Pat yourself on the back, Sydney. Earlier this year, our city was crowned the fourth most livable city in the world. Not to toot our own horn, but Sydney was also ranked the second best travel destination, the 10th most Instagrammable place and the 18th smartest city. And the accolades just keep coming.
Resonance Consultancy’s annual World’s Best Cities survey has just named Sydney as one of the world’s best cities this year. We came 35th, which is quite an achievement considering there are more than 10,000 cities in the world.
London took the top spot, extending its eight-year reign, closely followed by global heavyweights such as Paris, New York, Tokyo and Singapore. Resonance Constulancy’s Top 100 rankings are based on an assessment of more than 270 metropolitan areas with populations of more than one million. They combined qualitative and quantitative data, as well as reviews from locals and visitors on platforms such as TripAdvisor and Instagram, to assess three overarching pillars: livability, loveability and prosperity. Within these pillars, a variety of sub-factors were considered, including weather conditions, nightlife, walkability, education, safety, attractions, economic prosperity, and online popularity and check-ins.
Unsurprisingly, Sydney was praised for its dazzling landmarks and sun-kissed beaches. However, special mention was also made of the NSW Government’s ’24-Hour Economy Strategy’, which has sparked a revival of the city’s vibrancy, with a focus on reinvigorating Sydney’s nightlife, food and culture. Special mention was also made of the City of Sydney’s initiatives including the Al Fresco Dining Program, the CBD Renewal Project and the establishment of new creative precincts.
There’s so much to love about Sydney, and it turns out Sydneysiders (actual and wannabe) agree, with our ‘adorability’ ranking of 29. The study also heaped praise on our universities, which ranked an impressive 16th, and our outdoor spaces, which came in at 17th.
While Sydney outscored Melbourne in both ‘Lovability’ and ‘Prosperity’, it outperformed us in ‘Liveability’ and secured a higher overall score of 31st. This is largely thanks to Melbourne’s quirky arts scene, (snobby) coffee culture and sprawling wine region. Brisbane also made the top 100, coming in a commendable 57th.
See the top ten best cities in the world below, or check out the full list here:
London, UK
Paris, France
New York City, US
Tokyo, Japan
Singapore, Singapore
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
San Francisco, US
Barcelona, Spain
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Seoul, South Korea