The Most Instagrammed Capitals in the World
It’s no secret that social media is a serious influencer and a recent study from Google found the travel industry is no exception, with 83 percent of online holiday-makers heading to social sites for travel inspiration. But which capital cities have got us reaching for our smart phones? The results may surprise you.
Rule Britannia
Okay so some of the results may not surprise you.
Topping the charts, unsurprisingly, is London with an impressive 31.3m Instagram posts. From Wembley to Wimbledon, the English capital is a cultural melting pot and a historical hotspot. And with popular landmarks like the London Bridge, Buckingham Palace and the London Eye, it’s no wonder London’s tourists are taking to Instagram.
Paris, je t’aime
Paris was always going to score high on Instagram pictures, revered as a city of art, sophistication and romance. And romance is central to a lot of these Insta-pics. From the iconic kiss in front of the Eiffel tour to the lipstick laden ones covering Oscar Wildes’ tomb in Père Lachaise, Paris has Instagrammers feeling the love.
Alternative Asia
Tourism is booming in Asia, so it’s unsurprising an Asian capital has snagged the number four spot. It might surprise you to learn that, rather than Tokyo, Singapore or Bangkok, it’s Jarkarta, Indonesia that’s topped the most Instagrammed Asian capital. Dense in atmosphere and population, it appears Jarkarta’s 9.6m residents can’t get enough of the app, generating over 9m posts with hashtags like #JakartaFashion and #JarkataShopping.
Thanks to Frozen
Mainly known for its chilly climate, midnight sun (in the summer at least) and pickled herring, Oslo isn’t exactly a tourist trap. Yet thanks to the popularity of Disney’s Frozen, Norway‘s tourist appeal is rising, so look out for Oslo in the top 20 in the future. Other unusual cities to break the top 50 include Amman, Jordan; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Caracas, Venezuela.
Best of the Rest
Naturally the lower down the list, the more obscure we’re talking and our favourite underdog story here is Astana, Kazakhstan. The country may be best known to many as a homeland of the slightly backward ‘Borat’, but Astana is actually an incredibly futuristic looking city thanks to the city’s designer, Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa. Expect to see more from Astana too, as they’ll be hosting the World Expo in 2017.
Surprisingly low on our list was Australian capital Canberra, placing 67th. There was no bigger gap between any city in the top 200 capitals and the countries most popular city than in Australia, with Sydney pulling in 1,500 percent more posts than the capital.
Want to know who placed where? Check out the full results below.
