Monday, July 09, 2007

20 Top Most Liveable Cities

Karlsplatz in the Munich City Centre


On June 19, 2007, the International Herald Tribune reported on the “World’s Most Livable Cities,” (read the full article here).

The top 20 cities are as follows:

20 Geneva - Switzerland
19 Paris - France
18 Hamburg - Germany
17 Singapore - Singapore
16 Auckland - New Zealand
15 Vancouver - Canada
14 Kyoto - Japan
13 Barcelona - Spain
12 Montreal - Canada
11 Melbourne – Australia

10 Madrid – Spain
Culturally, Madrid has undergone a renaissance. It now attracts international theatre, dance and music, and will be the seat of the new Royal Spanish Ballet.

9 Honolulu – USA
Honolulu fits the definition of a global city - a palm- fringed metropolis with a population as diverse as its flora.

8 Stockholm – Sweden
This city has ordered, mature beauty. The beauty of its people, of its buildings, of its waters and parks.

7 Sydney – Australia
Perpetual blue sky, the harbour, the stunning beaches, the bushland humming with wildlife... Sydney's natural beauty is relentless.

6 Helsinki – Finland
Over the past decade the European fashion chains have arrived, while smart bars have replaced the old beer cafés. However, the city retains a distinctly Finnish quality. The fashion, music, film and art scenes are blooming, and the Nordic welfare model guarantees a high quality of life for virtually everyone.

5 Vienna – Austria
European grandeur meets modernity in the new Vienna. The Austrian capital, famous for its rich cultural heritage, also has a progressive eco- friendly municipal government. Smart white and red trams cover 30 routes, and the metro is punctual, smooth and clean

4 Tokyo – Japan
Integrated transport, breathtaking technology, great service and the best bars make this a top big city. The real Tokyo for the most part confounds expectations. Visitors are rarely prepared for the other side of the city, so unlike its raucous alter ego: the quietness of the subway, the peaceful residential streets, the old-fashionedness of the place.

3 Zurich – Switzerland
Small and perfectly formed

2 Copenhagen – Denmark
A new wave of Danish architects, designers and chefs, plus some joined-up thinking by city officials, has seen Copenhagen reborn to the extent that locals now refer to it as the gateway to mainland Europe

# 1 Munich – Germany
A winning combination of investment in infrastructure, high-quality housing, low crime, liberal politics, strong media and general feeling of Gemütlichkeit make it a city that should inspire others.

But, where are the Malaysian cities? If Singapore can make it to No. 17, then perhaps (I mean surely) Kuala Lumpur, or even Putrajaya, should be somewhere up there in two or three years time.

No comments:

AZMAN AHMAD TERMIZI: 12 Januari 1964 - 30 Julai 2022

  AZMAN AHMAD TERMIZI 12 Januari 1964 - 30 Julai 2022 Dearest Man.You were not only my beloved brother, but you were also my good friend. Th...