Oaxaca named world’s best city by Travel + Leisure

July 9, 2020

Oaxaca is No. 1 for Travel + Leisure readers.

Readers surveyed by Travel + Leisure magazine have named Oaxaca as the World’s Best City, the magazine announced yesterday.

A total of four Mexican destinations made the top 25, after readers rated cities on their sights and landmarks, culture, cuisine, friendliness, shopping and overall value. The survey began last November and ended at the beginning of March.

Oaxaca, which received a score of 93.54 out of 100, was lauded for its rich culture. “Whether you’re into art, architecture, food, history, spirits of the drinking kind, or handicrafts, Oaxaca has it in spades,” the magazine wrote of the city that was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987.

Readers praised the city’s artisans, open-air markets, art museums and nearby pre-Columbian ruins of Monte Albán, with one voter calling it “one of the most delightful cities I’ve ever visited.” The city came in at No. 5 on last year’s Best Cities list.

San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, was ranked as the world’s second greatest city, as it was in 2019, and is also home to Hotel Amparo, a five-room hotel in the center of the colonial city took the No. 2 spot in the magazine’s survey of the World’s Best Hotels, and was also named the top city hotel in Mexico.

Mexico City ranked No. 11, down from No. 4 last year and Mérida, Yucatán, took 24th place on the Best Cities list.

“I’m proud to celebrate all of the honorees recognized by our readers in this 25th edition of the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards,” said Travel + Leisure editor in chief Jacqui Gifford. “These remarkable brands and destinations inspire us all to get out there and explore by providing singular experiences — experiences that reinforce the idea that travel, at its core, has the ability to open hearts and shape minds. To be a force for good.”