Instead of closing your eyes and sticking a pin on a map the next time you’re choosing a mini-break destination, it might be worth taking into account the results of a new survey.
The study, commissioned by accommodation-booking site HostelWorld, looked at the social behaviour and attitudes of citizens of 39 cities and graded them on 10 categories including how often they socialise, their openness and “propensity to party”, The Guardian reported.
More than 12,000 people were interviewed for the research and were quizzed on how they feel about socialising, eating out and partying.
The winning city? Gothenburg in Sweden, according to the survey, followed by the Swedish capital, Stockholm. Also in the top 10 were Chicago, Boston and New York in the US and European cities including Copenhagen, Madrid and Rome.
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No UK cities made it into the top 10 – not even London – but Dublin came tenth, and tourist hotspots including Paris and Berlin were also absent from the list.
Gothenburg came up trumps in three of the 10 categories, including the frequency of socialising, and rated highly for partying, with residents likely to agree that they “will use any excuse to have a party”, reported The Guardian.
Meg O’Donnell, Refinery29’s photo assistant, lived in Gothenburg for three months in 2014 and isn’t at all surprised by results. “During my time there, the bars, cafés, restaurants and parks were almost always ram-packed and full of good vibes. I had the most wonderful time and it was everything I wanted it to be.
“It felt so great spending time in the most beautiful – and super stylish – city! I loved it: the people, the architecture and, of course, the endless supply of cake!”
New Yorkers ate out at restaurants the most, on average 89 times a year, which is impressive considering the city’s high cost of living. Meanwhile Copenhageners really do seem to practice the hygge lifestyle they preach, as they were the most likely to entertain friends at home.
Along with Gothenburg, Stockholm and Copenhagen were rated the most “socially minded”, followed by Tokyo, and had the most liberal attitudes towards other people’s lifestyles, reported The Guardian.
Residents of Madrid and Moscow were the biggest party animals, with Gothenburg coming in third place. They were most likely to agree that they “will use any excuse to have a party”.
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The absence of London, along with Paris and Berlin, from the rankings is due to people not socialising as much and residents from elsewhere. Also to blame was the cost of socialising in these cities and a lack of leisure time. Tell us something we don’t know.
The most sociable cities
1. Gothenburg
2. Stockholm
3. Chicago
4. Boston
5. New York
6. Copenhagen
7. Madrid
8. Rome
9. Hamburg
10. Dublin
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