Oh look, someone can list a bunch of cities. It’s posts like this that make message boards fun. :rolleyes: MPB, have you been to these cities yourself or did you just do an internet search for beautiful cities? If so, do you mind saying why, in your opinion, do you think these cities are beautiful?
QFT. However, Dubrovnik, Palermo, Prague, Rome, Istanbul & Oxford certainly do pretty well if you must look for competitors.
Aw, somebody’s tired.
Toulouse, the ville rose is lovely, walkable and the food is good too.
Of the ones I’ve been to…
Monterey/Carmel, CA (especially the latter)
San Francisco, CA
Santa Monica, CA
Seattle, WA
Annapolis, MD
Asheville, NC
Chamonix, France
Portofino, Italy
Old San Juan, PR (“new” San Juan is mostly sprawl)
It’s funny, but in general, I fully agree 100% with your point—Too often, these type of threads are indeed just a chance for strangers to attempt to outdo each other on their various travels and exploits, in a bizarre attempt to have some sort of self-satisfied feeling of superiority or to project an aire of sophistication.
I guess maybe if you haven’t traveled much, (or maybe even moreso for those who are extremely well traveled) it must look terribly gauche and tacky, and I suppose you must feel a bit left out.
For my personal situation, I have been fortunate enough to have a “perfect storm” of opportunities to travel. I have a couple of close relatives and a handful of good friends who all work for Delta Airlines, (Delta has a hub in SLC, and is a major employer here) and between that and having had my summers off, leaving me free to travel and explore, I have been afforded many opportunities that most have not.
The last 8 or so times that I have been to Europe, for example, I was either using SkyMiles or “buddy passes” which means that I have flown First or Business Class (although on a standby basis) from SLC to Prague, Berlin, Barcelona, Brussels, Amsterdam, etc., all for UNDER $200 ROUNDTRIP, which certainly makes a 10 or 12 day visit to Europe extremely affordable, even for someone like myself.
When flying within the USA, if I am paying for my airfare, (as opposed to using a pass or miles) I am a full-on, world-class, dyed-in-the-wool cheapskate, and will gladly take a 3 hour layover or a multi-connection flight in order to save a couple hundred bucks. For those who know the ropes, (and have more time than money) it’s still VERY affordable to fly . In only the past 4 months, I have flown down to Tampa, New Orleans and Denver on seperate visits, and did not spent over $650 total in airfare.
You could do this too, with a bit of free time and know-how.
(I am also a packrat, and always try to save plane tickets and other travel documents—I recently counted, and was truly shocked to find out that I have flown down to New Orleans almost 35 times, just since 1997. Having family and friends who work for a major airline has been a Godsend to me, and even when I am paying full price to travel, by now I really know how to get the most bang for my airfare buck)
I guess this post won’t convince you that I am not just another internet poseur, but I absolutely live to travel, and have spent a huge portion of all of the $$$ I have ever earned in my lifetime on indulging in my passion.
See you at the airport bar!!!
I think this website shows off my home city of Cambridge, UK at its very best.
If you can enter the closed world of the university and its colleges there are some truly magical places to be found. Sadly other parts of the city are not so great, but that’s true with lots of places I guess.
I’m a little surprised that so may think that Paris is so beautiful. Interesting and vibrant, and certainly some areas are very, very nice, but I really wouldn’t call it beautiful. But that comes down to how you rate these things, I guess. The southern towns of France, like Nice, Avignon, Aix en Province or Grasse I find much more attractive that the monolith that is Paris, but that’s all depends on what you’re looking for from a city.
My Top ten, in no particular order:
Prague, Czech Rep, certainly a very decorative and beautiful centre.
Kathmandu, Nepal has an amazing energy and colour to it, but can’t really be called ‘beautiful’ in any classical sense. (especially the traffic!) But the backdrop of the Himalayas is the most intensely stunning vista into world, so it has to go on the list.
Both Split and Dubrovnik in Croatia are simply very lovely, especially for just walking and exploring.
Edinburgh, Scotland – The castle, the Royal Mile and the parks and hills beyond make this a stunning city to explore ( if you get a good day for it!)
St. Petersburg has more of the classical, structured beauty that many great cities share. So much history to absorb.
I loved Chicago, with Grant Park and Lake Michigan and a clean-cut sharpness to the architecture, mixed with more ornate, classical building. Perfect for a cycling tour.
Sydney, Australia - has a light, freshness and spirit to it that simply inspires happiness. And such great beaches too!
Havana is definitely one of the top cities I’ve visited, but holds more a rugged and interesting grandeur than what could be described as a polished beauty. But I have to list it for perfect character.
Granada, Spain – nearby Seville is also fantastic, but having the Alhambra makes this a ‘must see’ for beauty.
Oxford, England – had to add a local city (and would be shot if the missus heard I put Oxford in instead of Cambridge, so honourable mention to both).
And quit with the Milton Keynes abuse – it’s actually a lot better that its reputation suggests! 
(says Aro – currently based near Northampton )
Varanasi is beautiful, at least when viewed from the river.
Parts of Esfahan are beyond belief, but they are located in the middle of a bustling non-spectacular city. The same goes for Marrakech, Bokhara, Samarkand, etc.
Seconding Edinburgh, Montréal and Québec. I’d like to add Yogyakarta and Dublin to the list as well.
First place has to be Paris. I’ve been there several times, and never tire of its beauty.
Runners up: Amsterdam, Venice, Barcelona, Seville, Vienna, Arles and Nice.