Bristol has been named 48th best city in the world by Time Out

Bristol has been named as the 48th best city on the globe in a new list for 2024.

Time Out, a British media and hospitality company, has recently curated a list of the best cities in the world. The list is compiled by quizzing more than 18,500 city-dwellers across the planet about life in their hometowns, including nightlife, culture, affordability, happiness and the overall city vibe.

Six UK cities have been named in the top 50 and Bristol was a standout as a ‘diverse and inclusive’ and ‘famously Bohemian city’, sandwiched between Belfast and Mumbai.

London managed to bag itself at the top, coming in at spot number five, and Edinburgh coming in at 13th.

Time Out attributed Bristol’s greatness to its vibrant street art, lively mix of protests, raves, festivals and gigs. Bristol is expanding its legacy even further this coming year, hosting the Rugby World Cup in 2025 and welcoming a host of big new arrivals, including street food hub Box Hall and Hotel Gotham, its first five-star hotel.

Bristol’s festival scene has been named notorious for its endless array of events, with Bristol Light Festival, Love Saves the Day, Upfest, Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, Harbour Festival, East Bristol Brewery Trail and Bristol Sounds.

Bristol also scored highly for its food scene, with an 83 per cent approval rating and 75 per cent approval for its arts and culture. 

Time Out said, “Bristol may not be the world’s best-kept secret anymore, but it still manages to surprise with every visit. The city has seen a new festival launch every year since 2022 – first, there was FORWARDS, followed by Bristol Cocktail Weekend in 2023 and BS3 Live in 2024. Who knows what’s in store for 2025?”