Why Lagos, Cape Town, Accra are among the World’s Best Cities in 2024
Lagos, Cape Town, and Accra have been ranked among the best cities to visit in the world.
They are the only African cities in the ’50 best cities in the world in 2024′ report by Time Out, a globally renowned publisher of guides and magazines.
Time Out listed New York as the best city in the world, followed by Cape Town (South Africa) in 2nd place, the highest ranked African city.
Lagos, in 19th place, was ranked ahead of Miami, Dubai, Glasgow and Barcelona, while Accra was ranked 44th.
On Lagos, the report noted, “Whether you’re a staunch mainlander or from Lekki, there’s something for everyone in Lagos, Africa’s most populous city. Posh Victoria Island continues to deliver a trifecta of swanky resorts, food haunts, and nightlife. Lekki is for the brunchers – make Maple Lagos your first stop.
“On the mainland, Kuti’s Bistro in Ikeja, owned by the legendary afrobeat family, serves up reliably delicious food and hosts parties, karaoke and games nights. And then there are the beaches – hit up Oniru Beach for some fun in the sun, but be sure to bring naira for this private beach.
It encouraged global citizens to visit Lagos because, “both the city and its suburbs are expanding – just check out live-work-play concept Eko Atlantic City.”
“More and more visitors are using tourist dollars to support independent businesses in townships, while Cape Town’s creative landscape is alive with new energy,” it noted about Cape Town, adding that “Cape Town’s culture scene ranked highest in the world for its quality.”
“The rise of galleries, studios and curated art exhibitions happening across Accra have transformed parts of the city into vibrant hubs for creative gatherings… Accra is positively humming with exciting new ventures across music, nightlife and the arts,” the report added.
Time Out’s report surveyed about 20,000 city-dwellers across the world, alongside its network of global writers and editors to draw its conclusion.
The criteria used include food (quality and affordability), culture and nightlife, how the city makes people feel, how easy it is to make social connections, access to green space, historic sites, and strong community vibes, among others.
The full list of 50 best cities:
- New York City, United States
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Berlin, Germany
- London, United Kingdom
- Madrid, Spain
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Liverpool, UK.
- Tokyo, Japan
- Rome, Italy
- Porto, Portugal
- Paris, France
- Mumbai, India
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Chicago, US
- Manchester, UK
- São Paulo, Brazil
- Los Angeles, US
- Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Lagos, Nigeria
- Melbourne, Australia
- Naples, Italy
- Singapore
- Miami, US
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Lima, Peru
- Budapest, Hungary
- Beijing, China
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Montreal, Canada
- Glasgow, UK
- Sydney, Australia
- Bueno Aires, Argentina
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Manila, Philippines
- Seoul, South Korea
- Hanoi, Vietnam
- San Francisco, US
- Barcelona, Spain
- Abu Dhabi, UAE
- New Orleans, US
- Philadelphia, US
- Austin, US
- Boston, US
- Accra, Ghana
- Marseille, France
- Taipei, Taiwan
- Istanbul, Turkey
- Osaka, Japan
- Hong Kong, China
- Vancouver, Canada
