Advertisement

Melbourne eclipses Sydney in top-50 cities as four Australian capitals make the list

Melbourne made a remarkable jump from 20 in 2024 to fourth this year.

Melbourne made a remarkable jump from 20 in 2024 to fourth this year. Photo: Visit Victoria

Melbourne has topped its fellow Australian capitals in Time Out‘s list of cities to visit in 2025, and the reason why is somewhat surprising.

Time Out named the South African city of Cape Town as the top pick, ahead of Bangkok and New York in list of 50 cities.

Melbourne came in fourth, ahead of London, New Orleans and Mexico City, with Porto, Shanghai and Copenhagen rounding out the top 10.

Sydney was 15th, with Perth (33) and Brisbane (37) both making the the list for the first time.

Melbourne was singled out for its reputation as the “culinary and cultural capital of Australia”, the previous inclusion of High Street through the city’s northern suburbs as the coolest street in the world, its new green spaceswellness hubs and cycling paths, as well as a bonanza of live shows and sporting events.

But, surprisingly, special mention was given to the 2025 opening of the “much-hyped” Metro Tunnel and five new underground train stations.

“Oh, and did we mention that Pesto the giant baby penguin lives here too?” Time Out enthused.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allen was quick to capitalise on the ranking, posting an image contrasting the fortunes of both Sydney and Melbourne.

“The results are in, not that anyone who lives here would be surprised,” she said.

View post on Instagram
 

The top 50 cities list is compiled using insights from more than 18,500 city-dwellers. They share their thoughts on everything from food, nightlife and culture to affordability, happiness and the “overall city vibe”.

The data was combined with votes from Time Out‘s global network of city editors and local experts to create the ranking of the world’s best cities for 2025. 

Melbourne debuted on the list back in 2016 and hasn’t been out of the top 20 since.

Sydney was praised for landmarks such as the Opera House, its beaches (especially Bondi) and its “diverse culinary landscapes,” theatre scene, parks and lots of “free stuff to do”.

Perth, included on the list for the first time, was described as “a world-class wonder in its own right” with a thriving arts scene and the Elizabeth Quay waterfront precinct.

Brisbane’s abundance of sunshine earned special mention, along with its river walkway, art galleries and the iconic Calile Hotel.

Advertisement
Stay informed, daily
A FREE subscription to The New Daily arrives every morning and evening.
The New Daily is a trusted source of national news and information and is provided free for all Australians. Read our editorial charter.
Copyright © 2025 The New Daily.
All rights reserved.