Senior director of communications for TripAdvisor Brooke Ferencsik said, “It’s clear in looking at this year’s list of Travellers’ Choice award-winning destinations that our millions of reviewers across the globe love exploring iconic cities that are full of rich history and culture.”
Without a doubt, Paris is all that, and more. From the cobblestoned alleyways that are perennially abuzz with cafés and scenic Champ de Mars to the meandering Rue de Charonne replete with vintage stores, the French capital has everything to suit every mood and occasion. Other cities are catching up too – check out the runners-up that should be on your travel hit-list for the year ahead.
1. Paris, France
The La Ville Lumière is touted as the most romantic city in the world, and deservedly so. Paris is the consummate shape-shifter, switching ever-so-effortlessly between classical and avant-garde because modernity makes up the city’s DNA as much as its Haussmann-era grandeur. Plus, is there a locution more amorous than the word ‘love’ in French?
2. London, England
Art, food, music and a rich architectural heritage contribute to a vibrant and ever-evolving London, which will yield some of its best-kept secrets if you’re willing to dig a little deeper.
3. Rome, Italy
Just how cool is Rome? Let us count the ways: Colosseum, St Peter’s Basilica, Residenza Napoleone III (named after Emperor Napolean III, who lived there in 1830), Giambattista Valli and the super posh Pierluigi, patronised by – wait for it – Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan for their honeymoon dinner, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Kerry. Need we say more?
4. Bali, Indonesia
The island’s sublime beaches and giant waves have courted divers and surfers from all around the world. It’s eat, pray, love with a healthy dose of sunshine.
5. Crete, Greece
Sun-drenched beaches and rugged canyons are just some of Crete’s main draws – the dreamy, nostalgic villages steeped in ancient history and folklore will transport you to Greece’s medieval past.
6. Barcelona, Spain
To see what’s fuelling the largest city of Catalonia, you only need to look to the slew of art galleries dotting the city. Also, the nightlife scene in Barcelona is reaching lofty heights – scenesters are practically drinking in the view at rooftop bars such as Arola at Hotel Arts Barcelona and the very posh Terrat in Mandarin Oriental.
7. Prague, Czech Republic
For city-weary travellers, Prague offers a break from the monotony of malls, and well, more malls. With Gothic spires decorating its skyline and witty sculptures punctuating its public spaces, the capital city of Czech Republic especially caters to holiday-goers who want to immerse themselves in culture.
8. Marrakech, Morocco
Lively souqs, powder-pink pisé ramparts, Jemaa el-Fna Square, belly dancing… these are things about Marrakech you already know. This year, make a beeline for the newly opened Yves Saint Laurent’s museum, which is just a short distance away from Jardin Majorelle – the home acquired by Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé in 1980. The building’s beautiful lace-like lattice of terracotta bricks are meant to evoke the ‘weft and warp of fabric’.
9. Istanbul, Turkey
Skip the crowd at Hagia Sohpia and the Blue Mosque (you should, however, visit them at least once) and head to Karaköy for a change. It’s a gritty yet energetic waterfront district where boho-chic boutiques share the narrow streets with tradesmen’s workshops and design-driven hotels.
10. New York City, New York
It probably takes a lifetime to get to know New York. This is hardly an exaggeration considering how this city – an epicentre of the arts, dining, fashion, culture and architecture – never runs short of hidden nooks to explore. If you don’t know where to begin, easy! Always start with a Broadway show.
