Traveltemps
- Jan 5, 2023
- 7 min read

Best cities for culture vacation in the world

Updated: Sep 12, 2023

In alphabetical order:

Alexandria, Egypt

The second largest Egyptian city, after Cairo, and one of the largest ports on the Mediterranean coast, Alexandria was a major centre of civilization in the ancient world, controlling commerce between Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean. Must See Places in Alexandria: Bibliotheca. The Alexandrian Library is one of the most famous buildings in the entire city, and it's also a reimagining of the famed ancient library of the city from the 3rd century. Montazah Palace. Main Souk. Pompey's Pillar. Cleopatra's Palace.

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona culture is the culmination of fragments of tradition and modernism. As the capital city of the independent community of Catalonia, Barcelona is a traveler's dream with over 20 Michelin-star restaurants, a history rooted in Roman conquest, and its tryst as a modern city brimming with chance encounters. The fruitful medieval period established Barcelona's position as the economic and political centre of the Western Mediterranean. The city's Gothic Quarter bears witness to the splendour enjoyed by the city from the 13th to the 15th centuries.

Berlin, Germany

Berlin is recognized as a world city of culture and creative industries. Numerous cultural institutions, many of which enjoy international reputation are representing the diverse heritage of the city. Many young people, cultural entrepreneurs and international artists continue to settle in the city. Berlin is famous for its many museums such as the Dahlem Museums, the Egyptian Museum, the Berlin Cultural Forum with the New National Gallery, and the Museum of Arts and Crafts. Other postwar institutions are the Brücke-Museum, the Berlin Museum, the Museum of Transport and Technology, and the Jewish Museum Berlin.

Chicago, Illinois, USA

The culture of Chicago, Illinois is known for the invention or significant advancement of several performing arts, including improvisational comedy, house music, industrial music, blues, hip hop, gospel, jazz, and soul. In 1848 Chicago got its first telegraph and railroad. Two innovations, grain elevators and the Board of Trade's wheat grading standards, quickly transformed the way crops were sold. By 1854 the city was the world's largest grain port and had more than 30,000 residents, many of them European immigrants.

Florence, Italy

Florence has an extremely rich Renaissance heritage and is unique in terms of artistic tradition. In fact, the entire city is practically an outdoor museum. According to UNESCO, 60% of the world's most important works of art are in Italy, and around half of these are in Florence. The city is noted for its culture, Renaissance art and architecture and monuments. The city also contains numerous museums and art galleries, such as the Uffizi Gallery and the Palazzo Pitti, and still exerts an influence in the fields of art, culture and politics.

Granada, Spain

Granada, a diverse cultural city with a special ode to Moorish culture in its architecture, food and customs. Step back into middle eastern history as Granada flocks its beautiful façade and echoes of cultural diversity. In the 13th century it became the capital of the Emirate of Granada under Nasrid rule, the last Muslim-ruled state in the Iberian Peninsula. Granada was conquered in 1492 by the Catholic Monarchs and progressively transformed into a Christian city over the course of the 16th century.

Isfahan, Iran

It is famous for its Perso–Islamic architecture, grand boulevards, covered bridges, palaces, tiled mosques, and minarets. Isfahan also has many historical buildings, monuments, paintings, and artifacts. Isfahan, a major city in central Iran, was the splendid capital of the Seljuq and Safavid dynasties whose legacies established Iran (formerly Persia) as the cultural heart of the eastern Islamic world in terms of language (Persian), art, and architecture.

Jerusalem, Israel

The modern country of Israel includes two distinct nationalities, the Palestinian and the Jewish. Each nationality is inextricable from its religious identity. The Palestinians are Arabs whose traditions are founded in Muslim culture; the Jews define their culture in large part around their religion as well. Scholars believe the first human settlements in Jerusalem took place during the Early Bronze Age, somewhere around 3500 B.C. In 1000 B.C., King David conquered Jerusalem and made it the capital of the Jewish kingdom. His son, Solomon, built the first holy Temple about 40 years later.

Kyoto, Japan

The major industries of Kyoto include traditional Japanese crafts and practices such as kimono production or geisha districts. The city is also famous for a tradition of over 1,000 years of festivals such as Gion Matsuri, which is still practised to this day. Kyoto served as Japan's capital and Emperors residence from 794, serving as a center of politics and culture for 1100 years. Still, Kyoto is one of the centers of culture and learning in Japan. Kyoto was the capital of Japan from the 8th century until the later half of the 19th century. Thus, it was the birth place of the characteristic culture of Japan.

London, United Kingdom

London is also home to notable cultural attractions such as the British Museum, the Tate Galleries, the National Gallery, the Notting Hill Carnival and The O2. Through music, comedy and theatre, London has a lively nightlife with approximately 25.6 events per thousand people, 44.1% of those events being theatre based. London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom and one of the largest and most important cities in the world. The area was originally settled by early hunter gatherers around 6,000 B.C., and researchers have found evidence of Bronze Age bridges and Iron Age forts near the River Thames.

Milan, Italy

Having been ruled by several countries over the centuries, Milanese culture is eclectic and borrows elements from many other countries, including Austria, Spain and France. Similarities between these places and Milan can be noticed through the language, architecture, cuisine and general culture of these countries. Milan's history stretches back to a Celtic settlement in 400 BC. It was conquered by the Romans in 222 BC and later became the capital of the Western Roman Empire. As the Empire declined over subsequent centuries, the city was invaded by many different groups, including the Visigoths, Huns and Lombards.

New York, NY, USA

Many American cultural movements first emerged in the city. Large numbers of Irish, Italian, Jewish, and ultimately Asian and Hispanic Americans also migrated to New York throughout the 20th century and continuing into the 21st century, significantly influencing the culture and image of New York. New York City was the first capital of the United States after the Constitution was ratified in 1788. On April 30, 1789, George Washington was inaugurated as the nation's first president at Federal Hall, located on Wall Street.

Paris, France

Equality and unity are important to the French. The French also value style and sophistication, and they take pride in the beauty and artistry of their country. Family is also highly valued in French culture. Mealtimes are often shared with family, and extended-family gatherings and meals are common over the weekend. Paris is known for its gorgeous, imposing monuments. These iconic structures, often an exemplar of a particular era in architecture, are one of the city's instantly recognizable elements. The preeminent of Paris's landmarks is the Eiffel Tower.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The cultures of the indigenous Indians, Africans, and Portuguese have together formed the modern Brazilian way of life. The Portuguese culture is by far the dominant of these influences; from it Brazilians acquired their language, their main religion, and most of their customs. The culture of Brazil is primarily Western, being derived from Portuguese culture, as well as the cultural and ethnic mixing that occurred between the Indigenous peoples, Portuguese colonizers and Africans.

Rome, Italy

Rome culture is an eclectic mix of high culture, the arts, fashion and historic architecture. Daily life centers around enduring Rome traditions rich in religion and food. It is this contrast of historic and modern culture and traditions that defines Rome as the Eternal City. Rome was founded around 625 BC in the areas of ancient Italy known as Etruria and Latium. It is thought that the city-state of Rome was initially formed by Latium villagers joining together with settlers from the surrounding hills in response to an Etruscan invasion.

Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Samarkand has long been a central point for trade across the region, and was a substantial city renowned for its craft production, with a citadel and strong fortifications, several centuries before it was conquered by Alexander in 329 BC. Samarkand is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, prospering from its location on the trade route between China and the Mediterranean (Silk Road). At times Samarkand has been one of the greatest cities of Central Asia.

Sao Paulo, Brazil

Though Paulistanos are very proud of their city, they also have a spectacular, unique range of cultural diversity. São Paulo has a large population of Italian, Japanese, German, Spanish and Portuguese immigrants, guaranteeing a fantastic, authentic array of International cuisine. São Paulo only officially became a city in 1711. In the early years, the town was little more than a backwater used as a base by explorers, slave owners and prospectors. A gold boom at the end of the 17th century and the subsequent sugar cane production did little to change its relatively low-profile status.

Shanghai, China

Shanghai is an international city that melts with different cultures from all over the world; we call it Shanghai Regional Culture. Shanghai Culture is original from Traditional Chinese Culture and melted with the Wu and Yue Dynasty Culture, and with a deep affected by Western Culture. Originally a small agricultural village, Shanghai developed during the late Qing dynasty (1644–1912) as one of China's principal trading ports. Although nominally part of China, in practice foreign diplomats controlled the city under the policy of extraterritoriality.

Toronto, Canada

Toronto is known worldwide as a centre of film, television and digital media, which contributed a record-breaking CAD $2.5 billion to the city's economy in 2021. Its festivals, such as the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, Pride Toronto, and the Toronto International Film Festival, are among the most celebrated in the world. Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities in the world. Around half the population of the city was born outside of Canada, and immigrants come from a wide variety of countries. This gives the city such a dynamic personality, being represented by different cultures of the world.

Vienna, Austria

Austrian culture is known for its characteristic way of enjoying life (Gemutlichkeit), art, strong coffee, healthy lifestyles, and sports. Popular national pastimes include attending concerts, playing music, and taking walks. It played an essential role as the leading European music centre, hosting major personalities in the development of music from the 16th to the 20th centuries, particularly Viennese Classicism and Romanticism, consolidating Vienna's reputation as the 'musical capital' of Europe.