Though 2020 hasn’t exactly been the year for travelling — most of us have spent more time in our homes than ever before — our global roadblocks haven’t stopped us from dreaming of future travel plans, and it certainly hasn’t stopped Condé Nast Traveller from announcing its annual list of best destinations in the world.
This week, the US publication unveiled its lists for 2020, for both the best cities in the world in 2020 and its best countries in the world in 2020.
Though Australia as a country missed out on placing in the top 20 on the best countries in the world list, one Australian city crept managed to creep in on the best cities list.
Coming in at number 10, Sydney qualified for the fourth year in a row with a score of 91.57. In 2019, Sydney placed at number 20 on the best cities list, with a score of 87.90, so it’s a significant upgrade from last year. Of our impressive harbour city, CN Traveller says:
“Laid-back, vibrant and gorgeous, Sydney is the cosmopolitan capital of New South Wales. The city has food to rival any in the world, and is at the forefront of cutting-edge design, with chic hotels and excellent restaurants.”
See below for CN Traveller’s best cities in 2020:
1. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, 96.65
2. Chiang Mia, Thailand, 95.27
3. Mérida, Mexico, 94.38
4. Kyoto, Japan, 92.48
5. Lyon, France, 92.41
6. Monte Carlo, Monaco, 92.23
7. Charleston, South Carolina, USA, 92.13
8. Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, 91.58
9. Singapore, 91.58
10. Sydney, Australia, 91.57
As for the magazine’s list of best countries? Well, the results varied again. For the second year running, Italy topped the list in first place. It would seem it’s simply too hard to deny the country’s pristine beaches, traditional towns, and undeniably delicious cuisine.
The magazine says Japan, which qualified at fourth place (a whole eight places up since 2019), is a country to watch in 2021. With the Olympics set to take place in the city of Tokyo, big things are expected to come out of the global city.
And though Australia didn’t make it into the top 10 or even top 20, New Zealand did, coming in at the 20th spot.
See below for CN Traveller’s best countries in 2020:
1. Italy, 94.05
2. Sri Lanka, 93.96
3. Portugal, 93.39
4. Japan, 93.35
5. Greece, 93.32
6. Indonesia, 92.98
7. Thailand, 92.62
8. South Africa, 92.20
9. Vietnam, 92.12
10. Mexico, 91.93