One Southern city has been sweepingTravel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awardsfor over a decade.

“This place is a destination to behold,” one wrote inTravel + Leisure Readers’ 15 Favorite Cities in the United States of 2023.

Others complimented the welcoming locals, historic attractions, and the shopping and dining along King Street.

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Aerial view of Rainbow Row in downtown Charleston, SC

“So many incredible restaurants” have made Charleston a hotspot destination for food, and “the mix of hotels makes the city a perfect fit for any type of traveler,“T+Lshared.

This year’s awards — the 28th annual— received hundreds of thousands of votes in a comprehensive survey that ran from Oct. 24, 2022, to Feb. 27, 2023.

Charleston, South Carolina, USA skyline over the Ashley River.

Respondents rated various categories such as airlines, airports, cruise ships, destination spas, hotels, luxury villa rental companies, safari outfitters, U.S. national parks and many more, all based on different features. The final scores are the averages of these ratings.

The number two spot on the U.S. cities list went to an equally scenic spot a few thousand miles west.

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New Orleans came in at number three, with a reader stating its musical traditions provide “street performers that will knock your socks off.” Number four on the list was Savannah, praised for its “southern charm” and “haunted houses.” Chicago, Honolulu and New York City followed.

Visit Travel + Leisure to seethe full U.S. cities list.

The outlet also reported the top-voted international cities, withOaxaca, Mexico — known for its rich indigenous culture, food and architecture — securing the #1 spot. It is “hands down one of the coolest cities in the whole world,” one reader wrote.

Istanbul was considered the best city in Europe at number 8 overall, with a reader praising “the intermingling of cultures and religion and people.”

Among the other cities on this list include Tokyo; Bangkok; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Luang Prabang, Laos; Marrakesh and Porto, Portugal.

See every World’s Best Awards winner ontravelandleisure.com.

source: people.com