25. BerlinExcellent infrastructure and attractions and a remarkable safety record put Berlin into the top 25, but the city gets poor marks for climate, and, perhaps surprisingly, lacks much international buzz. All photographs except Chicago: Alamy

24. MilanA relatively strong economy (one of the few places in Italy to boast this), world-class shopping and fashion and a large number of attractions are Milan's strengths: a poor safety record and climate and disappointing lack of current buzz its weaknesses

23 MelbourneThe capital of Victoria might be a little low-key, but it is thriving economically, particularly for tech startups, and has an enviably low crime rate that has burnished its reputation as a great city in which to live and work

22 AtlantaMARTA, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, is the hub of a thriving transportation system that gives Atlanta's brand a boost, and it has become the world capital of hip-hop. But it remains dangerous in places, and there just isn't enough for visitors to see to make the capital of Georgia competitive with the top tier of US cities

21 MeccaThe birthplace of Muhammad and main site of the Hajj pilgrimage is more popular than ever (Vegas of the east, anyone?) – though its average temperature of 31 degrees is a bit too hot to see Mecca crack the top 20

20 Sao PauloIt's hell to get aroundand can be very dangerous, but Brazil's largest city is full of attractions, is on everyone's lips and has a rising GDP that is the envy of many other cities

19 MumbaiThink of Indian economic success and Mumbai leaps to mind, though the climate and so-so infrastructure don't do much for its brand

18 Buenos AiresArgentina's capital is a must-see city in Latin America and one of the world's top destinations. Fix its safety record and it could soar

17 Mexico CitySimilar to Buenos Aires, Mexico City is booming, with great transport and tons of buzz – but the drug war remains a blot on the brand value of the whole country

16 SydneyAmazing transport, shopping, economic opportunity and climate. So why aren't more people talking about Sydney?

15 BangkokDespite a sultry climate that means life can be a series of mad dashes between air-conditioning, Thailand's biggest city appears to be outgrowing its reputation as a backpackers' haven. In 2013 it was the world's top destination for overnight visitors

14 SingaporeAsia's biggest citystate has great climate and infrastructure, a famously low crime rate, wonderful transport and shopping and a booming financial services industry. It's also a major stopover point, and has done a great job converting that into tourism. Now if only it could shake its reputation for being boring

13 ChicagoFull of attractions and history and everything that makes American cities great, the only problem with the Windy City might be just that – the wind and weather. (Though Chicago's patchy safety record isn't helping, either). Photograph: Carolyn Kaster/AP

12 MadridSpain's jewel has great shopping and attractions, and is emerging as one of the top cities in Europe, though it has yet to quite match the brand gloss of a certain French capital

11 IstanbulA top destination in the world for visitors, Istanbul really is where east meets west. Full of history and culture, by 2016 Turkey's jewel will surpass Singapore, New York and Paris in terms of international visitor arrivals, according to Forbes

10 DubaiSimilar to Istanbul, Dubai will outrank Singapore and New York in 2016 and Paris in 2017 in the number of international visitors. With plenty of luxury shopping (second only to NYC), Dubai is doing a pretty good job attracting visitors, and its faintly ridiculous building boom has translated into a ton of buzz. There still isn't much to actually do there, but a place in the top 10 shows Dubai's brand has real strength

9 Las VegasSafety and a struggling economy are big problems in Vegas, baby – but the Strip retains its freakish ability to drown out the city's problems in its alluring light. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas … and the brand thrives as a result

8 San FranciscoThe City by the Bay has it all – shopping, jobs, great transport (there's a particularly nice bridge, we hear) and buzz. If only it didn't rain quite so much, San Francisco might be able to take on the really big guns

7 Rio de JaneiroWith the World Cup and the Olympics back to back, the city is humming: massive new investments in infrastructure, tons to see and do, and everyone's talking about it. It still can't shake its reputation for crime, but for now you can't do much better than Rio

6 BarcelonaEverybody loves Barcelona: in technical terms, the brand is a bit like Rio without the crime, though of course without that city's upcoming high-profile world events

5 SeoulA surprise: South Korea's capital comfortably beats Tokyo (which finished a lowly 28th). Seoul has a reputation for being much friendlier and easy to negotiate, has amazing infrastructure and is one of the safest cities in the world. As a gateway to the far east, is this the moment Korea gets the better of Japan?

4 ParisThe weather may not be great, and it can be a little seedy, as anyone who has enjoyed a late arrival at Gare du Nord will know. But Paris is the premiere mainland European city. And the whole world knows it

3 LondonTerrible weather, apparently. But London gets absolutely top marks for pretty much everything else, from transport to attractions to shopping to tourism – though the 2011 riots may have hurt it slightly on the crime-perception front

2 New York CityVery similar in brand profile to London, New York's transit system doesn't have quite the same reputation for brilliance as the tube, but the weather's better, and perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that the New York brand slightly edges London when considered on a global scale

1 Los AngelesFor cultural variety and sheer glitter, however, LA outshines them all. It has stunning weather that New York and London just can't compete with, the amazing beaches to show it off, world-class art, movie history, an endless parade of famous attractions, an improving crime rate and a certain well-known sign in the hills. After years of languishing, the City of Angels has top spot in the brand firmament