The votes have been counted, the results are in … the greatest city in the world is a coastal gem, lying in the shadow of a cloud-hugged mountain. Here wine flows, penguins waddle and – not too far away – majestic beasts roam.

Over 39 000 readers voted as part of the Telegraph Travel Awards survey and decided that, despite recent water troubles, Cape Town still reigns as the best city for visitors from across the world.

They were asked about the food, drink, culture, nightlife, community, neighbourhoods, overall happiness in Cape Town and other factors, such as their city’s beauty, affordability and convenience.
“We’ll put up with the occasional discomfort for the sheer joy of waking up with a real, natural beauty,” said the Telegraph.

Here’s why Cape Town gets voted the best city in the world for the seventh time in a row.
The must-see spots include visiting Boulder’s penguins, taking a day out to the Winelands, seeing the developments at the V&A Waterfront, adventuring at the iconic Cape Point, meandering through Kirstenbosch gardens, seeing the colourful houses and hearing the call to prayer in the Bo-Kaap and of course, travelling up Table Mountain.

“The original Khoi inhabitants named the iconic flat-topped massif ‘Hoerikwaggo,’ Mountain of the Sea, and it is precisely this unique geography, towering mountains that drop, at times perpendicularly, into the vast blue, that is so seductive,” said the Telegraph.

In the Telegraph Travel Awards survey Vancouver, Canada came in second, while Kyoto, Japan came in third. There were some big surprises this year. Brand new entries included the likes of Kyoto, New Orleans and Havana, all disrupting the rankings and entering the top 20.
There were some cities rising in popularity year-on-year, too, including Perth, Singapore and St Petersburg. 

Irrespective, we just feel so priveleged to live here, and so delighted to show you over this beguiling city.