From the UK to Spain and Portugal, South America to Africa, destinations from all over the planet were included in our recently released ranking of the world’s best cities for 2025.
Two Middle Eastern cities also made it into the mix. The first of these at #24 was Dubai, which we all know as a city of glitzy skyscrapers and amazing shopping – but it has a whole lot more going on in the year ahead. The city’s new openings include shiny new hotels, swanky restaurants and exciting new attractions, such as Deep Dive Dubai, the deepest underwater attraction in the world where you can try out scuba diving.
‘Whether you’re a regular at DXB or call Dubai your (forever) home, you’ll know it’s a melting pot of seriously talented people, buzzy brunches and an endless line-up of incredible things to do,’ writes Emilie Hill, acting director of Dubai ‘We’re an oasis for wellness too. We take pilates, yoga, hiking and swimming pretty seriously – and even our beaches are award-winning.’
Abu Dhabi ranked 46th, and impressively claimed the crown as the happiest city on the list, with 99 percent of locals saying living there makes them feel good and 93 percent saying they find joy in their everyday activities.
The city also has bags of things to do. ‘Need a beach day? Saadiyat Island is the Middle East’s very best beach. Cultural day out? Pay a visit to the dome-tastic Louvre Abu Dhabi – yep, that same one from Paris, chéri. Throw in the title of the world’s safest city for eight consecutive years, four more huge, can’t-miss museums (including the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the brand-new Natural History Museum) and epic sunsets over the Arabian Gulf, and 2025 is looking brighter than ever,’ writes Abu Dhabi’s editor Mariana Cerqueira.
Read all about the top 50 cities in the world right here.
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