A list of the Top 10 best cities in the World

The readers of Wanderlust Magazine, the UK based travel website recently voted for their favourite cities anywhere in the world. Readers were asked to award a satisfaction rating to the countries that they have visited within the year. The top ten list makes interesting reading. It is noticeable that there is a move away from large capital cities and in favour of smaller cities with cultural, historical and architectural advantages. Of course some giants still made it into the list, but a few of the winners would surprise many.

Siem Reap is the leading travel destination in Southeast Asia

In at number 10 is Siem Reap. This sleepy provincial city in the north of Cambodia is more like a town in reality. It is a delightful place, full of broad, sweeping, tree-lined boulevards. These are, of course, a legacy left behind by the old French colonial rulers. Hotels here vary from back packer hostels, to the magnificent Raffles Hotel, whose wonderful gardens to the front are open all day to the general public. Siem Reap does of course benefit hugely by being home to the largest religious temple site in the world. The fabulous Angkor Wat is just a couple of miles outside the city perimeter.

Venice – the most romantic city in Italy

Venice, Italy comes in at number 9. This has of course been one of the leading holiday destinations in the world for many decades. The canals and architectural beauty have always, and will always, continue to be a huge pull. It is 160 square miles situated on 118 small islands linked by bridges, some of them as famous as the city itself. The city gets its name from the Veniti people who lived here in the 10th century. Known as one of the most romantic cities, it was described in the New York Times as “the most beautiful city built by man.”

Travel experience San Francisco – America’s most attractive city

In 8th place San Francisco is the first of two United States cities on the list. Founded in 1776 by Spanish colonists, it is an extremely beautiful city. Famed for it’s rolling hills, cable cars, the Golden Gate Bridge and of course the infamous Alcatraz prison, it draws millions every year. In 1906 an earthquake hit and the fractured gas pipes caught fire. The resulting inferno all but destroyed the entire city. The city centre was ruined completely and more than 75% of everything else, lay in ruins. The rebuild gave us the city that we have today.

New York is the most interesting city in the world

The second American city comes next, with New York occupying 7th spot. The Big Apple as it is known is no stranger to holiday destination accolades. It is famous for Christmas shopping and millions fly in from all over the world to visit Maceys and all the other big stores. It is the home of the American Skyscraper and the most famous of all is the Empire State Building. The most highly populated city in America it is made up of five boroughs, Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhatten and Staten Island. The giant, is built on the Hudson River and occupies approximately 470 square miles.

Journey to discover Udaipur Palace of India

Udaipur in India was founded in 1553 by Maharana Udai Singh and it finds its way into 6th place on this particular list. Known as either the White City or the City of Lakes it is a superb example of ancient Indian architecture. The famous Rajput palaces built here are extraordinary. The Lake Palace here, occupies an entire island in the Pichola Lake. It has often been referred to as the Venice of the East. Home to 600,000 people it is an extremely beautiful city.

Copenhagen Is Europe’s Most Livable City

Fifth place goes to Copenhagen. This Danish sea port has a wonderful history and became the country’s capital in the early part of the 15th century. It is a delightful city to get round as cars are forced to share their space with bicycles and public transport. The world famous Tivoli Gardens here opened their doors in 1843. This amusement park and pleasure garden is the second oldest in the world, beaten only by Dyrehavsbakken in nearby Klampenborg. It is the fourth most visit park in Europe.

Discover timeless golden age of Burma

As the former Burma, it was the most secretive country in the world. Now as Myanmar it is welcoming millions of tourists to visit. The big winner here is Bagan, and it comes straight into this list at number 4. This is an astonishingly beautiful city, founded in the 9th century, it was home to a staggering 10,000 temples. Most have long since disappeared but the 2200 that remain make a magnificent sight as you approach from the air. For many, it rivals Angkor Wat and it is hard not to agree.

Why is Kyoto the best tourist city in the world?

Kyoto in Japan, may surprise many to feature so high in this list. It is found in the central part of Honshu Island and is home to one and a half million people. It was the capital of Imperial Japan for more than one thousand years. A mixture of ancient and modern architecture with superb pagodas and gardens it is well deserving of inclusion here. The colours in the gardens as summer changes to autumn have to be seen to be believed.

Discover the Inca culture and Cusco landscape in Peru

Cusco in Peru was placed in the second spot, whilst its name may not be known to so many people, the location in the Southeast of the country, close to the Arubamba Valley in the Andes are the clue to its attraction. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the base from which Hiram Bingham set off on the trip that was to rediscover Machu Picchu. The city is a fine example of an ancient Incan city and was the ancient capital of the Inca Empire.

Hoi An topped the list of “Best Cities in Vietnam”

So this brings us to the winner. Voted in at number one is the astonishing city of Hoi An on Vietnam’s Central coastal region. It used to be the deepest port in the whole area but as the water silted up in the 15th century, the nearby Danang took advantage, and Hoi An became something of a ghost town. The warm dry climate preserve the city almost in a time capsule. In the UNESCO world Heritage Site citation they described it as an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century. It is quite simply remarkable in tours of Vietnam. One of the most beautiful places on earth, it is fully deserving of its ranking here, with 98% of visitors expressing complete satisfaction.

It is an interesting list and yet again proves why Vietnam is becoming such a popular tourist destination. Enjoy your wonderful time on trips to beautiful places in Vietnam tours.

Tags with: Vietnam tour packages