Two Scottish cities have been named among the “best in the world” to visit in 2025 by Time Out.As we enter a new year, people across Scotland will be thinking about their holidays for the year ahead.
While there is no limit to where you can travel across the globe, there are plenty of amazing spots closer to home worth visiting for a weekend. On Wednesday, legendary travel publication Time Out shared its list of the “50 best cities in the world in 2025”.
The list was put together by the magazine after “quizzing thousands of locals across the planet about life in their hometowns”. Coming in at number 13 on the list, and the highest-placing destination in Scotland, is Edinburgh.
Time Out praised the Scottish capital for its “many historic pubs” and its “legendary” nightclubs, and for being “compact and walkable”. Edinburgh was also singled out for its food and drink scene, with fine-dining restaurants such as Lyla and Timberyard given particular praise. Meanwhile, the magazine mentioned the city’s various green spaces and easy access to nature.
Time Out wrote: “Everything your capital can do, ours can do better. We’re the home of the world’s largest arts festival, we’ve got a food and drink scene you’ll be hard pushed to beat, castles and cobbled streets with breathtaking gothic architecture (we’re not called the ‘Athens of the North’ for nothing) that has inspired authors, poets and musicians alike – and of course, the giant extinct volcano that overlooks it all, offering the best views of the city.”
Time Out praised the Edinburgh Festival Fringe
(Image: Ken Jack/Getty Images)
Elsewhere, the second Scottish city to be included on Time Out’s list is Glasgow at number 36. The magazine named the city’s 850th-anniversary celebrations as a standout reason to visit in 2025.
Glasgow’s music scene also received praise, with Time Out applauding grassroots venues including Nice N Sleazy and Basement Jazz Cafe for nurturing the next generation of talent. The publication also named bars such as literary-themed The Last Bookstore and speakeasy The Absent Ear as highlights of the city.
Time Out added: “Glaswegians love their culture and food, giving both high scores (87% and 69%, respectively). Better yet, locals reckon it’s pretty cheap to eat out and see art in the city.
“Events to mark the big birthday include a three-day ‘Clyde Chorus’ music festival in May, a pop-up Glasgow history exhibition and Taste the Place, a self-guided culinary heritage tour launching in April. Existing festivals, such as the TRNSMT music festival and Yardworks street art festival, are also getting a financial boost.”
Glasgow comes in at number 36 on Time Out’s list of the 50 best cities in the world in 2025
Meanwhile, topping the overall list as the best city in the world for 2025 is Cape Town in South Africa. Among the highlights of the city according to Time Out are its cultural significance, vibrant food scene, and “eclectic nightlife”.
Following behind are Bangkok in Thailand and New York City in the United States in second and third place, respectively. Rounding out the top five are Melbourne in Australia and London.
The full list of the 50 best cities in the world in 2025 can be found on the Time Out website.
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