A humble Aussie city has been named the 'most beautiful in the world' by international publication

By Alan Granville for Stuff|

An influential magazine in the US has listed "the world's most beautiful cities", and a state capital right here at home has taken out the top spot.

Architectural Digest has bestowed Adelaide with the beauty title, finishing ahead of Estonia's capital Tallinn and Portsmouth on the island of Dominica.

The magazine's editors said you can find "surf, sand dunes, and Art Deco architecture" in South Australia's capital, "as well as Victorian architecture at Semaphore Beach, just 9 miles from the city centre".

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Aerial close view east side of Adelaide with beautiful Rymill Park adjacent in foreground: vibrant green colours, sunny, connection between city and environment, wellbeing, recreation, conservation, autumn colours, fresh air.
Adelaide has been named the world's most beautiful city. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

"Beyond the beach, Adelaide has rolling hills lush with high-quality grapes, making it the country's wine capital. When not sipping an Australian cab, nature lovers can spot koalas and kangaroos on a hike in the Adelaide Hills."

The magazine was at pains to point out its listing "is by no means definitive" and that 20 cities "is far too few to sum up all the world's beauty", but "we have taken a stab at highlighting some supremely spectacular places, from the remote beaches of the Caribbean to the cultural capital of Japan".

Architecture, cultural treasures, historical relevance and natural appeal were the criteria for the ranking.

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Onkaparinga River National Park at sunset viewed from walking trail, Adelaide
The hills and national parks are just a short drive from the city. (Getty)

Other familiar names in the top 20 include Singapore, Barcelona, Kyoto and the only US city on the list, New York.

Aussie beach wins title in global ranking

The beauty listing comes soon after "the world's most liveable city" was named for 2024.

That honour went to Vienna again, the third year the Austrian capital has topped the list from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). It measures 173 cities across five broad categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.

In second was Danish capital Copenhagen, with Switzerland's Zurich third. Melbourne was fourth and Sydney seventh.

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Toompea hill with tower Pikk Hermann and Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, view from the tower of St. Olaf church, Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn, Estonia was given the honour of second place. (Getty)

Architectural Digest's most beautiful cities:

  1. Adelaide, Australia
  2. Tallinn, Estonia
  3. Portsmouth, Dominica
  4. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
  5. Antigua, Guatemala
  6. Singapore
  7. Paris, France
  8. Chefchaouen, Morocco
  9. Chiang Mai, Thailand
  10. Luxor, Egypt
  11. Istanbul, Turkey
  12. Kyoto, Japan
  13. Barcelona, Spain
  14. Cape Town, South Africa
  15. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  16. Florence, Italy
  17. Djenné, Mali
  18. New York, US
  19. Amsterdam, Netherlands
  20. Jaipur, India

This article originally appeared on Stuff and was republished with permission. 

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