Florence ranked among the world’s top 10 cities for culture by Time Out

Time Out’s ranking of the world’s best cities for culture in 2026 has placed Florence ninth worldwide, the highest-ranked Italian city and the only one from Italy to appear in the top 20.

The annual ranking, compiled by the British magazine through a survey of 24,000 residents in 150 cities around the world, aims to measure how people living in those cities perceive their local cultural life. The list was topped by London, followed by Paris and New York City. Florence ranked between Madrid in eighth place and Kraków in tenth.

Not only museums and landmarks

According to Time Out, the survey does not focus only on museums and landmarks, but also considers the accessibility, affordability and variety of cultural activities available to residents. Respondents were asked about museums, galleries, cinemas, theatres, festivals and live music, while the magazine’s cultural editors contributed additional evaluations.

In Florence’s case, the magazine pointed to the city’s combination of historic heritage and contemporary cultural programming. The article described Florence as a place filled with Renaissance treasures, highlighting the Uffizi Galleries and the recent reopening of the Vasari Corridor after years of restoration work.

Historic cafés and churches

The report also mentioned the city’s historic cafés, medieval wine windows and churches, while noting that Florence’s cultural offer extends beyond its Renaissance identity. Among the examples cited was the current Palazzo Strozzi exhibition dedicated to Mark Rothko, which runs until 23 August 2026.

Time Out further highlighted Florence’s summer programme of open-air opera performances, jazz concerts and outdoor cinemas held across piazzas and public gardens.

Florence received particularly strong scores for museums and art galleries, with approval ratings of 78 percent and 63 percent respectively. The city’s overall cultural approval rating reached 72 percent, while the same percentage of residents surveyed said that access to art and cultural activities in the city is economically affordable.

(Photo by Helen Richardson via Unsplash)

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