3 Canadian Cities Were Named Among The Best In The World & Toronto Didn't Make The Cut

One spot was praised for its "bucket list-worthy" attractions.

The Parliament building in Victoria, B.C. Right: Rue du Petit Champlain in Quebec City.​

The Parliament building in Victoria, B.C. Right: Rue du Petit Champlain in Quebec City.

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Is your city the best in Canada? A new ranking can help you find out.

The best cities in the world were just revealed in Condé Nast Traveler's 2022 Readers' Choice Awards, which capture the most-loved travel experiences of their readers across the globe.

The awards, which are in their 35th year, cover categories like hotels, spas, countries and islands.

This year, the awards included readers' picks for the world's best small and large cities, with three Canadian locations making the cut.

In the top international small cities category, Victoria, B.C. came out as the second-best small city in the world and therefore the best small city in Canada.

CNT highlighted Victoria's reputation as the "most British town in Canada" and its "bucket list-worthy" Fairmont Empress as reasons to visit.

The B.C. city beat out places like Galway, Ireland, Oxford, U.K., and Bruges, Belgium, as one of the world's top small cities.

Two Canadian cities were then named among the best large international cities by Traveler readers.

Coming in at number five of 10, Quebec City was named Canada's best large city thanks to its European charm, with its cobblestone streets, boulangeries, patisseries and bistros seeming like something "straight out of a French village."

The city outranked other "best big cities" like Cape Town, Mumbai and Istanbul.

The only other Canadian city to rank was Montreal, which came in the last spot on the list of large cities.

The publication highlighted the "Gothic-Revival cathedral" and "quaint cobblestone streets" of Canada's second-largest city, also mentioning Montreal's "rebellious, forward-thinking streak" and "dynamic restaurants" as major draws.

What are Canada's top 5 cities?

It's not the first time these three cities have been called Canada's best.

In July, Travel + Leisure named five cities the best in Canada as part of its World's Best Awards, in which readers vote on top destinations, accommodations, airports and more.

Once again, Quebec City came out on top, with T+L also noting its European flair as a reason to visit.

The city was followed by Montreal and Victoria, as well as Banff, which was praised for its "outdoor beauty, and Halifax, a city with tons of coastal charm.

  • Contributing Writer

    Katherine Caspersz (she/her) is a contributing writer for Narcity Media, covering travel, things to do and more. She has written for various news sites and magazines, including Yahoo Canada and The National Post, and worked as an editor for the Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail. She loves shopping, travel and all things spooky.

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