TOKYO, Oct 18 — The worldly, globetrotting readers of CN Traveller magazine were particularly smitten by Tokyo this year and crowned the Japanese capital the best city of 2016.
In the 29th edition of the magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards, more than 300,000 readers weighed in on their favourite destinations, hotels, cruises, airlines and resorts — nearly twice as many as last year — to help editors compile lists of the best in travel for 2016.
In the category of best cities, Tokyo took the top spot for its mix of contradictions: neon-lit skyscrapers, temples, shrines and expansive forests. Likewise, readers said they were drawn to the city for its culinary offering as it boasts more Michelin stars than any other city, editors note.
For similar reasons, travellers helped another Japanese city, Kyoto, take the second spot on the top 10 list. As Japan’s imperial capital, the city is described as a step back into time, where visitors can catch a glimpse of young geishas and find serenity at temples dating back to the 10th century.
In addition to being one of the most well-preserved cities in Japan with 1,600 Buddhist temples, Kyoto is likewise known for kaiseki, the traditional multi-course Japanese meal that changes with the seasons.
Interestingly, readers seem to have taken a particular liking to Japan, Austria and British Columbia, Canada, as the destinations boast two cities each on the top 10 list: Salzburg and Vienna for Austria, Vancouver and Victoria for British Columbia.
Meanwhile, a side by side comparison with the results of Travel + Leisure magazine’s best cities in the world ranking published earlier this summer show that travellers across the board share the same affinity for destinations like San Miguel de Allende, Florence, Kyoto and Barcelona, which figure on both top 10 lists.
Charleston, South Carolina topped the Travel + Leisure ranking for best cities.
Here are the top 10 Best Cities in the World for 2016 according to CN Traveller readers:
1. Tokyo, Japan
2. Kyoto, Japan
3. Florence, Italy
4. Lucerne, Switzerland
5. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
6. Vancouver, British Columbia
7. Victoria, British Columbia
8. Salzburg, Austria
9. Barcelona, Spain
10. Vienna, Austria — AFP-Relaxnews
