10 Berlin, Germany
Berlin is a multifaceted city. So feast your eyes on modern architecture, then visit a Baroque palace. Spend the day at one of the world's finest zoos, then spend the evening listening to one of the world's finest orchestras. Most travelers make a point of taking in more serious WWII-related sights as well. TripAdvisor travelers give particularly high marks to the grim but thorough and thought-provoking Topography of Terror exhibit. (via)
9 Siem Reap, Cambodia
Most travelers don't come to Siem Reap because they're dying to explore Siem Reap—they come to Siem Reap because it's the closest city to the amazing Angkor Archaeological Park. And Siem Reap is absolutely fine with that. In fact, it's a bit of a tourism boomtown. You'll find a wide range of hotels, restaurants and nightclubs here, many of them brand-new.
8 Barcelona, Spain
Architecture buffs should make a beeline for Barcelona. The medieval and Roman buildings in the Gothic Quarter (Barri Gotic) provide quite a contrast to Antoni Gaudi's fanciful architecture, which you'll find all around the city. A visit to his still-unfinished Church of the Sacred Family (Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia) is a must.
7 Istanbul, Turkey
The city of Istanbul is a vibrant mix of many cultures, due in part to its location (straddling Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait) and, well, in part to its history of getting conquered. The Hagia Sophia, for example, was a church, then a mosque and is now a museum. You'll spot Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman architecture around town.
6 Marrakesh, Morocco
It's easy to lose yourself in the narrow, winding streets of the Medina—and we mean that both literally and metaphorically. Smell the spices in the air, brush up on your haggling at a local souk, then sip mint tea in the Majorelle Garden. End your day lounging in the rooftop garden of your riad, watching the sun set over this timeless city.
5 San Francisco, California
Who cares about a little fog (okay, a lot of fog) when there’s so much to do in San Francisco? By day, explore Fisherman’s Wharf and the Aquarium of the Bay, ride a cable car, and stroll around the Presidio; by night, have a fabulous dinner (at a Michelin-starred restaurant or a tiny place in Chinatown), then hit some of the best clubs on the West Coast.
4 Paris, France
Everyone wants to see the major sights of Paris—and it's true, it'd be criminal to leave town without visiting the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, etc. But to truly appreciate this city, you need to get away from the tourist sights. Plunk yourself down at a table in a small café, enjoy a glass of wine and watch le monde go by.
3 Rome, Italy
Rome is one of those cities you could spend a year in and still feel like you've barely scratched its surface. Amazing historical sites, mind-blowing art-and then there's the food. Stop at the Forno in the Campo de' Fiori for a fresh slice of pizza bianca (cut from a piping hot six-foot-long slab of it), buy some tiny strawberries in a street market, and make it your business to find the city's best gelato. Someone has to do it.
2 New York City, New York
Here's what we tell friends who are visiting New York for the first time: See the Empire State Building, Times Square and the museums first. Go to at least one Broadway show. But then pick a neighborhood—any neighborhood—to explore in-depth. It's impossible to see all NYC has to offer in a single trip, but focusing on, say, African-American culture in Harlem or immigrant history on the Lower East Side can be quite rewarding.
1 London, United Kingdom
If you want to see London at its most spectacular, go in 2012. In June,
the city will celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee with all due pomp
and circumstance (including a huge parade and a flotilla of 1,000 boats
on the Thames). And in July and August, of course, the eyes of the world
will be on London as it hosts the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Will it be crowded? Sure. But it'll be unforgettable.
