Cape Town named ‘world’s third-best city’, but THIS blemish kept it off top spot

The Telegraph runs an annual feature where it evaluates the best city in the world – a total of 19 factors are considered, including the number of five-star hotels, the amount of green spaces, and the annual hours of sunshine. Needless to say, Cape Town wipes the floor with almost every other competitor.

Indeed, the jewel in the Western Cape’s crown was picked out for the following reasons:

• It’s stunning topography and geography.
• The vast array of inviting beaches.
• ‘Copious’ hours of sunshine throughout the year.
• The towering views from Table Mountain
• TMNP providing the biggest green space out of all cities evaluated.

What are the best cities in the world to visit?

The competition was fierce, and only two cities placed above Cape Town on the publication’s index. Barcelona took top spot, largely thanks to its culinary and cultural supremacy. Sydney came second, with judges praising its low emissions and ‘stress-free vibes’. Lisbon (Portugal) and Venice (Italy) complete the top five.

Los Angeles, Dubai, and London came in sixth, seventh, and eight place respectively. The top 10 was filled by Vancouver and Florence, which were both highlighted for the breathtaking architecture in each city centre.

Cape Town held back by ‘high homicide numbers’

However, this really is a case of ‘what could have been’ for Cape Town. Of all the 19 factors up for consideration, one of them was the local homicide rate – and CPT just so happened to have the WORST one on the whole list.

Cruelly, if the murder rate had been excluded, Cape Town would have been sitting at the top of the log. It was, however, the #1 city in Africa – and only Marrakesh in Morocco features as the other continental entry in the top 50.