According to the Independent today

Vienna comes out on top.

The city with the highest quality of urban living in the world, according to the survey, is Vienna, followed by Zurich and Geneva. Auckland and Vancouver come joint fourth. All of these cities have a reputation – perhaps undeserved – for crashing dullness. Cities with romantic, glitzy reputations, from New York (49th) to Rome (55th), fare badly.

So, it’s all a bit bollocks really, then?

London’s rubbish – how come it came so high?

Vienna is alright. London and Washington! What a load of rubbish.

London’s all right. Just think, without it, all the cockneys would be living amongst the rest of us. 😉

Cities with romantic, glitzy reputations, from New York (49th) to Rome (55th), fare badly.

I’d agree with that to be honest. All those places that some people seem to keep saying are wonderful are bloody awful in my experience. Venice, london, Paris, Rome, crap holes for the most part.

Have you ever tried getting hold of a decent prostitute in Rome?

I’d question the survey’s criteria.

Why rudeboy’s answer is not a surprise 😉

What about the “newspaper never lies you defend earlier 😉 ”

London ruins kettles. It should come much lower down the list

London based journo amazed to discover that the rest of the world doesn’t want to live there shocker.

Where is Edinburgh? Usually scores much higher than London in these sorts of things.

Does Vancouver have a repuation for crashing dullness? I loved the place.

London would be much lower on my list.

Barcelona 42?? madness.

lol @ porterclough

Vienna doesnt supprise me, imagine london, except with much nicer architecture, and no smog covering the city and the countryside for miles arround.

Some of those top cities sound pretty boring places to be.

London’s fine if you’re well off IMO – live in a leafy area to the west or north. I like NYC but makes London seem quiet; not much space other than Central Park but that can get crowded. I like the idea of Japan but suspect I’d get fed up with the lack of space.

1. VIENNA

For Clean, green, safe city, packed with music, theatre, art, history, coffee-bars and trams.

Against Full of grumpy old fur-coated ladies and sad historical ghosts from its formerly heavily Jewish past.

2. ZURICH

For Great public transport, services and restaurants. Beautiful buildings and accessible mountains and lakes.

Against Miserable, dull winters; high cost of living; conservative and narrow-minded older Swiss population.

3. GENEVA

For Great public transport, services and restaurants. Swimming and yachting from centre.

Against Achingly dull city populated by stand-offish international bureaucrats and far-out radical Swiss youth.

=4. VANCOUVER

For Greenest city in North America. Sea-sports just to the west; skiing, climbing and walking just to the east.

Against Culturally dull city. It is a long way from almost everywhere.

=4. AUCKLAND

For New Zealand’s most ethnically mixed and friendly city.

Against Poor infrastructure. Crime and other urban problems. It is a long way from almost everywhere.

They sound fantastic… 🙄

Cutting-edge culture, architecture and excitement count for relatively little.

What a rubbish survey. I might as well conduct my own:

Q: What is the Greatest City on Earth?

(Bearing in mind, it’s only me taking part)

A: London.

Simple.

Those top4 must be 4 of the best cities for mountainbiking on the doorstep, though I doubt this was included in the comparison criteria 😉

Nice to see two NZ cities in the top 20 (Auckland and Wellington). Have lived in both and would pick Wellington ahead of Auckland anyday. Recently lived in London….. hmmm a fair ranking innit!

See, it’s very subjective, though. Which criteria are chosen, for deciding which is the ‘best’ city, is down to those conducting the survey. And do we know who were asked to take part?

Not very scientific.

‘Cutting-edge culture, architecture and excitement ‘ are three criteria I’d place right at the top, in making my decision on where to live. But that’s me. Other people have different values.

And as for Vienna, the ‘survey’ seems to have conveniently neglected such things as racism, for which Vienna does not have the best record. And, praps, if you’re from an ethnic minority, Vienna and Austria might not be Utopia.

Outer Mongolia came 37th

I like Vienna. It has the advantage in that it was relatively lightly damaged during WWII. It also has one of my favourite restaurants, Livingstones, and one of the best Indians I’ve ever eaten in. I can’t recall it’s name but if anyone is interested then I’ll dig out my stack of restaurant cards from my suitcase and let you know.

Christ, equal with Lyon – Last time I was passing through Lyon it looked like a hole. Mind you, so does London so thats about right 🙂

Hope you all read this.

American management consultancy which specialises in advising companies on the relocation of executives. Political stability, security, air pollution, schools, supermarkets, environment and transport rank highly. Cutting-edge culture, architecture and excitement count for relatively little.

I know a few people here like to knock London, but I don’t see any other UK cities in the top 50. Speaks volumes, if you want to use the selection system this consultancy have used of course.

Last time I was passing through Lyon it looked like a hole

That is probably due to the fact that the town is right at the bottom of a couple of valleys 😉

London based journo amazed to discover that the rest of the world doesn’t want to live there shocker.

More like:

London based journo amazed to discover rest of the world

I always find these things strange. Londons absolutely massive, almost the size of a county, with aound 7 million people living there. So what counts as ‘living in london’. Someone living in farringdon is going to be living a pretty different life to someone living out near Epsom or something.

I’m not sure what ‘culture’ means either. As far as i can tell it basically means loads of foreign people live there. And if its a bit run down and dodgy looking, then its ‘vibrant’.

I’m not sure what ‘culture’ means either. As far as i can tell it basically means loads of foreign people live there.

❓ ❗ ❓ ❗

Adelaide at 30???

I lived there for a year. It was a nice city (pleasant natives, easy cycle to the beach, lots of nice cafe/bars, winetasting trips to Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale) but I’m not sure it would rate 30th in the entire world!

Thinking about it, I’m supprised london made the top 50!

Only been to Vienna for a few days but would happily go back. Even some of the eastern european holes i’ve visited had more charm.

London’s like McDonalds/BK/KFC every time I go I’m reminded just how much I hate the place.

Someone living in farringdon is going to be living a pretty different life to someone living out near Epsom or something.

No-one in Epsom thinks they live in London surely? Many in Richmond prefer to say Surrey than London. But, yes, Ealing and Chiswick are very different from more central places and out to the east (shudder :wink:).

London’s all right. Just think, without it, all the cockneys would be living amongst the rest of us. [:wink:]

Was there last week and didn’t see any, it was full of Aussies and Kiwis explaining how great Oz adn NZ were and how bad the UK was.

American management consultancy which specialises in advising companies on the relocation of executives.

Nuff sed.

rogerthecat – Member
London’s all right. Just think, without it, all the cockneys would be living amongst the rest of us. [:wink:]
Was there last week and didn’t see any, it was full of Aussies and Kiwis explaining how great Oz adn NZ were and how bad the UK was.

Ah, truth tellers from the antipodes are always unwelcome.

Until you have lived in the antipodes and see the light 🙂

thisisnotaspoon – Member

Thinking about it, I’m supprised london made the top 50!

Only been to Vienna for a few days but would happily go back. Even some of the eastern european holes i’ve visited had more charm.

London’s like McDonalds/BK/KFC every time I go I’m reminded just how much I hate the place.

That’s ok. You don’t have to come here. There are other cities you can visit instead; Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, etc.

I’d be quite happy if all those in London, who hate the place, left. And all those who slag it off, never came here. Then, those of us that do appreciate the Greatest City on Earth, can enjoy it without all the miserable sods going on all the bloody time.

Worst thing about London (after the Crime, pollution, traffic, congestion, social inequality, huuuuge property prices, Boris, pigeons)? Those who don’t appreciate it. Please, **** off, the lot of you. We won’t miss you.

“I like NYC but makes London seem quiet; not much space other than Central Park but that can get crowded.”

You’re confusing midtown/downtown Manhattan with NYC – the two are not the same.

“Barcelona 42?? madness. “

Must be all the crime and grime.

I’m glad I don’t live in London any more – you’re all welcome to it!

I’m surprised London even featured in the top 100. What a dump!

Dublin though, 25th is good…assuming you have plenty cash.