London. Tokyo. New York. Everyone moves to the same ‘cool’ cities. Without sounding like a hipster, have these cities become too mainstream? There must be more out there? Luckily there is; here are five awesome alternatives cities to live in.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Some people like the busy lifestyle and the crazy nights that make great stories – Buenos Aires is as busy and crazy as they come. The capital of Argentina has slowly been developing a reputation as the party capital with its plethora of bars and nightclubs. Its vibrant nightlife gives New York a run for its ‘city that never sleeps’ tag – midnight is considered arriving early. Look up Buenos Aires in a thesaurus and you’ll find related words such as ‘chaotic’, ‘frenetic’ but also ‘charming’ and ‘friendly’ too. Whether you learn Latin moves on the dancefloor or drink with the locals, you’ll find it easy to mix in and sink in to Latin culture.
Glasgow, Scotland
Despite what most people think, Glasgow is the not the capital of Scotland – Edinburgh is. That’s testament to Glasgow’s vibrant culture; there’s always something happening. The city is consistently voted among the best shopping destinations in the UK, whilst boasting a number of highly regarded festivals such as the International Comedy Festival. But if you’re a fan of music, the music scene in Glasgow is all you need. In fact, UNESCO recognised Glasgow’s music scene by awarding it the title of City of Music in 2008. Belle & Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand and Travis all hail from Scotland’s largest city; who knows you may just spot the next big thing. Glasgow might not be kept our little secret for long however, Tripadvisor named it as the top UK destination ‘on the rise’ – watch this space.
Austin (Texas), US
While Austin’s history lies in politics and government, today it is a metropolitan mecca for the creative types of this world. Many art and intellectual students come to study and mix with like-minded people (and eat Tex Mex food), so it’s difficult for some of that not to rub off on the city. Such is its creative disposition, its home to the South By South West festival. Growing at an exponential rate each year, this festival welcomes creative souls from around the world to attend and discuss the latest in films, music and tech. Imagine all of that right on your doorstep? Austin’s music scene is also revered globally; the city hasn’t given themselves the trademark of ‘live music capital of the world’ for nothing you know.
Tianjin, China
Living in Hong Kong and Beijing can be a blur at times. While there is a plethora of things to see and do in either, the locals are constantly dodging the throngs of tourists. Tianjin may not be somewhere you’ve heard of, but it will be in the near future. This city has risen from nowhere as it continues to regenerate and become increasingly cosmopolitan like its other siblings. But it’s also kept its heritage and you can still visit old sites. The historic area offers a fantastic contrast to the new skyscraper-skyline showing just how far the city has come in a short space of time. And of course it still has the wonderful and traditional street markets to remind you’re in Asia.
With so many things to see and do in every big cities, getting from A to B conveniently can be difficult. But city cars can make this a breeze; their small size makes it a piece of cake to park even in the tightest of spaces. The SEAT Mii city car for example has low fuel consumption and the latest technology, perfect for city living.
Jasey Rae is a keen traveler and writes about her experiences traveling the world.
