Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, Mar 14, 2026

Abu Dhabi, Manama, Riyadh in 'best capital cities to visit' list

Abu Dhabi, Manama, Riyadh in 'best capital cities to visit' list

Three of the GCC countries' capitals - Abu Dhabi (UAE); Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and Manama (Bahrain) have been ranked among the world's best capital cities to visit on vacation by travel experts at Bounce based on factors such as the average cost of a hotel and transport, number of attractions and restaurants and average temperatures and rainfall.
Explaining the concept behind the rating, travel experts at Bounce said often one of the most popular areas of a country to visit is the capital city, due to it being a hub for tourist activities, sightseeing, and amenities within a nation.

To determine which of the world’s capital cities is the best to visit for a holiday, numerous different factors have been taken into consideration to create a ranking for 69 of the most developed capitals in the world.

As borders open up and travel becomes ever more accessible, capital cities are ready to welcome back tourists from all over the world. The better equipped the capital is the more popular it could be as a result.

On top of man-made features and amenities, the weather and climate of these cities have been taken into consideration when identifying the best capital cities.

The Bounce list for best capital cities to visit is topped by Valetta, the capital city of the small Mediterranean island nation of Malta with an overall score of 6.74 out of 10.

The major reason for this is the number of attractions and restaurants per sq km. In fact, there are over 311 attractions per sq km which is 237.5 more than the second-highest scoring capital.

As Valetta is a tiny city (just 0.61 sq km), there is a higher attraction density than the actual number of attractions, in total, there are 190 per square kilometer.

UAE capital Abu Dhabi ranks second with a score 6.24 out of 10 missing out on the top spot by just 0.5. The city has one of the lowest annual rainfall totals with only 42mm dropping in the desert locale.

Moreover, the year-round average temperature in the city is 27.92 degrees celsius which is the fourth highest of all cities studied. This makes it a great destination for sun seekers.

Indian capital New Delhi ranks third with an average score of 6.06 out of 10, with average temperatures topping 25 degrees and 12,409 restaurants to choose from.

It is the only other city to achieve a total score of more than 6/10, and consequently the third highest-ranking capital.

The average nightly cost of a hotel in the city is $101.87, which is around $35 less than the average of all the cities studied. In New Delhi, there are 290.61 restaurants per sq km and this is the second-highest of any capital.

Bahrain's capital city Manama is the fourth-best for a holiday in the world with a score of 5.77/10, just over 1 higher than the average score of 4.76/10. Manama has a very low crime rate score of just 17.28/100, on top of this, it scored well for average temperatures and annual rainfall due to its geographical location.

Saudi Arabia's capital city Riyadh was ranked fifth with a score of 5.74/10. Riyadh has slightly less rainfall than Manama but also slightly lower temperatures, therefore the Saudi capital ranks just below their neighbors. There are over 17.1 million hashtag mentions for Riyadh on Instagram and a low level of crime at 21.38/100.

According to Bounce, Oman's capital Muscat came sixth with a score of 5.59/10 and ranked high on best temperature at 28°C, while another GCC country Kuwait was ranked eighth in the list with a score of 5.56/10.

Ankara (Turkey) is the best capital city for hotel prices, with an average price of $45.74 per night, while Luxembourg was crowned best capital city for transport in the world for its free public transport services.

Bangkok (Thailand) is the best capital city for temperature with an average of 26.6 degrees, while Cairo, Egypt has the least rainfall with only 18mm of average rainfall per year, it added.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Strait of Hormuz Crisis Forces Saudi Arabia Into Major Oil Production Shut-In
Strait of Hormuz Crisis Forces Saudi Arabia Into Major Oil Production Shut-In
Saudi Arabia Slashes Oil Output as Strait of Hormuz Crisis Cuts Deep Into Gulf Revenues
Saudi Arabia’s Cultural Scene Presses Ahead as Nation Navigates Regional War
Saudi-Pakistan Defence Pact Faces Real-World Constraints as Iran War Escalates
Saudi Arabia Offers Two Million Barrels of Crude From Red Sea as War Disrupts Gulf Exports
Formula One Faces Tens of Millions in Lost Revenue if Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Races Are Cancelled
Formula One Set to Cancel Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix Amid Escalating Middle East War
Saudi Arabia Downs Dozens of Iranian Drones in Major Defensive Operation
Saudi Arabia Cuts Oil Output by About Twenty Percent as Iran War Disrupts Gulf Energy Flows
Formula One Set to Cancel Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix Amid Escalating Iran War
Asian Energy Security Tested as Strait of Hormuz Disruption Threatens Oil Supplies
Iran Sets Three Conditions for Ending Regional War as Diplomatic Efforts Intensify
Saudi Arabia Launches Royal Institute of Anthropology to Examine Social Transformation
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Arrives in Saudi Arabia for High-Level Talks
Saudi Aramco Turns to Ukrainian Drone Interceptors to Shield Oil Infrastructure from Iranian Threats
UK Foreign Secretary Travels to Saudi Arabia to Reinforce Support for Regional Allies
Rising Iran Conflict Casts Shadow Over Saudi Arabia’s $38 Billion Gaming Industry Ambitions
Iran Launches Missile and Drone Strikes Across Gulf as Oil Prices Surge Past $100
Saudi Air Defences Destroy Three Drones Targeting Strategic Shaybah Oil Field
Debate Grows Over Saudi Arabia’s Role in Sudan War Amid US Alliance Questions
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Travels to Saudi Arabia After Discussions With Iranian Leadership
Two Strategic Pipelines Allow Saudi Arabia and the UAE to Bypass the Strait of Hormuz
US Deploys Bunker-Buster Bombs to UK Airbase as Iran Conflict Intensifies
Iran warns of $200 oil as forces target merchant ships in Gulf
Japan to Release 45 Days of Oil Reserves Amid Iran Conflict
Three Commercial Vessels Attacked Near Strait of Hormuz, Thai-Flagged Ship Damaged and Crew Evacuated
Saudi Red Sea Oil Exports Set for Record in March as Kingdom Reroutes Crude Amid Hormuz Crisis
Saudi Arabia Seeks Belgian Military Support After Iranian Missile Attacks
Saudi Arabia Welcomes US Decision to Designate Sudan’s Muslim Brotherhood as Terrorist Organisation
Saudi Aramco Plans Dual Gulf and Red Sea Export Routes as Iran Crisis Disrupts Oil Shipments
Saudi Cabinet Condemns Iranian Attacks and Reaffirms Kingdom’s Right to Defend Its Sovereignty
Ukraine Deploys Counter-Drone Teams to Gulf States as Iranian Drone Threat Expands
Bahrain Grand Prix Faces Uncertainty as Saudi Arabia Works to Keep Formula One Race on Track
Saudi Arabia Faces New Strategic Dilemma in Yemen as Regional War Reshapes Calculations
OPEC Confirms Saudi-Led Oil Output Increase as Iran War Disrupts Global Energy Markets
Pakistan Pledges Rapid Support for Saudi Arabia Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Global Energy Agency Announces Record Release of 400 Million Barrels to Stabilize Oil Markets Amid Hormuz Disruption
Aramco Warns Global Oil Market Faces ‘Catastrophic’ Shock if Strait of Hormuz Remains Closed
Iran Launches Drone and Missile Attacks Across Gulf Targets Including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain
Saudi Arabia Elevates Fahad Al-Saif as Vision 2030 Enters Crucial Implementation Phase
Saudi Aramco Expands Routes to Move Oil Without Reliance on the Strait of Hormuz
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan Reaffirm Mutual Defense Cooperation Following Iran Strike
Saudi Arabia Plans Major Ukrainian Arms Deal to Counter Iranian Drone Threat
Pentagon Signals Intensification of U.S. Air Campaign as Iran Conflict Escalates
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham Raises Prospect of Mutual Defense Pact With Saudi Arabia Amid Iran Conflict
Why Saudi Arabia Is Unlikely to Have Wanted U.S. Airstrikes on Iran
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Oil Exports Set to Reach Record High as Gulf Routes Face Disruption
Saudi Arabia Pushes East–West Oil Pipeline Toward Full Capacity as Hormuz Crisis Disrupts Global Energy Flows
Oil Prices Retreat From Peak as G7 Weighs Release of Strategic Reserves
×