With no discernible centre, Tokyo's vast urban sprawl can be overwhelming on your first visit. The densely populated neon-lit centre is there if you want it, but go behind the concrete and Tokyo reveals itself to be a city…

Milan is where Italy rolls up its sleeves and gets to work. A tad drab on the outside, the city makes amends with first-rate food and shopping. On weekends follow the locals' lead and make for the nearby Alps or beaches in…

São Paulo is South America's melting pot and financial powerhouse. It has the second biggest GDP per capita in the country - the first is Brasília, the capital of the government. The city is defined by its enormity - the…

Moscow is still a brash, cash-flashing metropolis but the financial crisis hit the city's billionaires hard, knocking real estate prices low enough for hip boutiques and interesting restaurants to thrive. Put your sense of…

With Dubai relatively unshaken by the Arab Spring, this liberal, tax-free transit lounge between Europe and Asia is back in business, and attracts visitors as diverse as Lebanese entrepreneurs, moneyed Saudi princes and…

The Danish capital likes to think of itself as the bridge between Scandinavia and continental Europe. It is a city rich in cultural opportunities that welcomes visitors with its great food. Best of all, it's ridiculously…

A vibrant tech scene has breathed new life into the city by the bay. A paradise for foodies, hipsters and hippies, this hilly metropolis also has a spectacular setting, with water on three sides. However, you'll want to…

Home to 17th-century canals, legendary architecture and picturesque windmills, Amsterdam is one of the few capitals in the world that still cherishes a village vibe. Its creative spread is as alive today as it was in the…

Shanghai received a spruce-up for the 2010 World Expo, with a plethora of new subway lines, old brick homes painted a cheery red, and traffic islands beautified with palms and flowers. But the charm of the city remains its…

Doing business in Turkey can be fraught with misunderstandings and bureaucracy but it's a burgeoning destination that is becoming an important hub for East/West deals. Istanbul also remains the imperial capital built on…

Messy, comical, unpredictable, dramatic, impossible, beautiful. It's the city where people lie in the gutters and dream of the stars. From slumdogs to millionaires, fashion to finance, Bollywood to beggars, it serves as a…

Once the home of cutting-edge art then accused by some of resting on its laurels, Paris has recently been reasserting its cultural authority with the reopening of the Palais de Tokyo and Musée Picasso, and the emergence of…

After years of straight-laced conformity, Singapore is shaking things up, and for the better.The politicos are loosening up, the gay scene is thriving and despite the credit gloom, it's still possible to have a really good…

With a healthy work ethic and lots of places to spend your weekends, Madrid's greatest asset is its quality of life. Nestled in the middle of the Iberian peninsula, temperatures may soar in summer but thankfully there are…

Munich is an economic boomtown and a hotspot for the media. Huge parks and the Isar River make it one of Germany's most natural feeling cities offering a great quality of living. Its mixture of world-class hotels, sprawling…

Distrito Federal, the thriving capital, couldn't be more different from the Mexico regularly appearing on the evening news abroad. The city of 21 million remains largely free of the violence that has engulfed too many other…

The inevitable Sydney versus Melbourne debate can be summarised thus: Sydney is the beautiful, popular captain of the athletics team. Melbourne, the smart girl on the debating squad. Whatever your preference, Sydney will…

Public transport runs smoothly, the view of the Alps from the lake is compelling, nights out are fun and the standard of living remains resolutely high (even for employees of Swiss banks). Web giant Google liked the city…

It's the city that never sleeps but there's enough variety in New York to please those who are just after a simple urban retreat. With developments such as the High Line and the Hudson River Park offering more landscaped…

The London 2012 Olympics left the UK capital with a new-found confidence and a collection of shiny new venues. It is said that London is a collection of villages – and with more transport links, including an expanded ove…