Another Australian city, Adeliade, also landed in the top five, but Melbourne, with its winding pedestrian laneways, music, culture, food, and gorgeous Yarra River, was proclaimed the very best. Keep scrolling to see why.
Melbourne straddles the scenic Yarra River, making it a prime spot for water sports, boating, and city views.
It has the largest gambling center in the southern hemisphere, Crown Casino, with a license for 500 table games and an hourly fire show.
Music is a huge part of Melbourne. Many famous acts have come out of the city's music scene, including Temper Trap, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Jet, and others.
Other arts are also popular in Melbourne. The Australian Ballet is based in the city and regularly performs at The Arts Centre, Melbourne.
Melbourne's residents are surrounded by cutting-edge architecture, like the Digital Harbour Port 1010, the Arts Centre Melbourne spire, and the Melbourne Recital Centre.
The city is filled with parks and gardens, including the famous Royal Park which covers 420 acres and is open to the public.
Melbourne is considered a UNESCO City of Literature because of its literary festivals, book stores, publishers, and history of famous, award-winning authors.
Behind Melbourne's grid-like streets are quirky little Gothic Laneways which house restaurants, book stores, and unique shops.
Commonly found as a feature of these laneways are colorful works of street art. Melbourne is considered by many to be the street art capital of the world, and Melbournians go through great lengths to preserve murals and other notable works.
Melbourne also has a lot of nightlife options, including underground bars, jazz cafés, and dance clubs hidden along the Laneways.
Melbourne hosts the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in March, which becomes a huge city-wide event.
It also hosts the Australian Open, which takes place at the Margaret Court Arena, can hold 6,000 fans, and is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments in the world.
Melbourne is never too hot or too cold. In the summer, the city sees temps of high-70s to low 80s, while the winter drops down to only ~60 degrees.
Melbourne is a multicultural city with a large indigenous community known as the Kulin Nation. There are many galleries and museums with an Aboriginal-focus.
It is home to the Best Chef in Australia, Ben Shewry, serving his seafood-centric tasting menu at Melbourne's Attica restaurant.
Melbournians also enjoy the best coffee in the world. The city is the capital of Australia's coffee craze, and a great cup of joe can be found on nearly any street corner.
And it has one of Australia's best and largest open-air shopping markets — The Queen Victoria Market from 1878 — where many Melbournians flock on the weekends.
Getting around the city is super easy thanks to Melbourne's tram network, which covers over 150 miles and is one of the best in the world.
