The world’s 100 greatest cities just got named – and London didn’t even make the top 10…

General view of a blazing sunset over the city on February 26, 2021 in London, United Kingdom. On this day in 2018, the original Beast From the East was beginning to sweep in. In stark contrast to this year where warmer temperatures are expected to last most of the week.

(Image credit: Chris Gorman / Getty Images)

London is often in the news for winning – the best food destination, the happiest boroughs to live, the best place to live. And it’s not surprising when you think about all the glorious culture – pubs, restaurants, theatre, nightlife, celeb spotting. Some would say it’s got it all… Apart, perhaps, from a top city ranking.

Data Analytics company Euromonitor International has released its 2026 Top 100 City Destinations Index, and London slipped even further down the rankings than before. Gone are the days of the big smoke hitting the big time on the top three podium. This year, London is firmly in 18th place. That’s a fairly substantial five places further down the list than 2025, when it landed at number 13.

London Underground train pulling in to Tower Hill station on 30th November 2025 in London, United Kingdom. The London Underground is a public rapid transit system serving Greater London. The Underground has its origins in the Metropolitan Railway, the worlds first underground passenger railway. (photo by Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images)

The criteria used by Euromonitor International are based on a series of categories, including tourism policy, tourism infrastructure, economic performance, sustainability, and health and safety.

The good news is that London came in fourth place globally for tourism infrastructure, however, when it comes to the rest of the categories it’s probably best to skirt over… Despite our apparent lagging in most categories, it hasn’t put people off taking a visit to Old Blighty, as London landed in third place for the most-visited city in the world, snatching up a lovely (metaphorical) bronze medal.

TOPSHOT - People have a swim on a pond in Hampstead Heath park to cool off from the heat, in London, on August 13, 2022. - The UK government on Friday officially declared a drought across swathes of England, following months of record low rainfall and unprecedented high temperatures in recent weeks.

At least we lost out to very worthy opponents, with the cool, Euro vibes sweeping the top spots. Paris came in first place for the fifth year running, thanks in part to its tourism infrastructure, cultural influence, and leading the charge in terms of sustainability. Other highly rated spots included New York, Milan, Rome, and Barcelona which to be honest, we really can’t fault.

The winners were:

Paris, France
Madrid, Spain
Tokyo, Japan
Rome, Italy
Milan, Italy
New York, USA
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Barcelona, Spain
Singapore
Seoul, South Korea

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Hermione Blandford is the Content Editor for Shortlist’s social media which means you can usually find her scrolling through Instagram and calling it work, or stopping random people in the street and accosting them with a mini mic. She has previously worked in food and drink PR for brands including Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray, Gordon's, The Singleton, Lagavulin and Don Julio which means she is a self confessed expert in spicy margaritas and pints, regularly popping into the pub in the name of research.

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