Bristol named among the best cities in the world

When you think of the ‘best cities in the world’, from a travel perspective at least, you may include places like New York, Paris, Sydney, Rome, and such. But Bristolians born and bred in the city will tell you that Bristol really should be among them.

And now it is. Thanks to a list by TimeOut of the 50 ‘best cities in the world in 2025’, Bristol is now known as being among the best on the planet. It ranks number 48 in the list, beating Mumbai and Warsaw.

According to the list, which was published on Wednesday, January 15, and put together after ‘quizzing thousands of locals to rank the best cities in the world right now’, Bristol made the cut for a variety of reasons.

From its street art, to its events, developments, protests, raves – and especially its “rebellious and creative streak” – here’s why it was included on the list for this year, according to TimeOut…

When asked what makes Bristol great, the article said: “Street art on every corner, plus a lively mix of protests, raves, mega festivals and DIY gigs – Bristol’s long been known for its rebellious and creative streak, but the city is now moving out of its underground phase and going global. Bristol is hosting the Rugby World Cup in 2025 and welcoming a host of big new arrivals, including street food hub BoxHall and Hotel Gotham, its first five-star hotel, which is emerging from the city’s medieval Guildhall following a £20 million renovation.

“Not to mention the stalwarts of the Bristol festival scene, with Bristol Light Festival, Love Saves the Day, Upfest, Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, Harbour Festival, East Bristol Brewery Trail and Bristol Sounds all making a return in the summer.”

Sticking with the theme of festivals and events, when it comes to why you should visit our city now, the article continues: “Bristol may not be the world’s best-kept secret anymore, but it still manages to surprise with every visit. The city has seen a new festival launch every year since 2022 – first there was FORWARDS, which was followed by Bristol Cocktail Weekend in 2023 and BS3 Live in 2024. Who knows what’s in store for 2025?”

‘Diverse and inclusive’ was the term most locals would choose to describe their ‘famously bohemian city’, according to TimeOut. Bristol also scored highly for its food scene, which garnered an 83 per cent approval rating, and for its arts and culture, which 75 per cent of locals rate.

Bristol locals, tell us, do you agree?

Bristol wasn’t the only city in the UK to make the cut, however, with London, Edinburgh, Brighton, Glasgow and Belfast, beating us in the rankings. If you’re curious to know which other cities made the top 50, then the list in full looks like this:

1. Cape Town
2. Bangkok
3. New York
4. Melbourne
5. London
6. New Orleans
7. Mexico City
8. Porto
9. Shanghai
10. Copenhagen
11. Chicago
12. Lisbon
13. Edinburgh
14. Hong Kong
15. Sydney
16. Amsterdam
17. Barcelona
18. Seville
19. Paris
20. Medellin
21. Hanoi
22. Madrid
23. Berlin
24. Dubai
25. Singapore
26. Rio de Janeiro
27. Beijing
28. Chiang Mai
29. Jakarta
30. Vienna
31. Tokyo
32. Marrakech
33. Perth
34. Brighton
35. Prague
36. Glasgow
37. Brisbane
38. Marseille
39. Budapest
40. Los Angeles
41. Lagos
42. Seoul
43. Valencia
44. Montreal
45. Bilbao
46. Abu Dhabi
47. Belfast
48. Bristol
49. Mumbai
50. Warsaw