With the sun shining and our cities in bloom, it’s once again time to take stock of urban initiatives the world over as we reveal this year’s liveability index and meet the municipal patrons helping to give their towns a boost. Find out where your city ranks.

Tyler Brûlé ponders the absence of North American cities in this year’s Quality of Life Survey.

For renowned Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf, the most effective urban greening projects grow out of long-term thinking.

Clean and Art is helping to keep Tokyo’s streets free from graffiti. Monocle joins the team restoring order to the urban landscape.

The dramatic open-plan offices of this scientific-research group make for staff with unrivalled chemistry.

The stories you should be paying attention to – and the ones you might have missed.James Chambers on the Chinese city’s spotless façade and the welcome grime just beneath its surface.

This year’s survey of the best places to enjoy all that life offers finds a world grappling with new urban challenges.

Chadchart Sittipunt, Bangkok’s visionary governor, is using his position to root out corruption and clean up the Thai capital.

From rising rents to loneliness, five writers discuss Ed Stocker /the challenges facing modern urban areas – and explore the innovative solutions that are required.

The idea of changing a city for the better might be a daunting one but individuals with the requisite vision and initiative can make a meaningful difference. Here we celebrate six urbanists, activists, farmers and architects who are doing just that.

When it comes to improving urban life, a little imagination goes a long way. And there’s plenty of it in Monocle’s fantasy city.

In cities across the world, certain shops, restaurants, bars, hotels and other fixtures of city life are more than just commercial enterprises; they are integral to the dynamic of their neighbourhoods, adding cohesion, quality and vibrancy to their communities. Here are 15 such establishments that take pride in the places they are based and have become an asset to the area.

With Paris enjoying a musical renaissance, we meet the key players making themselves heard in an industry with a global reputation for catchy, sun-kissed pop.

We pick out 60 of our favourite summer tracks, from the most exciting French pop to songs that will keep you shimmying on the dance floor until the autumn.

The Mexican capital’s irrepressible dance scene is being further fired by a new wave of diverse openings.

The Spanish city’s first residential high-rise signalled that Valencia was on the up. Six decades later, it remains a status symbol.

In rural Alabama, a university architecture programme is rebuilding the civic infrastructure of long-neglected towns, one project at a time.

Jirawat Benchakarn’s JBB has built a loyal following by adapting elegant clothes for Thailand’s balmy climate.

From traditional wicker baskets and classic leather sandals to woven artworks gracing Chinese hotels, the artisans of the Mediterreanean are full of talent – and surprises.

From a forward-looking emirate to coastal enclaves in Mexico and Morocco, these cities are emerging from the pandemic having made bold improvements and attracted new residents.

Once overshadowed by the glamour of the Côte d’Azur and romance of rural Provence, Marseille’s burgeoning food and drink scene is making it one of France’s tastiest seaside destinations.

Minagarten, a green retail and residential development, offers locals and visitors everything from delicious pastries to calligraphy workshops.

Salento, the tip of the sun-drenched peninsula making up the heel of Italy’s ‘boot’, is home to stunning beaches, architectural delights and family-run firms. And, as we discover on a three-day road trip, this charming outpost is also a very difficult place to leave behind.

Whether it’s grooming gear to keep you preened on a summer jaunt, earphones for the journey there or simply a speaker that you would be happy to take to a picnic, this fresh selection of gadgets will enhance your music, track your luggage and help you to recharge.