Jerusalem continues to establish its status as one of the world's prominent tourism destinations. In the World's Best Awards 2026 ranking by the American travel magazine Travel + Leisure, the Israeli capital was ranked seventh on the list of the best cities in the world and first in the Middle East and Africa region.
The ranking is based on more than 661,000 votes from the magazine's readers, who evaluated cities around the world according to a variety of parameters: Attractions, culture, culinary offerings, hotels, atmosphere, and the overall visitor experience.
For Jerusalem, this is a particularly impressive achievement: It surpassed a series of highly sought–after destinations, including Tokyo, Florence, Seoul, Prague, Cape Town, Salzburg, and Krakow, and earned a score of 91.11. In addition, it was crowned the No. 1 city in the Africa and Middle East region.
Heading the global ranking this year is the city of San Miguel de Allende in Mexico, known for its colorful colonial architecture, vibrant food scene, and unique boutique shops. Following it in the rankings were Kyoto in Japan, Hoi An (Vietnam), Chiang Mai (Thailand), and Oaxaca (Mexico).
The editors of Travel + Leisure noted that this year's winners reflect what travelers look for most: Exceptional service, authentic experiences, high–quality hotels, a rich food scene, and attractions that succeed in making visitors return time and time again.
The magazine's annual ranking, conducted for the 31st year, is considered one of the most influential in the travel industry, and it also includes categories for hotels, islands, airlines, cruises, and tour operators. For Jerusalem, the achievement comes at a time when the Israeli tourism industry is working to bring back overseas visitors, and it could provide a significant boost to the city's image as a leading international tourism destination.
The top 10 cities in the world for 2026
San Miguel de Allende (Mexico)
Kyoto (Japan)
Chiang Mai (Thailand)
Hoi An (Vietnam)
Oaxaca (Mexico)
Bangkok (Thailand)
Jerusalem (Israel)
Siem Reap (Cambodia)
Mexico City (Mexico)
Tokyo (Japan)
<br>Honor also for an Israeli hotel
In tandem, the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem was ranked by the magazine in third place in the competition for the best hotels in the Middle East and North Africa for 2026. In the past two years, the Jerusalem hotel was even chosen as the best hotel in the Middle East in 2024 and 2025. Furthermore, among all the hotels in Israel, the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem won first place as the best hotel in Israel for 2026.