The best sunsets in the world, according to the travel editors

Sunsets are one of life’s simple pleasures. Few things beat kicking back in front of one of the best sunsets in the world and watching the sky radiate with flamboyant tangerine shades as our star bids farewell after another evening. When the cloud cover allows, particularly on a balmy summer’s night, we’ll catch ourselves gazing towards the horizon from the comfort of our home cities, taking a moment of reflection before the stars appear. However, sunset chasers embrace the activity with considerably more gusto. Here, we asked the Condé Nast Traveller team to flick through their files and recall the most unforgettable evening displays they’ve ever experienced. The result? Your ultimate bucket list for the best sunsets in the world.

Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon’s light is famed, and anyone who has visited the city will know why: whether you’re strolling through cobbled streets watching dappled light reflect on buildings or at one of the many rooftop bars with a bird’s-eye view of the terracotta roofs, it’s hard not to be wowed by this natural light show. And while the midday sun can be overpowering, the sunset is absolutely perfect – particularly when wispy clouds turn pink in the sky and the sun burns orange over the river Tejo. My favourite way to witness a Lisbon sunset is in the height of summer, from one of the city’s miradouros (viewpoints) with a glass of vinho verde in hand and good friends around me. Abigail Malbon

Ibiza, Spain

Few sunsets are as ceremonious as Ibiza’s. While golden skies elsewhere signal time for aperitivo and supper, they bring a notable shift in energy on the White Isle. After days on the island’s most dazzling coves or celeb-spotting in chic beach clubs, the sun makes its gradual descent into the sea, separating the early risers from the night owls. Sunsets on my first visit to Europe’s party capital were enjoyed on the terrace of Can Rudayla, watching the light shift over the resort town of Santa Eulària while sipping and nibbling in the breeze. However it’s the show our star put on as I returned from a day of cycling and swimming on Ibiza’s chilled-out neighbour, Formentera, that stays with me. As friends napped and battled seasickness inside, I embraced time, soundtracked by the ferry’s whirring engines, as a salty breeze cooled me down – and I thought of all the things twilight would bring to the island’s neon streets. Connor Sturges

Dubrovnik, Croatia

For me, it’s not only the sky which makes a sunset truly memorable, but the surroundings too. Dubrovnik’s imposing stone fortresses and Mediterranean shores are already a pretty sight by day, but when bathing in the hazy glow of reds and oranges and pinks, the medieval city becomes truly enchanting. I visited Dubrovnik for five nights, but never once tired of peering at these swirling hues, whether wandering along the Old Town’s vast walls, or plunging into cool waters beneath secret hole-in-the-wall bars. But no sunset spot in Dubrovnik rivals the views atop Mount Srd, so take the gentle cable car up and dine at the aptly named Restaurant Panorama for the ultimate vista. Layla Quaedvlieg