Victoria named best city in the world in Conde Nast's Readers' Choice Awards

British Columbia's capital has topped an award-winning travel magazine's list of the world's best cities.

Conde Nast Traveller, a luxury and lifestyle travel magazine, said Victoria captured top marks in its annual Readers' Choice Awards of top cities for 2023.

Victoria and Mexico's San Miguel de Allende, which ranked sixth, were the only cities in North America to make the list.

Conde Nast Traveller said Victoria's restaurant and nightlife scene is "something to be celebrated," while the city "embraces adventure," and "draws outdoorsy types."

Paul Nursey, CEO of Destination Greater Victoria, is hopeful the recognition will result in a boost in tourism, adding that the magazine has a global reach.

He agrees the city's culinary offerings are world class.

"Our chefs take full advantage of surrounding coastal waters and rich farming regions, which results in food and drink that's uniquely West Coast: diverse, flavourful, locally sourced and truly inspired," said Nursey.

He says visitors to the city and its suburbs can choose from hundreds of restaurants, bistros, bars, breweries, cafés, produce markets and food festivals.

"Together they create an experience that proudly puts Victoria on the culinary map," he said.

San Sebastian in Spain and Singapore took the next two spots in the list, and were followed by Tokyo, Seoul, San Miguel de Allende, Cape Town, Sydney, Copenhagen and Oslo.

Victoria also topped the magazine's list of the world's best small cities.

Conde Nast, which publishes numerous magazines including Vogue, GQ and The New Yorker, said its Traveller magazine reaches more than 20 million print and web readers every month and more than 40 million people on its social media channels.

The publisher says more than 520,000 readers participated in this year's Readers' Choice Awards by submitting ratings about their travel experiences on a five-point scale.

Bruce Williams, CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce, said he was excited but "not surprised at all'' to hear that B.C.'s capital, where he has lived for more than 20 years, was top of the list.

"We are very deserving of first place and we are thrilled and so proud to see that recognition,'' said Williams. "I've lived in other places and I have to say that Victoria is amazing.''

Williams said Victoria is a place where people can not only see beautiful scenery but also enjoy "a robust hospitality and tourism experience."

"It's a combination of a number of things. Physically, it's a beautiful place. We have mountains, we have ocean water, we have beautiful gardens, we have natural landscapes. It's a spectacular place, visually,'' said Williams.

"Locals are very friendly. We are a very welcoming place and we always want to make sure that visitors have the best possible experience."

He said Victoria also has a vibrant cultural scene, with thousands showing up for the South Island Powwow on Truth and Reconciliation Day over the weekend.

In the summer, painters and sculptors line the streets with their work, said Williams.

"I think that everybody just needs to understand that Victoria is worth visiting," he said.