Top 10 Large Cities
Follow along as Bethany explores her top 10 large cities from her seven river and ocean cruises.
To date, I have had the pleasure of taking five river cruises and two ocean cruises in Europe, Asia, and South America. Along the way, I have visited several large cities. For these purposes, I consider a city large if it has a population of at least 500,000. Here is the top 10 list of my favorite large cities.
At the end of each section is a button(s) with a link to the blog post(s) that cover the full experience. The buttons are color-coded to represent the cruise where the experience occurred:
1. Amsterdam, Netherlands
I have had the pleasure of visiting Amsterdam on three different cruises (so far!). On each visit I explored different areas of this amazing city. This city has something for everyone…world-class museums, beautiful architecture, and exciting bars and restaurants, just to name a few. It is a compact and easy-to-navigate city. Amsterdam is a wonderful city to explore on foot, in order to truly experience its heart and soul. But I also recommend a canal cruise, because this provides a different point of view. There are also many different wonderful places to explore outside of the city, so consider a day trip to Zaanse Schans, Edam, or Keukenhof Gardens (only open for a few short months each spring!).
2. Vienna, Austria
Vibrant Vienna is an amazing city to explore. I had the pleasure of spending two full days here during a Danube river cruise. It was a great introduction to the city, but I only scratched the surface of the wonderful things to see and do here. Vienna is a wonderful place for art lovers, history buffs, architecture fanatics, foodies, and more. While much of the city is walkable, there is also an inexpensive and easy-to-use train system to help navigate the vast area. My advice: pick a spot (any spot!) and just start wandering. There is much to see and explore!
3. Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City (which many still refer to as Saigon), was the end point of my fabulous Mekong river cruise. This large, sprawling metropolis was a bit jarring to the senses after having spent the prior two weeks exploring much smaller villages and towns in Cambodia and Vietnam! But once I reset to a big-city mindset, I thoroughly enjoyed exploring this city. Saigon is very much a city of juxtaposition: at the same time both historic and modern, with soaring skyscrapers and millions of buzzing motor scooters existing seamlessly amongst historic buildings. There is also an interesting mix of Eastern and Western cultures here, which again seem to somehow blend and co-exist effortlessly. Whether you are here to learn more about its history, or to enjoy its modern amenities (or anything in between), Saigon will not disappoint.
4. Lisbon, Portugal
Lovely Lisbon was the starting point to my Northern Cities Voyage cruise. I explored this vibrant city for two days prior to embarking on the Azamara Pursuit. I was immediately captivated by its charm and character. There are gorgeous azulejos (ceramic tiles) everywhere! There is plenty to see and do here, most of which is within walking distance from the city center. But beware, this is rather hilly city! One of the highlights is the Castelo de S. Jorge. Perched high atop a hill, there are breathtaking views of the entire city here (plus the castle itself is a really cool place to visit!). Also consider taking a 30-minute tram ride from the city center to visit Belem, which is full of more amazing places to explore.
5. Buenos Aires, Argentina
Embrace your inner Evita and make a bee-line to Buenos Aires! Often called the “Paris of South America,” this stunning city has a lot to offer. There are many different barrios (neighborhoods) within this sprawling area, and each one has its own personality. Whether you are looking for historic museums or cosmopolitan shopping, you will find it here. The city has a constant buzz and energy, but there are also plenty of opportunities to pause and enjoy the finer things in life. It’s easy to find a great place to stop and enjoy a glass of red wine and a delicious Argentinian steak while taking in a mesmerizing Tango performance.
6. Stockholm, Sweden
I thoroughly enjoyed exploring Stockholm for two days once my Northern Cities Voyage cruise came to an end. As a life-long ABBA fan, this city is one of my favorites simply for the fabulous ABBA Museum here! But aside from the sheer fun of that museum, there is so much else that Stockholm has to offer. There are many other museums here, including the interesting Vasa Museum. The Gamla Stan (Old Town) neighborhood is a wonderful place to learn more about Swedish history and soak in the pomp and circumstance of the changing of the guards ceremony at the Royal Palace. While this city is very walkable, an inexpensive day-pass for one of the Hop On/Hop Off boats is a fantastic addition to help navigate the myriad canals and waterways that punctuate the city.
7. Prague, Czech Republic
My Danube river cruise kicked off with a couple of days in Prague before embarking on the ship. While in Prague, I enjoyed visiting a few key sites such as the Prague Castle complex, the Stare Mesto (Old Town) area, and the Charles Bridge. I also enjoyed a pivovar (beer tavern) tour. One of my favorite places was the Old Town Hall, where you can go up to the top of the tower and experience stunning 360-degree views of the entire city. Don’t forget to try a tasty trdelnik (strips of sweet pastry rolled around a cylinder, baked, and topped with a sugar and walnut mix) while visiting Prague!
8. Phnom Penh, Cambodia
A key stop on my Mekong river cruise was Phnom Penh. It is the second-largest city (behind Saigon) that I explored during that cruise. Like Saigon, Phnom Penh is an interesting juxtaposition of historic and modern, Eastern and Western. I enjoyed historic sites such as the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum. A tour and tasting at Kingdom Brewery is also a great way to spend a hot afternoon. I also had the opportunity to visit two very sobering, but extremely important, sites here: the S21 Prison/Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields. There is a wide variety of places to explore in Phnom Penh.
9. Frankfurt, Germany
Fascinating Frankfurt was the end point of my fabulous Christmas Markets cruise. I had a couple of days to explore this city on my own after leaving the cruise. Because it was the Christmas season, the city was full of festivity. I had a great time exploring the huge Christmas market in the city center both during the day and also in the evening. During the day the markets are fun and festive, full of people doing some shopping and enjoying the delicious food and beverages available. But at night the markets turn downright magical, as thousands of twinkling lights everywhere pump up the festive factor! It can be cold, especially at night, so come prepared with plenty of layers of warm clothing. But a hot cup of Glühwein (spiced wine) in a festive souvenir mug is also an excellent way to stay warm!
10. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
A very memorable stop on my Carnival in Rio cruise was, of course, Rio! I spent a few days here in the middle of the cruise, so I had a good opportunity to see many of the city’s highlights. Taking the two cable cars up to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain is a wonderful way to see the sprawling city from above. I also enjoyed spending time at the Christ the Redeemer statue. Visiting the famous beaches such as Copacabana and Ipanema is also a great way to explore the city.
But the highlight for me was getting to experience the Samba Parade in the heart of the Carnival season. This parade is a treat for the eyes and the ears (I challenge you to attend this parade and NOT dance through at least part of it!). It kicks off around 10:00pm and runs through around 6:00am the following morning…I made it through four of the six schools and called it a night around 3:00am! So grab a Caipirinha (Brazil’s national cocktail made with cachaça, sugar, and lime) and enjoy everything that Rio has to offer!
Conclusion
I have been fortunate to explore many different large cities. Many of them are very memorable for me, whether it is because of an amazing place I visited, a delicious new food or drink I tried, or a once-in-a-lifetime experience I had.
For some, large cities can be overwhelming and it may be difficult to figure out what to do, particularly if time is limited. But I love spending time in large, bustling cities. Most are very walkable (at least for the main sites), but there are always great public transportation options such as trams, subways, and even boats, that can help navigate the sprawling areas. I always do some research ahead of time to see what the ‘must-see’ places in a large city are, then I take some time to plot them out on a map to determine which ones are most centrally located. Which large city are you most looking forward to visiting next?
Links
Curious about what some of my other favorite experiences are? Click the button below to check out my other ‘Top 10’ lists:
Want to learn more about my experiences on each of the cruises covered in this post? Click the buttons below for the full pages for each of the cruises:
Interested in booking your own fabulous cruise? Click the buttons below for further information about Avalon and Azamara cruises:
