Marrakesh, Cape Town, Kigali, others, among top 10 favorite cities in Africa
In a survey by Travel and Leisure, over 186,000 readers cast more than 700,000 votes to evaluate over 8,700 properties, including hotels, cities, and cruise lines.
This year's results highlighted the most favorite travel and leisure destinations in Africa and the Middle East.
The result of the survey showed that North Africa remains a dominant force on the list featuring cities from mainly Egypt and Morocco while sub-Saharan cities had two representations.
Cape Town in South Africa, a perennial favorite, secured the second position on the list. Rwanda’s capital Kigali, which has been climbing the ranks steadily since its debut three years ago, claimed the fifth position.
Moroccan cities had a particularly strong showing, with three entries. The city of Fez earned the sixth place, praised for its rich cultural heritage, while Essaouira re-entered the list at seventh after a hiatus since 2021. The top spot was clinched by another Moroccan city, reflecting its broad appeal among travelers.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s Luxor and Cairo emerged ninth and tenth on the list.
Here are the top 10 favorite cities in Africa and the Middle East according to Travel and Leisure readers:
1. Marrakesh, Morocco - Reader Score: 89.17
2. Cape Town, South Africa - Reader Score: 88.87
3. Jerusalem, Israel - Reader Score: 87.25
4. Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Reader Score: 86.14
5. Kigali, Rwanda - Reader Score: 85.93
6. Fez, Morocco - Reader Score: 84.37
7. Essaouira, Morocco - Reader Score: 83.97
8. Tel Aviv, Israel - Reader Score: 82.46
9. Luxor, Egypt - Reader Score: 82.04
10. Cairo, Egypt - Reader Score: 81.40
