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Wonderful Cities of the World

(118 Posts)
Lisalou Sat 03-Sept-16 07:08:40

I have just returned from a weekend break to the lovely city of Amsterdam. I had been as a child but had no memories of the place (except being given a huge sticky cream bun which i thought was awesome blush. I was three at the time, so am willing to forgive myself for my lack of interest in the scenery). I went with my mother - we try to have a little break, just the two of us every year.
I loved the place and it has stolen my heart, just a little.
It got me thinking, although I am definitely a rural mouse at heart, and could not live in a city, I do enjoy visiting them for short periods of time.
For me, London and Amsterdam are now favourites, which are your favourite cities?

Maggiemaybe Sat 03-Sept-16 19:21:56

We're going to Gdansk in a couple of weeks time, Granjen, so I'm pleased to see the endorsement! Any must sees?

Ilrina Sat 03-Sept-16 19:23:23

I love to visit Cities. Difficult to choose favourite.

Budapest is a great City to walk around, love Paris and London too,
and Naples floats my boat, but probably only in daylight hours!
I could go on and on smile

Maggiemaybe Sat 03-Sept-16 19:23:50

We loved Krakow (I was there in February, wrapped in pretend furs), so I'm hoping it's similar.

Arry Sat 03-Sept-16 20:05:46

It's got to be Venice, the most beautiful city in the world

Greyduster Sat 03-Sept-16 20:32:37

When we lived in Holland, we went to Liege a couple of times - once by boat from Maastricht - and I absolutely loved Liege. A fascinating mix of old and modern with the biggest outdoor market I've ever seen, where you could buy just about anything. I also like Amsterdam, Cologne, Granada, Cambridge, York, and the smallest city in Britain, St. David's!

Grannyben Sat 03-Sept-16 20:42:40

My heart belongs to London. When I get on the train and make that 4 hour journey I know I am going to have a wonderful weekend. I don't mind if I am revisiting places i have been to many times before or, discovering somewhere new, I just love London

Deedaa Sat 03-Sept-16 20:53:00

Venice every time, but preferably in winter so we don't have to queue for everything.

hulahoop Sat 03-Sept-16 21:11:37

I loved Rome and Florence here I like York Leeds

Barmyoldbat Sat 03-Sept-16 21:38:38

Near to home, Amsterdam but the one place I keep going back to is Luang Prabang in Laos, every year. Beautiful old colonial buildings built by the French with a large amount of Lao temples and orange robed monks. It's also very safe and on two rivers. Love it.

GrammaH Sat 03-Sept-16 21:57:26

Rome, Lisbon, Helsinki, Stockholm, Boston, Wells, Glasgow, Lincoln...to name just a few of my favourites

MaizieD Sat 03-Sept-16 21:58:41

I really don't see the attraction of cities and positively dislike London.

I liked Venice, Bath and Havana; though for short periods of time only.

gettingonabit Sat 03-Sept-16 22:41:19

Los Angeles. Fascinatingly strange and soulless, with stunning coastline.

St Petesburg. Beautiful - Hermitage is fantastic, particularly the Monets.

Rio. Just stunning.

New York. 'nuff said.

I love London. In general I prefer coastal cities. Liverpool is great. Cardiff is quite little and friendly; Swansea is a mix of downbeat and picturesque. Bristol is edgier.

Current favourite UK city -Brighton! Edgy, vibrant, bonkers, decadent, wealthy, poor. Never dull.

Eloethan Sat 03-Sept-16 23:59:39

I like a lot of cities in the UK, including: London, Cambridge, Wells, Brighton, Truro, Edinburgh, Salisbury, Cardiff. I've never been to Newcastle, Shrewsbury or St David's, and hope to get around to visiting them one day. I think the UK has some wonderful towns and cities.

I haven't been to that many cities abroad. I really liked Dubrovnik and Granada. I quite liked Paris and Barcelona. I didn't like New York or Orlando.

I would like to go to Lisbon, Bruges and Prague.

Maggiemaybe Sun 04-Sept-16 00:33:27

I'd forgotten about St Petersburg. I stayed there for a month in the early 70s when it was Leningrad and full of drunks. You'd to queue up with the babushkas for hours for fresh fruit, but vodka and Russian champagne flowed freely. Beautiful buildings though. I'd love to go back and see how it's changed.

soldiersailor Sun 04-Sept-16 07:05:58

I'm very lucky to live in Paris, though I hate the dog mess. As for the UK, one of the best kept secrets has to be Cardiff, a beautiful, buzzing, city of cultural delights. Internationally, I'd find it hard to improve on Sydney, which is simply breathtaking and where the coffee is the best I've ever tasted (unlike Paris where other than espresso they haven't a clue!).

pollyperkins Sun 04-Sept-16 09:06:46

Oh I loved Vienna Jingle! No cake?? Didnt you have sachertorte there?
Ive been to most of those mentioned but notBerlin. Dubrovnic is great too. And Budapest.

gulligranny Sun 04-Sept-16 09:36:37

Like Pollyperkins, I love Vienna too - the edgy Harry Lime Sewer Tour is a must, a ride on the Prater Big Wheel, plus the lounging chairs in the Museum Quarter that encourage you to lie down and sky-gaze. And of course the cake ....

I don't like Paris much but love Amsterdam, Bruges, Munich, San Diego, Sydney, Glasgow, Brighton, Oxford, Winchester and my born-and-bred city, London.

Posts on here have got me enthusing about a trip to Cardiff, it sounds brilliant!

whitewave Sun 04-Sept-16 10:01:07

Off to Seville next week then Granada

trisher Sun 04-Sept-16 10:36:30

Do come to Newcastle Eleothan we have some amazing things. Including a castle, a small cathedral, a Matcham theatre and the remains of the Town Walls. And of course Grey Street once voted the Best Street in England by Radio 4 listeners. Can you tell I'm a City Guide and passionate about Newcastle?

TriciaF Sun 04-Sept-16 10:47:10

Newcastle is my favourite too - so many memories there.
I don't think anyone has mentioned Jerusalem. I first visited there in 1983 and was completely overwhelmed - so much history! And a sort of mediaeval feel.
Since then we've been back a few times and it has changed a lot . Too many tall blocks of flats, and the whole place has become more commercialised and 'Americanised'.
A lot more racial hostility as well, which is a shame, I would be afraid to walk in the markets now (even if we could afford to go!)

jinglbellsfrocks Sun 04-Sept-16 11:06:26

polly I'm not fond of dark chocolate. DD gave in to temptation though. smile

jinglbellsfrocks Sun 04-Sept-16 11:09:24

Ooh, I've still got lots to get through! (Will NOT do long haul though, no matter how much persuasion I get from a certain quarter)

I would love to see the Holy Land, both Israel and Jordan, but too scary now! And, I guess, too commercialised.

TriciaF Sun 04-Sept-16 11:56:13

Jings - you should do a Holy Land tour. You should be quite safe in an organised group, they wouldn't take you anywhere dangerous.There are many Christian tours.
We went independently and wandered all over, hired a car.
Once I went to see DD1 who was working on a kibbutz and that was exciting.
I would love to go again.

Irenee Sun 04-Sept-16 21:04:55

Bergamo in northern Italy is a fantastic city to visit and close to Lecco, a lakeside city. I also love Valencia, Porto, Lisbon, Madrid, Munich and Paris.

morethan2 Sun 04-Sept-16 21:19:14

I'd like to go to Munich and Berlin I love Germany and it's people. Which one first? What'd you think?