When you hear the “best city in the world,” what do you picture? If historic architecture comes to mind, you may not be far off from Travel + Leisure’s No. 3 pick.
The publication conducted its annual World’s Best Awards survey in which readers discussed their global travel experiences. They shared opinions on the best cities, rating the landmarks, sites, culture, cuisine, friendliness, shopping and general value.
“For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor,” the methodology said. “The final scores are averages of these responses. Scores shown have been rounded to the nearest hundredth of a point; in the event of a true tie, winners share the same ranking. In most categories, respondents could also rate optional characteristics; these ratings are not included in the overall scores.”
Charleston, South Carolina and Santa Fe, New Mexico were Nos. 1 and 2 respectively. Savannah came in at No. 3 with a score of 86.40.
The city ranked highly for its sights, food and value. The value is also what made Kiplinger name it a smart place to retire. It scored 88 on cost of living.
Realtor.com reported the median home price was $270,000 as of October 2021, which is over $40,000 fewer than the national average, which Zillow reports is $312,728.
“The area has breathtaking botanical scenery,” Brenda, 71, told Kiplinger. “It’s close to the ocean and beaches. We love seafood, and there are so many restaurants to choose from.”
“You can literally go broke if you try to take advantage of all the artistic and cultural opportunities here,” Herbert, 72, said.
To get specialized news and articles about aging in place, health information and more, sign up for our Aging in Atlanta newsletter.
About the Author
