The World’s Best Destinations for Culture Lovers

Exploring a new culture is one of the main reasons why many of us have a hunger for travel. Each city tells its own unique story, inviting travellers to immerse themselves in its local history, lifestyle and customs. But where are the best destinations in the world for culture lovers?

Analysing data for 47 of the world’s most cultured cities, we’ve revealed which city takes the crown overall to help inspire your 2024 travels. To do this, we’ve looked at the number of museums, historical and heritage tours, art galleries, wine tasting tours as well as the daily cost of exploring a city. 

The top 10 best cities for culture lovers around the world

1. Tokyo

The capital of Japan, Tokyo, comes in first place as the world’s best city for culture lovers. Famous for its vibrant streets, endless tourist attractions and wealth of shops, it’s easy to understand why millions of tourists flock to the ultra-modern city every year to immerse themselves in its fast-paced culture.

Besides its exciting modern atmosphere, Tokyo also has a significant number of museums (1,138) and cultural tours (526) for visitors to explore. In fact, Tokyo came out on top as having the highest number of museums in the study, as well as the highest number of art galleries (503). Some of these include the Tokyo National Museum and National Museum of Nature and Science which together offer hundreds of exhibitions on the history and culture of Japan.

A visit to Tokyo is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many travellers, but the costs can add up with tourists being set back £53 per day on average for admission tickets to museums, attractions or tours.

2. Rome

Whilst Tokyo is considered to be one of the most contemporary cities in the world, Rome is considered to be one of the historical. Coming in second place, Rome is world-famous for its stunning architecture, rich history and delicious food.

With 281 museums, the Italian capital might have fewer sites to explore than Tokyo, however, it has a whopping 3,419 historical and heritage tours to choose from, the second highest in the study. From tours of the almost 2,000-year-old Colosseum to the breathtaking art galleries of the Vatican, visitors will be spoilt for choice when it comes to filling their itineraries. 

Tourists spend an average of £31 a day on admission tickets and tours, which is significantly cheaper than Tokyo, however, it can be worth paying a bit extra to skip the line at busy attractions, especially in the summer months when Rome is at its busiest.

3. Cairo

Set on The Nile, Egypt’s capital comes in third place as the world’s most cultural city. Being the largest city in Egypt, home to more than 10 million people, Cairo offers the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in a new culture whilst exploring its mind-blowing history that goes back thousands of years.

Home to some of the world’s most famous landmarks, it might not come as a surprise that Cairo has the highest number of historical and heritage tours in the study (6,226). An added bonus is that tourists here spend just £5 on average per day on admission tickets and tours, making it an affordable option for those looking to explore as much as they can in one visit.

Some must-sees in Cairo include the Pyramids of Giza, one of the seven wonders of the world, the Great Sphinx, as well as the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali. 

The culture capitals with the most art galleries

From traditional galleries showcasing world-famous works of art to modern experiences that combine art with technology, there are countless galleries around the world worth adding to your travel itinerary. But which cities are the best for art lovers in terms of choice? 

Below, we reveal the cultural hotspots around the world with the most art galleries.

1. Tokyo

Tokyo comes out on top as the cultural hotspot with the highest number of art museums at a whopping 503. From museums showing classic Renaissance works such as at The National Museum of Western Art, to modern galleries such as the stunning teamLab Planets, a temporary art facility that allows you to physically submerge yourself in digital artworks, tourists are certainly spoilt for choice.

2. London

Coming in second place is London where 266 art galleries can be found. The UK capital is known for having some of the best art galleries in the world, many of which offer free entry. These include the world-famous Tate Britain and Saatchi Gallery, as well as the National Gallery, which is home to some of the most iconic paintings ever produced including Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and Monet’s Water Lilies. 

3. Prague

Prague follows close behind London in terms of the number of art galleries that can be found in the city at 243. Prague’s must-see art galleries include the National Gallery, one of the world’s oldest public art galleries founded in 1776, and the DOX Centre for Contemporary Art situated in a converted 19th-century factory building. Whether you’re stopping off in Prague on your way through Europe or enjoying a long weekend in the capital, there’s plenty of opportunity to submerge yourself in some of the best art the continent has to offer.

The culture capitals with the most wine-tasting tours

Embarking on a wine-tasting tour is another way for tourists to immerse themselves in a new culture. From cosy indoor wine-tasting sessions to exploring stunning vineyards, there’s definitely something for everyone to be found in these cultural capitals across the globe. But which cities offer the most wine-tasting experiences to choose from?

1. Florence

It might not come as a surprise that Florence, the capital of Italy’s Tuscany region, comes in first place when it comes to the cities with the most wine-tasting tours (472). Tuscany’s wine region is home to some of the most breathtaking vineyards in the world, many of which have been around for hundreds of years and are just a few short kilometres from Florence. If you’re a wine lover, Florence is a must to experience the authentic practices of winemaking whilst enjoying its delicious products straight from the vine.

2. Rome

Coming in second place as the cultural capital with the most wine-tasting tours is Rome at 311. The Italian capital, Rome is a food and wine lover’s dream with plenty of opportunities to taste the best products Italy has to offer. Rome is located in the region of Lazio which is one of Italy’s most important wine-producing regions, however, there’s also plenty of opportunity to do some wine tasting without leaving the city centre, notably in Trastevere which is Rome’s self-proclaimed foodie neighbourhood. 

3. Porto

Being one of Portugal’s most important wine-producing and trading areas, it’s no surprise Porto comes in third with 231 wine-tasting tours for visitors to choose from. If you’re looking to escape city life for a day whilst on your travels, a must-see is the Douro Valley which is easily accessible from Porto via a scenic train journey. There are plenty of wineries to explore here, with many tours even offering river cruises and private yacht tours for visitors to take in the beautiful scenery.

Top tips for submerging yourself in the local culture

Exploring a new city can sometimes be overwhelming, especially if the local culture is very different from your own. However, travelling to some of these cultural hotspots in our research may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so it’s worth taking every opportunity to really immerse yourself into your surroundings and approach every experience with an open mind. 

Research local customs 

Before visiting a new country, it’s always worth doing some research about its local customs as this will help you to really appreciate and understand the way the locals live and go about their daily lives. For example, is it normal to say hello or make eye contact when entering a shop, is it acceptable to eat in the street, should hair and be covered when entering places of worship? Not only is it worth understanding local customs before venturing to a new city to help immerse yourself in its culture, but also to avoid offending the locals.

Learn some phrases before your travel

Learning new phrases in the local language before you travel is another great way to immerse yourself in the local culture as it means you can converse with locals whilst also showing that you have respect for their local language. Common phrases that can be extremely useful include normal greetings such as “hello”, “please”, and “thank you”, however, other useful phrases are “Do you speak English”, and “Where is X”, as well as phrases to use in an emergency such as “where is the closest hospital”. 

Language learning can be tricky, so taking a few online language lessons before you travel, especially if you’re going for a long period of time, can be extremely helpful. Italki also has language tutors offering private lessons as well as language group classes teaching a range of different languages, including Japanese, Italian and many varieties of Arabic. 

Converse with the locals 

Once you’ve got to grips more with the local language, it’s time to converse with the locals. This is a great way to really submerge yourself in the local culture, but it’s much easier to do if you’re venturing beyond the typical tourist hot spots. Research the areas where more locals visit, and try to strike up a conversation by asking if they have any restaurants or hidden gems they’d recommend you visit. 

Try out the local food and drink

Trying out the local cuisine is another great way to make sure you’re getting the best experience of the local culture. Research if the city you’re visiting has any particular local delicacies and then research the best place to visit to try it on your visit. Why not try ordering it in the local language to take your experience of the local culture to the next level? The locals will appreciate it and you can take it as another opportunity to find out more about the area and gather any further recommendations of must-see places to visit whilst on your trip.

Methodology and sources

We have analysed metrics including the number of museums, wine tours, art galleries and the cost of daily entertainment to determine which global cities are best equipped for culture lovers. We used an index methodology to score each of the below metrics to create a final ranking. 

• Number of museums – TripAdvisor 
• Number of historical and heritage tours – TripAdvisor
• Number of art galleries – TripAdvisor 
• Number of wine tours – TripAdvisor
• Cost of entertainment per day – Budget Your Trip
  • Converted from USD to GBP on 18/06/24.