London Tops Time Out's 2026 Best Cities for Culture Ranking

In its 2026 Best Cities for Culture ranking, Time Out has recognized London as the leading city for culture, in collaboration with Intrepid Travel. This evaluation stemmed from a survey involving 24,000 residents from 150 cities, alongside contributions from over 100 Time Out editors, employing a formula of 70% local sentiment and 30% expert analysis. London achieved an impressive 95% rating from experts and a remarkable 99% approval from locals, particularly shining in theatre (90%), museums (88%), and galleries (81%). Paris secured the second position with a flawless 100% local culture score, while New York City came in third. Berlin and Cape Town followed in fourth and fifth places, respectively. Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan expressed pride in this accolade, and Grace Beard highlighted the ranking's tenth anniversary.