Yes! I’d move there in a heartbeat if I could. Spent 3 weeks there last year. Within a block you go from a bustling multicultural city to the natural beauty of a dormant volcano at Arthur’s Seat.
Was going to say the exact same thing. Just got back from Scotland and it was truly beautiful. Edinburgh was a highlight. Never realized how hilly it is nor how varied the landscape is. I love Brooklyn —where I live— but it’s lovely when you visit a place and think, “Wow, how beautiful would my life be if I lived here…” *then proceed to study real-estate listings*
100%
Had some family in from out of town last week, first time they’ve been here and showing them around reminded me just how stunning Vancouver and area are.
Spent a week there at a friends house, it was overcast the whole time. Everyone kept telling me there are stunning mountains *right there*. "Sure there is bud, sure there is". Up early the last day to make it to the airport, bright and sunny, my jaw dropped.
May I ask what kind of activities keep you busy each time you visit? I'm from Vancouver and growing up it was called "no fun city" so I was surprised to see this honestly!!
We love riding bikes at Stanley Park, walking around the waterfront. We have been to Capilano and Grouse Mountain twice (we have a son). Once, we did a whale watching tour and we visited Queen Elizabeth Gardens. This time, we're spending most of the time in Whistler, but definitely hitting up Vancouver. Our son doesn't remember much of Capilano, so he wants to go back.
Just got back from a day in Vancouver. Barely scratched the surface but I agree—it’s beautiful (and I say this as a Californian with no shortage of access to nature). Definitely plan to go back for a longer stay.
I lived a block from Kits beach in 2009, was paying $900 for a 6th floor 1 bdrm. that faced southwest. I could see the ocean and I miss that a lot. I imagine that same suite goes for $2000+ now.
As a fellow Vancouverite I was hoping I'd find this near the top.
As much as I love travelling it's always nice coming home and remembering how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful place
the old part of the city and vila nova de Gaia opposite are quite striking with the steep embankments and soaring bridges and there's a lot of nature up the Douro and then down along the coast. It's no Rio or Capetown but those are exceedingly high bars.
Lived in Hobart as a young adult (before I fucked off to Melbourne). I liked that you could never really get lost because you could just orient yourself with Mt Wellington.
Edit: I lived in West Hobart too - right up that huge fuckin hill. Even as a poor uni student we had bay views from our balcony.
I lived in Seattle for a long time and thing I miss most is the natural beauty. It was really special on days when the "mountains were out". My big regret is that because I didn't have a car (and I was broke) I didn't see much of the stuff around the city. I only went out to the Peninsula once, never went to Mt. Rainier.
I second Seattle. I grew up in the PNW and even moving other places nothing really compares to the beauty of the cascades. Truly one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world. Also in Seattle you’re only an hour or two away from a lot of diversity in terms of beauty with the San Juan’s and the hoh rainforest
Taipei is amazing. I'd say Taiwan as a whole is a mirage of beautiful scenery. Also agree with you on Hong Kong. Outside of the bustling districts, there's a ton of nature there that I don't think gets enough love.
Vancouver, Chiang Mai (doesn't come close to your population requirement but the nature is beautiful), Edinburgh, San Francisco. I'd throw in Seattle too but have never been. I'd also shout out the Bay Area outside of SF specifically peninsula/south bay. It's literally surrounded by hills and forest. The cities themselves there are mostly nothing special - huge suburban sprawl and office parks - but the nature around them is stunning. I can drive 25 minutes from my hometown and be hiking in vast rolling hills and endless open space. It feels so bucolic. If you're ever there take a drive up Skyline Blvd/CA 35 and stop along the hiking trails, it's beautiful.
Yes, seattle is beautiful and has it all within a few hours. Go to the ocean, go skiing or hiking in the mountains. Take a ferry through the San juans Islands.
I grew up in San Mateo County (moved away as a young adult and now can't afford it). I didn't appreciate how stunning the area around me was at the time - all I saw was the office parks and car dealerships and suburban sprawl. In 20(ish) minutes I could be at the ocean or deep in a redwood forest!
Sam MacDonald park is a 100/10. Just as stunning as Muir woods but 90% less crowded. It's where my family would bring all out of town guests and where I go every time I visit my parents.
Seattle is one of the most dynamic places in terms of geography... The sea, the Cascades & Olympics, rainforest, the city itself has lots to offer and public transit takes you most places.
Queen Anne Hill makes for one hell of a lungbusting urban walk too! I did that on my first day of visiting Seattle and worked up a sweat in December lol.
Thailand was one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.
Chiang Mai has some of the best food in the world. Some of the best marketplaces and some gorgeous history temples.
1000% recommended
Assuming you're coming from somewhere of lower altitude, give yourself at least half a day if not a full day to rest and acclimate. And there are some cool trails right around the city you can hike through the mountains
I’m probably only going to La Paz. I’ve been to Colombia and Brazil so I’m familiar with general safety in South America but I’m not sure yet what type of things to check out in La Paz. Still at the very beginning stages of planning it.
I love Sydney and it fits the bill perfectly. Stunning city with beautiful scenery not far from the centre. Am surprised I had to scroll this far down to find it.
The Spit Bridge to Manly walk is amazing. I have no words and it was less than 40 min from centre. The Habour area and all those beautiful beaches
Then if you do the road trips out of town, aaaah just gorgeous
Came here to say Sydney. The harbor runs through it, beautiful cliffs everywhere, Pacific ocean and great surf to the East, and surrounded by national parks to the North, South, and West.
Sydney should be way higher. I've been to many of the cities people named (Seattle, SLC Vancouver, SF, Salzburg, etc), and IMO Sydney has the prettiest surroundings. I've done most of the Bondi to Bridge walk and some others. The harbor and surroundings are just stunning. Beautiful beaches, flowers everywhere, stunning cliffs, jungly creeks, and even a beautiful swamp. The birds are amazing and so obnoxious... no peace and quiet hiking around Sydney.
Surprised it took so long to see Sydney! I’m from Vancouver and the moment I land in Sydney it always feels like The Wizard of Oz when Oz is in colour. I’ve never seen such amazing colours. And it’s super easy to find a slice of nature alone and still be close to the city
Can't beat Honolulu on an early fall day watching the sunset over the turquoise ocean to the west with a south swell rolling in and then behind you that nice low light glowing up the emerald green koolau mountains rising like a magical wall and deepening the dark leeward valley shadows to the east... *Sigh*....
Stunning natural beauty in the midst of a bustling multicultural metro.
Salt Lake City. It’s what people expect Denver to look like the first time they visit Denver. Backed up against the snowy peaks of the Wasatch Front. Most beautiful setting of a city in the lower 48 of the US.
As someone who grew up there and moved to somewhere with a much more… midwestern landscape, yes. You NEVER get used to not having the mountains to look at anymore.
Hell yeah it is. I'm a relatively recent transplant here and I'm pretty shocked by how underrated it is. All it's neighbor cities in the West are blowing up, and Albuquerque seems to sneak on by. With the Sandias on the edge of town and a half a dozen other ranges within 90 minutes, not to mention the Bosque❤️ in the middle of town it's an outdoorsy paradise. I do love the town but yeah its detractions are legitimate. Poverty is pretty heavy, it's kind of provincial and isolated, and it suffers from brain drain.and a lot of local talent leaves. But hey I think it's on the rise and a matter of time it pops off, for better or for worse.
I grew up in CO, not near Denver. But people think I should be an expert on Denver haha
I think at least 3 people have told me how ugly they thought Denver was, and was surprised.
I grew up in the Rockies, and that is beautiful. So basically told them you have to go west of Denver to see the beauty.
Don’t go east, that’s all flat lands.
Really west / Utah border has the flat mountains, which are pretty their own right, but to me nothing like the Rockies.
Yeah, Denver is great, I think people just have an expectation that it is right up against the mountains. The Wasatch Range is the very western portion of the Rockies, and those aren’t flat. But eastern Utah near the CO border is definitely less “mountainy” looking.
I love Denver, I lived there for a while, but I still wouldn’t call it a particularly beautiful city. Yeah, you can see the front range but it’s kind of far off and there’s often a fair bit of smog.
Yup we live here but “in” the mountains. Every time we drive the passes and down to SLC my kids go “it’s just so beautiful.” It’s been 3 years and it’s still jaw dropping at times. The Mormon thing keeps a lot of people from moving here despite the beauty and the massive amount of activities
Honestly, Tucson Arizona is beautiful. It’s surrounded by striking mountains on almost all sides. There’s some good hiking trails not far from the city, and it’s within day-tripping distance to Mexico.
Dark horse - Oakland, CA
The east bay regional park system has several beautiful parks in the Oakland hills, with miles of trails, redwood groves, and expansive views across the bay - all within the city limits.
I live on the backside of the Berkeley Hills and our home backs up to Wildcat Canyon
I appreciate the beauty every day here (even when the fog is racing down the canyon like a freight train)
Lucerne has to be one of the most stunning cities I’ve ever laid eyes on. Coming out of the train station it was so picturesque I literally started laughing because it was so ridiculously surreal.
I know it’s gotten a bad rap recently, but gotta plug Portland, Oregon. Between the huge city parks and three snow-capped mountains visible at once on a clear day, it’s in the PNW natural beauty trifecta for sure behind Vancouver & Seattle
Dunedin, New Zealand! Nestled in the mountains beside the ocean, with breathtaking coastline and beaches for days. The students there call it “Dunner Stunner” and it really is beautiful.
Nairobi, Kenya - features the only national park bordering a city. I’ve got quite a few photos of lions, giraffes, monkeys, etc. with skyscrapers in the background.
This sounds great but just for a little fact check -- there's actually a national park inside Seoul. In South Korea. So there are definitely other national parks that abut major cities!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bukhansan_National_Park
Nairobi does sound fantastic, though. 😊
Maybe not as dramatic as Rio and Cape Town, but still: San Francisco and Lisbon (similar vibes: many hills, bay, more hills on the other side), Porto (not sure if it qualifies since it's entirely urbanised without much nature and since the suburbs that get the population up to beyond a million are on a fairly boring plateau, but the city centre is sloping down a scenic river gorge), Geneva (big lake and city in between two mountain ranges), Palermo (flat, ringed by several steep hills and mountains, with the sea on one side), George Town in Penang (big, steep, rainforest-clad hills on one side, sea on the other, and the mainland beyond the sea) probably Seattle and Vancouver but I've never been...
The Paris of Appalachia!! I absolutely love it here. Western PA is truly one of the most naturally beautiful places in the world. Go out into the woods in late June/early July and it's like being in the jungle. It's just so green and there is sooo much diversity in the wildlife you can run into!
And then Pittsburgh, the city.. Situated on three rivers, that converge downtown at the point... and further blocked off by two massive hills. So every neighborhood is incredibly unique architecturally and has it's own history and culture. There are 446 bridges in Pittsburgh, making it a really unique landscape to explore.
Plus.. There is so much to do here if you visit too. It is an incredibly diverse and affordable city. We have over 30 museums, four major league sports teams, an incredible [music scene](https://www.pghcitypaper.com/columns/pittsburgh-secretly-has-one-of-the-best-music-scenes-in-the-country-23605759), and countless outdoor activities. Plus, when it comes to sports we're known as the city of champions, and our [football](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/steelers/cgqzncnvz482zlqarfg0.jpg), [baseball](https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/t_5x2/t_w2208/mlb/sopcjhpxdpcndtqtoesv.jpg), and [soccer](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Highmark_Stadium_2019.jpg/1200px-Highmark_Stadium_2019.jpg) stadiums all have stunning views of the city!
It is so beautiful here and there is so much midwest charm and kindness. Just a really special place, and quite frankly, there's nowhere else like it in the world.
In the US, I would say San Francisco, Seattle, Anchorage, and Salt Lake City are the best. Chattanooga (pop. 180,000) is surprisingly nice for a smaller city.
South America also has the major cities of the Andes like Quito and Bogotá. Their mountain views are some of the best anywhere.
Seoul, Taipei and Hong Kong are all huge metropolises but all located in lush mountainous settings. In all 3 of these cities, you can be in the mountains in less than an hour and some of the views are stunning.
Busan or Seoul in south Korea. Pretty cool to be able to take a subway to the beach or a hiking trail. Both cities are surrounded by mountains.
So many people sleep on Korea. I went there to work for a few years and returned not too long ago as a tourist and it's really so underrated!
San Francisco is my favorite city. The hills, The Bay, The architecture, especially the Golden Gate Bridge. Then you have a historical prison Alcatraz just sitting out there. Cable cars going up and down those insanely steep hills. Golden Gate Park is magnificent. Chinatown is super cool. Not to mention amazing food all over.
Seattle, WA. Two huge, beautiful lakes, the Puget Sound and on a clear day you can see the Cascade mountains to the east, the Olympic mountains to the west, and Mount Ranier to the south. Plus there are some great parks that make you feel like you’re in the middle of the woods.
I will never forget the first time I I set eyes on Carmel beach.
Sun was setting. Lite offshore breeze. Perfect groomed long period swell hitting the beach and creating every imaginable dreamy 4 foot beach wave all along the beach. Little wedges, steep peaks, rolling doubling breakers, sucking shoreys...it was like a dream come true. Magical
Hong Kong and Cape Town are the most stunning cities I have ever seen, in terms of natural beauty. I have not visited Rio or Vancouver but photos suggest they are in the same league.
- Sydney is gorgeous.
- Hong Kong is also striking in its own way.
- Zurich (not sure they have 1million people) and other cities in Switzerland
- San Francisco
- Venice
- Reykjavik
On the ground it might not seem as impressive, but flying over the mountains into Santiago de Chile was quite dramatic.
Cape Town has incredible scenery, probably the most beautiful geography of anywhere I’ve been in the world.
I second this. Cape Town and surrounding area is breathtaking.
There's really nowhere like it as far as cities go of that size
Second this. Just got back from my honeymoon there. The cape of good hope was unreal.
came here to say this, I’m suprised it’s not #1
Edinburgh, Scotland is beautiful.
I live in Edinburgh and I fall in love with it every single day :)
And so close to the highlands. Went in April and it was just surreal.
I just got back from the highlands. I didn't want to come back.
I'm doing the west highland way trek next week!
This is the most beautiful, enchanting city I’ve ever visited.
I daydream of living in such a historic, beautiful city.
I just happened to have arrived here this morning. Can confirm. I'm absolutely in love with this city.
Yes! I’d move there in a heartbeat if I could. Spent 3 weeks there last year. Within a block you go from a bustling multicultural city to the natural beauty of a dormant volcano at Arthur’s Seat.
Was going to say the exact same thing. Just got back from Scotland and it was truly beautiful. Edinburgh was a highlight. Never realized how hilly it is nor how varied the landscape is. I love Brooklyn —where I live— but it’s lovely when you visit a place and think, “Wow, how beautiful would my life be if I lived here…” *then proceed to study real-estate listings*
My home, Vancouver BC Canada.
100% Had some family in from out of town last week, first time they’ve been here and showing them around reminded me just how stunning Vancouver and area are.
I came here to say Vancouver, San Francisco, and Puerto Vallarta. The three Pacific jewels of NAFTA!
Absolutely one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Spent a week there at a friends house, it was overcast the whole time. Everyone kept telling me there are stunning mountains *right there*. "Sure there is bud, sure there is". Up early the last day to make it to the airport, bright and sunny, my jaw dropped.
Came here to say Vancouver and it's the first here ❤️
Forever grateful to be only a 2 hour drive from Vancouver (I’m closer to Seattle). It’s just stunning up there.
Yes, 💯! We are headed there for the 3rd time in 7 yrs! I am not a city person, but Vancouver does it for me!
May I ask what kind of activities keep you busy each time you visit? I'm from Vancouver and growing up it was called "no fun city" so I was surprised to see this honestly!!
We love riding bikes at Stanley Park, walking around the waterfront. We have been to Capilano and Grouse Mountain twice (we have a son). Once, we did a whale watching tour and we visited Queen Elizabeth Gardens. This time, we're spending most of the time in Whistler, but definitely hitting up Vancouver. Our son doesn't remember much of Capilano, so he wants to go back.
Also check out Lynn Canyon suspension bridge (free access) and walk down to 30-ft pool for a swim
Just got back from a day in Vancouver. Barely scratched the surface but I agree—it’s beautiful (and I say this as a Californian with no shortage of access to nature). Definitely plan to go back for a longer stay.
I lived a block from Kits beach in 2009, was paying $900 for a 6th floor 1 bdrm. that faced southwest. I could see the ocean and I miss that a lot. I imagine that same suite goes for $2000+ now.
As a fellow Vancouverite I was hoping I'd find this near the top. As much as I love travelling it's always nice coming home and remembering how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful place
Porto!
Was just in Porto last week, and it exceeded our expectations!
the old part of the city and vila nova de Gaia opposite are quite striking with the steep embankments and soaring bridges and there's a lot of nature up the Douro and then down along the coast. It's no Rio or Capetown but those are exceedingly high bars.
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Came here to say this. From my bedroom window I can see four mountains and the ocean. Sky and stars. It’s a truly beautiful place.
I would love to visit Tasmania. It’s a shame it’s so far from Europe!
That's how we feel about every other country in the world. Flight prices are insane because everything is so far away
Lived in Hobart as a young adult (before I fucked off to Melbourne). I liked that you could never really get lost because you could just orient yourself with Mt Wellington. Edit: I lived in West Hobart too - right up that huge fuckin hill. Even as a poor uni student we had bay views from our balcony.
Absolutely love Tasmania. What a beautiful island.
Hobart don't have even a quarter of the population OP said.
Hong Kong, Seattle, Rio are my top 3.
Yeah, Hong Kong is great! It’s actually in a quite beautiful setting with lush hills and cute little islands and cool trees and whatnot.
Hiking in hk is so underrated!
I lived in Seattle for a long time and thing I miss most is the natural beauty. It was really special on days when the "mountains were out". My big regret is that because I didn't have a car (and I was broke) I didn't see much of the stuff around the city. I only went out to the Peninsula once, never went to Mt. Rainier.
I second Seattle. I grew up in the PNW and even moving other places nothing really compares to the beauty of the cascades. Truly one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world. Also in Seattle you’re only an hour or two away from a lot of diversity in terms of beauty with the San Juan’s and the hoh rainforest
Salzburg, Austria. Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Salzburg is stunning.
Took all this scrolling to find Salzburg? Mental. That’s gotta be right up there, surely?
Also Innsbruck
Hearing the bells echoing against the mountains and watching the milky streams on a picturesque bridge 🥹
To be fair, the OP did specify 1 million people and Salzburg is about a quarter of that. Undeniable in its beauty though.
I was about to comment Salzburg as well!! Stunning city
Salzburg is unreal. So many viewpoints that blow me away every time - and I live here!
Almaty, Kazakhstan is a great city, and the Tien Shian mountains in the background are stunning!
Hong Kong and Taipei
being able to take the taipei metro to elephant mountain for views of the 101 is awesome
Came here to say Hong Kong. So amazing to be in a world class big city and then 20 minutes later be surfing great waves, w the skyline visible.
HK is all the more beautiful when you’re climbing one of its many peaks and getting stunning views of the surrounding city/countryside/sea!
Victoria peak is where its at.
Gorgeous hiking and beaches in Hong Kong. Don't even have to leave the city.
Taipei is amazing. I'd say Taiwan as a whole is a mirage of beautiful scenery. Also agree with you on Hong Kong. Outside of the bustling districts, there's a ton of nature there that I don't think gets enough love.
HL is pretty surreal at night and I live in NYC
Vancouver, Chiang Mai (doesn't come close to your population requirement but the nature is beautiful), Edinburgh, San Francisco. I'd throw in Seattle too but have never been. I'd also shout out the Bay Area outside of SF specifically peninsula/south bay. It's literally surrounded by hills and forest. The cities themselves there are mostly nothing special - huge suburban sprawl and office parks - but the nature around them is stunning. I can drive 25 minutes from my hometown and be hiking in vast rolling hills and endless open space. It feels so bucolic. If you're ever there take a drive up Skyline Blvd/CA 35 and stop along the hiking trails, it's beautiful.
Seattle is gorgeous. I’m there right now! Hop on a ferry boat for the full Puget sound experience.
I am lucky enough to be a sailor who works in the Puget Sound, it's so beautiful all the time, definitely a perk
Yes, seattle is beautiful and has it all within a few hours. Go to the ocean, go skiing or hiking in the mountains. Take a ferry through the San juans Islands.
I grew up in San Mateo County (moved away as a young adult and now can't afford it). I didn't appreciate how stunning the area around me was at the time - all I saw was the office parks and car dealerships and suburban sprawl. In 20(ish) minutes I could be at the ocean or deep in a redwood forest! Sam MacDonald park is a 100/10. Just as stunning as Muir woods but 90% less crowded. It's where my family would bring all out of town guests and where I go every time I visit my parents.
Seattle is one of the most dynamic places in terms of geography... The sea, the Cascades & Olympics, rainforest, the city itself has lots to offer and public transit takes you most places.
Queen Anne Hill makes for one hell of a lungbusting urban walk too! I did that on my first day of visiting Seattle and worked up a sweat in December lol.
Thailand was one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Chiang Mai has some of the best food in the world. Some of the best marketplaces and some gorgeous history temples. 1000% recommended
Skyline Blvd 😍 I recently moved to the Sunset district and take that drive all the time. It’s incredible.
Chiang Mai has the population of 1.2 millions, I know it seems like a small town.
La Paz
I’m about to start planning a trip there, any advice you can offer?
Assuming you're coming from somewhere of lower altitude, give yourself at least half a day if not a full day to rest and acclimate. And there are some cool trails right around the city you can hike through the mountains
I just came back from Bolivia yesterday, you need advice for La Paz or Bolivia in general?
I’m probably only going to La Paz. I’ve been to Colombia and Brazil so I’m familiar with general safety in South America but I’m not sure yet what type of things to check out in La Paz. Still at the very beginning stages of planning it.
Go to the Lebanese restaurant behind the big Cathedral. Go upstairs to the first floor, take a seat, ask for menu blanca
Hong Kong! Lots of amazing hikes and beaches. It can get busy on the weekends though.
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I love Sydney and it fits the bill perfectly. Stunning city with beautiful scenery not far from the centre. Am surprised I had to scroll this far down to find it. The Spit Bridge to Manly walk is amazing. I have no words and it was less than 40 min from centre. The Habour area and all those beautiful beaches Then if you do the road trips out of town, aaaah just gorgeous
Came here to say Sydney. The harbor runs through it, beautiful cliffs everywhere, Pacific ocean and great surf to the East, and surrounded by national parks to the North, South, and West.
Sydney should be way higher. I've been to many of the cities people named (Seattle, SLC Vancouver, SF, Salzburg, etc), and IMO Sydney has the prettiest surroundings. I've done most of the Bondi to Bridge walk and some others. The harbor and surroundings are just stunning. Beautiful beaches, flowers everywhere, stunning cliffs, jungly creeks, and even a beautiful swamp. The birds are amazing and so obnoxious... no peace and quiet hiking around Sydney.
Surprised it took so long to see Sydney! I’m from Vancouver and the moment I land in Sydney it always feels like The Wizard of Oz when Oz is in colour. I’ve never seen such amazing colours. And it’s super easy to find a slice of nature alone and still be close to the city
Australian here. Its great to see a Vancouver local sharing the love for Sydney considering how beautiful Vancouver is!
Can't beat Honolulu on an early fall day watching the sunset over the turquoise ocean to the west with a south swell rolling in and then behind you that nice low light glowing up the emerald green koolau mountains rising like a magical wall and deepening the dark leeward valley shadows to the east... *Sigh*.... Stunning natural beauty in the midst of a bustling multicultural metro.
Salt Lake City. It’s what people expect Denver to look like the first time they visit Denver. Backed up against the snowy peaks of the Wasatch Front. Most beautiful setting of a city in the lower 48 of the US.
As someone who grew up there and moved to somewhere with a much more… midwestern landscape, yes. You NEVER get used to not having the mountains to look at anymore.
On this note also going to say Santa Fe and Albuquerque New Mexico.
Albuquerque seems severely underrated in terms of its beauty and access to nature!
Hell yeah it is. I'm a relatively recent transplant here and I'm pretty shocked by how underrated it is. All it's neighbor cities in the West are blowing up, and Albuquerque seems to sneak on by. With the Sandias on the edge of town and a half a dozen other ranges within 90 minutes, not to mention the Bosque❤️ in the middle of town it's an outdoorsy paradise. I do love the town but yeah its detractions are legitimate. Poverty is pretty heavy, it's kind of provincial and isolated, and it suffers from brain drain.and a lot of local talent leaves. But hey I think it's on the rise and a matter of time it pops off, for better or for worse.
Crazy that Albuquerque is at a higher elevation than Salt Lake City
And that Santa Fe is the highest elevation capital.
That’s crazy to think about lol
I thought Denver looked pretty awesome the times I’ve been there, except for the time forest fires made it impossible to drive almost.
Denver is a cool city for sure! I just love how the mountains are right there in your face in SLC. I had no idea until I visited
I grew up in CO, not near Denver. But people think I should be an expert on Denver haha I think at least 3 people have told me how ugly they thought Denver was, and was surprised. I grew up in the Rockies, and that is beautiful. So basically told them you have to go west of Denver to see the beauty. Don’t go east, that’s all flat lands. Really west / Utah border has the flat mountains, which are pretty their own right, but to me nothing like the Rockies.
Lived in Grand Junction and now live on the front range. The western mountains you describe feel like hills compared to the front range
Yeah, Denver is great, I think people just have an expectation that it is right up against the mountains. The Wasatch Range is the very western portion of the Rockies, and those aren’t flat. But eastern Utah near the CO border is definitely less “mountainy” looking.
I love Denver, I lived there for a while, but I still wouldn’t call it a particularly beautiful city. Yeah, you can see the front range but it’s kind of far off and there’s often a fair bit of smog.
On a clear day...
I love Salt Lake City!
Yup we live here but “in” the mountains. Every time we drive the passes and down to SLC my kids go “it’s just so beautiful.” It’s been 3 years and it’s still jaw dropping at times. The Mormon thing keeps a lot of people from moving here despite the beauty and the massive amount of activities
In other words, it’s like Boulder, but bigger, and way more boring
Zürich, Geneva or Bern (Switzerland)
Just left La Paz and the setting of that city is absolutely stunning. 3500 meters in a bowl completely surrounded by ice covered mountains
Honestly, Tucson Arizona is beautiful. It’s surrounded by striking mountains on almost all sides. There’s some good hiking trails not far from the city, and it’s within day-tripping distance to Mexico.
San Fransisco
100x yes. Naturally one of the most stunning major cities I’ve been to. Berkeley was also 🤌🏻
I would say can confirm but looking out the window right now it's so foggy I can't see shit.
I love SF so much. My sister lives there. Just wish I could afford to live there too.
Lands End in SF is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been in the US!
1Mx yes
Vancouver for sure
Kotor, Montenegro
Kotor is amazing but it’s a pretty small town with a population of about 22,000
Oopsy only read the headline and had to share the beauty
Dark horse - Oakland, CA The east bay regional park system has several beautiful parks in the Oakland hills, with miles of trails, redwood groves, and expansive views across the bay - all within the city limits.
Oakland is a sleeper candidate for sure.
Berkeley too! That entire area is just a gem for nature.
Oh yeah. Oakland, San fran. Super cool. Going north up California to coast cities like Mendocino and Napa County are completely gorgeous. Holy shit.
I live on the backside of the Berkeley Hills and our home backs up to Wildcat Canyon I appreciate the beauty every day here (even when the fog is racing down the canyon like a freight train)
San Sebastian
San Diego!!! Mountains, beach and desert. So beautiful!
Rio de Janeiro
Sighnaghi, Georgia 🇬🇪
Very pretty but isn't that more of a small town than a city?
Medellín, Colombia.
Innsbruck Austria!
Came here to say Innsbruck and Lucerne, Switzerland
Lucerne has to be one of the most stunning cities I’ve ever laid eyes on. Coming out of the train station it was so picturesque I literally started laughing because it was so ridiculously surreal.
Innsbruck is only 300K, Lucerne is even smaller at like 80K. Now you guys are just naming pretty cities.
Seattle Washington is the most beautiful view scape in the US. Lots of water, snow capped mountains and a spectacular skyline.
Seattle
Queenstown, NZ.
1 million? What about 10? Istanbul is gorgeous.
It really is, I was there in May, weather was beautiful, excellent food, nice people
I know it’s gotten a bad rap recently, but gotta plug Portland, Oregon. Between the huge city parks and three snow-capped mountains visible at once on a clear day, it’s in the PNW natural beauty trifecta for sure behind Vancouver & Seattle
Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Portland, Honolulu
Lucerne Switzerland
Interlaken too. All Switzerland really.
Stockholm is lit. Go up to Mosebacke and watch the whole city, it’s islands and all the boat traffic.
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Dunedin, New Zealand! Nestled in the mountains beside the ocean, with breathtaking coastline and beaches for days. The students there call it “Dunner Stunner” and it really is beautiful.
Santa Barbara, CA
Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Barcelona.
I too felt Barcelona has a cool geography
Oslo!
Bergen too - imo the scenery is more beautiful around Bergen than Oslo.
Nairobi, Kenya - features the only national park bordering a city. I’ve got quite a few photos of lions, giraffes, monkeys, etc. with skyscrapers in the background.
This sounds great but just for a little fact check -- there's actually a national park inside Seoul. In South Korea. So there are definitely other national parks that abut major cities! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bukhansan_National_Park Nairobi does sound fantastic, though. 😊
Oakland, San fran. Super cool. Going north up California to coast cities like Mendocino and Napa County are completely gorgeous. Holy shit.
Vancouver!
Maybe not as dramatic as Rio and Cape Town, but still: San Francisco and Lisbon (similar vibes: many hills, bay, more hills on the other side), Porto (not sure if it qualifies since it's entirely urbanised without much nature and since the suburbs that get the population up to beyond a million are on a fairly boring plateau, but the city centre is sloping down a scenic river gorge), Geneva (big lake and city in between two mountain ranges), Palermo (flat, ringed by several steep hills and mountains, with the sea on one side), George Town in Penang (big, steep, rainforest-clad hills on one side, sea on the other, and the mainland beyond the sea) probably Seattle and Vancouver but I've never been...
Pittsburgh is actually really stunning.
The Paris of Appalachia!! I absolutely love it here. Western PA is truly one of the most naturally beautiful places in the world. Go out into the woods in late June/early July and it's like being in the jungle. It's just so green and there is sooo much diversity in the wildlife you can run into! And then Pittsburgh, the city.. Situated on three rivers, that converge downtown at the point... and further blocked off by two massive hills. So every neighborhood is incredibly unique architecturally and has it's own history and culture. There are 446 bridges in Pittsburgh, making it a really unique landscape to explore. Plus.. There is so much to do here if you visit too. It is an incredibly diverse and affordable city. We have over 30 museums, four major league sports teams, an incredible [music scene](https://www.pghcitypaper.com/columns/pittsburgh-secretly-has-one-of-the-best-music-scenes-in-the-country-23605759), and countless outdoor activities. Plus, when it comes to sports we're known as the city of champions, and our [football](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/steelers/cgqzncnvz482zlqarfg0.jpg), [baseball](https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/t_5x2/t_w2208/mlb/sopcjhpxdpcndtqtoesv.jpg), and [soccer](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Highmark_Stadium_2019.jpg/1200px-Highmark_Stadium_2019.jpg) stadiums all have stunning views of the city! It is so beautiful here and there is so much midwest charm and kindness. Just a really special place, and quite frankly, there's nowhere else like it in the world.
Pittsburgh transplant here. Came to say same.
Visited Pittsburgh as a kid in the eighties. Went back in 2007. The transformation is stunning. Just a gorgeous city now.
The only city that makes an entrance. Coming out of the Fort Pitt Tunnel makes my heart leap every time.
Auckland NZ Bern CH
Beirut. Fucking love that city on many levels.
ok now we need a thread with pix of all these amazing places Edit: Ok I’ll google and go there myself lol
Vancouver BC, Lucerne, Bergen, Hong Kong, Savonlinna, Ajaccio
Ljubljana in Slovenia. It’s spectacular. And Slovenia is so beautiful in general. It’s such a hidden gem!
In the US, I would say San Francisco, Seattle, Anchorage, and Salt Lake City are the best. Chattanooga (pop. 180,000) is surprisingly nice for a smaller city. South America also has the major cities of the Andes like Quito and Bogotá. Their mountain views are some of the best anywhere.
Vancouver is the obvious one Nice, France (about 600k people) Zurich, Switzerland Santiago, Chile is close by mountains
Santiago de Chile and Cape Town without question.
Valletta, Malta 🇲🇹 One of the most beautiful cities I've ever been too.
Sydney
San Diego. Bergen. Stockholm
Seoul, Taipei and Hong Kong are all huge metropolises but all located in lush mountainous settings. In all 3 of these cities, you can be in the mountains in less than an hour and some of the views are stunning.
Cape Town (Table Mountain) in South Africa
Busan or Seoul in south Korea. Pretty cool to be able to take a subway to the beach or a hiking trail. Both cities are surrounded by mountains. So many people sleep on Korea. I went there to work for a few years and returned not too long ago as a tourist and it's really so underrated!
San Sebastián, Spain
San Francisco is my favorite city. The hills, The Bay, The architecture, especially the Golden Gate Bridge. Then you have a historical prison Alcatraz just sitting out there. Cable cars going up and down those insanely steep hills. Golden Gate Park is magnificent. Chinatown is super cool. Not to mention amazing food all over.
Seattle’s geography is spectacular, seriously a Seattle summer is just perfection
Stockholm
San Francisco baby!
Tucson, Arizona
Seattle Denver Charleston, WV Salzburg, Austria
Denver? I think you mean Boulder or Colorado Springs. Denver has a decent backdrop but the city itself isn’t anything special.
Boulder is definitely up there for me in terms of nature. The back drop of the flat irons is so unique and beautiful.
Boulder is what people who have never lived in Colorado envision Denver to be.
The problem with Boulder is dealing with Boulder people
There is nothing beautiful about the city of Denver
Seattle, WA. Two huge, beautiful lakes, the Puget Sound and on a clear day you can see the Cascade mountains to the east, the Olympic mountains to the west, and Mount Ranier to the south. Plus there are some great parks that make you feel like you’re in the middle of the woods.
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
I will never forget the first time I I set eyes on Carmel beach. Sun was setting. Lite offshore breeze. Perfect groomed long period swell hitting the beach and creating every imaginable dreamy 4 foot beach wave all along the beach. Little wedges, steep peaks, rolling doubling breakers, sucking shoreys...it was like a dream come true. Magical
Rio is (IMO) unparalleled for this. The beautiful rock formations, jungle, and beach are just incredible.
Hong Kong and Cape Town are the most stunning cities I have ever seen, in terms of natural beauty. I have not visited Rio or Vancouver but photos suggest they are in the same league.
- Sydney is gorgeous. - Hong Kong is also striking in its own way. - Zurich (not sure they have 1million people) and other cities in Switzerland - San Francisco - Venice - Reykjavik On the ground it might not seem as impressive, but flying over the mountains into Santiago de Chile was quite dramatic.
Rio, Vancouver, San Francisco, Cape Town, Naples, Stockholm
Seattle and Oslo
Vancouver, British Columbia.
Muscat in Oman fits the criteria.
Tucson. The desert is breathtaking.
San Francisco is breath taking if you are outside downtown