The World's Favorite Cities

by ryan | March 4, 2008 at 09:37 am

4477 views | 16 Recommendations | 31 comments

Home is where the heart is. Or is it? What makes a city great? Annually, Simon Anholt tries to answer that question in his 'City Brands Index'. Here's a link to the full report. It's important to note though that this index isn't about quality of living but rather a mixture of global perceptions, policies, products, and tourist attractions. Not surprisingly, Sydney, London, Paris, Rome are in the top. Only 1 US city is in the top 20. Do you agree with the ranking?

Top 10:

1. Sydney 6. Melbourne

2. London 7. Barcelona

3. Paris 8. Vancouver

4. New York 9. Amsterdam

5. Rome 10. Montreal

Simon Anholt has released his third annual global City Brands Index based on a survey of 10,000 people world-wide. I like it because it's less a study of branding strategies, and more of the how various cities are perceived by people around the world.

Overall the list jibes with my intuitive assessments. Sydney takes the No. 1 spot, followed by London, Paris, NYC and Rome. Canadian cities do well: Toronto is 11th, but Vancouver is 8th and Montreal is 10th. Melbourne, Barcelona, Madrid, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Milan, Berlin, Geneva, Brussels, Auckland and Tokyo all make the cut.

NYC is the only US city to place among the top 20. Three Canadian cities, two Australian cities, two from Spain and two from Italy. I know the Bush years have run down the US brand overall, but I thought its major cities were still doing OK. Not a good sign for America at all.

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RC Paganelli

at 10:33 on March 4th, 2008

RC Paganelli has contributed a photo to this story.

Eloy Bahamondes

at 11:04 on March 4th, 2008

Just a beautiful sight.

Eloy Bahamondes has contributed a photo to this story.

jgmundie

at 11:10 on March 4th, 2008

February was unseasonably warm in Amsterdam this year, and we spent many late afternoons along the Amstel watching people and soaking in the sunshine.

Prof. Jas. Mundie has contributed a photo to this story.

Kate Banazi

at 13:06 on March 4th, 2008

I'm a homesick Londoner, but sometimes this view from my studio in Sydney makes it all worth while.

Kate Banazi has contributed a photo to this story.

nickleonard

at 14:18 on March 4th, 2008

The neo-Gothic colonial St. Andrew's church on George Street, Sydney, Australia.

nickleonard has contributed a photo to this story.

me love and fotografia.

at 14:54 on March 4th, 2008

This photo was shoot in BerLin in a summer of two years ago. I stay in Berlin for many days .... and i'm falling in love for this city *_*

me love and fotografia. has contributed a photo to this story.

Toney

at 16:06 on March 4th, 2008

The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, also know as "The broken tooth" was destroyed in the Second World War and reminds us of the destruction of war.

Toney has contributed a photo to this story.

Jarrett Martineau

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 16:13 on March 4th, 2008

I'm surprised that Sydney is number one - I would have expected it to go to a European metropolis. I've got my own fave cities: Vancouver, Berlin, Montreal, New York...and where is Stockholm on this list?

felicia25

at 16:45 on March 4th, 2008

Kurfürstendamm was one of the most beautiful streets I've ever seen. Took this picture last Christmas in Berlin.

felicia25 has contributed a photo to this story.

Kenn Chaplin

at 17:16 on March 4th, 2008

The strip mall at the corner of the church property used to extend right across the facade of the church so, for many years, the church was only accessible from the street through a pedestrian tunnel. What a lovely change!

Kenn Chaplin has contributed a photo to this story.

Razberie

at 18:20 on March 4th, 2008

I love Berlin. I go for the Berlinale Film Festival and each time I get to see a little bit more of the city. You can check out my films at www.alexiaanastasio.com Thanks and Enjoy my photo!

Razberie has contributed a photo to this story.

qticlecle

at 21:17 on March 4th, 2008

big face on a street!

qticlecle has contributed a photo to this story.

colsteel

at 22:16 on March 4th, 2008

A shot through the quayside, numbered shelters at Darling Harbour in Sydney. This is a lovely spot and well worth an evening at the excellent bars that surround the harbour.

colsteel has contributed a photo to this story.

Arend

at 00:20 on March 5th, 2008

If you are lucky enough to approach London Heathrow coming from the east, you will see the whole city unfold beneath you. Just at the final stages, at the moment when the airplane will get its landing gear out - you will fly over the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, with their wonderful and bizarre greenhouses.

This is the palm house, and inside you can walk on top of the trees and fee what its like in the middle of the jungle.

So next time, you are landing in LHR, have a look and try to get there for a great afternoons stroll.

Arend has contributed a photo to this story.

cove_lvr

at 02:50 on March 5th, 2008

Paris in December is a wet and windy but most amazing place. This photo was taken from the top of the Arc De Triomphe and it was worth the climb.

cove_lvr has contributed a photo to this story.

JL2003

at 05:45 on March 5th, 2008

New Flats Built in Flood Risk Area by the Thames at Kingston, London.

JL2003 has contributed a photo to this story.

antoinewalter

at 09:33 on March 5th, 2008

Picture of Porte Montmartre near the Puces de St Ouen (ie fleamarket north of Paris). The fleamarket tends to spread past its limits with a bunch of people selling about anything old (old shoes, clothes, radios, bicycles, books...) directly on the sidewalk. They often display their goods on newspapers sheets laid on the ground, and sit on a bench when they are lucky.

antoinewalter has contributed a photo to this story.

kekkadreamer

at 09:44 on March 5th, 2008

kekkadreamer has contributed a photo to this story.

Antonino Spagnolo

at 10:25 on March 5th, 2008

This is a shot I took as I was taking a walk through downtown Montreal. What you see is a view of St. Catherine street looking West at the corner of Bishop Street.

Antonino Spagnolo has contributed a photo to this story.

Grannygreen

at 11:04 on March 5th, 2008

We were visiting Melbourne for our daughter's wedding, and heard that filming was taking place in Flinders Street for new Spielberg/Hanks sequal to 'Band of Brothers' - to be called 'The Pacific'. (January 2008)

Calendar girl 48 has contributed a photo to this story.

madziajk

at 13:31 on March 5th, 2008

My boyfriend and I took a short trip to Berlin just to do some sightseeing. In this photo you can see the Victory Column (Siegessaule).

Berlin is a wonderful European city, it's full of history (wonderful historical buildings). Although it is a city with history, it is also a city for young people, lots of things to do and to have fun. It is certainly a must-see city.

madziajk has contributed a photo to this story.

adrianus33

at 13:56 on March 5th, 2008

The first snow storm in Montreal. 2007 winter. Almos 20" of snow in 12 hours.

adrianus33 has contributed a photo to this story.

BUBI DELVAI

at 15:07 on March 5th, 2008

fantastic view of alexander platz from hackasher markt

BUBI DELVAI has contributed a photo to this story.

Otto Nijdam

at 06:32 on March 6th, 2008

Photo taken of couple in Love in the city of love: Paris, watching the sun going down at the Arc du Triomphe

Otto Nijdam has contributed a photo to this story.

Mark Boelens

at 12:38 on March 6th, 2008

The Siegesaule is a great monument tot photograph. It stands in the middle of Tiergarten and looks almost out of place, which makes it very special.

Mark Boelens has contributed a photo to this story.

Simcoemedia

at 17:54 on March 6th, 2008

This image is an anaglyph. To view it correctly use RED/CYAN 3D glasses. It was taken in downtown Sydney. Please see www.flickr.com/photos/simcoemedia/sets and www.simcoe.co.uk for further 3D images of Australia and other places.

Simcoemedia has contributed a photo to this story.

zhukovas

at 01:38 on March 7th, 2008

Sydney Harbour when the biggest cruise ship in the world arrived

zhukovas has contributed a photo to this story.

Tomitheos Linardos

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 08:09 on March 9th, 2008

ryan nadel, I like this story. It's good stuff.

I like your objective report ryan! I believe that the quality of life should be a bigger factor in Simon Anholt's global City Brands Index mixture of global policy and product perceptions..