The 10 most visited cities around the world in 2018
The following list is based on people that had spend more than 24 hrs in a single city based on data from Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index, which provides a ranking of the 132 most visited cities around the world.
Scroll down to see the 10 most visited cities in 2018,, ranked in ascending order by the projected number of international visitors in 2018.
10. Antalya, Turkey — 11.27 million international visitors.
Antalya is the fastest-growing city in Turkey, and tourists from around the world are discovering its fabulous mix of great beaches and traditional Turkish culture. Kids will love the Beach Park, which features Aqua Land (a waterslide-fanatic’s dream) and Dolphin Land (home to dolphins, sea lions and white whales). Make sure to explore the old town centre and to see Hadrian’s Gate.
9. Tokyo, Japan — 12.12 million international visitors.
The city also known as the largest metropolis in the word with a population over 40.000.000 yes that’s right 40 million, it will take you few days to visit the most important spots. Most of the tourist areas are in Tokyo Prefecture, which is split in 23 City Wards(districts) also known as ku (区), with the most popular ones being Shibuya, Shinjuku, Minato, Chiyoda and Sumida. Staying in Tokyo close to city center or in one major touristic locations it’s gonna be very expensive so we recommend looking for a place a bit further, even if you will make about 30 min to get to city the price it’s gonna be 4 times cheaper. There are so many places to visit you will need at least 2 weeks to visit them all but most popular are Nakamise, Tokyo Tower, Shibuya and Imperial Palace.
8. Istanbul, Turkey — 12.8 million international visitors.
Istanbul is famous for so many reasons from history, shopping, buildings, sightseeings on Bosphorus and cats. Yes, cats! People takes care of stray cats, you see food for them on every street corner. They build small shelters for them, they let them sleep in mosques, metro stations and plenty of stores feed them with best food. If you are passionate of history, you must be prepared to spend a long time because almost everywhere there is a long queue. The most famous landmarks of Istanbul are: Hagia Sophia used to be an Orthodox mosque build in 4th century, used to be a mosque and now it’s a museum. You will find here a nice mix of christians frescoes and muslim makeover. Sultan Ahmed Mosque also known as Blue Mosque is the a symbol of Turkey and the famous mosque in Istanbul and it sits near to Hagia Sophia. It’s very cheap and you will enjoy some wonderful see sights of Istanbul. The most touristic season is during is spring when the tulips bloom.
7. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — 13.53 million international visitors.
If you are flying in Asia I’m pretty sure you will have a layover here. If you have a few days I recommend to spend some quality time here. The main attraction in Kuala Lumpur are Petronas Towers and Lake Symphony from KLCC Park. Plenty of people are spending quality time here because it’s really beautiful and quiet. After Petronas Towers you can spend your time for shopping in Central Market or you can visit the National Mosque. You can find here a good mixture of muslim, hindu and others confessions. Right outside the city you you can spend a day to Batu Caves, worth a trip to visit this temple, but beware of the monkeys and do not feed then as they can get aggressive. Fab caves can be visited by paying for a 45 mins tour guide, good and cheap food in the cafes nearby as well. If you never been in India you can enjoy an indian experience in Little India. I think you can visit Kuala Lumpur almost every time. You will never regret.
6. New York City, USA — 13.67 million international visitors.
We all heard about New York, the city that never sleeps, the city with 5 of the most amazing places that you must visit at least once. Most visited place the iconic Statue of Liberty, which was a gift from France in 1886 and it’s considered a symbol of freedom and one of the greatest American icons. Other places you must visit is the Empire State Building, Times Square, Central Park and Brooklyn Bridge but there are so many other places that you can visit. The best time to visit New York is from April to June and September, when the weather is just perfect but if you are on a budget we suggest you visit in March or October
5. Singapore — 14.47 million international visitors.
Singapore is well known for being one of the cleanest and also the safest city but that comes with a price so take notice to read the basic rules of what you can and what you cannot do while on the streets. The most visited place in Singapore is Marina Bay where you can find the city’s most spectacular things to do. But there are also other places to visit or course like Gardens by the Bay, Chinatown and Universal Studios. While it rains a lot about 10 – 13 days per month, best time to visit is February to April while between November to January is the rainy season.
4. Dubai, UAE — 16.66 million international visitors.
Dubai, the city of gold, is well known for its luxury shopping, ultramodern architecture and a lively nightlife scene. With so many iconic places starting with Burj Khalifa the most tall building in the world, to Burj Al Arab Jumeirah the only 7 star hotel in the world to the man made Palm Islands. But Dubai is so much more with it’s Islamic root and traditions that you as a tourist you must respect it and behave accordingly. It’s illegal to drink in public places or streets so please don’t do it also alcohol is allowed in nightclubs and bars as long as you have a licence to drink. Don’t forget while in Dubai public displays of affection are not well-tolerated so no kissing or hugging, also swearing, insults and rude gestures can be fined or jailed. The best time to visit Dubai is between November to March, otherwise the weather is gonna be very hot with the average temperature reaching 43°C(110°F).
3. Paris, France — 17.95 million international visitors.
Paris, oh Paris the city of love, of lights and romance full with cafe’s, croissants and wine. With the most icon place being Eiffel Tower built in 1889 standing tall at 324m, the que to go up it’s so long you might not even bother going. But there are so many more other places to visit like The Louvre where Mona Lisa painting is hold, the famous Notre-Dame gothic church and Arch of Triumph. While you in Paris don’t forget to take a cruise on the Seine, we recommend enjoying during evening over a dinner. If you have time left we also recommend going to Sacré-Coeur Basilica and enjoy a beer on the stairs while having an awesome view of the city. From June to August the weather is mild and just perfect to visit with clear blue skies and long days.
2. London, UK — 20.42 million international visitors.
London is the capital of UK and the most visited city in this country. Here you will never get bored. In the years when royal weddings are taking place, tourism grows to fantastic odds. Last two royals weddings was in 2011 with Prince William and Kate Middleton and 2018 with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Most visited places in London are Big Ben from Westminster Palace, The London Eye, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, Thames cruises and plenty of parks and museums. This metropole is full of life and entertainment and it’s perfect for a british experience. Don’t get scared if in park you will meat foxes. Usually foxes try to avoid people and you can find some near Buckingham Palace playing and totally ignoring you. You can visit London anytime but you must be prepared eventually for the rain.
1. Bangkok, Thailand — 21.98 million international visitors.
Bangkok is the most visited city from the world, perfect city for a Thai experience with Buddhist temples and nightlife. The Grand Palace is full of stunning things to see but not when the crowds are massive and you will have to abide by the dress codes. If you love to party I recommend Khaosan street, an awesome place to experience Bangkok’s party scene, clubs, bars, restaurants, vendors and loads of people but on top of that cheap drinks. It is extremely fun to spend the day walking, exploring and enjoying the markets! Great products, diversity of culture, art, food and some surprises! If you enjoy the Buddhist culture we recommend to visit some Buddhist temples, there are way too many so i’m not gonna make a list because all of them are really beautiful and worth to visit. Best time to visit Bangkok is between November and March and I recommend to avoid April and May because they are the hottest months.
