Climate change is having devastating effects worldwide, especially in cities steeped in history and culture. While every effort is made to preserve these historic cities for future generations, there’s always a chance they could be lost forever as extreme weather events become more common.
But which cities should you visit before they become uninhabitable?
The team at Prime Casino has put together a list of iconic cities that are under threat from climate change. They then delved into the data, examining each city’s age and the proportion of museums, art galleries, sacred and religious sites, architectural buildings, and landmarks in each location.
The Best Cities To See Before They Disappear
1. Venice Disappearing City Score: 9.54/10
Founded in 421 AD, Venice plays host to many iconic sights, including the Grand Canal and the Piazza San Marco. With a score of 9.54 out of 10, it tops the list of must-see cities under threat from climate change. The City of Bridges ranks highly across the board, taking the top spot for four factors we looked at. It scores particularly highly for its proportion of historic sites, with 75 per 100,000 people, more than nine times that of San Francisco and Amsterdam.
Experts predict the city only has 125 years left before rising sea levels make it uninhabitable[1].
2. Muscat Disappearing City Score: 8.85/10
Next is Oman’s capital, Muscat. With 104 museums and galleries per 100,000 people, the city tops the list for its cultural highlights. Muscat also ranks third for sacred and religious sites (21 per 100,000 people), including the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, home to the world’s largest Persian carpet. The city also ranks well for its historic sites (17 per 100,000), giving it an overall score of 8.85 out of 10.
By 2050, water shortages caused by climate change could make the city uninhabitable[2], displacing more than 24,000 people.
3. Rome Disappearing City Score: 8.68/10
A second Italian city, Rome, rounds out the top three, scoring 8.68 out of 10. Home to the Pantheon, an ancient Roman temple, the city ranks in the top five for its proportion of sacred and religious sites (18 per 100,000). Rome also ranks in the top five for historic sites (12 per 100,000), which includes the world-famous Colosseum architectural buildings (9 per 100,000).
However, climate change could threaten the City of Seven Hills. Some experts estimate Rome has 25 years left before it becomes uninhabitable due to increasing heatwaves[3].
Rome Is The Oldest City Under Threat From Climate Change
Rome is the oldest city on the list under threat from climate change. Founded in 753 BCE, the Italian capital is 2,778 years old and is home to treasures ranging from ancient temples to some of the best examples of Renaissance architecture. However, climate change could threaten the City of Seven Hills.
The Cities With The Most…
Museums and Galleries - Muscat (104 per 100,000 people)
Oman’s capital has the most museums and art galleries on our list, at 104 per 100,000 people. The city is home to institutions such as Oman’s National Museum, which chronicles the nation's cultural heritage.
Sacred and Religious Sites - Venice (46 per 100,000 people)
Visiting sacred and religious sites is the perfect way to soak up a city's culture and traditions, and Venice has visitors spoiled for choice. The city has 46 sacred and religious sites per 100,000 people, nearly twice that of Tokyo, which takes second place.
Historic Sites - Venice (75 per 100,000 people)
Venice is also packed with historic sites, making exploring the city perfect for history lovers. From the Rialto Bridge, the oldest bridge spanning the city’s Grand Canal, to the Doge’s Palace. Once home to the city’s rulers, the palace is now an art gallery and museum. Venice tops the list with 75 per 100,000 people.
Architectural Buildings - Venice (75 per 100,000 people)
Venice is a paradise if you’re a fan of Gothic architecture, being home to St. Mark’s Basilica, a cathedral with 85,000 square feet of mosaics. To protect the city’s unique architecture from climate change, officials installed flood barriers that sit below the water level and can be raised during high tides.
Points of Interest and Landmarks - Venice (78 per 100,000 people)
To truly experience a city’s identity, it’s best to start with the iconic landmarks that make up its streets and skylines. Venice has the highest proportion of landmarks on the list, with 78 per 100,000 people.
Thanks to Venice’s rich history of art, experts have been able to measure rising sea levels in the lagoon using 18th-century landscape paintings of the city. Experts believe this can help understand the risk of flooding in Venice.
Methodology
Beginning with a list of cities at risk of disappearing taken from list articles from sources such as Timeout and Metro, we analysed each on the following factors. We then gave each city a normalised score out of ten for each factor before taking an average across each score to reach our final overall score out of ten.
Age
The current age of each city was calculated by finding the difference between 2025 and the year the city was founded according to each city’s Wikipedia page.
Museums and Galleries
The total number of museums and art galleries in each city, according to Tripadvisor, per 100,000 of the population.
Sacred and Religious Sites
The total number of sacred or religious sites in each city, according to Tripadvisor, per 100,000 of the population.
Historic Sites
The total number of historic sites in each city, according to Tripadvisor, per 100,000 of the population.
Architectural Buildings
The total number of architectural buildings in each city, according to Tripadvisor, per 100,000 of the population.
Points of Interest and Landmarks
The total number of points of interest and landmarks in each city, according to Tripadvisor, per 100,000 of the population.
Population figures for each city were taken fromCity Population.
All data is accurate as of 11/03/2025.
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