Top 3 coastal cities

So close to the water

The view sweeps across the open sea, seagulls fly screeching above people's heads, a salty breeze blows through the streets and ships board the harbor. This scenery influences the attitude to life in cities on the coast and near the water.

Our ranking of the top 5 coastal cities is based on essential components such as food, music, nature, architecture, quality of life and unique selling points of all coastal cities.


#1 Auckland - New Zealand

Situated between two harbors on a volcanic field, Auckland has thousands of sandy beaches for both surfing and sunbathing. In the so-called "The City of Sails", the Auckland Art Gallery offers more than 15,000 exhibits. After Vienna and Zurich, Auckland is ranked third in the Mercer Quality of Living Survey.


#2 Barcelona - Spain

Barcelona is the largest city on the Mediterranean. Gaudí's architecture and the Camp Nou soccer stadium are major attractions for over 9 million visitors a year. The delicious culinary highlights, such as a wide variety of tapas, also know how to spoil you.


#3 Vancouver - Canada

Vancouver's great appeal and quality of life is due to the city's green lungs and the many outdoor opportunities. Indoor activities include the Anthropology Museum at the University of British Columbia, which has one of the best collections of indigenous art in the world. In addition, Vancouver is not only one of the most ethnically diverse cities in Canada, but has also set itself the goal of becoming one of the greenest cities in the world by 2020. Already 93% of its electricity comes from renewable energy sources.

Slider photos: 1) Auckland, 2) Barcelona and 3) Vancouver