Aucland, New Zealand has been voted No 1 among top 10 cities to visit this year.
But, Lagos, Nigeria’s sprawling commercial and entertainment capital also features on No 5 in a poll put together by lonelyplanet.com.
“Our expert-chosen list of Top 10 Cities is full of experiences you’ll never stop talking about,” the publication says in what is clearly designed for tourists and leisure visitors shopping for best places to visit this summer.
Here is the list of the Top 10 cities recommended for travellers:
- Auckland, New Zealand
Within Auckland there are 53 volcanoes, more than 50 islands, three wine regions and numerous beaches. The country’s biggest and most diverse city has a blossoming cultural scene, putting a fresh spotlight on exciting local creativity.
- Taipei, Taiwan
You need a voracious appetite to do Taipei justice — and not just for its amazing culinary scene. This city deserves full-on exploration with a wealth of ancient religious traditions alongside a progressive LGBT+ culture. Taiwan’s capital is an urban feast that will leave you satisfied.
8 of the best things to do in Taipei: food, culture and amazing views.
Lost in Taipei? Not with this guide to the city’s best neighborhoods.
- Freiburg, Germany
With cobbled lanes, gabled townhouses, an ancient university and a skyline dominated by the spire of its cathedral, Freiburg checks all the boxes of cliched German quaintness. With plenty of eco-accolades, you’ll discover one of the country’s most youthful, relaxed and sustainable cities.
- Atlanta, USA
Atlanta is a thriving, shining cultural jewel in the heart of the American South with passion and activism in its soul. The birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr was a major battleground state during the United States’ 2020 presidential election.
Atlanta’s best neighborhoods to spend a perfect winter break.
5 Lagos, Nigeria
Lagos has champagne-soaked beach parties, a celebrated Afrobeat music scene and a world-class Fashion Week. This fervid, oil-rich metropolis on Nigeria’s southwest coast is bursting with creativity and demands a traveler’s attention.
When to visit Lagos for festivals, fashion and fun.
“There are 21 million Lagosians. Choose your own adventure” – Eloghosa Osunde says on her hometown.
On film, Lagos is a star of Nollywood films.
- Nicosia/Lefkosia, Cyprus
The sun-scorched city of Nicosia (Lefkosia) in Cyprus has been split since 1974, with its Greek and Turkish halves living largely separate lives. The emergence of cross-community cultural projects through an exploration of the world’s only remaining divided capital and its mash-up of Mediterranean cultures has never been so compelling.
- Dublin, Ireland
The real city Leopold walked around in 1922 on his Irish odyssey, with its Georgian squares, traditional pubs and warm people, is still there a century on. And its long established highlights are now complemented by new layers of community and diversity that add to the capital’s contemporary appeal.
In Dublin, nightlife shines even as historic music venues fall silent.
- Mérida, Mexico
Hightail it to state capital Mérida, the heart of this sultry corner of southeast Mexico. History, culture and nature come alive as you explore ancient Mayan ruins, striking colonial buildings and mysterious cenotes. And you’ll be happy to know Mérida has earned its cred as one of Mexico’s finest food destinations.
- Florence, Italy
Home of the world’s finest art and architecture, Florence requires no introduction. Italy’s famously over-crowded città d’arte (art city) is no stranger to those after some dolce vita. Emptied of its visitors and income in 2020, the Tuscan capital had to rethink its future, forging an exciting new art journey in the process.
Florence’s has must-see museums: from the sublime to the Renaissance.
- Gyeongju, South Korea
Going on a treasure hunt of ancient royal artefacts in Gyeongju is a wonderful way to re-engage with travel. The open-air palaces and grassy tombs of the Silla nobility, plus hundreds of Buddhist relics adorning a wild swathe of national parks, hills and lotus ponds make this “museum without walls” a must-see and a peaceful destination.
Gyeongju definitely has become South Korea’s city of cool with a window to the past and the future.
