The best place to drink tea in the world depends on what you want from the cup: afternoon tea at The Ritz in London from £95, green tea in Uji, Japan, or mint tea poured three times in the Sahara. We rebuilt this list for 2026 with seven places where the setting is part of the flavour.
| Place | Tea | What makes it special |
|---|---|---|
| London, England | Afternoon tea at The Ritz | From £95 per adult |
| Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina | Mate | Shared gourd and metal straw |
| Darjeeling, India | Darjeeling black tea | Protected name since 2004 |
| Yueyang, China | Junshan Yinzhen yellow tea | One of China’s rarest teas |
| Sahara and the Maghreb | Mint tea | At least three glasses for a guest |
| Uji, Japan | Green tea | A tea centre since the Middle Ages |
| Inca Trail, Peru | Andean herbal tea | Capped trail numbers |
Taking time over a cup of tea is a cheap luxury, and these are the places that turn it into an event. Our first version of this list ran with a Trans-Siberian train entry; we removed it because the route is not a practical trip for most readers, and replaced it with Darjeeling.
London, England
Britain’s tea culture peaks at The Ritz. Afternoon tea there starts at £95 for an adult and £73 for a child, and a glass of Champagne is an extra £25 or so. The Palm Court is being refurbished, so the tea is currently served in the state rooms of William Kent House, which is worth knowing before you book. Go for the traditional English tea, with the sandwiches, scones and cakes.
Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina
South Americans mostly do not call it tea. It is mate, called chimarrão in southern Brazil, made from the leaves of yerba mate. It is served with a metal straw called a bombilla from a shared hollow calabash gourd. The Guaraní people were the first to cultivate and drink it, and Guaraní legend says that goddesses of the Moon and the Cloud gave the people the “plant of friendship” after they were saved from a jaguar. Passing the gourd around is the point: drink it with someone.
Darjeeling, India
Darjeeling tea comes from the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts of West Bengal, and since 2004 the name has been a registered geographical indication. Tea plants were first put in the ground there in the mid-1800s, and leaves are picked from March to November in four flushes. The light, floral first flush comes in spring. A tea estate stay is the way to drink it.
Yueyang, China
Junshan Yinzhen is a yellow tea from Junshan Island in Dongting Lake, Hunan Province, near Yueyang. It is considered China’s rarest tea and one of the Ten Chinese Famous Teas. It resembles a white tea called Bai Hao Yinzhen, so check what you are buying. Its aroma is rich and clean.
Sahara and the Maghreb
From China we move to the Sahara, where tea means mint tea, central to social life in the Maghreb and popular among the Tuareg people. Serving is a ceremony: the head of the family prepares it, and at least three glasses are poured for a guest. Morocco, Algeria and Mauritania all treat it as an act of hospitality. Accept every glass.
Uji, Japan
Uji, just outside Kyoto, is the home of green tea. Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu promoted cultivation here in the 14th century, and the Tsuen tea shop has been serving tea since 1160, which makes it the oldest tea shop in Japan, and possibly in the world. Uji tea sits at the premium end of Japanese green tea. Pair it with a visit to Byodo-in, the temple that appears on the 10-yen coin.
Inca Trail, Peru
For the last stop we make you work for it. The Inca Trail has been capped at 500 people a day, most of whom are guides and porters, so advance booking is mandatory. At altitude, a cup of Andean herbal tea from your guide is as welcome as it gets, and the view over the ridge makes it taste better.
FAQ
Where is the best place to drink tea in the world?
For tradition and ceremony, Uji in Japan and the Ritz in London top our list. For atmosphere, mint tea in the Sahara and mate in South America are hard to beat.
How much is afternoon tea at The Ritz London in 2026?
Afternoon tea starts at £95 per adult and £73 per child, with Champagne extra. It is served in William Kent House while the Palm Court is refurbished.
What is mate and how is it served?
Mate is an infusion of yerba mate leaves, served in a hollow gourd with a metal straw called a bombilla and often passed around a group.
Why does Darjeeling tea have a protected name?
Since 2004, Darjeeling has been a registered geographical indication, meaning only tea from certain estates in Darjeeling and Kalimpong can use the name.
What is Junshan Yinzhen?
A rare yellow tea from Junshan Island in Dongting Lake, Hunan, and one of the Ten Chinese Famous Teas.
Last updated: October 2026.
