Top 25 Cities in the World: Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards

Visit Kyoto JAPAN

The new city, Heian-kyō (平安京 "tranquility and peace capital"), a scaled replica of the then Tang capital Chang'an, became the seat of Japan's imperial court in 794, beginning the Heian period of Japanese history. Although military rulers established their governments either in Kyoto or in other cities such as Kamakura and Edo, Kyoto remained Japan's capital until the transfer of the imperial court to Edo in 1868 at the time of the Imperial Restoration.

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Visit Bruges BELGIUM

Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country. The historic city centre is a prominent World Heritage Site of UNESCO. It is egg-shaped and about 430 hectares in size. The area of the whole city amounts to more than 13,840 hectares, including 1,075 hectares off the coast, at Zeebrugge (meaning "Brugge aan Zee" or "Bruges on Sea").

The most popular thing to do in Bruges is to take a leisurely boat ride along the charming canals and admire the picturesque medieval architecture.

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Visit Chicago ILLINOIS

Chicago is the largest city in the state of Illinois. With over 2.8 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous city in the country. Its metropolitan area, commonly named "Chicagoland," is the 26th most populous in the world, home to an estimated 9.7 million people spread across the U.S. states of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana. Chicago is the county seat of Cook County.

Chicago is home to the world's first skyscraper, the 10-story Home Insurance Building, which was constructed in 1885 and marked the beginning of the city's iconic skyline.

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Visit Salzburg AUSTRIA

Salzburg is the fourth-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. Salzburg's "Old Town" (Altstadt) with its world famous baroque architecture is one of the best-preserved city centres north of the Alps, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The city is noted for its Alpine setting. Salzburg was the birthplace of 18th-century composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Explore the historic Old Town, visit Mozart's birthplace, and marvel at the stunning views from Hohensalzburg Fortress.

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Visit Chiang Mai THAILAND

Chiang Mai sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province, a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna (1296–1768) and was the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 until 1939. It is located 700 km (435 mi) north of Bangkok, among the highest mountains in the country. The city is on the Ping River, a major tributary of the Chao Phraya River.

Chiang Mai is known as the "Rose of the North" for its beautiful flowers and gardens.

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Visit San Francisco CALIFORNIA

San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.6 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland. The only consolidated city-county in California, it encompasses a land area of about 46.9 square miles (121 km) on the northern end of the San Francisco Peninsula, giving it a density of about 17,179 people per square mile (6,632 people per km).

Exploring the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and enjoying breathtaking views of the city and the bay is a must-do in San Francisco.

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Visit Sydney AUSTRALIA

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is classified as an Alpha+ World City indicating its influence in the region and throughout the world. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people. Inhabitants of Sydney are called Sydneysiders, comprising a cosmopolitan and international population.

The number one most popular thing to do in Sydney, Australia is to visit the iconic Sydney Opera House and take in a performance or explore its architectural beauty.

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Visit Quebec City CANADA

Quebec, French: Québec, also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about 233 kilometres (145 mi) to the southwest. As of the 2006 Canadian Census, the city has a population of 491,142, and the metropolitan area has a population of 715,515.

The most popular thing to do in Quebec City is to explore the historic and charming Old Town, with its cobblestone streets, stunning architecture, and iconic landmarks like the Château Frontenac.

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Visit New Orleans LOUISIANA

New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The population of the city proper was 343,829 as of the 2010 U.S. Census. The New Orleans metropolitan area (New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area) had a population of 1,167,764 in 2010 and was the 46th largest in the United States. The New Orleans–Metairie–Bogalusa Combined Statistical Area, a larger trading area, had a 2010 population of 1,214,932.

The most popular thing to do in New Orleans is to explore the vibrant French Quarter, with its lively music scene, delicious cuisine, and historic architecture.

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Visit Siena ITALY

Siena (also widely spelled Sienna in English) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena. The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 169,000 international arrivals in 2008. Siena is famous for its cuisine, art, museums, medieval cityscape and the palio.

Siena's historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the famous Palio horse race.

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Visit Vienna AUSTRIA

Vienna is the capital of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.7 million (2.3 million within the metropolitan area, more than 25% of Austria's population), and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre. It is the 10th largest city by population in the European Union.

Visiting the stunning Schönbrunn Palace, the former imperial summer residence, is a must-do when in Vienna.

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Visit Beirut LEBANON

Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. As there has been no recent population census, the exact population is unknown; estimates in 2007 ranged from slightly less than 1 million to slightly more than 2 million. Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coast, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport. The Beirut metropolitan area consists of the city and its suburbs.

Beirut is known as the "Paris of the Middle East" for its vibrant nightlife, rich history, and diverse culture.

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Visit Bangkok THAILAND

Bangkok is the capital, largest urban area and primary city of Thailand. Known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, or กรุงเทพฯ Krung Thep, meaning "city of angels" for short, it was a small trading post at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River during the Ayutthaya Kingdom. It came to the forefront of Siam when it was given the status as the capital city in 1768 after the burning of Ayutthaya.

Bangkok is home to Wat Arun, a stunning temple known as the "Temple of Dawn," which features intricate architectural details and offers breathtaking views of the city from its towering spire.

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Visit Luang Prabang LAOS

Luang Prabang, or Louangphrabang, is a city located in north central Laos, where the Nam Khan river meets the Mekong River about 425 km north of Vientiane. It is the capital of Luang Prabang Province. The current population of the city is about 103,000. The city was formerly the capital of a kingdom of the same name. Until the communist takeover in 1975, it was the royal capital and seat of government of the Kingdom of Laos. The city is also notable as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Luang Prabang's Night Market offers unique handicrafts and street food, perfect for evening exploration.

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Visit Kraków POLAND

Kraków also Cracow, or Krakow is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River (Polish: Wisła) in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life and is one of Poland's most important economic hubs.

Kraków's historic Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to Europe's largest medieval market square.

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Visit Santa Fe NEW MEXICO

Santa Fe is the capital of the state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of Santa Fe County. Santa Fe (literally 'holy faith' in Spanish) had a population of 62,203 at the April 1, 2000 census; the estimate for July 1, 2009, is 73,720. It is the principal city of the Santa Fe, New Mexico Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Santa Fe County and is part of the larger Santa Fe-Española Combined Statistical Area.

Santa Fe is the highest capital city in the United States, sitting at an elevation of 7,199 feet above sea level.

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Visit Barcelona SPAIN

Barcelona is the capital and the most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, after Madrid, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of 101.4 km (39 sq mi).

Exploring the iconic architectural wonders of Antoni Gaudí, such as the breathtaking Sagrada Família and Park Güell, tops the list of must-do activities in Barcelona.

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Visit Siem Reap CAMBODIA

Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia, and is the gateway to Angkor region. Siem Reap has colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market. In the city, there are traditional Apsara dance performances, craft shops, silk farms, rice-paddy countryside, fishing villages and a bird sanctuary near the Tonle Sap Lake. Siem Reap today, being a popular tourist destination, has a large number of hotels and restaurants.

Siem Reap is home to the magnificent Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world.

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Visit Rome ITALY

Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in 1,285.3 km (496.3 sq mi). In 2006 the population of the metropolitan area was estimated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to have a population of 3.7 million. The city of Rome is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.

The most popular thing to do in Rome, Italy is to visit the iconic Colosseum and explore its fascinating history.

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Visit Prague CZECH REPUBLIC

Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Nicknames for Prague have included: Praga mater urbium/Praha matka měst ("Prague – Mother of Cities") in Latin/Czech, Stověžatá Praha ("City of a Hundred Spires") in Czech and Zlaté město/Goldene Stadt ("Golden City") in Czech/German. Situated on the Vltava River in central Bohemia, Prague has been the political, cultural and economic centre of the Czech state for more than 1,100 years.

Prague is home to the largest ancient castle in the world, Prague Castle, which spans over 18 acres and dates back to the 9th century.

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Visit San Miguel de Allende MEXICO

San Miguel de Allende is the seat of the municipality of Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico, a historic town founded in 1542 that has become an attractive tourist destination for wealthy Mexico City residents and has a large American and Canadian expatriate community composed primarily of retirees.

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Visit Cape Town SOUTH AFRICA

Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality. The city is famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point.

Cape Town is home to the iconic Table Mountain, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the city.

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Visit Budapest HUNGARY

Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it serves as the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2010, Budapest had 1,721,556 inhabitants, down from 1980 peak of 2.06 million. The Budapest Commuter Area is home to 3,271,110 people. The city covers an area of 525 square kilometres (202.7 sq mi) within the city limits.

Explore the historic Buda Castle and enjoy panoramic views of the city from the Fisherman's Bastion.

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Visit Charleston SOUTH CAROLINA

Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location (Oyster Point) from a location on the west bank of the Ashley River (Albemarle Point) in 1680. It adopted its present name in 1783.

Charleston is home to the oldest public gardens in America, the stunning Magnolia Plantation and Gardens.

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Visit Florence ITALY

Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with 367,569 inhabitants (1,500,000 in the metropolitan area). The city lies on the River Arno and is known for its history and its importance in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance, especially for its art and architecture.

The number one most popular thing to do in Florence, Italy is to visit the iconic Uffizi Gallery to admire masterpieces by artists like Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci.

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