Portugal continues to shine. The country has managed to stand out in the annual ranking of the 50 best cities in the world for 2024, published by Time Out Global, which asks the residents of these places to tell it like it is to live, work and have fun in them. Porto occupies 10th place in the table and Lisbon 13th.
The Time Out list is topped by New York, followed by Cape Town, Berlin, London and Madrid. The two Portuguese cities in the spotlight appear ahead of several famous destinations, such as Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Singapore, Miami, Beijing, Dubai, Sydney, San Francisco, Barcelona and Seoul.
Some prefer to highlight the bustling neighbourhoods, affordable food and drink or a powerful selection of things to do, from art galleries and museums to live music and theatre. Others value things like the happiness of the residents, access to green spaces and a sense of community. And it's on the basis of all these criteria that the international publication draws up its annual global ranking of the world's best cities.
Time Out highlights Porto in 10th position as a place where "you can eat well and drink better". In addition, in this "wine capital", according to the magazine, 98 per cent of locals consider their city to be beautiful and 82 per cent romantic. The wealth of azulejo tiles is another strong reason for liking the city so much.
Lisbon, on the other hand, shines in 13th place thanks to its light, hilltop viewpoints overlooking the River Tagus, the terraces for enjoying the sunset, or the beaches just half an hour away. Time Out also emphasises another feature that makes the Portuguese capital unique: the increasingly lively music festivals during the summer, citing Rock in Rio, NOS Alive, Super Bock Super Rock, or MEO Kalorama.