Most beautiful cities to visit at night, according to Instagram
Premier Inn has researched over 250 cities in the world to reveal the places that are being photographed the most at night – at least according to Instagram.
The number of hashtags for #citybynight were counted and compared for cities in the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, Africa, South America and Asia.
Instagrammers are wrapping up warm, and getting their night-time flash ready to capture the UK’s cities by night. The nation’s most popular city to explore by night is London, followed by the beautiful city of Edinburgh.
The largest city in Scotland, Glasgow, ranks in fourth place, proving that Scotland is popular amongst Instagrammers who love to explore after dark, with #Glasgowbynight posts showcasing the Glasgow Cathedral and River Clyde in all their night-time glory.
Coastal cities Bristol and Brighton also make the top ten, each with over 1,000 hashtags, representing those who love an evening waterside stroll.
UK’s top 10 most popular night-time cities
|
Top UK cities and towns |
Instagram hashtags |
|
London |
231,000 |
|
Edinburgh |
4,300 |
|
Manchester |
2,000 |
|
Glasgow |
1,900 |
|
Liverpool |
1,400 |
|
Bristol |
1,400 |
|
Brighton |
1,100 |
|
Newcastle Upon Tyne |
1,000 |
|
Belfast |
875 |
|
York |
562 |
- Over 231,000 mentions for night-time in London: London is bursting with life in the day, but the city comes even more alive in the evening. Key landmarks such as the London Eye, Big Ben and the festive lights of Oxford Street feature heavily in the night-time Instagram posts of London, with many things to do and see in the capital once the sun has gone in.
- Over 4,300 mentions for night-time in Edinburgh: Photos shared of Edinburgh in the night-time include everything from solemn gravestones in a wet Greyfriars Kirkyard (usually shared by Harry Potter fans who are excited at seeing the original names that gave inspiration to popular characters) through to the beautifully lit castle looming over the city.
- Over 2,000 mentions for night-time in Manchester: There are plenty of stunning city shots to capture in Manchester in the evening, from the calming waters of Salford Quays, lit up by the surrounding Media City, to the hustle and bustle of the city centre.
- Over 1,900 mentions for night-time in Glasgow: Locals, students and visitors to Glasgow share their breathtaking nighttime moments witnessed in the city on Instagram, from the magnificent University building, to the River Clyde sparkling in the night-time light.
- Over 1,400 mentions for night-time in Liverpool: There are many things to explore in the popular city of Liverpool, with night-time pictures ranging from evening shots of the iconic The Beatles statue, to gleaming photographs of the Albert Docks.
A spokesperson from Premier Inn commented:
“Whether you’re travelling on a city break in the UK or further afield; you’re likely to see a different side of the city you’re visiting once the sun goes down. Landmarks are lit up, city skylines come alive, and you get to experience your destination of choice in a whole new way.
Instagram is the perfect place for holiday inspiration and whilst it’s nice to dream about long haul adventures, there is still plenty to enjoy and discover in the UK’s cities at this time of year, from the bright lights of cities such as London and Manchester, to evening views of the seaside in coastal cities such as Bristol and Brighton.”
When looking at the most popular night-time cities across the globe, it’s the city of love that emerges as favourite amongst users of the social media platform, with over 1,000,000 hashtags for pictures of Paris by night. Following Paris is London, followed by Athens, Rome and Warsaw.
Top 20 most popular night-time cities around the world
|
Top global cities |
Country/region |
No. of hashtags |
|
Paris |
France |
1,000,000 |
|
London |
United Kingdom |
231,000 |
|
Athens |
Greece |
182,000 |
|
Rome |
Italy |
174,000 |
|
Warsaw |
Poland |
160,000 |
|
Budapest |
Hungary |
98,600 |
|
Dubai |
United Arab Emirates |
71,500 |
|
Lyon |
France |
66,500 |
|
Toulouse |
France |
63,700 |
|
Berlin |
Germany |
63,200 |
|
Bordeaux |
France |
52,400 |
|
Amsterdam |
Netherlands |
51,500 |
|
New York City |
USA |
50,000 |
|
Florence |
Italy |
46,200 |
|
Marseille |
France |
44,700 |
|
Bologna |
Italy |
43,000 |
|
Tokyo |
Japan |
42,700 |
|
Turin |
Italy |
40,800 |
|
Lisbon |
Portugal |
35,800 |
|
Milan |
Italy |
35,500 |
A full breakdown of the most Instagrammed night-time cities can be found at: https://www.premierinn.com/gb/
