1.Florence,Italy:Thiscityisagalleryofworld-classartandarchitecture.Acurator’sdream,thetopsightsincludeMichelangelo'sDavid,Botticelli'sBirthofVenusandBrunelleschi'sDuomo.Thetownitselfisamasterpiece:Itsbridges,buildings,streets,towersandsidewalkswerepainstakinglyconstructedbystonecutters.Withitswarmtrattorias,upscaleshopsandsmallluxuryhotels,thecityisaTuscantreasure.2.BuenosAires,Argentina:Thecountry’scapitalexudesanairoftheexotic,smokyandmysteriousthatisembodiedbyitstangosalonsandsophisticatedcafélife.Nowrecoveringfromaperiodofeconomiccrisis,thecityhasbeencalledtheParisofSouthAmericaforitsneoclassicalbuildingsontree-linedboulevards.TheMuseodelArteLatinoamericanodeBuenosAires(MALBA),createdbyyoungArgentineanarchitectsin2001,isasymbolofthecity’smodernity.3.Bangkok,Thailand:Theyin-yangrelationshipbetweentheoldandthenewiseverpresentinThailand'scapitalcity.Its10millionresidentsstrivetopreservethepast(theGrandPalace)andexpandforthefuture(withhigh-endshoppingandluxuryhoteldevelopmentsthatareamongthebestinAsia).Theauthenticityofthecity’scenturies-oldculturecanbediscoveredinitsnarrowalleyways,awayfromthegrindingtraffic,wherevisitorscanfindsilkandhandicraftsbylocalartisans.4.Rome,Italy:OnceyouseetheColosseum,venturetotheViaVeneto,visittheVaticanandmarinateinthehistory,artandarchitectureofthecapital,indulgeinRome'sladolcevita.AfterthesunsetcastsitscolorfulglowontheEternalCity,romancefillsthenightair(takeanafter-dinnerstrollwithalovedonetoTreviFountainorhangoutatasurprisinghotspot,thePantheon).5.Sydney,Australia:The2000SummerOlympicsintroducedSydneytomuchoftheworld,butithaslongbeenAustralia'scapitalforsunandsand.Inaddition,thecity’sartisticsideisdefinedbylandmarkssuchastheSydneyOperaHouse,SydneyCoveandSydneyHarbourBridge.Aninternationalbeaconofthegoodlife,thisSouthernHemispherecitypulseswithathrivingartsscene,finerestaurantsandworld-classhotels.6.NewYorkCity:MillionsofvisitorscometoGothamCityforanarrayofreasons.ThosewholovetheartscanwatchBroadwaystars,glimpsemasterpiecesattheMetorescapewithanoperaatLincolnCenter.Foodiesmaychoosefromcountlessmenusandminglewiththeculinaryartists—frommom-and-popdeliownerstostarrestaurantchefs.FamousManhattanbuildingsarealsoworthseeingfirsthand:StandamidthethrongsofsightseersbelowTimesSquare’sneonbillboardsorpeerdownattheMonopoly-gamelikecityscapefromatoptheEmpireStateBuilding.7.Udaipur,India:PassagetoUdaipuradmitsonetothe“CityofSunrise.”Thisdestination—renownedforitstemplesandutterserenity—isknownasIndia'smostromanticcity.With16th-centuryarchitectureandtimelessbeauty,sampleitinerariesoftranquilitymightincludeacruiseonthecalmingwatersofPicholaLakeoranafternoonmeanderingthroughfortressesandpalaces.8.Istanbul,Turkey:StraddlingEuropeandAsia,Istanbulisacitythatrepresentsacrossroadsofcivilizations.ThecitythatconnectscontinentsalsoembracesitsdifferencesmosttangiblyatthelabyrinthineGrandBazaar.JustascomplexandmonumentalareIstanbul’ssights,allconstructsof2,500yearsofcivilization.AvisittoTopkapiPalaceoftheOttomandynastyandtheHippodromebuiltbytheRomansshouldtopyourhistoricalitinerary.9.SanFrancisco:TheCitybytheBay’sVictorianneighborhoodsandcharmingstreetcarsarejustsomeofitshistoricattractions.Itsmodern-daydelightsincludeattendingatastingatoneofthetrend-settingrestaurantsorbrowsingcontemporaryartattheDeYoungMuseum.Thecityisalivingpostcard,withbackdropssuchasthemajesticGoldenGateBridgeandcolorful,bustlingChinatown.Butwhatbringsbackmanyvisitorsisitslaid-backvibe,visibleinitslivelycaféandbarscene.10.CapeTown,SouthAfrica:Longhailedasanup-and-comingtouristdestination,CapeTowncontinuallywins“bestof”awards.AmixtureofEuropeaninfluencesandAfricanancestry,thistowncelebratestheland’smanybountieswithrestaurantsthatpairentréeswithcabernetsauvignonfromthesurroundingwinecountry.Activitiesmayincludeescapingtoasafariatagamerefuge,strollingthroughthelushKirstenboschBotanicalGardens,takingarideontheTableMountainAerialCablewayorplayinginthesurfoffCapePoint.