Top 10 Best Capital Cities in the World

The top ten best cities that are the capital city of their country.

The Top Ten

Islamabad, Pakistan

It is an amazing, highly developed, and absolutely safe capital city. It's also regarded as one of the best capitals in Asia and can compete with any glorious capital city in the world, even those from highly developed countries. There is no doubt that international developments are rapidly appearing in nearly every corner of the city. Its unique and awe-inspiring surroundings make it more than a capital!
If compared with Delhi, the capital of India, it will surely win. Each and every Pakistani should be pleased with such a world-class capital, despite the financial crisis, political and religious conflicts, vulnerability to terrorism across the country, and several other issues. Thus, making a Pakistani proud of what he/she has.
London, United Kingdom

London is the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdom. Standing on the River Thames in the southeastern part of Great Britain, London has been a major settlement for over two millennia.
It is one of the world's most important global cities, with significant influence in... read more

In my opinion, London is the best capital in the world. To the Parisians below me, look at all of the "immigrants" sleeping in shanty towns and tents. London also has more green spaces than New York and Paris, so we can go outdoors more. London is a hub where many businesses from around the world come to conduct their operations.
London's diverse culture, a result of the British Empire, which was once the world capital, offers everything from Indian takeaways to Middle Eastern cuisine. The city boasts beautiful architecture, including the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, The Shard, London Opera House, and the West End. With an array of nightclubs, London dominates in nightlife as well.
Paris, France

Paris is the capital and most populous city of France, covering an area of 105 square kilometers with an estimated population of 2,140,526 residents as of January 1, 2019. Since the 17th century, Paris has been a major center of finance, diplomacy, commerce, fashion, science, and the arts in Europe.... read more

Paris is, for sure, the most beautiful city in the world and has so many landmarks! If it were a country, it would have the 11th largest economy in the world.
Paris is strong on all fronts, making it the world's best capital city.

Splendid city, with architecture ranging from ages past to modern buildings. It's among the cities with the most numerous cathedrals and churches. There's an abundance of all kinds of restaurants offering top international cuisine, and of course, French cuisine as well.
There are so many theaters, exhibitions, festivals, etc., and that extends throughout France.
Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo, officially Tokyo Metropolis, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and has served as the Japanese capital since 1869. Located at the head of Tokyo Bay, it is part of the Kantō region on the central Pacific coast of Honshu, Japan's main island.... read more

Tokyo is the most incredible city in the world. It is fashionable, a mix of crazy fashion, sexy fashion, and business fashion. You are most likely to meet really good-looking people, from Japanese to other nationalities, models, and rich people everywhere, and the technology is just by far better than anywhere else. Love Tokyo.

Japanese people are not that good at speaking English, yet they are so helpful and caring. Police are kind-looking. Taxi drivers' appearances can be trusted. People speak softly. It gives me the impression that the Japanese are kind people. The place has buildings, subways, and plenty of people.
Berlin, Germany

Berlin is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. It has about 3.8 million residents within its city limits, making it the most populous city in the European Union.
Berlin is a federal state of Germany and is surrounded by the State of Brandenburg. It lies adjacent... read more

It was difficult deciding between Berlin, Tokyo, or London. I don't know how Islamabad is considered good because I have been there, and there is nothing special. I remember the crappy traffic in London, which is worse compared to the other two, and Berlin seems to have greater history, becoming a great city after being in ruins in WWII.

So much history and very nice people. I would say this is by far better than London as it is safe and not full of drug smugglers who want to mug you. There is a diverse culture, many museums, and fantastic architecture. So, vote for the best!
Washington, D.C., United States

I'm American, and I have family in D.C. It used to be quite violent, but in the last ten years, it has emerged as a clean, safe, and nice city.
It has great history and a lot to do.

Incredible city with a very unique nightlife. A lot of interesting history packed into a fairly compact place.
Strongly recommend.
Athens, Greece

Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece. It is one of the world's oldest cities, with recorded history dating back over 3,000 years. Today, Athens is a modern metropolis and a key cultural, political, and economic hub in southeastern Europe.

Athens is a beautiful city, and it has so much to offer. It is way better than Delhi because it is much more beautiful and has a much better quality of life! Its skyline is amazing. Yes, it may not be buzzing with ugly skyscrapers, and yes, its buildings might be white, but at least they are white and beautiful, unlike the buildings of London, which are ugly, brown, and depressing.
Rome is also ugly, full of poorly maintained buildings. About Delhi, how can you even mention it as a beautiful city?

It's a lovely city. I think it should be higher on the list because of the amazing climate, the museums, the safety it provides, and the great food.
Ottawa, Canada

Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It lies on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern part of Southern Ontario. The city is home to many national institutions, including Parliament Hill, and is known for its bilingualism, with English and French both widely spoken.

Ottawa is a beautiful, open, green city. It's easy to get around and has a quiet yet cultured atmosphere. The city features parklands and tree-lined boulevards throughout, along with two rivers and a canal crossing in different directions. The gothic-style Parliament buildings stand on a strategic spot on a slight hill beside the Ottawa River. Rideau Hall, the residence of the Governor General, is surrounded by spectacular treed grounds. There are no slums or rundown areas in the city. Ottawa is big enough, with a metropolitan population of over 1,000,000, but not overwhelmingly so. It's simply a great place to live or visit.
Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm is the capital of Sweden and the most populous urban area in the Nordic countries. It is located on 14 islands connected by over 50 bridges in the southeast of Sweden. The city is the cultural, political, and economic center of the country.

Number one - it's beautiful, has a low crime rate, and is clean as hell.
What more do you need?

It's beautiful, a good size, near the ocean, and simply great.

If you are in Stockholm, visit the Vasa Museum. It is a whole ship in there! And also go to Gröna Lund to go on Eclipse.
You can't hate this city.
Moscow, Russia

Moscow is the capital and most populous city of Russia. It is located in western Russia along the Moskva River. Moscow is a major political, economic, and cultural center and is home to the Kremlin, Red Square, and numerous historic landmarks.

Old city with a long history and lots of skyscrapers!

I always thought Moscow would be worse, but it surprised me, even the Russians did. I was treated very well everywhere except at the airport. If I had let my first impression take over, I would have disliked my trip to Moscow. It's good that I didn't pay attention to the rude girl in passport control. She acted more like a bandit than someone controlling the entrance of tourists.
Well, after that, my stay was very nice. I loved the fact that the city is really clean, cleaner than most of the so-called "civilized" European cities I've visited before. I felt really safe there, even walking all night with two friends taking pictures. We walked until 5 in the morning without any sign of robbers or gangs. I saw a lot of police at night, more than I've seen even in Brussels during the day! My friend, who is openly gay, once had a Moroccan immigrant in Brussels spit in his face and beat him. In contrast, here in Moscow, the "anti-gay" city, he had no problems during our entire trip.
We didn't just stay in Moscow. We went to Krasnodar, Sochi, Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Tagil, and Verkhoturye. The city boasts lots of luxury shops and expensive cars. The streets are very clean, and there are safe parks to visit during the day. The bars and cafés are nice, with very tasty blinis and syrniki.
The only downside was the one time I had to wait almost an hour for a train that should have arrived every 20 minutes. I was almost robbed in the Kievskaya metro station. There were too many people, and I felt an unusual movement. I caught the hand of the robber in my pocket and almost broke it, so he didn't steal anything from me. I should mention that the robber was not Russian, but an immigrant with dark skin (I have no idea where he was from).... read more

The Newcomers

?
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Abu Dhabi is the capital and the second most populous city of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the largest of the UAE's seven emirates. Abu Dhabi is an important political, cultural, and economic center in the country.
?
Chisinau, Moldova

Chișinău, also spelled Kishinev, is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Moldova. It has served as the country's political, economic, and cultural center since 1918. The city is known for its green spaces, Soviet architecture, and a growing wine industry.

The Contenders

Rome, Italy

Rome is the capital city and most populated comune of Italy, and it serves as the capital of the Lazio region. The city has been a major human settlement for over three millennia and is one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in Europe..... read more

I can't believe Rome is not in the top 3. This city is incredible. It's like a huge museum all around. Everywhere you look, there is something interesting that is hundreds or thousands of years old. The churches are beautiful. The weather is perfect. I'll admit, though, that it is not the cleanest city, but that's because of poor administration and bad politicians.
I know this list is for capital cities only, but I suggest visiting Naples, just over 2 hours south of Rome by car or 1 hour on the high-speed train. Naples is such a beautiful and underrated city.

Surprised that Rome is not number one. The history and culture this city has is unbelievable. This city has it all: good weather, good food, awesome people. If you want museums full of art and sculptures, you've got it. You want to party? You've got it. You want beaches? Drive about 50 minutes and you've got it. Other amazing cities are close by, like Naples, only a 2-hour drive south, and Florence, a 3-hour drive north.
I don't think any other capital city, at least in Europe, has as many things to see and do as Rome.
ROMA CAPUT MUNDI!
Oslo, Norway

Oslo is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It functions as both a municipality and a county, serving as the administrative and economic center of the country. Located at the head of the Oslofjord, it is known for its green spaces, museums, and maritime history.

Such a great place! Why isn't this higher on the list? What?! The people here are VERY friendly, and they're so filled with glee that you can even tell!
My friend was going on a trip to Oslo for vacation and to meet relatives, and I wasn't very motivated to go because I thought Norway was just snow and cold, but I was wrong-ish. Yes, it is a bit cold, but we stayed there until late spring, and it totally started to warm up. But that didn't really matter in my opinion. I felt kind of safe due to the people being so friendly. We did not speak much Scandinavian languages. We only knew a bit of Norsk, but people helped us who spoke English. The place in general had such great charm too. It's a bit unexplainable, but it's very varied, and there's much to do!
My favorite place that we went to had to be downtown. Especially when it snowed or it was at night, it was so beautiful! My friend's relative made me take a chance at skiing. I sucked at it, but it was a good experience. It was great. I did NOT want to leave. I would totally go back here if I was free one time.
New Delhi, India

New Delhi is the capital and seat of government of the Republic of India. It is a municipality and district within the city of Delhi. New Delhi also serves as the administrative center for both the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

Such planned, broad streets coupled with parks all over the capital city make New Delhi one of the best capital cities in the world! And yeah, not to forget the city's world-class metro system and the fabulous airport!

This should be first because this is the only city to have thousands of visiting places. It is the 12th most beautiful capital in the world.
It has many monuments to visit! (It has 195 monuments.)

Delhi has the world's best malls. I refer to Select City Walk. The Christmas celebrated in this mall is far better than the New York Rockefeller Center one.
Madrid, Spain

Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has approximately 3.3 million inhabitants as of 2025. Its metropolitan area is home to over 6.6 million people, making it one of the largest urban areas in the European Union.

Just amazing! A beautiful city where history is in the air. It's also remarkable that it was the most powerful city in the world during the Spanish Empire. Best gastronomy on the whole globe. Full of museums, amazing monuments, and one of Europe's biggest parks, the Parque del Retiro, with statues and a big pond with little boats on it.
A modern, metropolitan city where tradition and modernity are combined wisely.

Amazing nightlife, amazing culture, amazing art, amazing people! Number one for me, and I am from Barcelona.
Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen is the capital of the Kingdom of Denmark. As of January 1, 2016, the urban area had a population of approximately 1,280,371 residents, making it the largest city in the country. It is located in the Hovedstaden region and is known for Tivoli Gardens, one of the oldest amusement parks in the... read more

Copenhagen has everything from clean air, shopping, and art to wild nightlife. The city never sleeps and contains beautiful Danish people.

Fantastic capital. Top 10 in the world, at least.

How could CPH not make it to the top 10?! This is the most awesome capital in the whole world!
Canberra, Australia

Canberra is the capital city of Australia. It is located in the Australian Capital Territory and was selected as the national capital in 1908. The city is known for its planned layout and for being home to major national institutions such as Parliament House and the National Gallery of Australia.

Fun fact: Melbourne and Sydney got into a dispute over which city should be the capital in the early 20th century. So, some people built a smaller city (Canberra) right between the two and said, "Chill guys, neither of you gets to be the capital. This place between you is." I think I quoted that word for word.

Canberra is a very nice city to visit and live in. There are lots of major sights to see, including Australia's important buildings and institutions. There are also many historical sites to learn about Australia's history. Canberra is definitely a pleasant capital city.
Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, often shortened to Krung Thep. The city is a major center for finance, culture, and international tourism in Southeast Asia.

Totally agree. The people are very nice and friendly. The food is delicious and clean.
Everything is wonderful in Bangkok. I want to go there every single month if possible.

It might not be the most beautiful capital, but I think Bangkok has its own charm and is filled with endless things to do.

Awesome city that has awesome people. A really attractive city with both traditional and modern parts.
Wellington, New Zealand

Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand and is located at the southwestern tip of the North Island. The city is known for its picturesque waterfront, rugged coastline, and steep surrounding hills.
As New Zealand's political center, Wellington is home to the country's parliament and a wide... read more

More coffee shops per capita than New York! You've got a beach, walking trails, and charming people.
It's so metropolitan but also has a real sense of community. Wellington, I love you!

Great place to live or visit, with tourist attractions worthy of visiting. Friendly people that are always up for helping anyone who needs it.

New Zealand is an amazing country, and Wellington is the most wonderful capital among all countries.
Vienna, Austria

Vienna is the capital and largest city of Austria, and it is also one of the country's nine states. The city has a population of about 2 million residents within its limits, and approximately 2.6 million in the metropolitan area. This makes it home to nearly one-third of Austria's entire population.... read more

Vienna should be in the top 10. It's friendly, safe, clean, and historical. It's the world's capital for classical music. According to the Mercer Index, it's the best city to live in the world. Its architecture is like Paris, and, thank God, without the French.

The most beautiful city I have ever seen! It's really hard to find an ugly building.

Very beautiful, excellent lifestyle, safe and clean.
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam is the capital city of the Netherlands and its most populous municipality. It is known for its historic canals, rich cultural heritage, and vibrant arts scene. The city also serves as a financial and business hub in Europe.

Beautiful, human-scale city with excellent public transport and facilities for cycling. Home to Van Gogh and Rembrandt paintings.
The people are beautiful, and there's a lot of joy in living. Should be the second-best capital.

World capital of art. Within one square kilometer, all the top museums of the world. Scenic canals, great restaurants, and lovely people!

Comfortable city, beautiful historic city with a safe village feel.
Bern, Switzerland

Bern, the capital of Switzerland, features a well-preserved medieval old town that has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of its most prominent landmarks is the Zytglogge, a historic clock tower that attracts numerous visitors.... read more
Helsinki, Finland

Helsinki is the capital and largest city of Finland. It was founded in 1550 and has developed into the country's political, economic, and cultural center. The city is known for its design, vibrant public spaces, and coastal scenery.

Helsinki is a green, liveable, and beautiful city.

Friendly people and beautiful sights.
Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and is located in the southeastern part of the country. The city is best known for its historic and architectural landmarks, most notably Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile. Its annual Fringe Festival is the world's largest arts festival, attracting artists and audiences... read more

By far the most beautiful city on this list, near wonderful nature and great entertainment. Good food and lovely people. I will always go back again and again.

Beautiful city, full of history and wonderful architecture. And very safe.
Brussels, Belgium

Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, is one of the three regions of Belgium and consists of 19 municipalities, including the City of Brussels. It serves as the de facto capital of the European Union and is also the capital of Belgium. The region is located in the north-central part of the... read more

Beautiful mix of new and old architecture, vibrant nightlife, great food, and unique people!
Brasilia, Brazil