MY 14 favorite CITIES IN THE world
Last Updated: 5/10/21 |May 10th, 2021 (Originally posted in 2011)
When you travel for a living, you get asked a lot of questions as you bounce from one hostel to another. The top one: what’s your favorite country?
The second most asked question: what’s your favorite city?
I’ve spent a long time traveling the world and have been to hundreds upon hundreds of cities in the world. There are so many that I love for many different reasons – some for art, some for history, some for the food, most for the people.
But, to me, the ones that stand out the most are the ones where I feel most at home. They are places I check out and feel connected too. Their energy and my energy match. I move around them with ease, I feel at one with the culture, and tempo of the city.
I think to myself “Yeah, I could live here.” Not just check out but live.
And, when I think that, then I know I’ve found a special place.
So what are my favorite cities in the world? Where are the places I feel that way? They are here:
My 14 favorite Cities
Amsterdam
Paris
Bangkok
Stockholm
New York City
Chicago
Vancouver
Queenstown
Perth
Hong Kong
Reykjavik
London
Oaxaca
Cape Town
1. Amsterdam
I can’t say exactly how many times I’ve been to Amsterdam, but it’s in the double digits. And, for a brief time at the end of 2006, I lived there as a professional poker player (Seriously. It’s one of the more interesting random facts about me!).
The fast-paced life, friendly locals, easy access to the rest of Europe, picturesque canals, and stunning architecture keep me coming back. Plus, it being Amsterdam and all, there are tons of weird and quirky things to see and do there too!
In some ways, Amsterdam reminds me of my hometown of Boston, which might be why I love it so much. The brick buildings, fast-moving people, austere vibe. It feels like home.
Favorite activity: Boating through the canals with friends.
Visiting Amsterdam? check out my complete budget travel guide to Amsterdam! It’s hundreds of pages long and will help you plan the best trip there!
2. Paris
Ever since I stepped out on the Champs Elysées, I knew Paris was it. It was everything I dreamed it would be I was in love from the first moment. Sure, Paris is large and expensive and bursting with tourists. but what big city isn’t like that?
Paris is beautiful, vibrant, and filled with tasty food and history. Being here is like being in a real-life romantic comedy. I love the city so much I even moved there for a good chunk of 2019. It really does live up to all the hype, especially when you move away from the tourist areas and into the local places more.
Favorite activity: picking up some good food at the market and having a picnic.
Get my complete budget travel guide to Paris and plan the perfect trip! It’s hundreds of pages long and will help you plan the best trip there!
3. Bangkok
I hated Bangkok the first few times I traveled there. It was simply a dirty, polluted city with no redeeming qualities. It wasn’t until I moved there that I fell in love with it.
Bangkok, it turns out, is an easy city to live in — there’s lots to do, plenty of events, terrific bars, wonderful food (nothing beats Thai street food), and even more wonderful people. It’s just a bad tourist city. There’s just not a lot to do there for a tourist. It’s a city you live in.
Living in Bangkok showed me that looks can be deceiving and that there is more to a city than what you see on the surface. You just need to be willing to look a little deeper.
And, when you do, you always find something special.
Favorite activity: live music at brick Bar or eating noodles at a street stall.
If you’re visiting Bangkok, check out my complete budget travel guide to Bangkok! It has everything I know about the city in one easy place.
4. Stockholm
I have a strong affinity for all things Scandinavian, and Stockholm is no exception. I’ve been there a handful of times over the years, and I even tried to move there years ago (it didn’t work out).
I think this city is one of the most picturesque I have ever seen. The reds and greens of the buildings have an Old world charm that rivals cities like Prague, and during the fall, the changing leaves only highlight that beauty.
Stockholm is also very historic, with a high quality of life, and the Swedes in the city are super friendly and welcoming. It’s not a low-cost city to visit, but it’s worth every penny!
Favorite activity: getting lost in the maze of historic streets in Gamla Stan.
5. new York City
New York City is a place where dreams are made into reality and there is always something to do, something to see, or a new place to eat. The city is so multicultural that when I feel like I need to travel but I can’t, there’s an ethnic area of the city that will give me my fix.
I love NYC. It is the heart of the world to me. It is a non-stop place where you come to make it in the world. You can always finMY 14 favorite CITIES IN THE world (###) Last Updated: 5/10/21 |May 10th, 2021 (Originally posted in 2011)
When you travel for a living, you get asked a lot of questions as you bounce from one hostel to another. The top one: what’s your favorite country?
The second most asked question: what’s your favorite city?
I’ve spent a long time traveling the world and have been to hundreds upon hundreds of cities in the world. There are so many that I love for many different reasons – some for art, some for history, some for the food, most for the people.
But, to me, the ones that stand out the most are the ones where I feel most at home. They are places I check out and feel connected too. Their energy and my energy match. I move around them with ease, I feel at one with the culture, and tempo of the city.
I think to myself “Yeah, I could live here.” Not just check out but live.
And, when I think that, then I know I’ve found a special place.
So what are my favorite cities in the world? Where are the places I feel that way? They are here:
My 14 favorite Cities
Amsterdam
Paris
Bangkok
Stockholm
New York City
Chicago
Vancouver
Queenstown
Perth
Hong Kong
Reykjavik
London
Oaxaca
Cape Town
1. Amsterdam
I can’t say exactly how many times I’ve been to Amsterdam, but it’s in the double digits. And, for a brief time at the end of 2006, I lived there as a professional poker player (Seriously. It’s one of the more interesting random facts about me!).
The fast-paced life, friendly locals, easy access to the rest of Europe, picturesque canals, and stunning architecture keep me coming back. Plus, it being Amsterdam and all, there are tons of weird and quirky things to see and do there too!
In some ways, Amsterdam reminds me of my hometown of Boston, which might be why I love it so much. The brick buildings, fast-moving people, austere vibe. It feels like home.
Favorite activity: Boating through the canals with friends.
Visiting Amsterdam? check out my complete budget travel guide to Amsterdam! It’s hundreds of pages long and will help you plan the best trip there!
2. Paris
Ever since I stepped out on the Champs Elysées, I knew Paris was it. It was everything I dreamed it would be I was in love from the first moment. Sure, Paris is large and expensive and bursting with tourists. but what big city isn’t like that?
Paris is beautiful, vibrant, and filled with tasty food and history. Being here is like being in a real-life romantic comedy. I love the city so much I even moved there for a good chunk of 2019. It really does live up to all the hype, especially when you move away from the tourist areas and into the local places more.
Favorite activity: picking up some good food at the market and having a picnic.
Get my complete budget travel guide to Paris and plan the perfect trip! It’s hundreds of pages long and will help you plan the best trip there!
3. Bangkok
I hated Bangkok the first few times I traveled there. It was simply a dirty, polluted city with no redeeming qualities. It wasn’t until I moved there that I fell in love with it.
Bangkok, it turns out, is an easy city to live in — there’s lots to do, plenty of events, terrific bars, wonderful food (nothing beats Thai street food), and even more wonderful people. It’s just a bad tourist city. There’s just not a lot to do there for a tourist. It’s a city you live in.
Living in Bangkok showed me that looks can be deceiving and that there is more to a city than what you see on the surface. You just need to be willing to look a little deeper.
And, when you do, you always find something special.
Favorite activity: live music at brick Bar or eating noodles at a street stall.
If you’re visiting Bangkok, check out my complete budget travel guide to Bangkok! It has everything I know about the city in one easy place.
4. Stockholm
I have a strong affinity for all things Scandinavian, and Stockholm is no exception. I’ve been there a handful of times over the years, and I even tried to move there years ago (it didn’t work out).
I think this city is one of the most picturesque I have ever seen. The reds and greens of the buildings have an Old world charm that rivals cities like Prague, and during the fall, the changing leaves only highlight that beauty.
Stockholm is also very historic, with a high quality of life, and the Swedes in the city are super friendly and welcoming. It’s not a low-cost city to visit, but it’s worth every penny!
Favorite activity: getting lost in the maze of historic streets in Gamla Stan.
5. new York City
New York City is a place where dreams are made into reality and there is always something to do, something to see, or a new place to eat. The city is so multicultural that when I feel like I need to travel but I can’t, there’s an ethnic area of the city that will give me my fix.
I love NYC. It is the heart of the world to me. It is a non-stop place where you come to make it in the world. You can always fins of other free things to see and do as well).
But it wasn’t until last year when I spent a month in the city that I really “got” it. I understood why people loved it. There was a charming sophistication to the place.
Strolling the streets of the city, enjoying the markets, taking in the history of the place, laying in the park, and having a pint outside a pub? Heaven.
Paris will always have my heart but London comes close.
Favorite activity: visiting as many museums as I can and then drinking at a pub.
Check out our travel guide to London to plan your trip.
13. Oaxaca
Oaxaca, a city in the central part of the Pacific coast of Mexico, is a hub for heritage tourism, owing to its many historical attractions (including Monte Albán, a UNESCO Heritage Site; and Mitla, a Zapotec archeological site), colorful buildings, scenic rooftop restaurants and bars, street art, historic Spanish colonial churches, cobblestone streets, and many parks.
The city has everything I like: history, Mezcal, and food. Oaxaca is one of the gastronomic centers of Mexico and was the place I fell most in love with during my check out to the country. It’s safe, the people are wonderful, the buildings are beautiful, and the food…did I mention the food? It’s out of this world.
Within seconds of landing here, I knew I belonged. I could easily live here I love it so much.
Favorite activity: visiting the mezcalerías.
Check out my post on why I loved my time in Oaxaca to learn more as well as specific tips for visiting!
14. Cape Town
Cape town is one of those places I can never get enough of. Its natural beauty, climate, people, chill atmosphere, and delicious food scene always make my check outs memorable. Head up Table mountain and Lion’s Head to soak up the city’s iconic view, walk the famous boardwalk along Muizenberg Beach, and check out the Robben Island prison where Nelson Mandela spent 27 years behind bars. Also, don’t miss the penguins at Boulder Beach. They’re super cool.
Favorite activity: relaxing on the beach!
Check out our travel guide to Cape town to plan your trip.
***
There are you have it! My favorite cities in the world. Leave a comment on this post and let me know what your favorites are – and why!
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