Top Five Bucket List Cities to Visit Around the World

Traditions of Tokyo

One of the world’s most populous cities, Japan’s capital is an extraordinary place to visit – a futuristic megacity exploding with colour and blazing neon signs, proud of its history and at the forefront of technology, home to almost 14 million people. Tokyo is a city where the past and future are locked together in the most dazzling dance, an embrace that, as is the Japanese way, just works. Japanese art, history and culture is threaded throughout Tokyo, as entwined with city life as it is with Japanese life itself. In all parts of the city, yesterday sits alongside today, and it is exactly this unique blend that sees almost 20 million excited visitors arrive in Tokyo each year. For all of Tokyo’s colour and buzz, there are plenty of peaceful places and attractions throughout the city to keep you balanced. The springtime blooming of the famed cherry blossoms has excited Tokyoites for over 1,200 years, while the rich culture found in temples and traditional tea ceremonies is like no other. Wander around the large ancient fish market, Tsukiji Outer Market, for a true taste of unique and delicious Japanese food or scramble across the famous Shibuya Crossing for a popular Tokyo tourist attraction.

Enter through the Kaminarimon — or Thunder Gate — to visit Sensō-ji Temple, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple, dating back to the year 941. Here you may learn of the legend of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, and try some tempting green tea-flavoured treats for sale in nearby Nakamise Dori. 

Trip: Timeless Japan.

Happiness in Ho Chi Minh City

At once chaotic and welcoming, Ho Chi Minh City is a city high on energy. Like Tokyo, Ho Chi Minh City holds fascinating history and treasures within its bounds. That’s where comparisons between the two cities end, however. Ho Chi Minh City is a place all of its own. Vibrant and joyful, it celebrates Vietnamese life subtly yet resolutely. It is a city at work, busy with people going about their lives, car horns honking, motorbikes weaving around traffic jams, pedestrians stepping on and off the footpaths to make way for each other, incense wafting from the religious offerings outside the city’s ancient Buddhist temples and pagodas. There is beauty in all this. Ho Chi Minh City is a city hard not to love, perhaps because its people are so friendly. You’ll receive smiles visiting the bustling street stalls to sample delicious Vietnamese fare or dine in the classiest of restaurants influenced by cuisines from all over the world. City tours will immerse you in the fascinating story of a country recently emerging from turmoil, one rich in culture, tradition and life.

Practice your haggling at Ben Thanh Market to pick up a souvenir, a new hat, or fresh local fruits. You can also discover the Cu Chi Tunnels on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City on our 12-day Essential Vietnam and Cambodia.

Vibrant Vancouver

Renowned for its natural beauty due to the blend of towering mountains, sparkling ocean and lush rainforests at its doorstep, Vancouver is a city that offers every traveller a warm welcome. It boasts many explorable neighbourhoods that change with every new mini district, from the relaxed atmosphere of the waterfront to the lively and hip feel of Gastown, where the heritage brick buildings and steaming clock tower make it the most photographable district in Vancouver. From Gastown, it’s only a short trip on the city’s green public transport to Stanley Park, a Vancouver gem visited by approximately eight million travellers a year. The sprawling urban park would look right at home on a postcard, its beauty encompassed by a sea wall and the bay beyond it.

Vancouver’s inspiring beauty continues at the award-winning Museum of Anthropology, known for its stunning exterior and varied collections. Start your journey in Vancouver on our Highlights of the Rockies and Alaska Cruise.

Poised in Paris

Paris is the perfect destination to add to any European journey, with its classic French allure ready to charm you. Your morning may start with a wander along the Siene, a winding river featured in many of the famous French impressionist paintings, with the likes of Monet and Renoir immortalising the flowing waters. Begin a whirlwind romance in the city known as the city of love with the bohemian fervour of the Latin Quarter or cement an enduring devotion to art at the Louvre Museum. Gaze at the sparkling lights of the Eiffel Tower from high above in the 18th arrondissement, where you can enjoy dinner and a cabaret show at the iconic Moulin Rouge and take in the magnificence of Sacré-Cœur Basilica.

Parisians are known to love their French delights, so make sure to stop by a local boulangerie—or bread bakery—to nab a fresh baguette. Or for the best Macaroons made famous by the movie Marie Antoinette, head to Ladurée for the sweet treats of all flavours.

Trip: European Gems

Navigating New York

New York City is renowned for its sparkling skyline, soaring high and shining bright as an example of the city’s industry and ambition. New York has so many larger-than-life attractions, it is sure to feature on your bucket list. An insider’s tip for the Statue of Liberty is to take your ferry at sunset so you may view the iconic statue appear on the harbour with the American flag flying at the bow. To soothe your inner shopaholic, make sure you stop by Macy’s to pick up an item or two from leading American brands to take home a little of that glamourous New York fashion. For a unique perspective on the historic events of 11 September 2001, commemorate the events that transpired at the Twin Towers at the Ground Zero Workshop, the most realistic retelling of the recovery process after the attacks.

Gain a truly unique New York experience by getting an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Grand Central Station on our 15- day Trans-American Rail Journey, where you’ll arrive in the city in style on the Maple Leaf service.

Whether you choose to visit one or all of these top 5 cities from around the world, be ready to immerse yourself in their unique atmosphere and discover the countless new experiences they offer. You won't regret including these destinations on your travel bucket list.