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Most Beautiful Cities in the World

Tulika Nair
It is difficult to list out the most beautiful cities in the world. Here are a few of the cities that, according to us, make the grade.
"When you look at a city, it's like reading the hopes, aspirations, and pride of everyone who built it."
Defining a city can be difficult, but Hugh Newell Jacobsen may have managed a way to do so, but describing the beauty of a city and actually naming the top most beautiful cities in a world, can be a task that can only be described as herculean.
Beauty, as they say in the age-old clichéd manner, lies in the eyes of the beholder, and hence, this list is completely subjective.

Cities that are Considered the Most Beautiful
There are many beautiful cities in the world and listing out all of them suiting everyone's tastes and preferences is near impossible. In this list, we talk about those cities that have captured the imagination of travelers everywhere.

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Barcelona

Steeped in history, art, and culture, Barcelona is a port city and the 2nd largest city in Spain, and is home to one of the biggest names in football, FC Barcelona. The city leads the world in the design industry and gastronomical experimentation.
The love for design is also apparent in the stunning structures that dot the city. A green cover that can be widely attributed to its 68 parks and the work hard, play harder vibe that is visible for everyone at its 7 beaches.
Barcelona is also one of the most disabled-friendly cities in the world, thanks to the improvements it had to make in preparation for the 1992 Olympics.

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Buenos Aires

The capital and the largest city of Argentina, Buenos Aires is known for its cultural vibrancy and cosmopolitan inhabitants. Porteños, or people of the port, exhibit their live culture, food, fashion, and share a deep rooted love for their traditions.
This city was founded in 1536. Home to one of the finest opera houses in the world, Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires, is a city that is definitely worth a visit.

Cape Town

With beautiful beaches and the famous Table mountain, that gives a panoramic view of the city at a height of 3,500 feet above sea level, the city is an astonishing potpourri of natural beauty, Cape Dutch style architecture, and a rich heritage.

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The city is the legislative and economic capital of South Africa with a mix of people from different races inhabiting it.

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Chicago

Chi-town, Chi-city, Windy City, Second City, City of Big Shoulders; the number of epithets the city has been awarded with are amazing.
A few people may question the inclusion of this city, but its cultural dynamism manages to capture the heart of anyone who visits it. A few other feathers in its cap, is that we owe the emergence of skyscrapers, deep dish pizza, and America's first African-American President to the city of Chicago.

Florence

Renaissance architecture, the art capital of Italy, and World Heritage Site, Florence is widely regarded as the last preserved cradle of the Renaissance. Tourism is the most significant industry in Florence, with thousands of tourists visiting it in a single month.

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Historically, Florence is the first home to Italian fashion. Most world famous fashion houses, that are now situated at Milan, were first founded at Florence. The Duomo remains the architectural masterpiece in the city where one is spoiled for choice.

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Hong Kong

This city which is a special region of the People's Republic of China, is definitely one the most beautiful cities you will ever visit.
This city is a perfect example of ,'east meets west,' blending its traditional Chinese heritage with the values that it imbibed during the British regime. Hong Kong is home to several famous martial arts performers like Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and famous directors like Wong Kar-wai.

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Istanbul
The cultural & financial capital and the largest city in Turkey, Istanbul is an energetic city which derives its kick from the innumerable coffee houses and rooftop restaurants, that are forever brimming with people.
The bazaars are forever crowded and the commuter ferries are always plying people. The architecture of the city adds to the beauty, with gorgeous domes, minarets, mosques, and the most brilliant collection of frescoes which date back to the Byzantine era.

London

Sweeney Todd very famously sang, "There is no place like London". Though he may have had only bad things to say about the city, we cannot stop gushing about this mega-city that was founded almost 2 millennia ago by the Romans.

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Art, entertainment, music, culture, literature, and even films - you name it and London commands its presence in that field.
From the picturesque view that the London Eye offers you, to the almost mannequin like Buckingham Palace guards and the Big Ben, London travel ensures enough tourist spots and attractions for everyone.

New York City

New York, I Love You, a recently released film pays homage to the city that is the financial capital of the U.S.A. The Big Apple is captured in its many moods and sights but the movie still fails to do justice to the city.
Tom Wolfe had one famously said, "Culture just seemed to be in the air, like part of the weather". Nothing seems truer for New York City, which can boast of being the center for several movements including the Harlem renaissance, jazz dance, hip hop, and abstract expressionism.

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Of course, the fact that it is home to Broadway, Ellis Island, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and the Central Park is just a pleasant afterthought.

Paris

The most romantic city in the world, the home to the Eiffel Tower, Louvre museum, and Notre Dame de Paris which have been the spectacular settings to many a movies, Paris remains 'the city of dreams' for the majority of modern-day tourists.
Once the world leader in cultural and artistic pursuits including movies, fashion, philosophy, and even gourmet food, today Paris city is fighting a battle to maintain the cultural heritage.
However, that does not take away from the fact that this gorgeous city remains one of the most beautiful cities in the world and will continue to inspire writers and poets alike.

Rio de Janeiro

Carnival, Samba, and a gorgeous natural coastline - Rio de Janeiro, which literally means the River of January is an all year party.
It is also home to the Corocvado & Sugarloaf mountains, and the statue of Christ the Redeemer, which is considered the largest art deco statue in the world. Today it is Brazil's primary tourist attraction. Rio was also the host of the 2016 summer Olympics. It has a vibrant night life.

Shanghai

The city with one of the most beautiful skylines in the world, Shanghai was a cosmopolitan city of China, that suffered a setback in the Mao era. Today, it is back in its full force, and is one of the most advanced cities in the world.
It is economically strong, has many structures that are taller than 200 meters, including the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, which is almost 468 meters high. Shanghai owns the status of the cultural and economic center of East Asia.

Sydney

Say Sydney and the first thing that pops into your head is the Opera house, with its expressionist modern design and shell like structure. Sydney is the topmost destinations for immigrants to Australia, which explains its multi-ethnic population.
Though the recent racial attacks have been a cause of concern, it does not take away from the fact that the city still remains a tourism haven. It has a grand Mardi Gras procession and New Year fireworks display that finds its way into TV screens across the world.

Tokyo

Fluorescent incandescents, mind-numbing speed, technology, the Wall Street of Japan, never-ending skyscrapers are just a few of the many images which are symbolic of the city. Tokyo, in its own futuristic style deserves to be on this list.
The buzz of the city seems like a cover for the movements of music, fashion, architecture, animation, and most importantly Manga. This structured city has many restaurants with Michelin stars. It is one of the most expensive cities in the world.

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Venice

Visitors are always dumbfounded by this city floating on water, which has been built on 118 islands connected by 177 canals, 409 bridges, and innumerable pavements.
When your public transport takes the form of boats or gondolas, how can one not call it one of the most beautiful cities in the world?
Historically, Venice was supposed to be the link between the East and the West. The city which has been the setting of many literary masterpieces, including Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, has been for a really long time, the favorite destination of tourists.
This list has hopefully been illuminating to most of you. While the beauty of a place is inherent, it is the people of the city that give it the character that tourists tend to love. This may not be an all-inclusive list, but we have tried to make it as expansive as possible.