I’m going to rank my top-20 cities to visit that I have been
to. Take this more of a recommendation list, as in I would recommend the cities
in the following order to someone who hasn’t visited them based on my
experience visiting them. With that, obviously, only cities I have visited make
the list, and visited means more than two days. I’m rating them on the
following criteria: the places to see in the city, the ease of access of the
city (public transport – much more important internationally when renting a car
is more of a precarious idea – and the city’s airport or entrance system),
their joi de vievre (a fancy way of saying ‘how would this city be to just
chill out in), their weather and overall appearance, and some other factors.
There’s no formula here, though.
This is heavily weighted by the amount of time I’ve spent in
a city, and what age I was when I visited there. These rules hurt London, while
help Madrid, because I’ve spent all of three days in London as a person of
legal age, while spent more time in Madrid. It really hurts some other European
cities, like Frankfurt, Zurich, Rome, Milan, places I’ve been to as a kid of
9-11.
Again, these are ranked as cities I would visit (all of them
I have visited), not where I would live. I would live in Geneva, but probably
not visit again because there isn’t much to do, it is cold, and some other
reasons. There are places that I wish I could rank because from what I’ve heard
from family/friends that have been there they seem really good, like Moscow,
Berlin and Hamburg, and when I visit them, I will update this list. Also
irrelevant is the ease of getting to this city. Singapore isn’t hurt because it
is the farthest commonly visited location from NYC than any other place, and
London isn’t helped because it is 6 hours away.
A city includes sites and
destinations that are a reasonable distance away, so Barcelona won’t get credit
for the Playas that are 2-3 hours away (and are closer to Valencia), and Athens
won’t get credit for Ephesus which is 3 hours away, but London would get credit
for Stratford (or whatever it’s called where Shakespeare is from, or Oxford –
and Rome gets credit for the Vatican, which for being a different country, is
totally part of Rome) which is reasonably close.
I can’t accurately judge Indian cities (save for one)
because they’ve never been tourist destinations for me, but visits to family. I
can probably better judge them as places to live (I wouldn’t live in any), but
I’ve done very little tourism in India, and most of my tourism experiences have
been bad (as in, when in you’re in the Taj Mahal complex, it is great, but once
you leave, close your eyes or you’ll see real
India).That said, in India, I have spent a lot of time in Bangalore and
Mumbai, two of India’s top-5 cities. Personally, Mumbai is about 100x better
than Bangalore as a tourist destination.
Bangalore is a mess, a city with many
good restaurants, shops, buildings, randomly located amongst uneven roads,
unpaved sidewalks, and crazy drivers. Mumbai feels like it is a city, but an
Indian one, so it has roads that are well-made, a nice waterfront, sites to
see, but is still dirty, and is hard to visit or be in during the monsoon
months. Also, I included Canadian cities in my US list (for some reason) so no
Canadian cities. That said, I’ve spent a ton of time in Montreal, and it
probably would be #4 behind the top three, had it been counted.
Lastly, this is an active list, that I will update
throughout my trip. I fully expect Melbourne and Cairns, if not Sydney, to
challenge for a spot well up the list, same with potentially Tokyo, and maybe
Georgetown, Malaysia (the central city of the Penang region).
Cities that don’t make the Top-20 (some of them, not all):
Milan, Naples, Lisbon, Frankfurt, Brussels, a ton of other Bavarian cities, any
city in Kerela, Tijuana, the city in Morocco across from Gibraltar. Personally,
I just don’t remember enough from most of these cities, and that usually isn’t
a good thing.
I don’t actually like Zurich, but I have a strange
connection with it. Somehow, I have been through Zurich airport three different
times on trips that didn’t stop in Switzerland. The first time was coming and
going to Italy in December ‘03/January ’04. The 2nd was coming back
from Barcelona in February 2007 (our flight was through Geneva on the way
there), and the last was coming and going to India during the summer of 2011. I
have an almost perfect memory of Zurich’s airport, including their
international terminal (or at the terminal with any out-of-Europe flights),
Terminal E, the one you have to take an underground train to from the main
airport. It’s the terminal I’ve had a beer at at 8 in the morning on my layover
back to the US from India. It’s the terminal I’ve slept at on the way there. It
is a very nice, reliable airport, and for that alone, I wanted to speak about
it.
19.) Florence (2004)
I’ll admit that Florence should probably be higher on this
list, but it is my list of favorite cities that I would recommend. This is a
strange combination, because personal favorites are wholly subjective, while
cities that you recommend should be somewhat objective. Anyway, my problem with
Florence is I’m not really into art, and if you aren’t than there is little to
do in Florence. If you like art, specifically really detailed portraits from
the renaissance era, then you will love Florence. If you don’t, then it will be
something of a bore to a disappointment.
18.) Amsterdam (1999)
Out of all the cities I’ve visited, Amsterdam is the one
that could change the most if I visit as an adult, mainly for all the reasons
people my age love Amsterdam. Still, I enjoyed Amsterdam from what I remember,
the flowers, the crazy architecture, the decent food, the enjoyable weather.
Amsterdam is a nice city, and one of the better capitals in Europe, fit with a
strong culture, and I can imagine a strong mentality that permeates through its
people of chilling out.
17.) Munich (2000)
I have a strange history with quite a few international
cities, and Munich is another one. I had both my 9th and 18th
Birthday in Munich (in related news, I’m pretty sure where you can find me on
April 7th, 2018). The first during my initial trip to that part of
the world, and the 2nd on the penultimate day of our Orchestra’s
tour of Austria (we flew out of Munich). Berlin is supposedly a great, modern
city, but out of all the cities I have been to in Germany, Munich is by far the
best. It is incredibly modern, and getting increasingly so, with modern
architecture abound. It is the only European city with a skyline that can
compare to those in the US (not a crucial factor, but still nice). The downside
is there is little to see and that German food isn’t that good. Either way,
Munich will always be the place to spend any birthday that is a multiple of
nine, and for that alone, it gets on the list.
16.) Panama City (2012)
My highest ranking Caribbean city probably could be higher,
but I’ve been to a lot of great European cities so I don’t want to get crazy. I
went to Panama with really low expectations, and I was blown away. It has a
really impressive skyline, one that holds its own even if you forget that it is
a poor latin country. It has great food of different cuisines. It has a ton to
see, with the Panama Canal and the rainforest both falling into its sights.
Other than Calgary (which I talked about in the last list) I don’t know if any
trip I’ve gone on has been such a surprise as Panama, the Caribbean’s only
truly modern city.
15.) Hong Kong (2003)
Hong Kong has little to do in terms of historical sights.
With a couple countries claiming ownership of Hong Kong, they have done a nice
job removing any ties to any country. Still, it has arguably the best skyline
in the world (though after the new WTC complex is finished in all its glory,
NYC will have a good claim to that spot), and being situated in front of and on
a mountain gives it some excellent views. Their airport in universally hailed
as great, and the gambling capital of Asia (Macau) is just a ferry ride away.
But still, picking a place to be higher than 15th given its total
lack of history, or its lack of any particular brand of brilliance other than
its propensity to build really tall buildings just feels wrong.
14.) Prague (2000)
13.) Budapest (2000)
These two are kind of blended together for me. I visited them essentially right after each other, both 13 years ago so my memory of each is a little hazy. I remember both for mainly positives. They are both beautiful cities, with lovely rivers running through them. They have some stuff to see, but not a whole lot. They are more affordable than the major cities in Western Europe, which is a plus (but also English –at least then – is not very transferrable to there). Budapest has some great food (Goulash!), while Prague is a pilgrimage for Catholics.
12.) Paris (2006)
There’s obviously a ton to see in Paris, and the city center
around the Eifel Tower, on either side of River Sein, is beautiful. Paris is a
probably a city that certain people would love, but I am not one of them. Of
course, I liked it enough to put ahead of some damn good cities, mostly on the
ridiculous amounts of things to see alone. I actually don’t remember much of my
Paris trip, which is strange given its relative recency, but I do remember
thinking one day in the Louvre was far from enough, and the city center of
Paris containing some of the best architecture of any European city. A lot of
these European cities are impacted by my like or dislike of footballers from
that region (I know, that sounds stupid, and it is), and Paris gets a boost for
being the hometown to Zinedine Zidane.
11.) Vienna (2000 & 2009)
The 2nd time I went to Vienna was on my high
school’s Orchestra’s tour of Austria during my Senior year, and much of my high
ranking for Vienna is based on that trip. There is a ton of history in Vienna,
with the music scene being located there (Mozart and Beethoven’s houses), with
the adjoining arts scene with a bevy of theatres. If you like classical music,
then Vienna is heaven. I am including the adorable little town of …… where we
performed, which was half an hour outside Vienna. The best part of Vienna is
how modern it is. The city center has some of the largest streets and public
squares of anywhere in Europe, with grand architecture all around. The food
isn’t great, but it is no worse than Germany and Switzerland, and Austria is
generally less expensive. It took a second trip to get acclimated with Vienna’s
charms, but they are there, and plentiful.
10.) London (1999 & 2010)
I probably should just go to London more, because both my
Dad and my Sister, who lived there, swear by London as an incredible city. But
again, I’m not ranking this by how livable they are, but how good they are as
tourist destinations. London definitely has enough to see, including the nicely
compact Royal stuff (palace, parliament, other stuff), and a neatly packed city
center (West End, Trafalgar Square, other stuff I’m forgetting), but it is a
little too big. It’s subway system is clean, but doesn’t have the expansiveness
that it needs (something I give huge credit to the NYC Subway System for, no
matter how dirty it is). Of course, it is damn expensive, and the weather is
mostly lousy. It may get better with more trips, but I think London is too big
for its own good, and a little too confused, as it tries to be both Rome and
New York.
9.) Bangkok (2003*)
Here’s the gist of what I remember from Bangkok: nice Wats
to see, incredible food, up all night, eating all the time. Bangkok is a
food-lover’s paradise, especially for those who like Thai food. Bangkok is also
close to areas where you can do all those Asia type things like ride elephants
and see the jungle. The weather is surprisingly decent for a city in Southeast
Asia, and from what I remember it is pretty easy to navigate.
* - My thoughts regarding Bangkok have indeed changed with
my one-plus day visit. The city is better than I remembered, with sprawling
malls, an advanced metro system, and new urban centers. The weather isn’t quite
as good, as it is still hard to get to different parts of the city, but the
city center of Bangkok is about as good as any I’ve seen in Asia.
8.) Rome (2003)
Speaking of Rome, history’s most famous city checks in next.
I haven’t spent any time in Rome as an adult, but I don’t think Rome is the
type of city that would change much from an adult’s perspective. It is good for
its history and sites first, and if you like Italian cuisine, the food second.
If you include the Vatican, and as a Catholic I do, in Rome, then there is even
more to see, as you have two different parts of history, the formation of the
Catholic Church in the awe-inspiring Vatican grounds near and inside St.
Peter’s Basilica, and the Roman history which is very well kept up. I can’t
remember how their public transport was, and we went in December, so the
weather was bad, but I don’t think it is a very big city. And then there is
that food. I don’t want personal biases like my ambivalence towards Italian
food to sway this. Many do like Italian food, and the city is even better for
those people. That said, what hurts Rome in my book is I think it is too dependent
on the sites, and if you aren’t there on a religious pilgrimage, I can’t
imagine the allure of going to Rome more than once.
7.) Athens (2010)
So Athens is very much like its historical partner, Rome,
with a few less sites, a lot less crowds, less expensive, and with better
weather. So does that whole equation spit out a better city? In my mind, it
does. Part of this has to do with visiting Athens at the perfect time (19,
during March) and Rome not (13, during December), but Athens has it all. It has
a lot to see, but not so much that sightseeing takes over the trip. It has a
city that is hard to navigate by car and by walking, but has an adequate subway
system. It has excellent food, and a great environment that bursts with fun and
enjoyment. Just a grand old time in Athens, as I’m sure it was 2,500 years ago.
6.) Goa (2011*)
So, this is the one Indian city (more like state, but almost
everything in the main part of Goa is reachable within an hour) where I’ve
visited as a tourist, had little to no family connections, and I absolutely
loved it, mainly because this is the least Indian place in India. Stuff is open
past midnight, and the alcohol flows at all hours. Being a largely catholic
state, there is a glut of beef, but more than that, the food revolves around
the shacks, little restaurants on the beach that all serve similar menus, all
with established food that is good, cheap and available all night. Goa is
India’s paradise, a place that is becoming more and more of a tourist
attraction. It’s airport is decidedly domestic, so you’ll have to enter through
another Indian port, but Goa is the best destination in India (outside of Agra)
primarily because of how un-Indian that land of food, midnight meals and
alcohol is.
* - Again, I’m visiting Goa during this trip, but Goa can go
nowhere but down right now. It is what it is, the best place in India to just
chill the f**k out for however long you want.
5.) Istanbul (2007)
Istanbul is kind of a secret still, but there is really
nothing to complain about. It has a waterfront, an easily accessible city
center, a lot to see (the palaces, the Bosphuros, the Red & Blue Mosques).
Istanbul also has a brilliant food scene, with both Muslim and Meditterannean
influences but all sorts of bases (including a ton of seafood). There is little
to separate any of the cities this high in the list. My only knock on Istanbul
would be the public transport is lacking without a proper Subway (this could
have changed since my last visit). Overall, Istanbul combines the palate and affordability
of Asia, with the energy and cleanliness of Europe, the best of both worlds.
4.) Cape Town (2013)
I’ve written like 20,000 words (estimate) on Cape Town the
last week, so anyone who reads this should know why I love Cape Town so much.
There shouldn’t be a city this cool in Africa. It just seems wrong. Cape Town
has the best of Europe in its city center full of wide streets with rustic
architecture, and the best of the US, with a fancy, intimate waterfront that
invites visitors and Cape Towners alike. The food is a great mix of African
treats (Ostrich, Kude, Crocodile, Springbok) and seafood fresh from the Cape.
There is enough to see for one visit, but not really for two, so expect to have
fun relaxing and just that the second time around.
3.) Barcelona (2007)
I really want to go to Barcelona again, because it could
easily be #1. All the ingredients are there. Pristine weather. A people who
don’t care about life, making the tourist experience more fun. Good beaches
within reach. Stuff to see. An airport that is easily reachable and a city that
is easily maneuverable. My issues with Barcelona (other than my dislike for the
Blaugrana) are simple. There isn’t a lot to see in terms of history, mainly
because the Catalans want their own history so they destroyed or shunned any
Spanish national history. Barcelona is a nice city in terms of seeing the sights
for a day or two and then doing nothing the rest of the time, but I do want
more from my cities.
2.) Singapore (2012*)
Singapore is one of those places that has to be seen to be
believed. There is no city any cleaner. There is no city as tightly situated
while having enough external attractions. There is no city better built for a
short stay. What doesn’t Singapore have? It has a theme park for kids. A bird
park (highly recommended) and a night safari for kids and adults. It has a
brand new casino for adults. It has a centralized bar/pub/club area near the
waterfront. It has a preponderance of food from really, really cheap to really
expensive. It has livable weather year-round. It also has the most interesting
and enjoyable airport I’ve ever been to (there is a pool and gym that everyone
can use for free in it!), and the cleanest, best organized subway system I’ve
seen. So why is Singapore only #3? Because there isn’t that much to do, and
Singapore’s not cheap enough to just sit around and eat/drink/do nothing. The
sights have no historical resonance, and are replicated in other cities. Still,
for a period less than a week, there is no better city to visit.
* - I’m pretty sure you can guess the exception. I have to
lengthy layovers in Singapore, which mainly will be used to eat and drink, and
maybe visit the bird park again, or the casino. Nothing that can really affect
its ranking
I’ll never forget Madrid. It was where I turned 10 years
old, in April of 2001. It was where I saw my first naked woman in real life, as
I saw two nude woman near the pool in Madrid (given my age and their age, this
wasn’t a good thing). It was where I first traveled alone, and where I learned
the inherent joy of visiting a place a 2nd time. Barcelona might be
more ‘fun’, but I can’t think of a place that combines everything I want from a
city more than Madrid. Madrid has a dependable airport, and a dependable subway
system. More than that, the city is small enough in its center that you can
easily walk from the Prado side on the East, to the Palace on the West and not
break a sweat. It has some of Spain’s best museums. There is more than enough to
see. And, of course, you are still very much in Spain. It isn’t as relaxed as
Barcelona, but is just as Spanish, with open squares, easy food and drink, a
lot of youngsters (and a lively area for them at night). This wasn’t a
criteria, but a lot of people speak English there to boot. Madrid is basically
a perfect city. Small enough to walk, with enough sites to not get bored,
enough food to not go hungry, and a relaxed, but not too relaxed nature that
you won’t ever get tired of doing nothing for an afternoon or two.
