The rise of cultural capitals can be linked to our desire to get back out into the world after two years of uncertainty and visiting places with large open spaces, as seen with the popularity of national parks and rural retreats in the past two years.

The rise of cultural capitals and our desire to visit places with large open spaces can be linked back to our need to get back out into the world after two years of uncertainty, and this can be seen in the popularity of national parks and rural retreats over the past two years.

Now, it’s time for cities to make a comeback, and according to Expedia Group, the destinations seeing the largest increases are all culture-rich cities where art and cultural festivities are getting back in full swing – and the city at the top of that list is Edinburgh.

The city has emerged as Expedia’s top culture capital for 2023, thanks to its wide variety of art and culture events, particularly the Edinburgh Fringe.

Expedia Brands spokesperson, Natalie Allard, said: “During the pandemic we saw a huge demand for the great outdoors. Whilst that demand is still strong, we’re now seeing cities making a comeback and at the top of the list is Edinburgh, where visitors are lured by its world-class events, its stunning, historical buildings, lively galleries and foodie scene.”

Other cities included in the cultural capitals list included Lisbon, Tokyo, Dublin, New York, Sydney, Dubai, Montreal, Munich and Bangkok.

Edinburgh named one of the top cultural capitals for 2023