Paris may be the official city of lights, but according to a new survey, Chicago gives the French capital a serious run for its money!
Travel agency and blog Travel Bag just released a roundup of the world’s top 10 prettiest cities at night for 2026—and the Windy City made the cut.
Here’s a look at the ranking.
Chicago among world’s most scenic nighttime cityscapes
Travel Bag’s prettiest nighttime cities roundup factored in several data points to find out which cities look the best after dark.
The survey weighed Instagram hashtag volume, light pollution levels, and number of skyscrapers exceeding 150m tall.
Chicago ranked in at number 8 overall, logging the following metrics:
- Instagram hashtag volume: 22,064
- Light pollution score: 59.0
- Skyscrapers (150m+): 137
The Windy City outranked Seoul, South Korea, and Vancouver (BC), Canada for nighttime beauty.
Click here to view the full list and see which other global cities made the ranks!