Travel

By Air, Sea or Land: Must-See Cities for Your Bucket List

We all have different interests and ideas about which places in the world we like to visit before we depart, but there are a certain number of cities for example, which end up on numerous bucket lists.

You might even get to visit some of the places using rewards gained on your Chase freedom card. Whichever way you manage to get there here is a look at some of the must-see cities in the world and why they deserve to be on your bucket list.

Rio de Janeiro – Brazil

Although this list of amazing cities is presented in no particular order of preference, this venue for the most iconic street party in the world, is not a bad starting point.

The annual Rio Carnival would, of course, be an excellent time to visit this vibrant and lively city, but it has plenty of reasons to come at any time, including a skyline that will always be remembered once it is witnessed, and some awesome beaches which are famous in their own right.

London – England

The City of London continues to attract millions of visitors every year, and when you look at the list of attractions and mixture of heritage and modern culture that it has to offer, it is easy to see why so many head to this part of England.

You can enjoy a trip back into history when you visit London, with so many historical buildings including palaces to look around. It also has some world-class museums and cultural experiences that are unique to London.

Rome – Italy

Known as the Eternal City, as the Romans themselves believed that Rome would last forever, despite what might happen to them, this city promises so much when you arrive and has usually delivered more than you expected by the time you leave.

Walking through the streets of Rome and encountering evidence of incredible moments in history, especially when you set eyes on the Coliseum, often feels like you are wandering around a giant open-air museum.

Add in some enjoyable culinary experiences and plenty of fine art and artefacts to feast your eyes upon, and you see why Rome makes it onto plenty of bucket lists.

Havana – Cuba

It is probably likely that things might change in Cuba, and the streets of Havana might not look the same in a few decades’ time, now that American sanctions have been lifted.

The reason for mentioning this is that what you currently get when you visit Havana, is a sort of Back to the Future experience where you think you have just been transported back to a previous time when the world was different to how it is now.

The imposing pre-revolutionary buildings and the incredible classic cars gliding along those old streets is a sight that you can’t witness anywhere else. Now that the residents will be able to acquire some newer cars in the future after sanctions have been lifted, perhaps these old classics will be finally laid to rest.

So make sure you get to see Havana as a place that time seems to have bypassed before that starts to change.

Jerusalem – Israel

There are many modern cities you can visit which have an energy and a modernism about them that is quite appealing, but if you are looking for a totally unique and culturally-enriching experience, head to Jerusalem.

It is not hard to agree with the observation that this magical city in Israel is a genuine crossroads where cultures, beliefs, and even cuisines, collide head on. A walk around the old city is something you must do when you are here, and it genuinely feels as though you can feel the presence of history and the effect of events that have happened within these walls.

Hội An – Vietnam

The old city of Hội An has been officially recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site, and you can quickly appreciate why this unique venue has achieved this status.

What you get here is a fascinating cocktail of Japanese, European and Vietnamese influences in every sense of the word. From the architecture to the food, this Vietnamese city deserves to make your bucket list and won’t disappoint.

Vienna – Austria

There are many cities that could also make the list, but Vienna definitely deserves inclusion.

Everywhere you turn, you are greeted by majestic palaces and beautifully manicured gardens. Almost everything in Vienna has a certain elegance and culture to it, which is a good reason so many visitors rate it highly when they see what it has to offer for themselves.

You will no doubt have your own ideas on what cities should make your bucket list, but these mentioned certainly would look out of place on that list.

Natasha Dennis was an avid traveller before she settled down to raise her four kids. But she still dreams and is planning a trip to Europe with the family in the Summer. In her free time, she writes about family life and travel; topics that run through her mind.

Photos by Christian Haugen and Nick Kenrick via Flickr Creative Commons

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