Vienna skyline
(Picture: PIXABAY)Vienna has been crownded as the world’s most liveable city, according to a report published on Thursday.
London did not make the top 10, coming in 33rd place, in the rankings by the Economist.
The Austrian capital, famed for its Baroque streetscapes and imperial palaces, rebounded to first place after holding the top postion in 2018 and 2019.
The report, published by the Economist intelligence unit, said it had “slipped to 12th place in our rankings in early 2021” due to Covid restrictions meaning its museums and restaurants were closed.
However, it found Vienna “has since rebounded to first place, the position it held in 2018 and 2019”.
It added: “Stability and good infrastructure are the city’s main charms for its inhabitants, supported by good healthcare and plenty of opportunities for culture and entertainment.”
Auckland, which was last year’s number one most liveable city, plummeted down the rankings to 34th due to the New Zealand’s tough Covid restrictions.
“New Zealand’s tough lockdown allowed their society to reopen and enabled citizens of cities like Auckland and Wellington to enjoy a lifestyle that looked similar to pre-pandemic life,” the report said.
Meanwhile, trendy Melbourne retained its place as the tenth most liveable city in the world.
Russian cities such as Moscow and St Petersburg fell in the rankings due to “censorship” and hard-hitting Western sanctions.
“Increased censorship accompanies the ongoing conflict,” the report noted. “Russian cities are additionally seeing restrictions on culture and environment as a result of western economic sanctions.”
As a contintent, Europe fared pretty well as it boased six outof the top 10 most liveable cities in the world.
In second place was Scandi-cool capital Copenhagen, followed by Zurich in Switzerland.
Geneva came in sixth, Frankfurt in seventh and Amsterdam in ninth, with London missing from the top 10.
Manchester was five places above London as it was named in 28th place.
