The last time I did this was late in 2013, following my Round the Trip world. I don't know why I'm choosing now to update the list, but it is now expanded to 30 cities, and adds four new places that I've visited the last two years, and then an additional forgotten gem from my Round the World Trip.
I’m going to rank my top-30 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.
30.) Da Lat (2013)
The
little hamlet high above the Vietnamese hills, Da Lat was probably the
most pleasant surprise of any place on my trip. The city itself is
modeled after European cities, with parks, downtown circles and even a
model Eiffel Tower. The surrounding areas houses more traditional
Vietnamese fair, like temples, Buddhas, waterfalls and even roller
coasters, all underneath a cool mountain air. Da Lat's hills hide many
nice restaurants, bars and clubs. It isn't nearly as loud or as famous
as Ho Chi Minh, Nha Trang or Hanoi, but Da Lat may be the most pure mix
of Asia and Europe that I have seen. Also, it has an incredibly nice
airport given the just six flights that fly there each day.
29.) Penang (2013)
There
are positives and negatives to Penang, and depending how important the
positives are relative to the negatives to you, Penang could rise or
fall on your rankings. Personally, food and culture are really important
to me, and Penang has both in spades. It may be a little overrated with
food, but the seafood night markets that litter both Georgetown (the
main city) and the beaches (all within an hour or so from Georgetown)
are wonderful. The Nyonya food in Penang is far better than that in
Kuala Lumpur. There is enough to see, including a nice little trek in
Georgetown to some interesting historical buildings (the Cheong Fat Tze
is a nice highlight). Of course, Penang is also very crowded, slightly
dirty and the beaches themselves are quite barren. In the end, I find
this fair for what I still consider a great eating spot.
28.) 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 15
th 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.
27.) Udaipur (2013)
Our first new city on the list is my 2nd Indian city on the list. As somehow who hated traveling in India, picking a city that is in one of the hottest areas in the country, and a city I visited during their hot dry season, this high might seem surprising. Well, I can't recommend Udaipur, along with Rajasthan as a hole, enough. The city has some beautiful scenery being built on a far more hilly area of the country than you would expect. They have famous lakes that hold famous hotels built on famous castles. They have nice food and street shows that line the corridors of the inner city. THere's the strange love for the movie Octopussy, where screenings are shown nightly. There's a beautiful palace inside the city. And I'll stretch my 'sites withing 1.5 hours count' rule by saying that the Jain Temple at Ranakpur was incredible - and in any modern country it would be within 1.5 hours.
26.) Florence (2003)
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.
25.) Munich (2000 & 2009)
I have a strange history with quite a few international
cities, and Munich is another one. I had both my 9
th and 18
th
Birthday in Munich (in related news, I’m pretty sure where you can find me on
April 7
th, 2018). The first during my initial trip to that part of
the world, and the 2
nd 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.
24.) 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.
23.) Mexico City (2014)
I
put 2014 there, but I went to Mexico City two different times, staying
in two different areas of that expansive, massive, festive city. Far
safer than most areas of Mexico, La Cuidad is incredibly impressive.
There are tons of historical sites, like the entire Zocalo, the
Chapultepec, and La Reforma. Mexico City also has a wealth of food
options, with incredibly authentic Mexican fare from around the country,
including the incredible Oaxacan food. Really fun night spot as well. Mexico City blew me away also with its strange, mysterious beer culture. The City is a sprawling testament to how secretly, behind the dangerous cartels that line the exterior, the soft interior of Mexico is a gorgeous, cultural attraction that is bettered by so few cities.
22 & 21.) Prague/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.
20.) Phnom Penh (2013)
I
lied when I said that Da Lat was the biggest surprise of the trip.
Phnom Penh was. I wasn't expecting too much from Canbodia's capital, but
the mix of history, good and bad, food, nightlife and surprising
urbanity made Phnom Penh a real highlight for me. I really loved
Cambodian food, and it was at its best in Phnom Penh, a perfect mix of
Malay and Thai cuisine. Phnom Penh itself embraced its own history, not
shying away from the terrible acts of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge,
maintaining multiple areas in the city to pay tribute to those who died.
The rest of the city pays tribute to the rich culture of Cambodia that
preceded the destruction, with large pagodas in beautiful parks and nice
museums. Phnom Penh also has a nice riverfront area that is really,
really lively at night. Add into all of this that the currency of choice
in the Dollar, and you get a really nice, underrated city.
19.) 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.
18.) Berlin (2014)
Berlin is the only German city I've gone to as an adult, and from what I read it was a good one to pick. The city is sprawling, and has covered it's whole 'we had a giant wall' thing with some really modern buildings and a few nice memorials. But what it also hides is an incredible city. The main squares, or platzes are all incredible, including that entire stretch between the Brandenburg Gate, through the Tiergarten, and ending with the Berlin Island. There are various areas of the city with incredible churches, restaurants, bars (and bars, and bars) and historical buildings. The city houses some fascinating museums that touch on the long, varying history of Germany is a country. Berlin as a city is too big to do in 3 days like I did, but it is definitely alluring enough to go back.
17.) Melbourne (2013)
Melbourne
could be a Top-10 city to spend four or five days in. There is not too
much to do, but enough to keep you occupied. If you like sports, which I
do, then it is even better. Melbourne tries to lay claim to the
Sporting Capital of the World, and when you mix together one of Tennis'
four main tournaments with the 2nd most famous Cricket Ground (and most
famous Aussie Rules ground) in the world right next door, it is hard to
argue. Melbourne's riverfront is a beautiful area, with amazing views of
the city around it. It's food options are endless, with really good
Asian cuisine throughout the city. The nightlife seemed nice enough. It
also has some really beautiful scenery around an hour of its boundaries,
with beautiful parks, wine regions and the Great Ocean Road. Add into
that Philipp Island, which just hits the cutoff to be included with
Melbourne, and you get a solid, Top-15 city.
16.) Turin (2015)
I was close to picking Parma, as then I could include the Parma cheese factories, but picking Turin allows me to count the Piedmont wine country, and those little towns that dot it. Turin the city though, is a understated version of how incredible Italy is. It has the requisite churches and squares, but also has the open palacial squares and river-fronts that you normally associate with other countries in Europe. It has some incredible little hamlets of food, with great options for eating throughout the day (some excellent tea joints). My favorite place in Turin actually wasn't one of the two main squares, but Piazza Vittorio Veneto, one that borders the river with an amazing view of the city behind it. It was the last place we went to in Turin, an incredible capper to an unexpected amazing day in a great city.
15.) Tokyo (2013)
As
a tourist, I don't care what the work and life culture are of the
people in the city, and good thing, because if I did I may hate Tokyo.
To see people in full suit in the subway at 11 PM coming home from work
is jarring. But this isn't about any of that, it is about Tokyo the
city, and it is a really fabulous metropolis. Tokyo is sprawling, in a
way that makes New York seem small. There are really bustling regions
like Shinjuku, really fun late night spots like Roppongi. There is a ton
to see, and great food options. The food may be more corporate than
traditional and homestyle in Tokyo, but that isn't all bad. The biggest
complaint with Tokyo is just the size. It is so big that it is tiring to
navigate at times, getting from one end to the other. Even with the
reliability and the local JR Train lines, it takes time to get around.
Good thing that most regions have enough to do to spend half a day there
anyway. One last point, I thought Times Square was bright, until I went
to Ginza.
14.) Vienna (2000 & 2009)
The 2
nd 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.
13.) Bangkok (2003 & 2013)
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.
12.) Goa (2011 & 2013)
Yeah,
yeah, yeah, my initial ranking of Goa was a little ridiculous. It was
built off of an admittedly awesome trip to Goa in 2011, but that was a
perfect storm. We were staying in the best part of Goa for a first timer
who loves food on beaches at 2 AM. I was fresh off of an alcohol
cleanse (which of course came after the opposite of an alcohol cleanse),
and was greeted with $0.50 beer. Goa still has all those things, but I
quickly realized upon my second visit that the area of Goa you stay in
makes a huge difference. Stay too far South and you get isolated
beaches, which I am sure are nice to some, but they don't have the same
nightlife and food options littering the beach. Instead, they have
litter littering the beach. Stay in the right part of Goa and it is
amazing, the wrong part and it is merely OK. Still, it is unlike
anything else in India, and for that it will always be in my part.
11.) London (1999, 2000 & 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.
10.) Krakow (2014)
By rule I
like smaller cities over sprawling ones. Well, while there are expanses
to Krakow that extend in all directions, almost everything worth seeing
in the city is in a 10x10 block radius circling the best city square (Rynek Glowny) I
have seen in Europe. When you get a city that has (their claim) more
bars per capita than any in the world, combine that with amazing open
space and roadside/streetside restaurants, and an economy that does not
use the Euro and is far cheaper than comparale cities in Western Europe,
you get a pretty fantastic city. Also, you want history near its borders, you get Auschwitz about 2 hours away. Krakow is an incredible secondary city, arguably the best secondary city I've ever been to. The beer, food and endless beautiful women makes it Top-25; the sites, easily walkable goegraphy, and amazing history (Copernicus lived there too) makes it Top-10.
9.) Kyoto (2013)
Kyoto
is the 3rd biggest City in Japan, but resembles so little of Tokyo (the
biggest city) that makes it seem like a different country. Sure, the
food options and the bustle is still there, but Kyoto, in some ways, is
like a supersized Siem Reap. The real highlight of Kyoto is the
ridiculous amounts of Temples and historical Japanese
buildings.
All of these are encircling the downtown area of Kyoto. Of course, that
downtown is quite large, with beautiful malls, tall buildings with
summer beer gardens (umlimited beer buffets for $30) and plentiful
up-scale food options. Kyoto even has the most expansive Geisha area of
Japan. Kyoto is the perfect city to experience what people's idea of
Japan is, temples and pagodas and sushi, oh my!
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.) Singapore (2012 & 2013)
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.
5.) Sydney (2013)
Take
the weather and leisurely attitude of Australia, combine the waterfront
facade of a Chicago, add some pub and club nightlife of any city in
Europe and you get Sydney, a city that combines the great aspects of
every major city I have been too. It doesn't have a true culture of its
own which hurts it in my mind. What I really mean by that is, much like
the problems I have with England, there are too many similarities to the
US. You don't really feel you are in a foreign city too much. Of
course, that all changes when you walk towards the Opera House, or go to
the night spots with the Australians out partying, or eat great meats.
Sydney is a wonderful city, probably the most livable of any in the
Top-10 (of course, it is helped by being English-Speaking), but
sometimes I would sacrifice livability for uniqueness, which is why it
isn't any higher.
4.) 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.
3.) 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.
2.) Cape Town (2013)
I've
been wondering whether doing Cape Town first helped increase my
perceptions of it. I was at my most curious and excited at the start of
the trip. Then, I remember everything amazing about Cape Town, like the
incredible scenery and breathtaking views, the active harbor and Long
Street areas (for the youngsters among us), the great food of every type
and the wine region to one side with the Cape of Good Hope below it.
Cape Town is a special place on the total other side of the word
(laterally speaking). I've really never been any place quite like it,
which is why I want to go back there more than any place in the world.
1.) Madrid (2001 & 2010)
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 2
nd 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.
