Athens is the only Greek city to feature in Time Out’s 2026 ranking of the world’s 50 best cities, coming in at number 40 in the magazine’s 10th annual edition of the list.

To compile the ranking, Time Out surveyed more than 24,000 residents across 150 cities in 42 languages, asking locals about dozens of factors shaping urban life — including food, nightlife, culture, affordability, happiness, community and overall atmosphere. The methodology also drew on input from the magazine’s editors and city experts.

Time Out’s write-up on Athens invites readers to imagine a city where they can stand in the shadow of the Acropolis, swim in the clear waters of a Blue Flag beach on the Athens Riviera, hike pine-scented hills like Lycabettus, and dance until dawn at a techno party — all in a single day. “This is Athens,” the magazine concludes.

Shanghai, China

Melbourne topped the overall ranking for 2026, followed by Shanghai in second place and Edinburgh in third. London came in fourth, with New York fifth, Cape Town sixth, Mexico City seventh, Bangkok eighth, Seoul ninth and Tokyo rounding out the top ten. Half of the top ten cities are located in the Asia-Pacific region.