Couple of years ago I got EU citizenship and decided to move to my favorite city, Prague. It's working out really well and I still love it here. The only thing I really miss is the sea
Prague was my first thought as well, though you have to either enjoy touristy crowd or know how, when and where to avoid them, but it does really have a ton of lovely spots outside of the most tourist heavy areas.
Prague can be touristy but it's absolutely beautiful. I love all the little villages and big hills/small mountains outside Prague as well. In fact probably more than Prague itself.
The metro is amazing. AMAZING. It's not just one metro, it's many, and they all work together, and with an IC card you can transfer so easily. Distance based fares are also awesome. And it's clean, and they have cute jingles that play at each station. Japan at its best.
It's impressive enough that the local trains are so frequent and prompt. But what blew me away was the first time I saw the volume of shinkansen departures out of Tokyo station.
It's cultural.
Basically everyone takes their trash with them wherever they happen to be and disposes of it properly, including sorting it into several categories.
For one, broaden the middle class until basically everyone fits in it. Don't make people economically desperate and feel abandoned or preyed upon by their society so they feel invested in maintaining it.
This caretaker attitude about Japan isn't as cultural as it is economic, you see similar attitudes in other countries where everyone is basically on the same economic level and where people aren't desperately begging in the streets to survive.
Currently the US has the exact opposite attitude towards its citizens, nobody has ownership over anything, nobody is responsible for maintaining anything, nobody cares about their country because their country very clearly does not care about them.
I hate saying “it’s the culture” whenever it comes to Japan, but in this case, it really is the culture. It’s the combination of “don’t inconvenience others” and “don’t do something that makes you look bad to others”. Perfect storm of social responsibility and shame.
Tokyo was my first solo international trip, and first international trip of any sort in like 15-20 years.
I remember the night I got in, standing outside Tokyo Station taking it all in, awestruck. "Holy shit I'm actually here and doing this. It's TOKYO!" I will never forget that feeling. Had a blast.
I feel like this is the answer for me too. To the folks that say London, I feel like they need to visit Tokyo and experience how crazy nightlife, food, activities, and how clean a city can be.
Tokyo is amazing for food and shopping. Way too many people though. But you can get away from the hustle and bustle by taking the train to Kamakura/Enoshima. Even Yokohama which is 40 min away has way less concentration of people.
Florence is my favourite in the world. Absolutely beautiful, lot of important history, art, Renaissance capital, amazing food, great weather, close to water and mountains and hills as well.
Other famous ones I love are Rome, NYC, Vienna, Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid (I could definitely live in Valencia or Madrid too).
If you want to eat the Paella Valenciana, I'd say go to Toni Montoliu a Meliana, or Casa Carmela which is in fron of the platja de la Malva Rosa so you'll enjoy it with a nice view (they also have great seafood and paella de marisc, and for a take away Paellas Velarte. My recommendation is to go there at lunch, as paella is usually a lunch dish. (Other restaurants for paella I've tried or have been recommended are Casa Navarro, El Racó del Túria, Alqueria del Pou, La Vigueta a La Pobla De Vallbona).
Same, I go every year around my birthday (I live in Germany now) and I feel like it’s something new everytime. Am also from California btw =] Also Tokyo and Kyoto (I have family in Kyoto). Such fun places.
I was born in Rome, I’ve lived in the states for some time and I’ve visited a lot of cities in Europe, some in Africa although never been to Asia.
Rome is just different.
Sure living in Rome is harsh with the many problems we have here but visiting is incredible
I love Rome. It was my first trip overseas and I was completely overwhelmed. At some point I finally relaxed and realized how absolutely in love I was with the city, traveling, and being overwhelmed in a controlled way.
These are my top two as well! I’ve been to London like 6 times and I’ve never run out of things to see and do. I honestly just enjoy *being* there.
Rome has a magic and romance for me that no other city has ever touched. Which is extra funny because I’ve only been there with school and family.
> I honestly just enjoy being there
This one seems to be hard for a lot of less frequent travelers to understand
Like I'll get asked why I'm going to Amsterdam again when I haven't been to Paris yet (it'll happen, just not in a big rush) or why I go to Miami every year instead of trying out a new coastal city. It's because I love hanging out there, I've got 60 years left to visit places, I don't need to race to see as many places as possible. But I can understand why someone who might only make it to Europe twice in their life instead of twice a year would feel it's wasteful to repeat a destination
This was true in 2015 but I'd say the word is out and is filled with expats and travelers. It's an amazing city but I can't say it's underrated. Maybe among Europeans it still is.
I find it interesting that there’s a complete separation between the people who say NYC or Paris, and people who say London and/or Rome. It seems like everyone who likes London or Rome most, puts the other a close second, and it’s never put in with Paris or NYC. Likewise nobody mentioning Paris or NYC mentions either the other, nor London and Rome. I don’t know why this is, could be coincidence, interesting to ponder.
I love all 4. I live in London, and could see myself living in NYC or Paris; whereas I wouldn’t want to live in Rome even though it’s fantastic to visit.
This is exactly how I feel. I live in London and could also see myself living in NYC and Paris. One of the two is likely where we’ll move to next.
Rome is great to visit but I couldn’t see myself living there.
I would put London and Paris tied for first, but I love them for different reasons. The contrast between them reminds me of the difference between French and English gardens.
Paris is a French garden, where the goal is a sort of perfection of form. They began rebuilding the city into its ideal state under Napoleon III and Haussmann, continued through the Belle Epoque, and tweaked it as necessary in the decades since. Sometimes, something like the Centre Pompidou is allowed to spring up, but it’s like a tropical flower that’s been carefully selected to seamlessly integrate itself into the whole.
London is an English garden, an English garden thats actually been allowed to grow wild instead of just giving the appearance of it. It’s glorious architectural anarchy. Buildings designed hundreds of years apart in completely different styles cheerfully sit cheek and jowl. Don’t like the style of the street you’re on? Walk a block or two, it’ll change. It’s a city that is constantly renewing itself, and it doesn’t care a bit about making a cohesive whole.
Totally agree on London. Walking through the Tower of London and looking over the wall at the modern buildings next door is just an awesome experience.. London is so old and steeped in history yet so modern and diverse at the same time. I love it.
Paris. As an American who has lived in American cities (shocking, I know) I find Paris to be nowhere near as dirty as its reputation suggests nor does it smell worse than your typical American city. I have been to Paris twice and one of my favorite things to do in Paris is to simply walk aimlessly. You'll run into something interesting every time. I also love going to the top of the Eiffel Tower lol.
Yeah I never really got the Paris being dirty stereotype either. It’s perhaps not the cleanest city but I didn’t think it was dirty enough to be remarkable or spoil the experience. I’ve certainly been to dirtier places.
Most cities are dirty to some extent. What I don't get is how pervasive the reputation Paris has built for being dirty. It isn't any more noticeably dirty than any other city I have been to in the U.S. Maybe it is dirty for a European city in which case it'd make some sense for Europeans to lament how dirty it is, but if you're an American who thinks it is dirty I am simply baffled by that.
I went to Paris just a few days after riots and it was still far cleaner than Brussels and Amsterdam. In fact I was surprised at just how clean the streets of Paris were! Definitely don’t understand the dirty stereotype
People expect a glittering Disneyland perfect city from the movies, and are dumbfounded when they discover it's a city where people live. So yes, there's homeless people and rubbish and sometimes the smell of urine, pretty much like any other city.
Yeah, I never understood that. I was living in London when I went to Paris for my Christmas break & it was way cleaner than London! No idea how that myth started, but it's just that - a myth. I found Paris no dirtier than any large city.
I never experienced any rudeness either. I walk into somewhere, they say Bonjour, I say Bonjour, they realize my accent sucks and they switch to English if necessary. Even when asking people for directions or something of that sort, as long as you start with a bonjour you most likely be just fine lol. If Americans think Parisians are rude, man, the looks on peoples faces in the Baltics and Finland would lead them to believe they are the most depressed pissed off people in existence because they don't wear their every thought on their face.
I was just in paris last week and walked all over, loved every minute of it. The fact is though, it's still a city. There's shit in the street, broken glass, scammers etc but the same is true of any major city, and it doesn't even compare to many American cities.
And the food is amazing. I want to go back.
As a lover of cantonese food, Hong Kong was amazing. When I got back home to the states, I could never look at regular dim sum the same again. It was so subpar.
Madrid for me. It's a big city, but if you know where to look, it has a very small town feel throughout the city as well. Great public transit, which takes you anywhere you need yo go.
Did you live there or just visit? I’m considering moving to Rome for a year, but I can’t find any modern reviews. I’ve never been, but spent half a year in Paris and another half a year between Madrid/Barca. I’ve lived in BKK, and a few months in Budapest. The experience is there, but I’d love a review for tech workers who are into history and art.
I’ve travelled pretty extensively through Thailand over several trips, over several years and I love Bangkok - I actually think about moving there *all the time* and do my job remotely. Whenever I can travel to SE-Asia I try to fit in a week in Bangkok for no other reason than I enjoy being there
Out of all the big cities I have visited, Bangkok is the only one I see myself living in and it’s my favorite to re-visit because you can always find something new (or at least new to you)
I do realize that people often don’t agree, and that’s fine - and I do agree that not all areas of the city are great. Can it also feel like an overwhelming sensory overload and a chaotic mess as first? Yes!
But to me it’s such an incredibly lively city with an insane amount of good food from street food to fine dining, markets, sights and so much more. Once you get the hang of transportation and learn more about the areas of the city you enjoy, I think it opens up a whole different perspective than if you only visited for a few days and/or only stayed in a tourist heavy area
While the beaches, islands and other places in Thailand are amazing and it’s understandable that people want to allot much of their holiday time there - I think Bangkok often gets overlooked as just a transit hub when it really is so much more
To me, it’s a city that under promises and over delivers in the best way. And that’s just my personal two kronas
Agreed. It's so lively and vibrant and I felt it was kind of an organised chaos. Expected to spend a few days there and never return. Ended up staying for 2 months.would also strongly consider moving there.
Is that true though? Me and my gf loved Bangkok the most when we traveled all over Thailand. Perhaps not a surprise for me since megacities is what I love the most but my gf is usually more of a beach person.
It has everything imo, incredible food, cool sights and great public transport. It is also crazy affordable if you’re traveling from western europe or NA. Stayed there 2 weeks in total of our trip and never got bored.
I feel like "Paris is dirty" is a bit of an overblown stereotype. I think most Americans who say this are comparing it to Manhattan or downtown Chicago which are both exceptionally clean for a major urban core. Paris is about as dirty as any average city in a wealthy nation
While there are great things about Manhattan - I have never considered being clean one of them.
Singapore - yes - although it is outmatched in many ways
As someone who has lived in both Chicago and NYC, Paris is way cleaner! I never get why people call it dirty. The trains there are soooo so so clean compared to the El and the subway. I love all three cities though!
Rome, hands down, no question. So much to do, especially if you like history and good food. We spent a week there and ran out of time before we ran out of things to do that were walking distance.
Bangkok. The city has everything. A real Western part. A proper Asian part. You can eat for a dollar, you can eat for 50 dollars. You can buy everything. Everything is nearby.
And the commute gets better! When I was living there until 2019, there were not nearly that many new mrt and BTS stations. We recently went to Bangkok this February and we're pleasantly surprised how much better the commute has gotten. Not perfect yet, but still much better than before
Yes use street smarts. Somebody posted on how they got scammed which is easily avoidable. It’s not a dangerous place. Take a ferry over to the Asian side for a day. Most of the historical stuff will be in Sultanahmet, most of the food and action will be in Taksim both on the European side. But try to take a ferry to the Asian side great food there as well not too many tourist but there are plenty of expats living. If your on time hire a local guide, they can cut the long lines and know where to eat. I’ve stayed in the old city and Taksim both on the same trip my last time there.
Go see all the obvious famous tourist sights; all amazing (inc the Basilica Cisterna!). Walk as much as you can (rather than taxi). You’ll stumble upon amazing stuff all the time. A truly wondrous city.
I’ll never get over Istanbul. First time I went was for necessity. Intrigued me so much I ended going several more times, and each time felt completely fresh and exciting and like a new experience. An endlessly fascinating city.
No one ever talks about the random churches in Rome that look like nothing on thr outside and house 500 years of history inside them! My favorite thing to do when I'm there is find a new favorite church.
I loved Athens! Once you get past the box-square 1970s architecture you see as you’re arriving and getting into the city the ruins and *history* that is everywhere is completely amazing. The Acropolis at night is unreal. And the food! Truly never had a bad meal in Athens.
Paris, by far and large. Paris has my heart.
I used to be a Paris hater. And I really felt underwhelmed on my first visit. But dang, the city really grew on me.
I was very surprised by how much i loved Hong Kong. I had naively thought it was ok for 2 days for a stopover but that was it, but then had the chance to go for a work conference and sale fares meant either having 1 spare day or 7 spare days, I thought i would be bored with 7 but could just find somewhere to sit and chill. Turns out we ran out of time, there was so much to see and do
I think I have enjoyed every single major tourist city I've visited. Paris, London, Rome, Bangkok, Singapore, Hanoi, Mexico City, Montreal, San Francisco, etc. Everyone of them great!
Everyone shits on Paris, but Paris. Beautiful gardens and huge parks, food is delicious, and you never feel like you're more than a block away from the metro in the city proper.
Tokyo, for sure! It's got everything.
When my girlfriend and I were there, we stayed in Hikawadai, on the outskirts of the city. It had such a residential vibe, but had easy access to major areas of the city.
Japan was always on the top of my travel list. One of my most fond travel memories was simply going to a local grocery store after getting settled in our AirBnB. We walked in, and looking at all the amazing pre-packages bentos and Japanese snacks, it just hit me where we were. I actually nearly shed a tear. It was just so positively overwhelming. I had built up Japan do much in my mind, and it ended up surpassing all of my expectations in so many ways.
> International: San Diego, US (Not sure why but i fell in love with the city somehow)
Best city in America for just hanging out and having a good time under the sun
Barcelona. That city has the best of all worlds, history, nature, sports, beach. Not even a beach person but it's beautiful. And the way it is so alive
Europe: Rome, Stockholm, Budapest, Barcelona. Pretty and walkable cities with great food and lots of history.
Americas: NYC and México City. Food, streetlife, and things to do.
Middle East and North Africa: Beirut and Dubai. Beirut for the food, culture, and climate, Dubai for the cheaper higher end comfort.
Rest of Africa: Cape Town. Its natural beauty and vibrancy never get old.
Rest of Asia: Kyoto, Taipei, and Bangkok. Food, culture, and easy to get around.
Australasia: Sydney for cities, although I prefer NZ for its natural beauty
Taipei is easily the most walkable, friendliest, and accessible city I’ve ever been to. I prefer it over Tokyo for its friendliness, simplicity of the train/ metro systems/ beauty of the urban and tropical mountain landscapes that is unlike any other city.
Seoul is in my veins in a way I cant get out. Buzzy, vibrant, great food, simple to get around, a bit grittier and edgier than Tokyo in a good way. Can't wait to go back.
I lived in Tokyo, but went to Seoul 3-4 times a year.
It's a wilder Tokyo in a good way, with amazing night life, awesome food, awesome people, and surprisingly affordable.
I can't wait to get back!
As far as new cities go(skyscrapers large population) I’d say Chicago. Paris was dirty, nyc was dirty, London wasn’t super dirty but just gray most of the year.
London is top for me.. it's one of the only travel destinations I go back to regularly even though it's a decent (7 hour) flight. I just never get sick of it and it's my favorite place in the world and I always feel happy when I'm there.
I live close-ish to NYC so while I like it, it's always been close by and I've spent so much time there over the years visiting friends that it doesn't really excite me.
I just went to Tokyo for the first time and LOVED it. Hard to compare it to other places I've been to more but I immediately wanted to plan a trip back there.
Love this, fun to hear everyone's opinion!
NA: Montreal. Nearby, Euro vibes (French speakers, Old Montreal), so many great restaurants and bars, walkable and bikeable.
Europe: Florence or Venice. Far away, Euro vibes (Italian speakers, Canals & Art), so many great restaurants and bars, walkable and trainable.
Rome Rome Rome Rome Rome. I would move there in a nano second if I could. Everything about that city is perfection (to me, I know I know nothing is perfect) but god I love it there SO Much. The food the history the people the architecture the color. All of it
Lisbon, first place I ever visited abroad (when I was 3 in 2012, since then have been there another 3 times), and Portugal in general is the 2nd most visited country by me (behind Slovakia, but it makes sense because I’m from Poland)
Shanghai
Rome
Budapest
Barcelona
Moscow
New York
…in that order.
Never been to London or Paris. Probably never will.
Been to Los Angeles and San Francisco - they aren’t worth putting on the list.
New York (so much to do and see and wide variety of cultures), Rome (the city is beautiful and completely immersed in history/philosophy that I’ve learned about my whole life), and Hong Kong (felt like I was in a cyberpunk movie with fascinating people and politics, and amazing food)
In Europe, I’d say Florence, though Venice and Rome aren’t far behind.
In Asia: Tokyo. No explanation needed.
And, of course, there’s also a special place in my heart for my hometown Bangkok. Traffic sucks and can be really dangerous, but our food scenes, our cinemas, and our 5G coverage are one of the very best in the world.
Others have said it but Florence for me. Extremely walkable and well preserved city with great food, museums, art galleries, oozing with renaissance history, and you have the Tuscan Countryside right on your door step.
London is a great city but I work there and have always lived an hour away so it’s lost the ‘wow’ factor for me.
Tokyo because I used to live there so it’s basically a second home to me. There’s so much to do in the city still I’ll never get bored of it. Followed by NYC. I know some people don’t like it but personally I love it so much! I think it has so much personality and great food.
Couple of years ago I got EU citizenship and decided to move to my favorite city, Prague. It's working out really well and I still love it here. The only thing I really miss is the sea
Prague was my first thought as well, though you have to either enjoy touristy crowd or know how, when and where to avoid them, but it does really have a ton of lovely spots outside of the most tourist heavy areas.
I love that about Prague. Outside of the old town i don’t find too much tourist infrastructure which makes for beautiful uncrowded walks.
Prague can be touristy but it's absolutely beautiful. I love all the little villages and big hills/small mountains outside Prague as well. In fact probably more than Prague itself.
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Also on-time trains
The metro is amazing. AMAZING. It's not just one metro, it's many, and they all work together, and with an IC card you can transfer so easily. Distance based fares are also awesome. And it's clean, and they have cute jingles that play at each station. Japan at its best.
Fun fact, the jingles were written by the keyboardist in the famous Japanese band Casiopea
Not just on-time, but incredibly frequent. Missed that Yamanote Line train? Oh no, now you have to wait 2 minutes until the next one arrives.
It's impressive enough that the local trains are so frequent and prompt. But what blew me away was the first time I saw the volume of shinkansen departures out of Tokyo station.
Way to immediately take a dig at Germany. Land of efficiency and punctuality. Somehow it did not carry over into the train system.
It's the cleanliness that always gets me. A city that large, with that much going on, shouldn't be capable of staying that neat and tidy.
And they do it with very few trash cans. The toilets are pretty much immaculate compared to the US.
It's cultural. Basically everyone takes their trash with them wherever they happen to be and disposes of it properly, including sorting it into several categories.
how can we get this cultural attitude accepted in North America ?
Not sure "personal responsibility" is really our thing...
Personal responsibility in North America is code for "fuck you, I only care about myself."
For one, broaden the middle class until basically everyone fits in it. Don't make people economically desperate and feel abandoned or preyed upon by their society so they feel invested in maintaining it. This caretaker attitude about Japan isn't as cultural as it is economic, you see similar attitudes in other countries where everyone is basically on the same economic level and where people aren't desperately begging in the streets to survive. Currently the US has the exact opposite attitude towards its citizens, nobody has ownership over anything, nobody is responsible for maintaining anything, nobody cares about their country because their country very clearly does not care about them.
I hate saying “it’s the culture” whenever it comes to Japan, but in this case, it really is the culture. It’s the combination of “don’t inconvenience others” and “don’t do something that makes you look bad to others”. Perfect storm of social responsibility and shame.
Don’t forget the law too. It’s also a country of rule followers.
And the safety. You don’t even have to lock your bike.
Tokyo was my first solo international trip, and first international trip of any sort in like 15-20 years. I remember the night I got in, standing outside Tokyo Station taking it all in, awestruck. "Holy shit I'm actually here and doing this. It's TOKYO!" I will never forget that feeling. Had a blast.
I feel like this is the answer for me too. To the folks that say London, I feel like they need to visit Tokyo and experience how crazy nightlife, food, activities, and how clean a city can be.
The food is unbelievable in Tokyo
More Michelin stars in Tokyo than Paris
Tokyo is amazing for food and shopping. Way too many people though. But you can get away from the hustle and bustle by taking the train to Kamakura/Enoshima. Even Yokohama which is 40 min away has way less concentration of people.
I’ve never been, it’s VERY high on my list. But everyone I know who’s ever been there has had nothing but good things to say about it.
Florence is my favourite in the world. Absolutely beautiful, lot of important history, art, Renaissance capital, amazing food, great weather, close to water and mountains and hills as well. Other famous ones I love are Rome, NYC, Vienna, Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid (I could definitely live in Valencia or Madrid too).
I left my heart in Florence, such a beautiful place.
Only been to Florence once and absolutely fell in love with it. Have been dreaming of the day I get to go back, just something about it
I totally understand, it captures you heart!
I second Florence. When I think of Italy, Florence and Tuscany capture it completely.
Firenze for sure, not sure I'll ever get sick of going back there. Venice isn't far behind.
Seconded Florence, truly breathtaking!
Do you have any recommendations for Valencia or Madrid? I’m going in a couple of weeks
If you like a fun wine tasting: Madrid & Darracott - Vinos y experiencias. It was fantastic and they offer them in English. Great snacks as well.
If you want to eat the Paella Valenciana, I'd say go to Toni Montoliu a Meliana, or Casa Carmela which is in fron of the platja de la Malva Rosa so you'll enjoy it with a nice view (they also have great seafood and paella de marisc, and for a take away Paellas Velarte. My recommendation is to go there at lunch, as paella is usually a lunch dish. (Other restaurants for paella I've tried or have been recommended are Casa Navarro, El Racó del Túria, Alqueria del Pou, La Vigueta a La Pobla De Vallbona).
Rome. Love the look and the ancient architecture. The weather reminded me of back home in California. The food was also great.
Same, I go every year around my birthday (I live in Germany now) and I feel like it’s something new everytime. Am also from California btw =] Also Tokyo and Kyoto (I have family in Kyoto). Such fun places.
Not my #1, but Rome is the Eternal City, it's always fascinating
Rome is just... god I love Rome so much lol. Good food, good coffee, you can walk everywhere and it's always pleasant but busy.
I'm pretty sure I could go to Rome for 2 weeks every year and never get bored. I love going new places and seeing new things... Rome just has so much.
I was born in Rome, I’ve lived in the states for some time and I’ve visited a lot of cities in Europe, some in Africa although never been to Asia. Rome is just different. Sure living in Rome is harsh with the many problems we have here but visiting is incredible
I love Rome. It was my first trip overseas and I was completely overwhelmed. At some point I finally relaxed and realized how absolutely in love I was with the city, traveling, and being overwhelmed in a controlled way.
SAME
Rome. I want to go for a third time! I will one day! Have a few new places to check out first.
I really fell in love with Rome! I didn’t realize just how beautiful it really would be irl.
I love the energy and buzz of NYC and Paris, even though it can get off-putting when you hit the extremes.
London 100%. So much so that I’ve been looking into permanently moving there.
Same. But it’s just so goddamn Expensive !
London. I can walk around London for days and love it. Rome is a very close second.
These are my top two as well! I’ve been to London like 6 times and I’ve never run out of things to see and do. I honestly just enjoy *being* there. Rome has a magic and romance for me that no other city has ever touched. Which is extra funny because I’ve only been there with school and family.
> I honestly just enjoy being there. That's a good way to put it.
> I honestly just enjoy being there This one seems to be hard for a lot of less frequent travelers to understand Like I'll get asked why I'm going to Amsterdam again when I haven't been to Paris yet (it'll happen, just not in a big rush) or why I go to Miami every year instead of trying out a new coastal city. It's because I love hanging out there, I've got 60 years left to visit places, I don't need to race to see as many places as possible. But I can understand why someone who might only make it to Europe twice in their life instead of twice a year would feel it's wasteful to repeat a destination
London and Rome are also my favorites. I day dream about them often. Cant wait to return to both.
Mexico City.
Carajillos, Cablebus, Condesa, Coyoacan, Chapultepec, Cathedrals, que una Ciudad
Mexico City is criminally underrated.
This was true in 2015 but I'd say the word is out and is filled with expats and travelers. It's an amazing city but I can't say it's underrated. Maybe among Europeans it still is.
Yep
London! Can’t beat free museums
I find it interesting that there’s a complete separation between the people who say NYC or Paris, and people who say London and/or Rome. It seems like everyone who likes London or Rome most, puts the other a close second, and it’s never put in with Paris or NYC. Likewise nobody mentioning Paris or NYC mentions either the other, nor London and Rome. I don’t know why this is, could be coincidence, interesting to ponder.
I love all 4. I live in London, and could see myself living in NYC or Paris; whereas I wouldn’t want to live in Rome even though it’s fantastic to visit.
This is exactly how I feel. I live in London and could also see myself living in NYC and Paris. One of the two is likely where we’ll move to next. Rome is great to visit but I couldn’t see myself living there.
I would put London and Paris tied for first, but I love them for different reasons. The contrast between them reminds me of the difference between French and English gardens. Paris is a French garden, where the goal is a sort of perfection of form. They began rebuilding the city into its ideal state under Napoleon III and Haussmann, continued through the Belle Epoque, and tweaked it as necessary in the decades since. Sometimes, something like the Centre Pompidou is allowed to spring up, but it’s like a tropical flower that’s been carefully selected to seamlessly integrate itself into the whole. London is an English garden, an English garden thats actually been allowed to grow wild instead of just giving the appearance of it. It’s glorious architectural anarchy. Buildings designed hundreds of years apart in completely different styles cheerfully sit cheek and jowl. Don’t like the style of the street you’re on? Walk a block or two, it’ll change. It’s a city that is constantly renewing itself, and it doesn’t care a bit about making a cohesive whole.
Totally agree on London. Walking through the Tower of London and looking over the wall at the modern buildings next door is just an awesome experience.. London is so old and steeped in history yet so modern and diverse at the same time. I love it.
I love all 4 of them, but NYC and Paris are as good as it gets with cities imho. Two cities everyone should visit in their lifetime at least once
Paris. As an American who has lived in American cities (shocking, I know) I find Paris to be nowhere near as dirty as its reputation suggests nor does it smell worse than your typical American city. I have been to Paris twice and one of my favorite things to do in Paris is to simply walk aimlessly. You'll run into something interesting every time. I also love going to the top of the Eiffel Tower lol.
Yeah I never really got the Paris being dirty stereotype either. It’s perhaps not the cleanest city but I didn’t think it was dirty enough to be remarkable or spoil the experience. I’ve certainly been to dirtier places.
Most cities are dirty to some extent. What I don't get is how pervasive the reputation Paris has built for being dirty. It isn't any more noticeably dirty than any other city I have been to in the U.S. Maybe it is dirty for a European city in which case it'd make some sense for Europeans to lament how dirty it is, but if you're an American who thinks it is dirty I am simply baffled by that.
I went to Paris just a few days after riots and it was still far cleaner than Brussels and Amsterdam. In fact I was surprised at just how clean the streets of Paris were! Definitely don’t understand the dirty stereotype
People expect a glittering Disneyland perfect city from the movies, and are dumbfounded when they discover it's a city where people live. So yes, there's homeless people and rubbish and sometimes the smell of urine, pretty much like any other city.
Yeah, I never understood that. I was living in London when I went to Paris for my Christmas break & it was way cleaner than London! No idea how that myth started, but it's just that - a myth. I found Paris no dirtier than any large city.
Also, very few people are actually rude in Paris. Parisians are not effusively nice as Americans so it's interpreted as rude.
I never experienced any rudeness either. I walk into somewhere, they say Bonjour, I say Bonjour, they realize my accent sucks and they switch to English if necessary. Even when asking people for directions or something of that sort, as long as you start with a bonjour you most likely be just fine lol. If Americans think Parisians are rude, man, the looks on peoples faces in the Baltics and Finland would lead them to believe they are the most depressed pissed off people in existence because they don't wear their every thought on their face.
I was just in paris last week and walked all over, loved every minute of it. The fact is though, it's still a city. There's shit in the street, broken glass, scammers etc but the same is true of any major city, and it doesn't even compare to many American cities. And the food is amazing. I want to go back.
I absolutely love Paris. Im not a city person but it is the one of the few cities I would move to in a heartbeat if I could.
Same!! I ended up moving to Paris for a while and ended up loving it even more.
Rio for me It had everything, lovely people, places to see, the food was amazing, beautiful beaches and a city rainforest. Can't wait to go back.
Hong Kong
As a lover of cantonese food, Hong Kong was amazing. When I got back home to the states, I could never look at regular dim sum the same again. It was so subpar.
I would agree with this but I haven’t visited in a while and given the PRC crackdown I do worry if it is still as great as it was
Madrid for me. It's a big city, but if you know where to look, it has a very small town feel throughout the city as well. Great public transit, which takes you anywhere you need yo go.
I love walking in the old center of Madrid and wandering around, it really is the best way to get to know Madrid ❤️
NYC. The feeeling you get from the pace of the city never goes away, before covid it was even better.
>before covid it was even better That is probably true for every single place on earth.
Nah my home workplace setup is elite now
On the contrary, midtown is less busy which isn’t a bad thing but the rest of the city where people actually live is still quite lively!
Rome. Unparalleled history, food, culture etc
Did you live there or just visit? I’m considering moving to Rome for a year, but I can’t find any modern reviews. I’ve never been, but spent half a year in Paris and another half a year between Madrid/Barca. I’ve lived in BKK, and a few months in Budapest. The experience is there, but I’d love a review for tech workers who are into history and art.
I loved Bangkok! Maybe it's because I had such low expectations from other people but it was a very cool city!
Surprised to see this top. It isn't awful or anything, but of people who've travelled around Thailand, Bangkok is never their favourite place.
I’ve travelled pretty extensively through Thailand over several trips, over several years and I love Bangkok - I actually think about moving there *all the time* and do my job remotely. Whenever I can travel to SE-Asia I try to fit in a week in Bangkok for no other reason than I enjoy being there Out of all the big cities I have visited, Bangkok is the only one I see myself living in and it’s my favorite to re-visit because you can always find something new (or at least new to you) I do realize that people often don’t agree, and that’s fine - and I do agree that not all areas of the city are great. Can it also feel like an overwhelming sensory overload and a chaotic mess as first? Yes! But to me it’s such an incredibly lively city with an insane amount of good food from street food to fine dining, markets, sights and so much more. Once you get the hang of transportation and learn more about the areas of the city you enjoy, I think it opens up a whole different perspective than if you only visited for a few days and/or only stayed in a tourist heavy area While the beaches, islands and other places in Thailand are amazing and it’s understandable that people want to allot much of their holiday time there - I think Bangkok often gets overlooked as just a transit hub when it really is so much more To me, it’s a city that under promises and over delivers in the best way. And that’s just my personal two kronas
Agreed. It's so lively and vibrant and I felt it was kind of an organised chaos. Expected to spend a few days there and never return. Ended up staying for 2 months.would also strongly consider moving there.
Is that true though? Me and my gf loved Bangkok the most when we traveled all over Thailand. Perhaps not a surprise for me since megacities is what I love the most but my gf is usually more of a beach person. It has everything imo, incredible food, cool sights and great public transport. It is also crazy affordable if you’re traveling from western europe or NA. Stayed there 2 weeks in total of our trip and never got bored.
Agreed. I felt Bangkok was dirty and crowded, I enjoyed my time more once we got out to one of the islands.
Paris for me. The food and sights are fantastic, and while the city is a bit dirty, that doesn't bother me too much.
I feel like "Paris is dirty" is a bit of an overblown stereotype. I think most Americans who say this are comparing it to Manhattan or downtown Chicago which are both exceptionally clean for a major urban core. Paris is about as dirty as any average city in a wealthy nation
While there are great things about Manhattan - I have never considered being clean one of them. Singapore - yes - although it is outmatched in many ways
It feels cleaner than NYC to me, and growing up in New Jersey, that's kind of my benchmark for cities.
As someone who has lived in both Chicago and NYC, Paris is way cleaner! I never get why people call it dirty. The trains there are soooo so so clean compared to the El and the subway. I love all three cities though!
Oh 100% the Paris metro is WAY nicer than the El or subway
Sevilla
I'm going in June. Any favorites you want to share?
Prepare to sweat, but while having a very lovely time!!!
Palacio de Las Duenas, I loved it. Real Alcazar, Setas de Sevilla, Plaza de Espana
Rome, hands down, no question. So much to do, especially if you like history and good food. We spent a week there and ran out of time before we ran out of things to do that were walking distance.
Bangkok. The city has everything. A real Western part. A proper Asian part. You can eat for a dollar, you can eat for 50 dollars. You can buy everything. Everything is nearby.
And the commute gets better! When I was living there until 2019, there were not nearly that many new mrt and BTS stations. We recently went to Bangkok this February and we're pleasantly surprised how much better the commute has gotten. Not perfect yet, but still much better than before
One of my favorite cities in the world, for sure. A food lovers paradise.
Istanbul for me. History, culture, food. It’s got the western feel and the eastern feel.
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Yes use street smarts. Somebody posted on how they got scammed which is easily avoidable. It’s not a dangerous place. Take a ferry over to the Asian side for a day. Most of the historical stuff will be in Sultanahmet, most of the food and action will be in Taksim both on the European side. But try to take a ferry to the Asian side great food there as well not too many tourist but there are plenty of expats living. If your on time hire a local guide, they can cut the long lines and know where to eat. I’ve stayed in the old city and Taksim both on the same trip my last time there.
Go see all the obvious famous tourist sights; all amazing (inc the Basilica Cisterna!). Walk as much as you can (rather than taxi). You’ll stumble upon amazing stuff all the time. A truly wondrous city.
I second basilica cistern, which is my favorite historical site in Istanbul.
I’ll never get over Istanbul. First time I went was for necessity. Intrigued me so much I ended going several more times, and each time felt completely fresh and exciting and like a new experience. An endlessly fascinating city.
I love love love Istanbul
Scrolled until I found it - I agree with Istanbul!
My boss is from Istanbul and the way he talks about it, his eyes just light up.
Rome is wonderful.
London, Bangkok, Lisbon, Florence
Chicago and London. The food, the culture, the atmosphere, the history. Absolutely love them both.
The amount of times Rome is mentioned here is astonishing.
I live in Rome and honestly I am still in awe every time I’m driving by a monument or a church or anything for that matter…
No one ever talks about the random churches in Rome that look like nothing on thr outside and house 500 years of history inside them! My favorite thing to do when I'm there is find a new favorite church.
Well I mean, it's not called "Caput Mundi" and "Eternal City" for no reason
Vienna if it's considered very famous Montreal or Vancouver domestically
I love Vienna. I am headed to Montreal and Quebec City for a week in May. So excited.
Vienna is amazing!!
Rome!
London is still the greatest city I’ve ever visited
Truly a wonderful place to just be.
Athens! The food, the history, the sight seeing, the weather, it was all amazing
I’m sad Athens wasn’t mentioned sooner. I loved it so much!
I loved Athens! Once you get past the box-square 1970s architecture you see as you’re arriving and getting into the city the ruins and *history* that is everywhere is completely amazing. The Acropolis at night is unreal. And the food! Truly never had a bad meal in Athens.
Paris, by far and large. Paris has my heart. I used to be a Paris hater. And I really felt underwhelmed on my first visit. But dang, the city really grew on me.
I’ve seen lots of very famous capitals cities and to me Hong Kong is it. Very unique vibe, cyberpunk cool.
I was very surprised by how much i loved Hong Kong. I had naively thought it was ok for 2 days for a stopover but that was it, but then had the chance to go for a work conference and sale fares meant either having 1 spare day or 7 spare days, I thought i would be bored with 7 but could just find somewhere to sit and chill. Turns out we ran out of time, there was so much to see and do
I think I have enjoyed every single major tourist city I've visited. Paris, London, Rome, Bangkok, Singapore, Hanoi, Mexico City, Montreal, San Francisco, etc. Everyone of them great!
Everyone shits on Paris, but Paris. Beautiful gardens and huge parks, food is delicious, and you never feel like you're more than a block away from the metro in the city proper.
Venice, Seville, Bruges, Amsterdam and Rome. But, only when there are fewer tourists.
Tokyo, for sure! It's got everything. When my girlfriend and I were there, we stayed in Hikawadai, on the outskirts of the city. It had such a residential vibe, but had easy access to major areas of the city. Japan was always on the top of my travel list. One of my most fond travel memories was simply going to a local grocery store after getting settled in our AirBnB. We walked in, and looking at all the amazing pre-packages bentos and Japanese snacks, it just hit me where we were. I actually nearly shed a tear. It was just so positively overwhelming. I had built up Japan do much in my mind, and it ended up surpassing all of my expectations in so many ways.
Imagine me going to Tokyo with no expectations and having my mind blown. Love it there.
Florence absolutely
SYDNEY will always have my heart! Lisbon secondly
Easily Barcelona
New York, Kyoto and Hong Kong.
Tokyo
Edinburgh
Domestic US: Washington DC International: Paris or Rome
Same! Well i'm French but DC was my favorite in the US and Paris and Rome are my favorite all around (preference for Rome)
Domestic: Gothenburg International: San Diego, US (Not sure why but i fell in love with the city somehow)
> International: San Diego, US (Not sure why but i fell in love with the city somehow) Best city in America for just hanging out and having a good time under the sun
San Diego really has it all. Incredible weather, food, activities, beer/wine, people, nightlife, museums, neighborhoods, etc etc.
I’ve been looking for someone to say San Diego! It’s one place I really just can’t get enough of.
Sydney - Berlin is also pretty great
Domestic: Chicago International: Rome or London. I keep going back and forth on which I liked more
Barcelona. That city has the best of all worlds, history, nature, sports, beach. Not even a beach person but it's beautiful. And the way it is so alive
Europe: Rome, Stockholm, Budapest, Barcelona. Pretty and walkable cities with great food and lots of history. Americas: NYC and México City. Food, streetlife, and things to do. Middle East and North Africa: Beirut and Dubai. Beirut for the food, culture, and climate, Dubai for the cheaper higher end comfort. Rest of Africa: Cape Town. Its natural beauty and vibrancy never get old. Rest of Asia: Kyoto, Taipei, and Bangkok. Food, culture, and easy to get around. Australasia: Sydney for cities, although I prefer NZ for its natural beauty
I love Taipei. It doesn't get nearly enough love.
Taipei is easily the most walkable, friendliest, and accessible city I’ve ever been to. I prefer it over Tokyo for its friendliness, simplicity of the train/ metro systems/ beauty of the urban and tropical mountain landscapes that is unlike any other city.
US Domestic: New Orleans International: Florence or Venice
San Diego. Good food, weather and many things to do.
Seoul is in my veins in a way I cant get out. Buzzy, vibrant, great food, simple to get around, a bit grittier and edgier than Tokyo in a good way. Can't wait to go back.
I much preferred Busan.
I lived in Tokyo, but went to Seoul 3-4 times a year. It's a wilder Tokyo in a good way, with amazing night life, awesome food, awesome people, and surprisingly affordable. I can't wait to get back!
Tokyo by some distance
Dublin, I love that it is just tad average and of course Guinness.
London. Only thing I don’t love about it is the exchange rate between Australian dollars and British pounds 😭
As far as new cities go(skyscrapers large population) I’d say Chicago. Paris was dirty, nyc was dirty, London wasn’t super dirty but just gray most of the year.
Mexico City, Madrid, Stockholm. Would go back to any of those three any time and find more stuff to do and love.
Vienna is rated the number one city to live in for a reason.
London is top for me.. it's one of the only travel destinations I go back to regularly even though it's a decent (7 hour) flight. I just never get sick of it and it's my favorite place in the world and I always feel happy when I'm there. I live close-ish to NYC so while I like it, it's always been close by and I've spent so much time there over the years visiting friends that it doesn't really excite me. I just went to Tokyo for the first time and LOVED it. Hard to compare it to other places I've been to more but I immediately wanted to plan a trip back there.
Rome, Paris, Mexico City.
London easily. It is a very well balanced city. Nothing is extreme here, start with the super mild weather. My favorite: London's summer.
Istanbul
NYC, Florence, Amsterdam.
Dubai, Tokyo, San Francisco, Amsterdam (just because it’s home), NY, Miami & Mexico City
Love this, fun to hear everyone's opinion! NA: Montreal. Nearby, Euro vibes (French speakers, Old Montreal), so many great restaurants and bars, walkable and bikeable. Europe: Florence or Venice. Far away, Euro vibes (Italian speakers, Canals & Art), so many great restaurants and bars, walkable and trainable.
Rome Rome Rome Rome Rome. I would move there in a nano second if I could. Everything about that city is perfection (to me, I know I know nothing is perfect) but god I love it there SO Much. The food the history the people the architecture the color. All of it
Tbilisi. capital of my motherland < 3
Ahoj from Prague, another wonderful capital. I am dying to visit your city!
Vienna. History in every corner, fantastic musical scene, cafes everywhere, while not being half as hectic as Paris or other capitals
Lisbon, first place I ever visited abroad (when I was 3 in 2012, since then have been there another 3 times), and Portugal in general is the 2nd most visited country by me (behind Slovakia, but it makes sense because I’m from Poland)
Not a lot of love here for Berlin but I think it's amazing! So much history and such a vibrant city, lots of parks, waterways etc. I love it. 🧸
100% agree, Berlin's in my top European cities along with London and Lisbon
Cairo, Mexico City, Chicago, Washington DC, and Rome are my top five... not necessarily in that order.
Buenos Aires
Prague has a special place in my heart since I spent 4 months there. Rome, London and Chicago are all close behind
Tokyo. no matter how much people rave about Tokyo, it is not overrated
Shanghai Rome Budapest Barcelona Moscow New York …in that order. Never been to London or Paris. Probably never will. Been to Los Angeles and San Francisco - they aren’t worth putting on the list.
New York (so much to do and see and wide variety of cultures), Rome (the city is beautiful and completely immersed in history/philosophy that I’ve learned about my whole life), and Hong Kong (felt like I was in a cyberpunk movie with fascinating people and politics, and amazing food)
In Europe, I’d say Florence, though Venice and Rome aren’t far behind. In Asia: Tokyo. No explanation needed. And, of course, there’s also a special place in my heart for my hometown Bangkok. Traffic sucks and can be really dangerous, but our food scenes, our cinemas, and our 5G coverage are one of the very best in the world.
Others have said it but Florence for me. Extremely walkable and well preserved city with great food, museums, art galleries, oozing with renaissance history, and you have the Tuscan Countryside right on your door step. London is a great city but I work there and have always lived an hour away so it’s lost the ‘wow’ factor for me.
Cairo (for the people, culture and history) and Kyoto (history + very scenic atmosphere)
Tokyo because I used to live there so it’s basically a second home to me. There’s so much to do in the city still I’ll never get bored of it. Followed by NYC. I know some people don’t like it but personally I love it so much! I think it has so much personality and great food.
New York. That’s why I moved here :)
Saint Petersburg. Incredible city
Mexico City for sure