Top 10: Beach Cities
By Nick
Clarke Travel Specialist
The top 10 beach cities
Sydney - Credit: iStockphoto.com
to water is the main factor when considering building a settlement,
which is why there are hundreds of major cities across the world built
next to stretches of glorious beach
and glittering ocean. So, as summer approaches, we track down some of
the world’s best beachside cities (which we’ve narrowed down to
settlements of more than 100,00 people), whose sandy fringes act as an
integral part of their structure, atmosphere and overall identities. So
slap on that sunblock, slide on those shades and head to one of our top
10 beach cities.
Number 10
Venice, Italy
Body of water the city borders: Adriatic Sea
Population: Around
271,251
Average temperature in the winter: 40°F
Average
temperature in the summer: 73°F
Built on water, Venice
was destined to rank as one of our top 10 beach cities. Its beaches are
often overlooked, however, given the meandering canals, gondola rides
and stunning architecture
that take up most of visitors’ precious time. When they get past those
attractions, they’ll find that the romantic
Italian city is actually home to some of the most hush-hush beaches in
Europe, where nature and history collide.
Best beach: Venice
Lido is one of the world’s best-kept secrets, and is only 10 minutes
away from the throngs of tourists that congregate around St. Mark’s
Square. An 11-mile island that stretches between the open sea and a
lagoon, the sands of Venice Lido play host to some of the most stylish
Italians off the catwalk. Excelsior and Des Bains are Lido’s best
private beaches (belonging to hotels), but there are two public beaches
to be found on either end of the white sandbar if you’re too cheap to
check in.
Number 9
Mumbai, India
Body of water the city borders: Arabian Sea
Population:
Around 13,662,885
Average temperature in the winter: 75°F
Average temperature in the summer: 85°F
Mumbai is the
financial, commercial, industrial, and celluloid capital of India,
and it’s where Bollywood dreams are made. Built from the ground up on
its colonial foundations, Mumbai is one part glitz, with flashy
skyscrapers and designer stores, and one part poverty, with slums and
seedy neighborhoods. Built next to the Arabian Sea, another one of
Mumbai’s points of interest is, of course, the beach. Juhu Beach, which
sits just outside of the city center, is lined with Mumbai’s best
hotels, restaurants and nightclubs, and it's where the business bunch
like to come and play. Mumbai’s deep-water port is also an essential
component of the beachside city, managing over half of India’s maritime
cargo.
Best beach: Fringed by Marina Drive on the
western side of the city, Chowpatty Beach is Mumbai’s most charismatic
beach. There are donkey rides, stalls selling bhelpuri (a savory snack
favored in the region) and a huge man-powered Ferris wheel to be ridden.
When the sun sets behind the Arabian Sea, Chowpatty Beach turns into a
carnivalesque scene with astrology readings, plays, monkey shows, and yoga
demonstrations happening right on the sand. The beach also doubles as
the venue for the annual Ganesh Chaturthi festival, during which giant
statues of the elephant god are thrown into the sea. This is beach-going
India-style, and there are no apparent rules or regulations.
Number 8
Sydney, Australia
Body of water the city borders: Pacific Ocean
Population:
4,284,379
Average temperature in the winter: 54°F
Average
temperature in the summer: 73°F
Although many people
still think that Sydney is the capital of Australia,
it isn’t -- that would be Canberra. Sydney is, however, no less
important to Australia’s success as a travel destination; in fact, more
people seem to visit it than the country’s actual capital, which
doesn’t seem fair. Nevertheless, with showstopping architecture,
such as the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge
(incidentally, both by the water), a vibrant nightlife
scene, and more natural beauty than in the rest of the world’s cities
put together, it’s not hard to see why Sydney is the beating heart of
modern-day Australia (as well as one of the world's top 10 beach
cities). As the country’s biggest metropolis, there’s much to see and
do, but one of the biggest draws is undoubtedly the beaches that lie
just behind the clutter of the city’s glass-fronted buildings.
Best beach: A magnet for those who love the combination of
beach and city life, Bondi Beach is the most photographed stretch of
sand in Australia (and Australia’s one hell of a big country!). Famed
for its excellent surfing
conditions, Bondi is long, well-kept and full of gorgeous people
taking to their boards and riding the waves.
More of the top
10 beach cities... Next
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