CHARLESTON, July 8 — Which of the world’s cities has won the hearts of travellers with its history, its culture and its food, while still embracing modernity? The readers of Travel + Leisure picked Charleston, in South Carolina, United States, as the World’s Best City in the famous American travel magazine’s freshly unveiled "World’s Best Awards” for 2016.

For Travel + Leisure and its readers, holidaymakers have every reason to head to the US city of Charleston. In fact, South Carolina seems to be a particularly popular destination, since the American state’s Hilton Head also cropped up in the Best Islands ranking.

Readers also picked Thailand as a current hotspot, with the authentic city of Chiang Mai, in the north of the country, taking second place in the World’s Best Cities list. The capital of the Land of Smiles, Bangkok, also makes the ranking. European cities in the top ten are Florence, Italy; Barcelona, Spain; and Rome, Italy.

Paradise islands of the Philippines

Tourists in search of spectacular island landscapes should head to the Philippines, it seems. No less than three of the archipelago’s islands cropped up in the World’s Best Islands list, with Palawan in first place, Boracay in second and Cebu in sixth. And Hawaii isn’t far behind, with Maui and Kauai — whose spectacular beaches have already been widely honoured — both making the top ten. European islands on the list include Greece’s Santorini and Ischia in Italy.

Travel + Leisure has also compiled lists of the World’s Best hotels, airports, airlines and other travel services. Singapore leads the way in the field of aviation, winning Best International Airport and Best International Airline.

The 10 Best Islands in the World:

1. Palawan, Philippines

2. Boracay, Philippines

3. Ischia, Italy

4. Waiheke Island, New Zealand

5. Santorini, Grece

6. Cebu, Philippines

7. Maui, Hawaii, US

8. Hilton Head, South Carolina, US

9. Kauai, Hawaii, US

10. Bali, Indonesia

The 15 Best Cities in the World:

1. Charleston, South Carolina, US

2. Chiang Mai, Thailand

3. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

4. Florence, Italy

5. Luang Prabang, Laos

6. Kyoto, Japan

7. New Orleans, Louisiana, US

8. Barcelona, Spain

9. Savannah, Georgia, US

10. Cape Town, South Africa

11. Rome, Italy

12. Beirut, Lebanon

13. Siem Reap, Cambodia

14. Bangkok, Thailand

15. Cuzco, Peru

The 10 Best Hotels in the World:

1. Nihiwatu, Sumba, Indonesia

2. The Spectator, Charleston, South Carolina, US

3. Huka Lodge, Taupo, New Zealand

4. Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island, Australia

5. Montage Kapalua Bay, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, US

6. The Lodge at Glendorn, Bradford, Pennsylvania, US

7. The Willcox, Aiken, South Carolina, US

8. Casa Gangotena, Quito, Ecuador

9. Twin Farms, Barnard, Vermont, US

10. The Singular Patagonia, Puerto Bories, Chile

The 10 World’s Best International Airports:

1. Singapore Changi, Singapore

2. Dubai, United Arab Emirates

3. Hong Kong, Hong Kong

4. Incheon, South Korea

5. Zurich, Switzerland

6. Tel Aviv Ben Gurion, Israel

7. Munich, Germany

8. Tokyo Haneda, Japan

9. Adelaide, Australia

10. Amsterdam Schipol, Netherlands

The 10 World’s Best International Airlines:

1. Singapore Airlines

2. Emirates

3. Qatar Airways

4. Etihad Airways

5. Virgin Atlantic Airways

6. Cathay Pacific

7. Air New Zealand

8. Eva Air

9. Korean Air

10. Porter Airlines

The full list of results and award categories is available here. — AFP-Relaxnews