Study: Athens Among World’s 20 Most Inspiring Cultural Cities

Photo source: Acropolis Museum

Athens, Greece, has earned a spot among the top 20 cities worldwide for its cultural offerings, according to a recent study conducted by Adobe Express, a technology company specializing in photo editing products.

In an effort to assist travelers in selecting destinations for summer excursions, Adobe Express compiled a list of cities renowned for their cultural richness in 2024, evaluating various factors such as the abundance of art galleries, museums, theaters, historic landmarks, attractions, libraries, and artworks.

Ranked as the 16th “most inspiring cultural city” globally, Athens received a commendable score of 5.8 out of 10, attributed to its extensive artistic heritage and a wealth of 495 historical landmarks available for exploration.

The ancient capital city boasts an impressive array of artworks accessible to the public, totaling 345, surpassing Milan’s count of 240. Additionally, Athens stands out with a considerable number of theaters, tourist attractions, and art galleries, surpassing cities like Florence, Istanbul, and Edinburgh in these regards.

Athens further distinguishes itself with its vibrant cultural scene, hosting a plethora of events and festivals during the spring and summer months. Recently recognized as one of Europe’s premier destinations for art enthusiasts, Athens also offers ample convention center spaces, accommodating events of up to 100,000 square feet, making it an ideal destination for MICE activities.

While renowned for its art museums and romantic ambiance, Paris secured the top spot on the list with an impressive cultural score of 8.52/10.

Joining Paris at the pinnacle of the rankings were other cosmopolitan hubs such as London in second place, followed by Berlin (3rd), New York (4th), Barcelona (5th), Madrid (6th), Los Angeles (7th), Seoul (8th), Tokyo (9th), and Munich (10th).

Moreover, the study highlighted a remarkable surge in Google searches using “cultural holidays” as keywords, showing a staggering increase of 2,500 percent since the beginning of 2024.