Every city has a different story! The United Nations has designated October 31 every year as World Cities Day, hoping to promote international and global urbanization and encourage cooperation among countries to contribute to the sustainable development of cities jointly.
Taipei, Taiwan (Business Northeast) – Do you want to visit different cities? After more than two years of epidemic interference, the borders of various countries have been gradually loosened recently. Long-lost foreign travel has begun to make people feel ready to travel. “Lonely Planet” announced the ranking of the “Top Ten Best Tourist Cities in the World” in 2022. If you still don’t know where to go, follow travel experts’ advice.
Every country has its representative city, which is often the leading destination people choose to travel to, but did you know that cities also have their festivals? Since 2014, in addition to Halloween, there has been another “World Cities Day” on October 31 every year. This celebration is initiated and spearheaded by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), which looks forward to the global co-creation of greener, fairer, and more sustainable cities.
According to a survey by Lonely Planet, the world’s most popular travel brand for independent travelers, the “Top 10 Best Travel Cities in the World” in 2022 have been released. The top five were Auckland in New Zealand, Taipei in Taiwan, Freiburg in Germany, Atlanta in the United States, and Lagos in Nigeria. These cities are located on all five continents of the world, and each has its advantages and is worth visiting.
First place: Auckland (New Zealand)
Auckland is located on the North Island of New Zealand. It is the most populous and modern city in New Zealand. It is not only the commercial center of New Zealand but also known as the “Sailing Capital.” This place is not only suitable for travel but also suitable for living, and was once classified as one of the Beta+ world cities by GaWC.
Second place: Taipei (Taiwan)
Taipei City is the capital of Taiwan. Influenced by the basin’s topography, Taipei City is rich in natural landscapes. Although the hinterland is not vast, it is rich in cultural flavor due to historical factors. The number of historic sites and museums ranks first in Taiwan. In addition, it is also an important place for business, finance, and academic education in Taiwan. The famous landmark Taipei 101 is also known as the 11th tallest building in the world.
Third place: Freiburg (Germany)
With nearly 2,000 hours of sunshine every year, Freiburg is the warmest city in Germany and one of the cities that complies with the UN SDGs for sustainable management. Freiburg is an ancient German university town and the center of Catholic parishes. It has a lot of natural energy and solar panels on every household’s roof. The entire city has almost as much solar energy production capacity as the whole of the United Kingdom. It is regarded as one of the “greenest cities” in the world.
Fourth place: Atlanta (USA)
Atlanta is an art city in the southeastern United States, where public art can be seen everywhere and is very popular with tourists. It is also an essential birthplace of American civil rights, where the famous Civil War and civil rights fighter Martin Luther King, Jr. were born. In addition, the southern cuisine here is unique, and there are many authentic ethnic restaurants. Foodies who want to try new things should not miss it.
Fifth place: Lagos (Nigeria)
Lagos, which means lagoon in Portuguese, is the largest city near the harbor in Nigeria and was once the capital of Nigeria. As the second largest city in Africa, Lagos is a huge metropolitan area with a population second only to Cairo in Egypt. It is not only Nigeria’s economic and financial center but also its judicial capital after 1991. Lagos has been voted the 5th best city to visit in the world in 2022 due to its vibrant coastline, full of beach parties, and famous Afrobeat music.
As early as the Stone Age, to survive, human beings had a lifestyle of animal husbandry and settlement, and the place where they lived together was called a city. With the changes of the times and the rapid development of cities, all kinds of cities with different appearances have sprung up like mushrooms after the rain. We can fly to various cities to travel and experience different cultures. As international exchanges increase, so do cooperation and interaction between cities, which will continue to push people to work together to create a greener, fairer, and more sustainable world.
