Cities are the homes and workplaces of billions of people around the world, so it is no surprise that most of them have acquired affectionate nicknames over time. Whether they are just used by locals or by everyone (think ‘The Big Apple’ for New York), they form a significant part of that city’s identity and culture.
But do you know what they all mean?
Some nicknames can be quite obscure, forged in the fires of history without much resonance today, so it can be hard to know where they came from, even for local people. So Expedia has done its research and found explanations for the top city nicknames in the world.
They’ve illustrated them to help make the meaning even more clear, here are some the top nicknames and where they came from:
The End Of The World – Ushuaia, Argentina
It’s a slightly gloomy name isn’t it? You can’t imagine it being an easy sell on tourism posters – ‘come and see the end of the world’. However, Ushuaia definitely has its attractions, not least because its name comes from its location as the southernmost city in the world. The location might make it cold, but as long as you are wrapped up warm you can enjoy hiking in the subpolar forests, skiing, kayaking or scuba diving. All the things you’d want to do at The End Of The World.
The Tavern Of The Seas – Cape Town, South Africa
If your tastes run more towards the hospitable climates, then maybe The Tavern Of The Seas fits the bill? Cape Town’s historical reputation as a meeting place and trading hub for sailors dating back to the 17th Century has earned it that affectionate nickname. Nowadays its taverns have more tourists than sailors in them, but it still has a lively and welcoming reputation, not to mention stunning views from Table Mountain.
The City Of Eternal Fog – Curitiba, Brazil
Fog isn’t necessarily the first thing you think of when you think of Brazil, but maybe that’s because the whole country’s supply ends up in Curitiba. It maybe isn’t the place to go if you’re looking to samba on the beach, but while Curitiba’s climate is more rainy and foggy than the likes of Rio, it still has plenty of charms including lots of parks and green spaces as well as a fine cultural heritage. And eternal fog of course.
The City Of Goldfish – Yatomi, Japan
Yatomi in Japan has a curious reputation as the goldfish capital of the world. Apparently back in the mid 1970s this city was producing over 71 million goldfish a year. Production has slowed down in recent years but if you visit The City Of Goldfish today you can still visit goldfish farms and even witness the thrills and (hopefully few) spills of a real goldfish auction.
The City Of Wrestlers – Kolhapur, India
From goldfish to wrestlers, it seems that there’s a city for everything somewhere in the world. And if you want wrestlers, you need to go to Kolhapur in India. This City Of Wrestlers is the spiritual home of Kushti Wrestling, a discipline that involves music and requires its participants to be taught morals as well as martial arts. It’s home to 40 training institutes and a 100 year old wrestling stadium. It would definitely help to be a wrestling fan if you visit Kolhapur, though it also has shopping malls and an amusement park amongst its attractions.
You can see the beautiful illustrations for all of these city nicknames and several more at Expedia, but which of them is your favourite and which do you want to go and visit first?