From glistening snow-dusted trees lining the Charles River on either side to ice skaters zipping around Frog Pond surrounded by twinkling rainbow lights, it’s no surprise that Boston earned the title of the “world’s most beautiful winter city.”
The 617 outranked global favorites such as Stockholm, Vienna, Aspen, and New York City. Let this serve as a reminder that while our winters are long, cold, and windy beyond belief, they are equally magnificent and worth traveling for.
The study, commissioned by the UK-based hotel chain Premier Inn, used eye-tracking technology to analyze how “eye-catching” 72 cities around the world are when the winter months arrive. The global analysis revealed Boston as both the most beautiful winter city in America, and the world. Holding the attention of study participants for an average of 2.67 seconds, Boston captured the attention and hearts of participants more than any other winter city.
Boston’s a city known for its cold temperatures and snowstorms, Boston is a city that may well look like a winter wonderland if you visit between December and February. The city’s charming neighborhoods, such as Beacon Hill, only look more picturesque when cloaked in snow, while the beautiful Boston Common becomes a hub for winter activities, such as ice skating, sledding, and snowshoeing,” notes Premier Inn.
Boston ranked number one worldwide, making it the top winter city in America and globally. Here are the top 10 winter cities in the world according to the study of 72 cities:
- Boston, MA
- York, UK
- Dublin, Ireland
- Cologne, Germany
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Cappadocia, Turkey
- Tokyo, Japan
- New York, NY
- Vienna, Austria
- Milan, Italy
America’s top winter cities include:
- Boston, MA
- New York, NY
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Washington D.C.
- Aspen, CO
Methodology to determine the world’s top winter cities
Premier Inn conducted the study using eye-tracking technology. This software analyzes the average attention span captured from an image of 72 different cities in wintertime. Of all 72 winter cities presented, Boston stole gazes (and hearts) the longest.