Don't you just love cities lit up at night? Great for relaxing, admiring and photographing. Here's a snapshot of my top 5 cities for night views from my jaunts round the globe.
This list features mostly lit up skyscraping type cities. Mostly because at night they are easier on the eye and ultimately more inspiring. Don't get me wrong, I love sleeping in deserts,but your night view of a following a torch to a toilet isn't exactly much cop when you're blessed with staring down on a city like Budapest at night...
1. Victoria Harbour, HONG KONG:
Hong Kong at night is totally fantastic. There are lots of places you can go to view it's lit up skyscrapers, most of which are centred around Victoria Harbour, either there on that side of Kowloon, or across the water on Hong Kong Island. With a backdrop of mountains on one side and hundreds of lit up skyscrapers all around, this place provides you with endless shiny, happy moments relaxing, enjoying the view. You have a choice of where to go to see it:
(a) Get a tram up to The Peak!
(b) head to a friend's flat that has a balcony view. Most people in Hong Kong live in Skyscrapers - myself included (three times) and you get a simply amazing view from them.
(c) eat your dinner in a top floor restaurant such as Aqua or Sky 100 . Aqua has no entry fee - pop in for a cocktail and enjoy the view. Sky 100 is considerably higher and with a better view but they charge an entry fee.
2. JAPAN: Tokyo:
Although I'm not a fan of Tokyo (for whatever reason I am not sure - I normally love all the big cities), at night it livens up and the amazing lights give the city a whole new buzz. At night I visited Shinagawa, Shinjuku, Roppongi, Shibuya, Shinkiba and Ginza and was impressed by the bouyant array of lights, people doing whatever they wanted (mostly eating and shopping). For a travelling Northern Irishman, I did find Tokyo a little bit crazy and actually haven't even written about my trip there properly yet.
3. AUSTRALIA: Sydney:
Sydney has to be in my list - I lived out there for a couple of years and to have the view of Sydney Harbour every night is a traveller's dream. The Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, Darling Harbour. A bustling nightlife - you really can chill out a lot in Sydney at night while also enjoying one of the world's top cities. I made it to a New Year's Eve fireworks display before and loved it. Get yourself down to the waterfront and relax with a beer! You will just love it!
4. FRANCE: St. Malo:
I'm sure this will be a surprise inclusion to most but I just love St. Malo in Brittany. By night, this quiet port houses nothing more than relaxing tranquility within it's well maintained city walls. Boats come in and out at all hours of the days, the walls light up at times, festival seasons are fantastic and St. Malo hides a charm only those who have been there will ever know about. Get yourself into a restaurant in the downtown, order a few crepes and beers or wines and watch the sunset over the harbour in a world bereft of skyscrapers. Proof that not all cities at night for views have to have skyscrapers or be well lit up. I used to work on boats in and out of St. Malo and my memories of the shining harbour at night will live forever.
I loved my views of St. Malo from the ships I worked out and this is my reason for including it. I've been to New York and Buenos Aires at night yet I rank St. Malo higher. Strange maybe? But hey that's the joy of travel opinion. You can get a ferry to St. Malo from the south of England.
5. Budapest, HUNGARY:
Budapest is stunning. Get yourself up to a place called Gellert at night for a different type of night view - no lit up commercial advertising boards here. This is Eastern Europe remember and the most prominent feature is the marvellous Parliament which shines onto the river Danube which separates Buda from Pest. Squashed in between is the island of Margit Sziget. All worth seeing from Gellert - and cracking at night. Bring a decent camera and some warm clothes. And try Hungarian sweet wine and a drop of goulasch. It's a top city.
Pretty amazing eh? I know it won't be everyone's top five but this is mine from my travels. I love all these places, but I also love Sao Paulo, Macao and Seoul by night, they'll have to wait for another day...
Don't Stop Living!!!
.
This list features mostly lit up skyscraping type cities. Mostly because at night they are easier on the eye and ultimately more inspiring. Don't get me wrong, I love sleeping in deserts,but your night view of a following a torch to a toilet isn't exactly much cop when you're blessed with staring down on a city like Budapest at night...
1. Victoria Harbour, HONG KONG:
Hong Kong at night is totally fantastic. There are lots of places you can go to view it's lit up skyscrapers, most of which are centred around Victoria Harbour, either there on that side of Kowloon, or across the water on Hong Kong Island. With a backdrop of mountains on one side and hundreds of lit up skyscrapers all around, this place provides you with endless shiny, happy moments relaxing, enjoying the view. You have a choice of where to go to see it:
(a) Get a tram up to The Peak!
(b) head to a friend's flat that has a balcony view. Most people in Hong Kong live in Skyscrapers - myself included (three times) and you get a simply amazing view from them.
(c) eat your dinner in a top floor restaurant such as Aqua or Sky 100 . Aqua has no entry fee - pop in for a cocktail and enjoy the view. Sky 100 is considerably higher and with a better view but they charge an entry fee.
2. JAPAN: Tokyo:
Although I'm not a fan of Tokyo (for whatever reason I am not sure - I normally love all the big cities), at night it livens up and the amazing lights give the city a whole new buzz. At night I visited Shinagawa, Shinjuku, Roppongi, Shibuya, Shinkiba and Ginza and was impressed by the bouyant array of lights, people doing whatever they wanted (mostly eating and shopping). For a travelling Northern Irishman, I did find Tokyo a little bit crazy and actually haven't even written about my trip there properly yet.
3. AUSTRALIA: Sydney:
Sydney has to be in my list - I lived out there for a couple of years and to have the view of Sydney Harbour every night is a traveller's dream. The Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, Darling Harbour. A bustling nightlife - you really can chill out a lot in Sydney at night while also enjoying one of the world's top cities. I made it to a New Year's Eve fireworks display before and loved it. Get yourself down to the waterfront and relax with a beer! You will just love it!
4. FRANCE: St. Malo:
I'm sure this will be a surprise inclusion to most but I just love St. Malo in Brittany. By night, this quiet port houses nothing more than relaxing tranquility within it's well maintained city walls. Boats come in and out at all hours of the days, the walls light up at times, festival seasons are fantastic and St. Malo hides a charm only those who have been there will ever know about. Get yourself into a restaurant in the downtown, order a few crepes and beers or wines and watch the sunset over the harbour in a world bereft of skyscrapers. Proof that not all cities at night for views have to have skyscrapers or be well lit up. I used to work on boats in and out of St. Malo and my memories of the shining harbour at night will live forever.
I loved my views of St. Malo from the ships I worked out and this is my reason for including it. I've been to New York and Buenos Aires at night yet I rank St. Malo higher. Strange maybe? But hey that's the joy of travel opinion. You can get a ferry to St. Malo from the south of England.
5. Budapest, HUNGARY:
Budapest is stunning. Get yourself up to a place called Gellert at night for a different type of night view - no lit up commercial advertising boards here. This is Eastern Europe remember and the most prominent feature is the marvellous Parliament which shines onto the river Danube which separates Buda from Pest. Squashed in between is the island of Margit Sziget. All worth seeing from Gellert - and cracking at night. Bring a decent camera and some warm clothes. And try Hungarian sweet wine and a drop of goulasch. It's a top city.
Pretty amazing eh? I know it won't be everyone's top five but this is mine from my travels. I love all these places, but I also love Sao Paulo, Macao and Seoul by night, they'll have to wait for another day...
Don't Stop Living!!!
.
About the Author:
You can read more about amazing cities at night here: Top 5 Cities At night and to stay up to date with Jonny Blair's travel stories and hints check out his travel, work and lifestyle websiteDont Stop Living.. Free reprint available from: Top 5 Cities For Night Views.
