This Is the Most Iconic Skyline in Asia, According to a New Study—and No, It’s Not Tokyo or Singapore

Booking a city vacation comes with a lot of perks. It usually includes plenty of cultural activities, world-class dining, and maybe even a theater performance or two. But the best part may just be opening your hotel curtains in the morning and looking out onto a spectacular city skyline. And sure, every skyline is great, but some around the world simply take your breath away. 

To find which city has the most captivating skyline, the team at the gaming website Slingo first created a seed list of skylines, which included capital cities, business hubs, and popular tourist destinations. Then, for each city, it collected the number of Instagram hashtags for each city’s skyline and then calculated how many skyscrapers were over 150 meters tall, 200 meters tall, and 300 meters tall. Finally, it then evaluated which city has the most aesthetically pleasing skyline by analyzing each of their aspect ratios, using the golden ratio (1.618) as the benchmark. 

After doing all that work, it found Mumbai, India, to have the most iconic skyline in Asia. According to the findings, it scored a 7.84 out of a possible 10 thanks to its more than 32,000 Instagram mentions, along with the fact that the city has a high number of skyscrapers that measure over 150 meters tall. Mumbai is also a beloved destination thanks to its eclectic mix of Gothic, Victorian, contemporary, and art deco architecture. It’s also home to world-famous landmarks such as the Taj Mahal Palace, India’s first luxury hotel built in 1903; the Dhanraj Mahal; the High Court of Bombay; and the Gateway of India. 

However, three global cities ranked even higher than Mumbai when it comes to skyline beauty. Chicago ranked third, thanks to famed buildings like the Willis Tower and John Hancock Center and its 375,000 Instagram posts. Dubai took the second-place spot, a city that the team noted is “renowned for its futuristic designs and record-breaking structures.” 

We bet you can guess which global city came in at No. 1. 

“New York City takes the crown with the world’s most iconic skyline, scoring an impressive 9.68 out of 10,” Slingo said in a press release obtained by Travel + Leisure. “With 318 buildings towering over 150 meters, the city’s skyline is a breathtaking sight that attracts travelers from around the globe.”

The team also noted that Big Apple’s skyline includes legendary landmarks like the Empire State Building and the One World Trade Center, all of which have helped the city earn a “remarkable 661,000 Instagram posts. No wonder NYC is a timeless favorite among skyline lovers.”