What makes Florence so appealing to travellers? This year, ‘readers gave Florence its highest marks in the sights and culture/arts categories. Its lowest scores were in the value category,’ associate editor of T+L, Sarah Spagnolo, told TF. In the poll, readers, the vast majority of whom are American, also ‘noted that Florence is an easy city to navigate and is perfect for walking. They remark on the great collections of art, the beautiful scenery, and the rich history that the city offers,’ Spagnolo added.
The results of the 2010 World’s Best Awards Reader’s Poll conducted by U.S. magazine Travel + Leisure (T+L) were released last July, revealing that Florence is considered one of the world’s best cities to visit. Ranked just behind Bangkok, Thailand, which claimed the World’s Best City title this year, and Chiang Mai, Thailand, which took second place, Florence was ranked the world’s third-best city to visit, and the first in Europe.
Florence is not new to the poll, Spagnolo said: ‘Florence consistently fares well in our ‘world’s best’ surveys. In fact, as recently as 2007, Florence ranked number one on the list of world’s best cities overall.’ This year, beating other European cities vying for a spot in the top 10, Florence finished ahead of fifth-place winner, Rome, which was up four spots from 2009, as well as Paris, London, and Prague. ‘At Travel + Leisure, we often cover Italy (and Florence),’ Spagnolo said.
For the last 15 years, T+L readers have rated the world’s best cities for tourists, giving marks on a scale of 1 to 5 for the quality of the sights, culture and arts, restaurants and food, people, shopping and value. This year, the questionnaire, developed by the editors of T + L, in association with ROI Research Inc., was made available to readers through T + L’s January, February and March issues and online at www.TravelandLeisure.com, from December 15, 2009, to March 31, 2010.
WHAT DO YOU THINK…
…makes Florence so appealing as a tourist destination? How would you rate Florence on a scale of 1 to 5, in the categories sights, culture and arts, restaurants and food, people, shopping, and value? Email inbox@theflorentine.net
