# The Greatest Cities in the World **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 8, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551 "2005-07-08T03:09:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/21 "2005-07-08T16:33:37Z")
London New York Liverpool Philadelphia Dublin Edinburgh Paris (maybe second tier) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/22 "2005-07-08T16:42:06Z")
I don’t see how Milan gets into the wiki list either. Jerusalem perhapse should be in for it’s historical and religious importance. Other possibles Budhapest, Barcellona, St. Petersberg,. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/23 "2005-07-08T17:20:49Z")
Okay, after some thought, here is how I tackled this question - if I wanted to show a friendly alien the most important examples of urban Earth, I would take it to the following cities, in no particular order: New York City Chicago (okay, I’m biased!) San Francisco (okay, biased again, since it’s my hometown) London Jerusalem Mecca Cairo Shanghai Mexico City Tokyo Sydney Rome Bombay Johannesburg Rio de Janeiro Moscow ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/24 "2005-07-08T17:27:13Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > San Francisco (okay, biased again, since it’s my hometown) Bah, not even the greatest city in it’s state. And Green Bay needs to be added because of the Packers. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/25 "2005-07-08T17:31:02Z")
> [@Gangster Octopus](#): > > Bah, not even the greatest city in it’s state. > > And Green Bay needs to be added because of the Packers. Um…no. Green freaking Bay? What, you can’t possibly be thinking that San Diego is better than San Francisco. What do they have there? Okay, the zoo is nice. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/26 "2005-07-08T17:31:53Z")
London Paris Bristol Munich In that order. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/27 "2005-07-08T17:34:54Z")
I have to disagree on Tokyo. It’s just too damn big and crowded and difficult to get around. If there is one truly outstanding city in Japan, it’s **Kyoto**. It’s absolutely gorgeous, has wonderful history and architecture, a first rate university, and a visit won’t make you bankrupt. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/28 "2005-07-08T17:35:57Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > London > Paris > Bristol > Munich > > In that order. What about the entire non-Europe part of the world? ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/29 "2005-07-08T17:37:49Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > What, you can’t possibly be thinking that San Diego is better than San Francisco. What do they have there? Okay, the zoo is nice. Not San Diego, I’m talking about Bakersfield! ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/30 "2005-07-08T17:39:34Z")
> [@Gangster Octopus](#): > > Not San Diego, I’m talking about Bakersfield! Oh well, yeah, Bakersfield is pretty awesome. What with the…dirt, and all. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/31 "2005-07-08T19:12:45Z")
Have the people who have said Rio been to a different Rio than I have? The Rio I was at was overcrowded, filthy and crime ridden. I don’t deny that some parts of the city are fantastic, and they do have fabulous beaches with lots of hotties in tiny bikinis, but that doesn’t qualify it as a great city of the world. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/32 "2005-07-08T21:11:57Z")
I’m going to limit this to 10 cities I’ve lived in or visited, and there’s nothing objective about this list. In order: Paris (tie) NYC (tie) Rome Vienna London San Francisco Venice Montreal Boston Florence ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/33 "2005-07-08T21:12:02Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > London > Paris > Bristol > Munich > > In that order. Bristol ??? Well that is an interesting choice, and historically it is a very important port, but what do you say makes Bristol world class as a city? I have lived in Bristil and worked in Brislington, but never saw any reason to think Bristol was a world class city. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/34 "2005-07-08T21:15:09Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Have the people who have said Rio been to a different Rio than I have? The Rio I was at was overcrowded, filthy and crime ridden. I don’t deny that some parts of the city are fantastic, and they do have fabulous beaches with lots of hotties in tiny bikinis, but that doesn’t qualify it as a great city of the world. Well aren’t parts ofNew York and London “overcrowded, filthy and crime ridden” (and just about every other choice listed above)? Is Rio really worse than NYC or London in those areas? ---
**Author:** ![zega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@zega](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zega)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/35 "2005-07-08T21:37:53Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Have the people who have said Rio been to a different Rio than I have? The Rio I was at was overcrowded, filthy and crime ridden. I don’t deny that some parts of the city are fantastic, and they do have fabulous beaches with lots of hotties in tiny bikinis, but that doesn’t qualify it as a great city of the world. Don’t know much about Rio, but it should be noted the OP never mentioned anything about how liveable or orderly or clean the cities are. Rather, the criteria were power, beauty, culture, and history. From places I’ve been to: Rome Paris London NYC Venice ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/36 "2005-07-09T00:46:06Z")
The cities I have been to, and would go back for more: San Francisco Seattle Austin New Orleans Miami NYC Toronto Amsterdam Berlin Dublin London Stockholm ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/37 "2005-07-09T02:34:09Z")
How about Los Angeles as one of the greatest cities in the world? It may not be the #1 tourist destination, but as a meeting place between Asia, Central/South America and the United States, it is one of the most important cities in the world. I love Los Angeles as a city, but it isn’t where I’ll always take my vacation. However as a great world city, it may only topped by a few. Perhaps New York, London, Paris, Rome…few others, I think. ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/38 "2005-07-09T07:03:07Z")
Based on the criteria of _ **power, beauty, culture, history** _ as stated in the OP, and restricted to only cities in which I’ve lived or have visited: [ul] [li]Paris[/li][li]London[/li][li]Rome[/li][li]NYC (on the East Coast)[/li][li]San Francisco (on the West Coast)[/li][li]Hong Kong[/li][/ul] Other cities I’ve seen, but do **not** include on my “greatest” list: [ul] [li]Los Angeles … where’s the beauty? Power? Both U.S. Senators are from the SF area, and the state is deep blue due to the northern part of the state[/li][li]Barcelona … entertaining city, but a bit too grimy for me[/li][li]Venice … great tourist city, that’s it[/li][li]Florence … love the city, but I’m only picking one city from Italy[/li][li]Amsterdam … very nice tolerant city, wonderful for walking, just shy of being one of the greatest[/li][li]Vancouver and Victoria, BC … gorgeous cities, but can’t put these alongside the ones above[/li][/ul] Other cities I will visit and might make my “greatest” list post-visit: [ul] [li]Beijing[/li][li]Shanghai[/li][li]Istanbul[/li][li]Mexico City[/li][li]Sydney[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/39 "2005-07-09T07:21:45Z")
The Top Ten Cities In The World _to me…_ Madison, WI Asheville, NC Columbia, MD Kitty Hawk, NC Savannah, GA Vicenza, Italy Leusden, The Netherlands King’s Mountain, NC Key West, FL Baltimore, MD ---
**Author:** ![Large\_Marge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@Large\_Marge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Large_Marge)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551/40 "2005-07-09T07:27:42Z")
Sadly, I have not traveled the world enough to know. But, here’s the top 10 I’ve visited and loved or would like to visit, though I’m not sure they’re all “cities”: Christchurch, New Zealand Palermo, Sicily Phuket, Thailand Trondheim, Norway New York City, NY Vancouver, BC Montreal, QB Dusseldorf, Germany St. Petersburg, Russia Washington DC [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-cities-in-the-world/311551.md?page=3)