The 15 best cities in the world, ranked

• Travel + Leisure has released its annual “World’s Best Awards” for 2019.
• Hoi An, Vietnam, tops the list of the “World’s Best Cities,” and three of the top five destinations are located in Mexico.
• Two US cities – Charleston, South Carolina, and Santa Fe, New Mexico – ranked amongst the top 16 cities in the world.
• Visit INSIDER’s homepage for more stories.

With its canal-laden Ancient Town and famous Japanese Covered Bridge, Hoi An has been named the best city in the world.

Hoi An, located on Vietnam’s central coast, topped Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best Cities” 2019 list. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, followed close behind at second on the list, while Chiang Mai, Thailand, took third.

Three of the top five places on Travel + Leisure’s list are cities located in Mexico, while two US destinations – Charleston, South Carolina, and Santa Fe, New Mexico – ranked among the top 16 cities in the world.

Check out the full ranking of the world’s best places to visit below.

16. Located in northern Laos, Luang Prabang is known for its beautiful monasteries and Buddhist temples.

15. As Thailand's capital and most populous city, Bangkok serves as a major cultural and business hub for the country.

14. Visitors to Santa Fe, New Mexico, can take in the city's signature Pueblo-style architecture and famous arts scene.

13. Seville, the capital of Spain's Andalusia region, is known for flamenco dancing and a number of iconic buildings, like the Plaza de España and the Catedral de Sevilla.

12. Charleston, South Carolina, is a stunning coastal city that has so much Southern charm it's been repeatedly named America's friendliest city.

Read more: 21 photos that show why Charleston is one of America's most popular destinations right now

11. Once the center of the Roman Empire, Rome remains Italy's capital and is full of relics including the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Pantheon.

Read more: The cheapest European city you can fly to, based on which US state you live in

10. Visitors to Udaipur, India, can explore the city's extravagant royal palaces situated on picturesque, man-made lakes.

9. The charming Tuscan city of Florence, Italy, is known as the birthplace of the Renaissance and is home to many of the world's best-known works of art.

8. Kyoto is a Japanese city on the island of Honshu that's full of gardens, palaces, wooden houses, and religious shrines.

7. One of the most populous cities in the world, Tokyo, Japan, is famous for its electronics, video games, manga, Anime, ramen, and much more.

6. From terraced rice paddies to Hindu temples and shrines, Ubud, Indonesia, is one of Bali's most popular destinations.

Read more: Visitors have discovered that a Bali tourist attraction popular with Instagram influencers is actually a fake photo op

5. Oaxaca, Mexico, is known for its colonial buildings and lively, bustling atmosphere. More than a third of its residents speak an indigenous language.

4. The most populous city in North America, Mexico's capital city of Mexico City is home to Templo Mayor, the baroque Catedral Metropolitana de México of the Spanish conquistadors, and the Palacio Nacional.

3. Located in a mountainous region in the north of Thailand, Chiang Mai is home to many extravagant Buddhist temples scattered throughout its rolling, green hills.

2. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, is known for baroque Spanish architecture and the iconic Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel.

1. Hoi An, Vietnam, tops the list of best cities with its canal-laden Ancient Town and famous Japanese Covered Bridge.

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