What’s your favorite city? New York? San Francisco? Montreal? Vancouver? London? Paris? Hong Kong? Tokyo? Rio de Janeiro? Buenos Aires? Shanghai? Jerusalem? Istanbul? Cape Town?
It’s a tossup, of course.
I’ve visited all these cities and each one offers something special and different. So, no, I can’t rate them like cars or cafes. But if you want to wade into the debate, read World’s Best Cities, published by National Geographic.
This glossy coffee table, filled with a profusion of bold and striking photographs, offers guidance on destinations near and far.
The entries, written by local experts, are very subjective, which means you may disagree with their respective appraisals. There is also an undue emphasis on restaurants and not really enough on essential sights.
Two examples come to mind.
Mount Royal Park, the jewel in Montreal’s crown, is summed up in only a few lines. It deserves much more space.
The entry on Toronto fails to mention two major points of interest: High Park, Toronto’s largest green space, or Chinatown, probably the city’s most colorful neighborhood. Also left out of the survey is a mention of the Jerusalem, one of the city’s finest Middle Eastern restaurants.
As you can see, it’s all in the eyes of the beholder.
My critique notwithstanding, World’s Best Cities is an instructive overview. Sixty two cities, from Mexico City and Mumbai to Miami and Oslo, are given major reviews, while 158 cities, like Buffalo and Freiburg rate much shorter treatments. Inexplicably, Tel Aviv — one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the Middle East — is totally ignored.
In spite of this glaring omission, World’s Best Cities is a useful addition to any library.