokyo, Japan

Worst 10 cities for exploring

1. Las Vegas, Nevada
2. Dubai, UAE
3. Seattle, Washington
4. Los Angeles, California
5. Miami, Florida
6. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
7. Birmingham, UK
8. Toronto, Canada
9. Melbourne, Australia
10. Abu Dhabi, UAE