TOP 10: Best cities to
travel to in 2014
Where are you heading to in 2014?
Is it Paris, New York or London?
Lonely Planet, the definitive travel guide and magazine, has released its
annual list of 2014's list of Best Cities to Travel.
If you haven't as yet made up
your mind, keep clicking to explore!
Lonely Planet's list
of cities to travel to in the coming year is out. The travel guide and
magazine drew upon its experts to put together a list of cities that will
inspire your travel in 2014.
We
start with:
There
is a reason why Auckland is home to one third of New Zealand's population.
Besides being the largest city in the country, it is also one of the most
cosmopolitan in nature and hosts several cultural events all year round.
Situated
on two harbours -- Manukau and
Waitemata -- Auckland is also known as the City of Sails thanks to the
prominent sailing culture.
Auckland
is built on a series of dormant volcanoes with one of them being just a few
miles away from the city's centre.
Lonely
Planet
lists Auckland at number 10 at the Best in Travel list of 2014.
The
fifth largest city in Australia after Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, Adelaide holds the distinction
of never being a convict settlement unlike Australia's other state capitals.
Located
among the wine regions of Barossa
Valley, Clare Valley and McLaren Vale, Adelaide also boasts of a fabulous
nightlife, fine dining options and several art events besides
swimmer-friendly beaches and great architecture.
Lonely
Planet calls Adelaide the 'perfect host city' having 'accumulated some of
Australia's most popular sporting and arts events, including the cultural tour
de force of the Adelaide Festival, the Adelaide Fringe Festival and WOMADelaide'.
Adelaide
is number nine on Lonely
Planet's Best in Travel list.
The
third largest city in the USA, Chicago
has a thriving jazz and blues culture as well as an improv comedy scene that
launched the careers of greats such as Bill Murray and Tina Fey among others.
With
amazing beaches and several world-class museums as well as large parks and
public art spaces, not to mention its world-class architecture, Chicago has
enough to keep you occupied for weeks if not months.
One
of the most ethnically diverse cities in
Canada, Vancouver is nestled between the Coast Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.
Surrounded
by natural beauty, Vancouver is also home to several film production studios
earning it the nickname of Hollywood North.
Besides
being consistently ranked as one of the top ten most liveable cities in the
world, Vancouver has, what Lonely Planet describes as the big-city-look with a
small-town-vibe.
"People
live here because they love to run, bike, swim, ski and play. Boredom is not
permitted here," Lonely
Planet's website notes while ranking the city at number seven in
its 2014 Best in Travel list.
For
citizens of 45 countries, Shanghai
recently expanded its visa-free transit quota to 72 hours. (Sadly India isn't
on the list) Which means you can take a tour of the wonderful city even if you
don't have a Chinese visa.
Home
to one of the largest collections of Art Deco buildings in the world, Shanghai
architecture boasts of an eclectic meeting of the West and the East.
While
property prices in Shanghai have gone through the roof, Shanghai has steadily
made itself a global city.
Its
metro system has expanded from three lines to high-speed 16 lines and is the
third-longest network in the world and it will soon be home to the tallest
building in China when the 121-story
Shanghai Tower will be complete.
Shanghai
is number six on Lonely
Planet's Best in Travel list.
Rounding
of the top five is Zurich.
The
Swiss city may be best known for its banks and men in suits but the city is
slowly earning reputation for its nightlife as the local government relaxes its
rules about opening hours.
Zurich
is also equally known for its efficient and safe public transport system and
its envious location against a mountainous backdrop as it is for its exclusive
fashion houses and fine dining restaurants.
The
capital city of Latvia, Riga
is home to an extensive collection of German Art Nouveau architecture as well
as about half of the country's population.
It
also boasts of a lively nightlife and draws visitors to its old town once known
as 'Paris of the East'.
Cosmopolitan,
hip and happening, Riga is also seeing a mass restoration of many of its
crumbling buildings and is the city to visit in 2014 according to the folks at Lonely Planet.
Home
to the world-famous table top mountain and the southern-most city of Africa, Cape Town is the second largest
city of South Africa and has something to offer for everyone.
Take
a cable car to the tabletop mountain or dive into shark-infested waters, sink
your teeth into the continent's varied flavours or simply unwind along the
beach.
Lonely
Planet
describes Cape Town, also known as The Mother City, as 'an old pro at capturing
people's hearts'. We couldn't agree more.
The
Spanish colonial settlement of Cuba is often seen as an 'outdoor museum' that
can keep history buffs occupied for hours on end.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Trinidad
has managed to retain its old-world charm even though being a tourist hub has
meant there are several hustlers who can be tad annoying.
Take
a steam train ride to the sugarcane fields and visit the 19th century manor
houses built during the sugar boom and their slave quarters or go picnicking to
Ancon beach; hike up the Escambray mountains or learn to dance the salsa.
Trinidad needn't just be a nerdy historical trip.
Often
called the City of Love and the City of Light, Paris is more than just a
collections of its famous monuments.
It's
a city where art, culture, romance, history, fashion, literature and
entertainment all come together to create a heady mix that's hard to ignore.
Whether
you're strolling down the Champs-Elysees, taking in the colourful shops, or
down a small boulevard admiring beautiful latticework balconies, you won't be
spoilt for choice.
While
most ensure they climb atop the Eiffel
Tower for that much talked about view, we suggest you also climb the Arc De
Triomphe in the evening for a panoramic view of the city you won't forget any
time soon.
With
all major roads leading here, soak up the feeling of being at the centre of it
all. And even if you're not a foodie, try out some of the local fare -- Paris
has 85 Michelin-starred restaurants vying for your attention.
If
that's too much pressure, stop by a roadside stall selling crepes stuffed with
Nutella and bananas, lip-smacking good.
No
matter how cliched it sounds, you will fall in love with Paris and that's
exactly why it is on every traveller's must-visit list.
For
Holiday planning assistance:
Call:
0091 96000 76933 / 0091 96000 75933
Ph:
0091 - 44 – 6548 4774
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