London named world’s top destination for 2025 by Tripadvisor

London has been crowned the world’s most popular destination for 2025 in the 25th anniversary edition of the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards.

This year Tripadvisor’s “Best of the Best Destinations” spanned seven categories including trending, culture, food, honeymoon, solo and 25th anniversary.

The UK capital took the best in class title from Dubai for its “culinary scene and rich arts and heritage offering”, ranking second in the world for foodie destinations and third for cultural hotspots.

The travel guidance platform used the quality and quantity of all-time reviews to also declare London number one in the special 25th anniversary destinations list.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, called London the “best city in the world to visit” after the city took Tripadvisor’s top spot.

“With our unrivalled mix of cultural attractions, renowned food scene and a sporting calendar that cannot be beaten, I am delighted that Tripadvisor agrees that London is the top destination in the world,” he dded.

New York and Rome also made the 25th anniversary list of reviewers’ favourite destinations alongside the French capital Paris and Bangkok in Thailand.

Elsewhere, Tripadvisor named Osaka in Japan the best trending destination based on a growth in year on year reviews, followed by Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Argentine capital, Buenos Aires.

For solo travellers, South Korea’s capital Seoul ranked highly for adventures alone – as did Kathmandu, Cusco in Peru and Japan’s Kyoto.

Tripadvisor surveyed consumer search trends for travel between 1 November 2024 and 31 January 2025 to create its latest seasonal travel index.

According to site data, culinary experiences in Rome, cultural traditions in Bali and intimate honeymoons in Mauritius have prospective travellers the most excited.

Kristen Dalton, president of Tripadvisor, said: “It’s great to see London recognised as a standout winner for 2025. The city’s unique blend of history, innovation and culture continues to captivate travellers from all over the world. From iconic landmarks and world-class museums to a dynamic culinary scene and vibrant cultural experiences, London sets the standard for what a destination can offer.”

Tripadvisor’s top destinations in the world for 2025