Cities around the world

A city is an urban area which is differentiated from a town or village by size, population, density, importance or legal status. A city usually consists of residential, industrial and business areas. A large share of a city's area is primarily taken up by housing, which is then supported by infrastructure such as roads, streets and often public transport routes.

Towns and cities have a long history, although opinions vary on whether any particular ancient settlement can be considered to be a city.

Older European cities and some American ones have historically intact central areas where the streets are jumbled together, seemingly without a structural plan. This is a legacy of earlier unplanned or organic development, and is often perceived by today's tourists to be picturesque.

There are different schemes of modern city. The most common pattern is the grid, almost a rule in parts of the United States, and used for thousands of years in China. In Medieval times we see a preference for linear planning. Good examples are the cities established in the south of France.

Other forms may include a radial structure in which main roads converge on a central point. Many Dutch cities are structured this way.

One of my hobbies and even goals for life is traveling. Therefore I have already been to some of the largest and most beautiful cities of the world, for example Saint Petersburg, Paris, Cairo, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington DC and plan on visiting more. However, there are so many of them that one’s lifetime perhaps won’t be enough to visit all of them.

My favorite foreign city is San-Francisco. It is located in the State of California, on the western coast of the USA. Its population is 4 million people and in this regard it’s the fourth largest city in California and the fourteenth in the US after New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, etc. Besides, San Francisco is the second most densely populated major American city after New York (population 4 million people, total area – 120.9 km²).

The first Europeans to settle in San Francisco were the Spanish, in 1776; the city is named for St. Francis. With the advent of the California gold rush in 1848 the city entered a period of rapid growth. It is today one of the most recognizable cities on the West Coast.

San Francisco has a unique mix of characteristics, including its months-long episodes of fog, its steep rolling hills, its eclectic mix of architecture (including Victorian style houses and modern high-rises), and its being bordered on three sides by the Pacific Ocean or the San Francisco Bay.

Tourism is the mainstay of San Francisco's economy as it is one of the top ten tourist destinations in the United States and one of the top fifty in the world. I love it for the romantic atmosphere that the blue sky, the ocean and the enormous and magnificent bridges create. Some of the most famous attractions of the city are: Chinatown, Pier 39, the Fisherman’s Wharf, the Cable Car ride and of course the no longer acting prison of Alcatraz.

San Francisco is the great havens for the fans of sea food. Fisherman Wharf one of the places which attracts lots of people during the day. It’s an open air fish market where you can get any seafood you wish: fish of all kinds, lobsters, mussels, huge crabs, shrimp, etc. You can either buy it fresh and cook at home or have it cooked right there in front of your and eat it straight away with crispy French fries and souses. It’s delicious!

There are also great China, Mexican and Indian restaurants and cafes. During my latest trip there I found out that it would take you more than nine years to visit all the eateries in San Francisco, given that you go out every night. It’s unbelievable for me!

Questions

What is Moscow famous for? Does it attract a lot of visitors?

Moscow is famous for its historical places as the Red Square and the Kremlin, for its monasteries and the Bolshoi Theatre, for the beautiful architecture of its churches, buildings, bridges and even underground stations. The Arbat Street is very popular among foreigners. It’s an ancient stone-paved street with lots of little shops and restaurants, plenty of market stalls selling all sorts of souvenirs from matreshkas and flags to fur hats.

In the present it attracts more and more visitors from countries around the world, especially from Europe and the US. Most tourists come to visit Moscow during the summer, but some arrive here in the winter just to see the snow and enjoy a climate different from the one they are used to.

What is the busiest place in the evening in Moscow?

- Apart from Moscow underground, I think that the Arbat and Tverskaya Streets are the busiest places in the evening.

What do people do there? Are there buskers or eateries?

People come there to hang out with friends, to shop or to simply walk around and talk. There are many eateries, so they can have a dinner or just stop at a café to have some ice-cream or a cup of coffee and a piece of cake.

One won’t get bored in the Arbat Street. Apart from shops and eateries there are buskers, who play their guitars or key boards, sing, put up shows, tell jokes or even dance.

Which places would you recommend?

- I would recommend a Russian Pub Restaurant near the Sokol underground Station. It is my favorite one for the outstanding Russian cuisine, design and friendly atmosphere. Servants are also very polite. Sometimes they have live concerts and one is able to enjoy the best of Russian folk songs.