My Favorite Cities in the World
One of my friends once said to me, "I am a city person, I love the lights, noise, and pollution." I couldn't agree more. Due to my city obsession, they are often what I prioritize in travel. While I visited hundreds, there are a few that stand out among the rest. Here is the list of my favorite cities around the world in no particular order:
TRAVEL
James Kirk
10/2/20267 min read
New York, USA
This may be sacrilegious as someone who grew up in the Boston suburbs, but I think New York City is the best city in the US. Whenever I am in New York, I feel like I am in the center of the world. You can't go a few blocks without stumbling on something that has historic or pop cultural significance. The combination of Broadway, world-class art museums, nightlife, and gourmet food captivates me. Where else in the world can you have Dominican food for breakfast, Chinese for lunch, and Middle Eastern for dinner all on the same block? I will wait... Eating is often my main priority in New York. I always have to start my day with a bagel and finish it with a banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery when I take a day trip to Manhattan. Some of my best memories in the city are going to Pride in 2023, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, seeing my first Broadway show, and spending a whole day museum hopping this past February. Now that I am in Connecticut, I am grateful that I can make it an easy day trip.
Providence, Rhode Island, USA
If you know me personally, this is not a surprise. I have been in love with Providence since I was a child. The city is really cute and has so much to offer. It is a smaller, artsier, cheaper, less pretentious Boston with better restaurants. I grew up just 40 minutes away, and the minute I got my license, I started going almost every weekend. Providence has so many fun festivals throughout the year like Pride, PVDFest, WaterFire, and the Artisan Flea Market, just to name a few. I love how the city has very distinct neighborhoods despite its small size. You have everything from a Little Italy in Federal Hill to an artist enclave in Fox Point. If you are traveling to Providence for the first time, you must visit the RISD Museum, enjoy a cocktail outside at Constantino's, check out the shops on Westminster Street, enjoy the views at Prospect Terrace, check out Thayer Street, and go for a stroll in Roger Williams Park. Okay, that is a lot, maybe do that over two or three days.
Mexico City, Mexico
Mexico City has something for everyone, and if you have not been it needs to be on your bucket list. It is hard for me to put into words how much I love this place. It is actually making me emotional even to write about it. I think I have been to Mexico City eight times, but I have honestly lost count. It is one of those cities that you can visit hundreds of times and have a unique experience each trip. There is something so magical about taking a boat through the Xochimilico, strolling the colonial streets of Coyoacan, or standing in the middle of the Zócalo. If you like museums, architecture, history, food, and nightlife, Mexico City is for you. Also please do not let the news scare you out of a Mexico trip. No it is not true that the only way to safely visit Mexico is to sit at an all inclusive resort in Cancun or Cabo. Much of Mexico, including Mexico City, can be a wonderful destination with normal precautions taken.
I have had so many wonderful days in Mexico City. However, my favorite thing to do is just walk around. I love strolling through a new neighborhood, popping in and out of small shops, relaxing in a park, and grabbing drinks at local spots. One time I walked from the Historic Center all the way to Condesa, almost 5 miles. It was a fabulous day where I explored the National Art Museum, ate tacos de canasta in Chapultepec Park, went shopping in Roma Norte, and finished with a pastry in Parque Mexico before crashing at my Airbnb.
On your first trip I would recommend staying at a hotel around Avenida de la Reforma or in the Polanco neighborhood. I think those areas are both great locations because you will be near most of the attractions first time visitors would want to see. Traffic can be brutal, so it is also nice to be somewhere that is walkable or at least a short drive to most of your activities. That being said, I have stayed all over. On my last visit I stayed in Florida which is a cute residential neighborhood in the southern part of the city. I had a wonderful time exploring a new place. I already know I will be back many more times, I am thinking maybe 2027.
San Juan, Puerto Rico
I would describe Puerto Rico as my happy place. As an avid traveler I always find myself thinking about my next trip, even while I am already on one. However, Puerto Rico is a place where I feel like I can relax and live in the moment. The capital, San Juan, has everything I love: sun, beaches, art, architecture, shopping, and cuisine. The blue cobblestone streets and colorful colonial buildings of Old San Juan are breathtaking. There is nothing like sitting outside at a restaurant and enjoying the atmosphere as you sip on a piña colada. I also love walking around the upscale Miramar and Condado neighborhoods. Isla Verde, in the neighboring city of Carolina, has my favorite beaches in the area. You have warm water, beautiful sand, palm trees, and pink seashells along the shore. Since Puerto Rico is also currently the epicenter for the Spanish language music industry, there are some fantastic nightlife options in San Juan. There are fancy nightclubs, loud street parties, hole in the wall bars, and everything in between.
Rio de Janiero, Brazil
This list is in no particular order, but I think if I had to chose one city as my favorite, it would be Rio. This may have some recency bias because I was there last week, but Rio blew me away. The best word to describe it would be paradise. The city is gorgeous around every corner. You have beaches, mountains, rainforest, skyscrapers, colonial architecture, and wildlife all in one place. Last Thursday I spent the morning in Tijuca National Forest (which is located within the city limits of Rio) looking at wild toucans and monkeys, the afternoon shopping in a busy city market, and finished my evening having dinner on the beach.
Since being back, people have asked me, "What is Rio like?" My honest answer is: it is everything you would expect it to be, but even more breathtaking. Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain are not tourist traps, they are popular for a reason. Both brought me to tears. Ipanema is also one of the most beautiful city neighborhoods you have ever seen. Imagine Miami Beach, but with the shops and restaurants of lower Manhattan.
Where else in the world can you be in a city of over six million people and see wild orchids growing on street posts?
Paris, France
I think Paris may have been designed for me. I am a lover of art history, my favorite movement is French Impressionism, and I have the biggest sweet tooth on the planet. I feel like this is both a basic and controversial choice. While I truly adore this city, I am not shocked that others dislike it. Paris is about enjoying art, fashion, wine, history, and food. Those are five things that I adore. However, if you do not appreciate them, especially art, it probably will not be the best city for you. My ideal day in the French capital is waking up, grabbing a pastry, visiting a museum, sitting at a cafe, visiting another museum, and going to dinner. There is nothing like people watching in Paris. I could sit outside at a cafe with a coffee, followed by a glass of wine, and observe pedestrians for hours.
Seville, Spain
Sevilla was the first city I lived in outside of the United States. For that reason, it will always hold a special place in my heart. I studied there for five months when I was 21. While my college experience had a lot of ups and downs (probably more downs), study abroad undoubtably was one of the best times of my life. Sevilla has a charming city center filled with Islamic, Gothic, and Baroque architecture that you can spend hours admiring. The Triana neighborhood, famous for its azulejos (Spanish tiles), is one of the most beautiful places I have seen in Europe. It is a city that taught me to slow down and admire the smaller things in life. My favorite moments here were not seeing the main attractions, but going on walks with friends, having a coffee outside, watching the sunset on the Guadalquivir River, and taking naps in the Maria Luisa park. It was also the first city where I met someone that made me feel truly special. While it was just a short study abroad fling, it is an experience I will never forget.
Lisbon, Portugal
The first thing I really appreciate about Lisbon, and Portugal in general, is the friendliness of the people. Locals in European capitals sometimes treat tourists as an annoyance, but I have never felt that way in Lisbon. I would not say Lisbon has one must see attraction like the Eiffel Tower, Colosseum, or London Eye. It is the overall vibe of the city that makes it so special. It is charming and picturesque, but also gritty and bohemian. I love the black and white cobblestone streets, colorful building facades, and orange tile roofs. I also have an obsession with the azulejos here. I could spend a day walking around Lisbon and taking photos of the different tiles. It may also be the only other city I have been to that gives Paris a run for its money in the pastry department.
Puebla, Mexico
I meant to keep this list in a somewhat geographical order. However, when I went to make my honorable mentions list (which will follow this), it did not feel right putting Puebla there. I lived about an hour and half from Puebla for a year, and I frequently visited the city. I did countless day trips and stayed for the weekend on at lease four occasions I can remember. Puebla is a very dynamic city, it has a delightful historic center, an artist neighborhood, beautiful parks, and a modern downtown. It is the fourth largest city in Mexico (per wikipedia), but does not feel as chaotic as nearby Mexico City. Every time I have been in the Historic Center, I have run into an event, whether it is a holiday celebration, artisan market, performance, or protest.
One of my favorite places is Calle de los Dulces. This is an entire city block filled with candy stores, it is the best place in Mexico for traditional sweets. The food scene in Puebla in general is out of this world. I would argue it is also in contention for the best cuisine in the country with Oaxaca. When you are in the center, you must check out Mercado de la Victoria, which is filled with local food stalls. Some must try foods from Puebla are: cemitas, mole poblano, tacos arabes, molotes, and chalupas (nothing like the one from Taco Bell, just an fyi). I would go on and describe each of those, but I will spare you.
Honorable mentions that almost made the list:
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Rome, Italy
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Bogota, Colombia