Fall may be in full swing, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start planning for summer 2027. In August, UK hotel chain Premier Inn shared its ranking of the most beautiful cities to visit in the summer, so you don’t have to let decision fatigue stop you from plotting for next year.
The team at Premier Inn created its ranking by compiling a seed list of 63 cities around the world, and showing images of these cities to a sample group of 200 people. Using eye-tracking software, the team measured the average time it took for study participants to first look at an image, and the average amount of time they lingered on it. It then sorted these numbers using a weighted system to score each city out of 100, and after crunching the data, one destination came out on top: Banff, in Alberta, Canada.
The resort town, located within Banff National Park, earned a score of 96, and its image held the gazes of participants for an average of 3.28 seconds—longer than any other destination on the list. “Set against the snow-capped peaks of the Canadian Rockies, the town’s proximity to turquoise lakes and pine-covered valleys make for a dramatic summer backdrop,” said the Premier Inn team, in a press release shared with Travel + Leisure.
Summertime visitors to the region can dine and shop along Banff Avenue, ride the Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain, enjoy views of the towering Cascade Mountain, or canoe on the bright blue waters of Lake Louise and take in the breathtaking scenery.
A classic summer favorite, Mykonos, Greece came in at No. 2, with an impressive score of 87.3. It only took participants 1.5 seconds to notice its iconic “whitewashed buildings and cobalt blue domes,” shared the Premier Inn team. Known for its vibrant nightlife, charming cobblestone streets, and world-class beaches with crystal-clear waters, it’s easy to see why the destination makes an ideal summer getaway.
Rounding out the top three was Sydney, Australia, with a score of 85.6. Apart from its can’t-miss attractions, like the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, the city also boasts world-famous beaches, including the crescent-shaped Bondi Beach and Manly Beach. Nature lovers will be pleased to know that Sydney also offers access to four national parks: Royal National Park, south of the city; Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park to the north; Blue Mountains National Park to the west; and Sydney Harbour National Park, in the heart of the city.
The rest of the top 10 represented a true global mix, with Bruges, Belgium, coming in at No. 4, followed by Bristol, U.K.; Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Kyoto; Kotor, Montenegro; Auckland, New Zealand; and Los Angeles in the No. 10 spot.
Of course, beauty is subjective, and the study measured participants’ responses to selected summertime images rather than the destinations themselves. See the rest of the list at premierinn.com.
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