Have you ever wondered which worldly destinations are the most culturally rich? Discover the top culture capitals of Europe, Canada, and New Zealand, here.
From Amsterdam and Athens to Wellington and York, the world is brimming with exciting entertainment, captivating cuisine, and awe-inspiring heritage. But which locations across Europe, Canada, and New Zealand can rightfully claim to sit above the rest as true cities of culture?
To get to the bottom of the debate, online casino Betway ranked some of the biggest cities around the world according to the number of local Michelin restaurants, cafes, culture attractions, theatres, and highly rated museums, as well as the rate of return visitors and the cost of a cinema ticket.
So, without further ado, which worldly locations should you add to your holiday list?
The culture capitals of the world
Taking top spot as our number one city of culture, we have none other than London, with an impressive index score of 4.99 out of 7. This comes as the UK capital records the most cafes (3,380), theatres (219), and museums (361) of all studied cites, as well as the second-most Michelin-starred restaurants (74) and culturally significant attractions (1,000).
Meanwhile, known and adored for its high fashion, world-famous artwork, and exquisite food, Paris takes second with a score of 4.92. Paris particularly shines when it comes to the rate of Michelin restaurants (130) and attractions (2,000) and falls just short of London for the number of theatres (153) and museums (230).
In third, Istanbul records an index score of 3.59, with an impressive visitor return rate of 16% – no other city beats this. In addition, the Turkish capital is home to some of the cheapest cinema tickets (£3.49), over 1,000 cafes, 100 theatres, and more than 160 museums, securing the location’s reputation as a serious culture hotspot.
Looking beyond Europe, Toronto (2.3) is our top-rated Canadian city – ranking 15th overall. Interestingly, just last year, Toronto earned the country’s first Michelin stars, when 13 restaurants were awarded the certification. In addition, the city has a visitor return rate of 15%, and more cultural attractions (243), theatres (61), and museums (94) than anywhere else in the Great White North.
And, finally, the best place to visit in New Zealand if you’re looking for a culture trip is the South Island city of Christchurch (1.49), which ranks ahead of the nation’s capital, Wellington.
The best cities in Europe for culture
Joining London, Paris, and Istanbul, Prague is also widely considered to be a culture capital of Europe, with an index score of 3.1 out of 7. Earning its place towards the top of our list, Prague is one of only a handful of cities around the world to boast more than 1,000 cafes, as well as a remarkable 109 theatres and 214 highly rated museums.
Meanwhile, historic Rome (3.09) ranks fifth, with the joint-second most attractions (1,000), 189 museums, and affordable cinema tickets (£7.74), ahead of Madrid (3.08), Berlin (2.98), and Barcelona (2.98). Curiously, each of these three cities has at least 23 Michelin restaurants – more than the Rome (20) – as well as 1,000+ cafes and coffee shops.
Finally, rounding out our ten best European cities of culture, we have Portugal’s Lisbon and the Dutch capital Amsterdam. Remarkably, Amsterdam has more Michelin-rated restaurants (33) than all cities except Paris, London, and Brussels, while Lisbon has the joint-highest return rate of all locations on our index (16%).
The best cities in New Zealand for culture
Christchurch is joined by Auckland as New Zealand’s capital cities of culture, each with an index score of 1.49 – though, Christchurch just nudges ahead when rounded to more decimal places! Next up, Wellington scores 1.25, while Tauranga completes New Zealand’s four culture hotspots (0.47).
When we delve into the data, perhaps unsurprisingly considering its elevated position, Auckland offers the highest number of cafes (945) – more than all other cities combined, in fact (688) – as well as the strongest offering of cultural attractions (152), theatres (13), and museums (49), while you’re sure to find the cheapest cinema tickets in Christchurch (£8.61).
The best cities in Canada for culture
Joining Toronto alongside Canada’s top culture hotspots, we have the Quebecois city of Montreal, with a respectable index score of 2.1. Following, Calgary and Ottawa record scores of 1.45 and 1.41, respectively, ahead of Edmonton (1.14) while Hamilton (0.53) rounds out the list.
Intriguingly, Montreal actually has a few more cafes (641) than top-ranking Toronto (632), as well as some of the country’s cheapest cinema tickets (£8.83).
Reviewing our full list, it’s interesting to see the top ten culture hotspots dominated by European destinations, from London to Amsterdam – with only Canada’s Toronto and Montreal disrupting the trend as we work down the index.
Let us know if you agree with our findings, or, for even more interesting insight like this, why not explore the rest of our blog?
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