Vietnam’s ancient town of Hoi An has been named the most beautiful historic centre in Asia by French online travel platform Tourlane, placing it alongside globally acclaimed destinations such as Krakow in Poland, Avignon in France, and Cartagena in Colombia.

Hoi An ancient town has been named the most beautiful historic centre in Asia.

In its early September announcement, Tourlane evaluated old quarters across four criteria of pedestrian space, age, entrance fees, and popularity on Instagram.

Hoi An tops the list for Asia due to its well-preserved 16th-century architecture, affordable entrance fees of 2 EUR (2.36 USD), and a pedestrian-friendly layout.

Tourlane described Hoi An as one of the best-preserved ancient towns in Southeast Asia, distinguished by its vibrant streets illuminated by thousands of colourful lanterns.

Rounding out the top five are Bhaktapur (Nepal), Kyoto (Japan), Luang Prabang (Laos), and Galle (Sri Lanka).

In Europe, Krakow leads the rankings with its UNESCO-listed historic centre dating back to the seventh century, followed by Naples (Italy), Regensburg (Germany), Riga (Latvia), and San Marino.

France’s Avignon, known as the city of the Popes, ranks sixth thanks to its Gothic architecture from the 14th to 16th centuries and tranquil sites such as the Urbain V gardens and the Carmelite Monastery.

The North Africa and Middle East region showcases Tunisia's Sousse at the forefront, praised for its pristine white Medina stretching toward the Mediterranean Sea.

Morocco's imperial cities of Fes and Marrakech followed, alongside Qatar's modern capital Doha and Egypt's historic Cairo. This region notably boasts the world’s most ancient historic centres.

In the Americas, Saint Augustine in the US’ Florida state earns the recognition as the standout ancient quarter, bearing Spanish colonial influences dating back to 1565.

Meanwhile, in Latin America, Cartagena of Colombia claims the top spot with its 16th-century fortifications and colourful old quarter, followed by Oaxaca (Mexico), Salvador de Bahia (Brazil), and Panama and Buenos Aires (Argentina).

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