Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1335208
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 31 JANUARY 2021 6 TRAVEL Birgu houses crowned most beautiful in DUE to travel restrictions across the globe, people's hunger to travel has been fuelled even more. Interestingly, searches relating to buying a proper- ty abroad have soared by 200% since October! Housing experts at Homed- it.com surveyed 4,839 people, providing them with images of traditional houses from 20 dif- ferent cities worldwide, to un- cover which city has the most beautiful residential homes! Which city has the most beauti- ful residential buildings? Birgu was crowned the city with the most beautiful houses. With its origin dating back to Medieval times and considered the oldest of The Three Cities, according to 79% of people, houses in this area are the most irresistible. Home to the second most beautiful houses in the world is Bibury, England, receiving 76% of votes. Known for its honey-coloured 17th-centu- ry stone cottages, this typical Cotswolds village is certainly pleasing to the eye. In third place is Tuscany, Ita- ly! Its charming and traditional countryside homes led 74% to vote Tuscan houses among the most beautiful in the world. Following in fourth are hous- es in Ghent, Belgium. In a city filled with 15th-century ar- chitectural monuments, 70% of respondents voted Ghent houses as the most aesthetic. Located on the Swedish Is- land of Gotland, Visby places as the city with the fifth most beautiful homes – receiving 65% of the votes. Its traditional and cubic houses lead Mykonos, Greece to place in sixth (63%)! The Cycladic architecture allows homes to benefit from natural light and reduces sun absorp- tion, whilst also maintaining their beautiful exteriors. England ranks in the top 10 again, as London places sev- enth with 58% of respondents loving the residential buildings. In eighth, ninth and 10th po- sitions are houses in San Fran- cisco, USA (58%), Cartagena, Colombia (57%) and Colmar, France (54%). These are the destination com- pleting the list of top 20 cities with the most beautiful houses: 11. Grund, Luxembourg - 52% 12. Paris, France – 49% 13. Lisbon, Portugal – 47% 14. Boston, USA – 47% 15. Edinburgh, Scotland – 44% 16. Tyrol, Austria – 40% 17. Barcelona, Spain – 38% 18. Quebec City, Canada – 36% 19. Amsterdam, the Nether- lands – 34% 20. Recife, Brazil – 33% Homedit.com solicited the advice of OnBuy's Home De- partment, who provided their top tips to improve the exterior of your home and bring an in- ternational feel. Ranking first is Birgu Malta (above), second is the beautiful houses of Birbury, England (first left), third is Tuscany Italy (second left)