You’ll probably know by now that just produced its 2026 edition of the Best Cities for Culture with Intrepid Travel, which named the brilliant UK capital as the top destination on the whole planet for culture this year.
Why? Well, while all the cities on our 20-strong list have something unique and genuinely cool to offer when it comes to their culture scenes, plenty of London’s top museums and galleries are free to enter for all visitors, and it don’t get much better than that.
Nine European and two Latin American hubs also claimed a spot in our ranking, as did four cities across Asia.
But, which ones? Well, the first of these was Taipei, which sits in 11th place on our ranking – 71 percent of locals here described Taipei’s culture scene as either ‘good’ or ‘amazing’, and a solid 82 percent rated its affordability. So, what should be on your radar? Local expert Joe Henley is here to tell us.
‘One eye stays firmly focused on the past [in Taipei]. You can still catch a world-class Chinese or Taiwanese opera performance at the National Theater, or take in a traditional puppet play at the Dadaocheng Theater on historic Dihua Street. The National Palace Museum remains one of the world’s most extensive troves of Taiwan and neighbouring China’s cultural history,’ he says.
‘The other eye looks at the present and future. On any given day or night, Guling Street Avant-Garde Theater hosts experimental performances. Now playing is Lin Xiangjun’s Da Xiang Du Du Living Room, an immersive 3D enactment of a short story about how the concepts of childhood and growing up have changed.’
Three more Asian cities also made the cut. Beijing came second on the continent (and 17th overall), thanks to a 78 percent affordability score and an 80 percent approval rating from locals.
Jaipur followed in 18th thanks to 73 percent of participants having positive things to say, and 69 percent approving of its cost, and Chiang Mai came in 19th. Seventy-three percent of people said its culture scene is affordable, and 75 percent rated it good quality.
These Asian cities are the best in the world for culture in 2026
- Taipei
- Beijing
- Jaipur
- Chiang Mai
📍 Read the full list of ’s Best Cities for Culture with Intrepid Travel 2026.
Ready to see the world’s best cities for yourself? Book your next trip with Intrepid Travel and start planning the ultimate adventure today.
ICYMI: The world’s first-ever Pokémon-themed airport is opening in Japan this summer.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news and best stuff happening across the world.
