Online weekend getaway portal weekenGO have released a study revealing the top 100 best cities to spend the weekend, with London, UK taking the top spot. The results give an overall score for each city, but also indicate which destinations are best for three different types of travellers; millennials, families and baby boomers.
WeekenGO undertook the study to define what exactly makes a city great for a short visit, and to help travellers of different age groups and dynamics to choose a destination which best caters to their interests.
To determine the categories for the study, weekenGO first considered what factors affect a weekend trip. Several criteria are important to travellers no matter their age or affluence, for example how easy a city is to navigate, the ease of finding accommodation and the number of green spaces. To highlight which cities are best for millennials, families and baby boomers, the number of social locations such as restaurants, bars and clubs were included, as well as cultural activities such as museums, art galleries and theatres. In addition, safety and tolerance were factored into the research, looking specifically at data on women’s rights and safety, LGBT friendliness and the perception of security. The study began with the top 1,000 cities determined by the number of visitors based on the UN-WTO. The researchers then analysed all of these factors to create a ranking of the top 100 best cities to visit for the weekend.
To create the individual scores for millennials, families and baby boomers, weekenGO looked at traveller’s interests on a macro level to determine the best overall representative score. Each category is scored, with a high score indicating high desirability for this factor and a low score indicating a low level of attractiveness for tourists.
“Given the fact that we looked at over 1,000 cities worldwide, every destination that made it to this top 100 ranking ought to be on your weekend getaway bucket list.” commented Tobias Boese, co-founder and managing director of weekenGO. “Cities at the top of the ranking such as London, Paris and New York are iconic for a reason, but those cities at the bottom of the ranking such as Casablanca and Belgrade still have a great deal to offer for an unforgettable weekend trip.”
The table below shows a breakdown of the results for New York City, USA. Rankings for each category are out of 100, with 1 being the best possible rank. Scores are out of 100, and the higher the score, the better:
New York City, USA ranks 7
City Factors
Mobility (Ranking/Score) Walkability Green Spaces Accommodation
87 80.91 71 85.35 83 75.00 5 95.38
Social
Dining Bars Clubs Music Venues
3 99.39 3 99.39 4 99.09 7 98.14
Activities
Concerts Cultural Events Museums and Galleries Theatre
and Cinemas
2 99.70 15 95.46 8 97.88 3 99.39
Safety and Tolerance
Women’s Rights
and Safety LGBT-Friendly Score Security
57 83.70 9 97.58 84 74.85
Best For…
Millennials Score Families Score Baby Boomers Score Total Score
12 90.68 34 86.58 41 86.62 92.08
The table below shows the top 10 best cities to spend the weekend, with a sample of the criteria used to determine the total score. For the methodology, please see the bottom of this press release or the full results page:
# City Country Walkability Dining Museums and Galleries LGBT-Friendly Score Total Score
1 London United Kingdom 88.30 98.49 99.70 98.49 94.15
2 Berlin Germany 91.09 89.39 99.09 99.40 93.98
3 Vienna Austria 87.08 91.52 98.18 95.76 93.15
4 Hamburg Germany 93.39 90.91 90.30 86.97 92.68
5 Paris France 88.22 99.09 97.58 96.97 92.66
6 Amsterdam Netherlands 90.40 79.70 95.76 99.70 92.61
7 New York City USA 85.35 99.39 97.88 97.58 92.08
8 Munich Germany 90.13 89.09 90.30 93.64 92.07
9 Barcelona Spain 91.00 93.70 95.50 99.09 92.07
10 Madrid Spain 86.78 93.40 93.33 100.00 91.60
The table below shows the top 10 cities for millennials, including a sample of the criteria included to determine the final ranking for this age group:
# City Country Bars Clubs Concerts Women’s Rights and Safety LGBT-Friendly Score Millennials Total Score
1 Berlin Germany 96.97 97.88 98.18 90.55 99.40 93.34
2 London United Kingdom 98.79 98.49 100.00 87.70 98.49 93.28
3 Amsterdam Netherlands 95.15 91.21 97.27 94.24 99.70 92.54
4 Vienna Austria 92.73 95.46 95.15 86.67 95.76 91.81
5 Paris France 97.88 96.97 98.49 82.55 96.97 91.74
6 Toronto Canada 89.70 93.03 96.67 92.61 99.39 91.66
7 Zurich Switzerland 84.55 90.61 94.55 96.73 80.30 91.02
8 Dublin Ireland 93.33 89.70 93.64 88.42 93.33 90.84
9 Munich Germany 89.09 95.46 96.36 90.91 93.64 90.79
10 Edinburgh United Kingdom 88.49 82.42 92.12 90.61 92.73 90.78
The table below shows the top 10 cities for families, including a sample of the criteria included to determine the final ranking for this age group:
# City Country Green Spaces Cultural Events Museums and Galleries Security Families Total Score
1 Vienna Austria 92.81 98.18 98.18 96.97 94.46
2 Amsterdam Netherlands 85.60 98.49 95.76 92.73 91.98
3 Prague Czech Republic 85.00 99.39 92.12 88.18 91.71
4 Tokyo Japan 74.69 94.24 98.79 98.49 91.68
5 Zurich Switzerland 97.50 93.03 81.52 100.00 91.41
6 Hamburg Germany 83.44 99.70 90.30 98.79 91.31
7 Berlin Germany 86.50 97.88 99.09 84.24 91.21
8 Edinburgh United Kingdom 99.69 94.55 80.00 94.24 91.20
9 London United Kingdom 85.00 98.79 99.70 77.27 90.59
10 Munich Germany 83.44 95.20 90.30 95.46 90.41
The table below shows the top 10 cities for baby boomers, including a sample of the criteria included to determine the final ranking for this age group:
# City Country Mobility Dining Cultural Events Security Baby Boomers Total Score
1 Zurich Switzerland 88.04 85.15 93.03 100.00 92.95
2 Vienna Austria 90.43 91.52 98.18 96.97 92.45
3 Hamburg Germany 86.14 90.91 99.70 98.79 91.70
4 Edinburgh United Kingdom 88.99 78.79 94.55 94.24 91.18
5 Prague Czech Republic 91.96 86.97 99.39 88.18 91.07
6 Singapore Singapore 96.13 95.15 89.70 96.06 90.88
7 Vancouver Canada 91.29 89.70 100.00 86.06 90.53
8 Tokyo Japan 89.30 100.00 94.24 98.49 90.43
9 Munich Germany 86.84 89.09 95.20 95.46 90.20
10 London United Kingdom 86.05 98.49 98.79 77.27 90.09
Further Findings:
• Graz, Austria ranks as the most walkable city.
• Stuttgart, Germany ranks number 1 for most green spaces.
• Rome, Italy ranks best for most accommodation options.
• Tokyo, Japan ranks as the best city for best dining, and is also part of the Family and Baby Boomer top 10 ranking.
• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ranks as the best for bars.
• Shanghai, China ranks number 1 for the best club options.
• Paris, France has the most music venues.
• London, UK has the highest rank for concerts, theatres and cinemas.
• Vancouver, Canada ranks number 1 for the most cultural events.
• Los Angeles, USA ranks highest for the most museums and galleries.
• Oslo, Norway ranks as the safest place for women.
• Madrid, Spain ranks as the most LGBT friendly.
• Zurich, Switzerland ranks number 1 for security and is included in the top 10 ranking for all age ranges.
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