Melbourne welcomes you with a smile
Tourism boss says award is 'testament to the wonderful people and tourism operators that proudly welcome visitors to Melbourne'.
MELBOURNE has been named the world’s friendliest city, beating Seoul, Lisbon and Amsterdam.
The accolade comes from Condé Nast Traveller’s Readers’ Choice Awards, a poll of almost 300,000 people.
Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements said the honour was no surprise.
“It’s a testament to the wonderful people and tourism operators that proudly welcome visitors to Melbourne,” he said.
“The recognition gives people another reason to visit Melbourne alongside global sporting events, world-class dining and our thriving culture scene.”
Melbourne’s ranking is an improvement of five spots since the 2025 poll.
Respondents claimed Melbourne had a “European feel” thanks to its bars and coffee shops, graffiti-slathered laneways and Victorian architecture.
The next friendliest cities were Porto, Seoul, Lisbon and Amsterdam, with Perth at number six.
The rest of the top 10 went to Jaipur in India, Buenos Aires, Bangkok and Cape Town.
Sydney claimed second spot in 2024, slid to seventh last year and dropped right off the list this year.
It’s been a big year for Melbourne, also named the third most liveable city in the world in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2026 Global Liveability Index.
