City Scorecard

Each city is scored on six factors, 1 to 10, half points allowed. The scores sit against written anchors that are the same for every city, at 2, 5, 8 and 10: a 5 is fair for what it is, an 8 is clearly good, and a 10 is as good as it gets anywhere. The overall is the plain average of the six.

• Value. A 2 means prices well above comparable places, with little at the budget end. A 10 means exceptional value at every budget, with no catch that eats the savings.
• Getting around. A 2 means you need a car, a driver or a tour for most of what matters. A 10 means effortless without a car, cheap, and easy to understand on day one.
• Crowds and timing. A 2 means in season the crowds or the weather define the trip, and off season much is closed. A 10 means never crowded in a way that changes the experience, and good in any month.
• Safety and hassle. A 2 means real safety risks for visitors, or constant scams and touts. A 10 means as safe and hassle-free as travel gets.
• Food and drink. A 2 means ordinary food is poor or costly, and eating well means booking expensive places. A 10 means among the best everyday eating anywhere, at any budget.
• Indie fit. A 2 means built around packaged tours and resorts. A 10 means the place opens up to anyone who shows up curious and slows down.

Indie fit is our idea of independent travel: interactions over transactions, discovery over escape. Each city's guide has the verdict behind every score and the sources it rests on, so open the guide before you lean on a number.

You're welcome to reuse these scores. Credit BootsnAll and link to the city's guide or to this page. Download the CSV (244 cities).