33. Budapest, Hungary

Budapest, the capital of Hungary, got its current name after the unification of the towns, Buda, Óbuda, and Pest in 1873. It is the second largest city along the Danube River. Top sights include Szechenyi Thermal Bath, Buda Castle, and the Hungarian Parliament Building.

Happiness: 48th

Historical Landmarks: 16th

Sports: 30th

Schools and Education: 17th

Governmental Stability: 44th

Crime: 27th

Healthcare: 48th

Affordability: 16th

Food: 23rd

Innovation: 20th

Pollution: 30th

Climate: 19th

Overall Average: 28.17

Personal Note: I traveled to Budapest in Summer 2022, and I was stunned at the amount of incredibly grand and beautiful sights that the city had to offer. For being the lowest ranked city in this ranking that I have visited thus far in my life, Budapest has a case to make for the most impressive historical architecture on this list, which is something I thoroughly enjoy in a city. Of course, the Parliament Building on the bank of the Danube River is the most famous example of this, but also the Buda Castle and Fisherman’s Bastion, the Liberty Statue, and the Szent Istvan Bazilika are similarly incredible. For a break from the buildings, Margaret Island, located right in the middle of the Danube, serves as a relaxing and diverse park. Although there are some parts of the city that suffer from a major decline in attractiveness when encountering them, its major parts could stand with many of Europe’s most visited cities, while feeling much less touristy than some of even its closest neighbors. Budapest would easily feature towards the top end of European cities that I’ve visited, which makes its below average placement in these rankings one of the most surprising in the entire list. Of course, I wasn’t viewing the city through a residency and livability lens, so that could change many of the feelings, but it’s still surprising to see Budapest this low on the ranking.