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Chicago was just named the 4th most beautiful city in the world, beating Paris, Lisbon and Rio de Janeiro

It’s the highest ranking American city.

Lauren Brocato
Written by
Lauren Brocato
Things To Do Editor, Time Out Chicago
Chicago skyline panorama with skyscrapers and Buckingham fountain at twilight.
Photograph: Shutterstock.com | Buckingham Fountain
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It’s official: Chicago is the most beautiful city in the U.S. In fact, it’s the fourth most beautiful city on earth, according to a new ranking of the world’s most beautiful cities.

Our team at Time Out asked more than 24,000 city dwellers across the globe if they’d describe their city as “beautiful.” Unsurprisingly, Chicago earned a 77% beauty score, preceded only by Sydney (78%), Edinburgh (84%) and Cape Town (86%).

Of the 19 cities on the list of the world’s most beautiful, Chicago beat out some heavy hitters. Lisbon came just after Chicago with a 74% beauty score, followed by Paris (68%), Stockholm (68%), Porto (67%) and Medellin (66%).

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Factors like an abundance of green spaces, walkability, architectural significance and waterfront views all played into the ranking. Luckily, Chicago has all of them in spades.

Earlier this year, the Windy City was also named the second best city in the world for green spaces, earning an 89% green space score for its more than 600 parks spread out over 8,800 acres. 

But wait, that’s not all! Chicago was ranked the world’s 41st best city overall in March. Lauded for its diversity, inclusivity, neighborhood pride and deeply rooted loyalty to the arts, it ranked higher than urban hotspots like San Francisco, Dublin and Buenos Aires. 

An influx of major cultural openings, including the Obama Presidential Center and the Pokémon Fossil Museum at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, certainly helped the city secure its spot on the list. 

Rankings like these remind us of the incredible beauty, culture and community that we’re fortunate enough to have in our own backyard. On any given day, we can step outside and visit a renowned museum, stroll through a world-class park, see a top-tier stage show or indulge in a Michelin-starred meal. We really do have it all.

Chicago being named the fourth most beautiful city in the world comes as absolutely no surprise to Chicagoans. This ranking just makes it official.

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