If you could return to any five cities, where would you go?
This was the question put to me by Emily from The Cosy Traveller as part of the Booked.net – Top Destinations to Go There challenge.
Now I’m not a huge city girl, if I had to pick a type of destination I would always choose ocean over city. Despite my personal love for the ocean I decided to give this post a shot and think about which cities I genuinely would love to return to. It was of no surprise that most of the cities are close to the ocean…
Singapore night sky and the famous Marina Bay Sands Hotel
1- Singapore
The bright lights and city vibe make this a strange choice for someone who doesn’t love cities but despite it’s hardcore city feel it is also set along the edge of the water. The buildings might be tall but the city is equally littered with parks, including an incredible botanic gardens. Come night the city becomes alive with a wash of bright colourful lights from all of the skyscrapers. On top of that the famous Marina Bay Sands hotel has a dazzling light show every evening. The city is as hot and humid as everyone says but as long as you stay in a room with air conditioning you’ll be fine! I did this city mostly on a backpackers budget at the end of a long trip, but I would love to return with a purse full of money so I can experience some of the luxuries Singapore has to offer.
2- Cape Town
This city was one of the first I fell in love with. Before I really knew much about the world and certainly before I was caught by the travel bug. I would probably go as far to say as this city gave me the travel bug. It had everything you could ever want: city life, nightlife, markets, mountains, beaches, perfect sunsets and a lifetime of history. I was amazed by everything this city had to offer and just how beautiful it really was. I never once felt scared. During my time in South Africa I spent a mere 48 hours in Cape Town and it is high on my list to return to. There are so many things in Cape Town on offer that I never tried.
Melbourne City Night Sky – Our home for four and a half months and a view I saw every night after work.
3-Melbourne
My home for four and a half months of living in Australia. Home to perfect cafes and hidden lane-ways, the Melbourne CBD is just something else. You could eat/drink at a different cafe everyday of the month and still not have visited them all. The capital of events, AFL and the worlds most liveable city. Melbourne is more than just the CBD though, split in to plenty of suburbs and something different on offer in each, as well as a footie team. What also makes this city top is the fact it has a beach, it might not be a proper ocean of waves but you can still feel the salt water in the air. Melbourne will always have a little piece of my heart and I will always happily return here.
Sydney Opera House
4- Sydney
Australia comes up trumps in this listing with it’s second city pick. Sydney was a city that I knew really got to know like Melbourne. I never lived there, worked there or felt like home there but it did tick all the boxes for ‘typical Australian city’ – it has the beaches, the iconic attractions and good weather. Sydney, much like Melbourne is split in to the CBD and plenty of suburbs – the further afield you explore the more impressed you will be with this city. Manly, Bondi and Bronte are a few of my favourites and even on my list of places I would one day like to live.
5-Chicago
This felt like one of the most exciting cities I’ve ever visited, but I couldn’t quite tell you why. I had just left Camp Walden when I landed in Chicago, having spent two months in the middle of no where in northern Michigan, the city felt like a stark contrast. Being shown around by a local made it all the more fun, being shown places and views only locals would. The city is set along the banks of Lake Michigan, it has a funky mirror structure called Cloud Gate and a dizzyingly tall building of 103 levels called the Willis Tower. I visited here when I didn’t really know much about travelling so would love to return again.
So now it’s my turn to nominate five people to share five cities they would return to.
Vicky from Vicky Flip Fop Travels
Tags: Cape Town Chicago Cities Melbourne Singapore Sydney