Melbourne has beaten Sydney to be named the world’s friendliest city in the 2026 Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards, earning top marks from almost 300,000 UK readers.
The Victorian capital claimed first place in the publication’s list of the 10 friendliest cities worldwide, with its welcoming locals helping secure the top ranking. Sydney missed out on a spot in the top 10, while Perth was the only other Australian city to make the list, placing sixth.
Melbourne’s appeal stretches well beyond its reputation for friendly faces. The awards highlighted the city’s European feel, historic Victorian architecture, atmospheric bars tucked into graffiti-covered laneways and celebrated coffee culture.
Visitors can explore the street art of Hosier Lane and AC/DC Lane, wander through heritage shopping destinations such as the Block Arcade and Royal Arcade, or find a new favourite cafe among local institutions including Patricia Coffee Brewers, Market Lane and Brother Baba Budan.
The city’s dining scene offers everything from acclaimed restaurants such as Attica and Gimlet to the famously flaky pastries at Lune Croissanterie in Fitzroy.
Melbourne’s packed events calendar also gives visitors plenty of reasons to plan a trip, with the Australian Open tennis returning in January and the 150th Anniversary Test Match between Australia and England scheduled for March.
Portugal’s coastal city of Porto came second in the friendliness rankings, followed by Seoul in South Korea.
Australia also performed strongly overall, ranking fourth among the world’s best countries to visit in the awards.
For travellers weighing up a city break, Melbourne’s mix of culture, food, architecture and welcoming atmosphere has earned international recognition.
