Travel + Leisure readers picked Charleston, South Carolina as the top city to visit in the world and the city's Spectator Hotel as the best continental U.S. hotel in its annual readers' <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.travelandleisure.com" target="_blank" target="_blank">World's Best Awards.</a> Nearby Hilton Head Island, also in South Carolina, took top honors as best continental U.S. island. Click through the gallery to see the rest of the top 10 cities in the world.
1. Charleston, South Carolina —
Travel + Leisure readers picked Charleston, South Carolina as the top city to visit in the world and the city's Spectator Hotel as the best continental U.S. hotel in its annual readers' World's Best Awards. Nearby Hilton Head Island, also in South Carolina, took top honors as best continental U.S. island. Click through the gallery to see the rest of the top 10 cities in the world.
Tetra Images//Getty Images
"There are gorgeous temples with distinctive peaked roofs, and barefoot Buddhist monks going about their business. Chiang Mai gets a lot of tourists, but manages to feel laid-back," says Travel + Leisure News Director Sara Clemence. The town is well-known for the Yi Peng Festival, where people release paper lanterns to pay their respects to the Buddha and clean out their bad luck.
2. Chiang Mai, Thailand —
"There are gorgeous temples with distinctive peaked roofs, and barefoot Buddhist monks going about their business. Chiang Mai gets a lot of tourists, but manages to feel laid-back," says Travel + Leisure News Director Sara Clemence. The town is well-known for the Yi Peng Festival, where people release paper lanterns to pay their respects to the Buddha and clean out their bad luck.
Atid Kiattisaksiri/LightRocket/Getty Images
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, San Miguel de Allende in Mexico "is the most charming town, with cobblestone streets and colonial architecture," says Clemence. "There's a vibrant art scene here, and you can eat everything from traditional Mexican fare to Asian fusion food."
3. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico —
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, San Miguel de Allende in Mexico "is the most charming town, with cobblestone streets and colonial architecture," says Clemence. "There's a vibrant art scene here, and you can eat everything from traditional Mexican fare to Asian fusion food."
Juan Jacobo Zanella Gonzalez#707/Moment Editorial/Getty Images
"It's an absolute must for art lovers -- home to Michelangelo's David and Botticelli's Venus, plus oodles of Renaissance frescoes," says Clemence. "But Florence also has distinctive architecture (the Duomo of the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore and the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio shown here), luxurious hotels and even great street food. And don't forget about the Tuscan wines."
4. Florence, Italy —
"It's an absolute must for art lovers -- home to Michelangelo's David and Botticelli's Venus, plus oodles of Renaissance frescoes," says Clemence. "But Florence also has distinctive architecture (the Duomo of the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore and the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio shown here), luxurious hotels and even great street food. And don't forget about the Tuscan wines."
FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images
A combination of French, Chinese and Vietnamese cultures<a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhc.unesco.org%2Fen%2Flist%2F479" target="_blank" target="_blank"> that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, </a>Luang Prabang, Laos is "a wonderfully serene town, at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. You can wander around the city, gaze at the gold-plated temples, shop for hand-woven silk, and eat incredible Laotian food—for relatively little money." The Hmong night market includes a view of Haw Pha Bang temple.
5. Luang Prabang, Laos —
A combination of French, Chinese and Vietnamese cultures that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Luang Prabang, Laos is "a wonderfully serene town, at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. You can wander around the city, gaze at the gold-plated temples, shop for hand-woven silk, and eat incredible Laotian food—for relatively little money." The Hmong night market includes a view of Haw Pha Bang temple.
Leisa Tyler/LightRocket/Getty Images
"You might think of geishas when you consider Kyoto—and while you can get a taste of geisha culture, there's much more to the city," says Clemence. "There are more than 1,000 Buddhist temples here (including Toji Temple shown here), plus gorgeous gardens, artisanal shops and refined seasonal food."
6. Kyoto, Japan —
"You might think of geishas when you consider Kyoto—and while you can get a taste of geisha culture, there's much more to the city," says Clemence. "There are more than 1,000 Buddhist temples here (including Toji Temple shown here), plus gorgeous gardens, artisanal shops and refined seasonal food."
UniversalImagesGroup/Getty Images
While revelers pack Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, anytime is a good time to enjoy the region's distinctive jazz and cuisine. "It's impossible not to love New Orleans—the food, the fun, those balconies in the French Quarter," says Clemence. "These days, there's so much going on outside of that neighborhood, in the artsy Warehouse District, the grand Garden District and leafy Audubon Park."
7. New Orleans, Louisiana —
While revelers pack Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, anytime is a good time to enjoy the region's distinctive jazz and cuisine. "It's impossible not to love New Orleans—the food, the fun, those balconies in the French Quarter," says Clemence. "These days, there's so much going on outside of that neighborhood, in the artsy Warehouse District, the grand Garden District and leafy Audubon Park."
Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
"In addition to its surreal Gaudi architecture, amazing seafood and pleasant beaches, Barcelona has a wonderful energy," says Clemence. "It's artsy, vibrant and easygoing. Travelers have to be willing to eat late—restaurants generally don't open for dinner until 8:30."
8. Barcelona, Spain —
"In addition to its surreal Gaudi architecture, amazing seafood and pleasant beaches, Barcelona has a wonderful energy," says Clemence. "It's artsy, vibrant and easygoing. Travelers have to be willing to eat late—restaurants generally don't open for dinner until 8:30."
PAU BARRENA/AFP/Getty Images
Savannah is "an iconic Southern city, with antebellum mansions sheltered by moss-draped live oaks," says Clemence. "First-time visitors must check out a walking tour. But Savannah doesn't just live in the past; it has up-to-date cultural institutions like the SCAD Museum of Art, industrial-cool restaurants and minimalist boutiques."
9. Savannah, Georgia —
Savannah is "an iconic Southern city, with antebellum mansions sheltered by moss-draped live oaks," says Clemence. "First-time visitors must check out a walking tour. But Savannah doesn't just live in the past; it has up-to-date cultural institutions like the SCAD Museum of Art, industrial-cool restaurants and minimalist boutiques."
Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket/LightRocket via Getty Images
"It's a fascinating and cosmopolitan town, but Cape Town's natural beauty is truly extraordinary," says Clemence. "There's iconic Table Mountain (a cable car takes visitors to the top of the mountain), the vineyards of the Cape Winelands and beaches where enormous boulders form little coves you can have all to yourself."
10. Cape Town, South Africa —
"It's a fascinating and cosmopolitan town, but Cape Town's natural beauty is truly extraordinary," says Clemence. "There's iconic Table Mountain (a cable car takes visitors to the top of the mountain), the vineyards of the Cape Winelands and beaches where enormous boulders form little coves you can have all to yourself."
Thierry Falise/LightRocket/Getty Images