London, UK known as globe’s best town by TripAdvisor; City covers Travellers’ Option Locations Awards

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: Justify;"><b>London</b> has been named the world's best destination by travel appraisal site Trip Advisor, as it continues preparations to host the 2012 Olympic Games. The city fended off opposition from runners up New York and Rome to be named top in the annual Travellers’ Choice Destinations Awards, which rank worldwide cities on the basis of votes from millions of travelers which use the site. It was one of five <b>European destinations</b> to make the top ten lists, which also featured <b>San Francisco</b>, Marrakech in Morocco, and Istanbul in Turkey and Siem Reap in Cambodia.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYfYLAGhhwyj42Y16fhf-dKgWbpc87Ph0FGF6ycmhI89HpJCMhvzaTtT1A2llOxtRk3EvCDe8B-3sXIXeE8eyjX8aov_rwqA49UGIf_j5bFxiQu1E0iyudIF7mdC0XMF6KQAIy4BTLRgt4/s1600/travel-destinations-awards.jpg" /></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: Justify;">For many, the award for London will not be entirely unexpected -- the city is currently basking in the spotlight as it prepares to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, followed by the London 2012 Olympic Games. It has already been named the best city in the world to visit this year by travel guide publisher Lonely Planet, in a powerful global ranking published late 2011. This week, the <b>city's world-famous</b> Oxford Street shopping destination kicked off a crusade which will see the entire West End covered in 500 British flags ahead of the summer, each measuring 3.5 meters in height and placed in popular tourist hotspots. Last month, officials predicted that tourist figures would reach 12.7 million this year (up five percent on 2011), an optimistic projection which appears to contradict suggestions some visitors could be put off by the publicity.<br /><br /><b>Travellers’ Choice Destinations Awards - winners</b><br /><br />1. London<br /><br />2. New York City<br /><br />3. Rome<br /><br />4. Paris<br /><br />5. San Francisco<br /><br />6. Marrakech, Morocco<br /><br />7. Istanbul<br /><br />8. Barcelona<br /><br />9. Siem Reap, Cambodia<br /><br />10. Berlin </div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>

London, UK known as globe’s best town by TripAdvisor; City covers Travellers’ Option Locations Awards

London has been named the world's best destination by travel appraisal site Trip Advisor, as it continues preparations to host the 2012...

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San Francisco. A voyage to San Francisco, United States of America

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PvqM27ztQsw/TzfjwkY935I/AAAAAAAACdg/_7rIHdDKX6I/s1600/San+Francisco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PvqM27ztQsw/TzfjwkY935I/AAAAAAAACdg/_7rIHdDKX6I/s640/San+Francisco.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RpreEI8v24g/TzfjvSPGIyI/AAAAAAAACdQ/Fs-LwkprC5I/s1600/San+Francisco+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RpreEI8v24g/TzfjvSPGIyI/AAAAAAAACdQ/Fs-LwkprC5I/s320/San+Francisco+5.jpg" width="320" /></a>Let other cities build grand monuments. San Francisco days are better spent sunning by the bay and digesting lavish seafood dinners – no matter whether you’re a human or a sea lion that’s bellyflopped on Pier 39. Outlandish behavior comes with the territory here. What with all the earthquakes and eccentrics, this peninsula keeps only a tentative hold on the planet, not to mention the continental US. But as any San Franciscan will tell you, gravity is overrated, anyway. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dNshorzOzgI/TzflzI4o-KI/AAAAAAAACd0/WDtdK18W4kM/s1600/San+Francisco+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dNshorzOzgI/TzflzI4o-KI/AAAAAAAACd0/WDtdK18W4kM/s200/San+Francisco+4.jpg" width="200" /></a>With 43 hills and a population of free thinkers, crafty inventors, and weirdoes passing as normal, this city stubbornly refuses to be brought down to earth.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qfv0QZoSL4M/TzfjwGnc-FI/AAAAAAAACdY/oLsaYL4k1oY/s1600/San+Francisco+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qfv0QZoSL4M/TzfjwGnc-FI/AAAAAAAACdY/oLsaYL4k1oY/s320/San+Francisco+6.jpg" width="320" /></a>Instead reality is forced to rise to the occasion, with flocks of wild parrots taking to the treetops, ingenious meals by rising star chefs and poets who just keep on riffing until their words take flight. San Francisco’s stratospheric booms and crashing busts aren’t for the weak of heart, but as anyone who’s clung onto the side of a cable car will tell you, this town gives one hell of a ride. <span class="showMapText"> </span><br /><br /><br /><span class="showMapText"></span><br /><a name="more"></a><br /><a class="pin toggleMap open" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/san-francisco#" id="pinToggleMap" style="display: block;"><span class="closeMapText">Show in Lonely Planet</span></a><br /><div class="destinationMapLink clearfix"><span class="showMapText"></span> </div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jrY-rSsjkpw/TzfjtZh2OSI/AAAAAAAACc8/0rm3oaJzCvI/s1600/San+Francisco+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jrY-rSsjkpw/TzfjtZh2OSI/AAAAAAAACc8/0rm3oaJzCvI/s400/San+Francisco+2.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><b> Ready to go?</b><br /><ul class="inBody"><li>Take the <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/san-francisco/activities/bus-minivan-tours/alcatraz-san-francisco?lpaffil=fbta1">Alcatraz and San Francisco City Tour</a></li><li>Explore the <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinationRedirector?atlasId=361780">California</a> <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/san-francisco/activities/wine-tasting-winery?lpaffil=fbta1">Wine Country</a></li><li>Hike across <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/tours/active/hiking-yosemite-canyons?lpaffil=fbta1">Yosemite and the Canyons</a></li></ul><div class="relatedLinks clearfix"><h3 class="themeHeading"> More about San Francisco </h3><ul> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dsdW6brVyag/TzfjuBhHuwI/AAAAAAAACdA/2CdtGxBpHfs/s1600/San+Francisco+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dsdW6brVyag/TzfjuBhHuwI/AAAAAAAACdA/2CdtGxBpHfs/s400/San+Francisco+3.jpg" width="400" /></a><li> <a class="linkChevron" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/san-francisco/weather">When to go & weather <span class="bottom"></span> </a> </li><li> <a class="linkChevron" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/san-francisco/transport/getting-there-around">Getting there & around <span class="bottom"></span> </a> </li><li> <a class="linkChevron" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/san-francisco/practical-information/money-costs">Practical information <span class="bottom"></span> </a> </li><li> <a class="linkChevron" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/san-francisco/history">History <span class="bottom"></span> </a> </li><li> <a class="linkChevron" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/san-francisco/work-study-volunteering/work">Work & study <span class="bottom"></span> </a> </li><li> <a class="linkChevron" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/san-francisco/travel-tips-and-articles">Tips & articles <span class="bottom"></span> </a> </li><li><a class="linkChevron" href="http://hotels.lonelyplanet.com/hotel/?RegionId=2137">Hotels</a></li></ul></div><div class="relatedLinks clearfix"><h3 class="themeHeading"> Make it happen</h3><ul><li><a class="linkChevron" href="http://shop.lonelyplanet.com/shopSearch?q=san+francisco%5E2+or+USA">Shop for travel guides</a></li><li><a class="linkChevron" href="http://hotels.lonelyplanet.com/hotel/?RegionId=2137">Search hotels</a></li><li><a class="linkChevron" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/bookings/flights.do">Cheap flights</a></li><li><a class="linkChevron" href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/bookings/insurance.do">Travel insurance</a></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3jR_pgfrs0ALtkXFd7vs-LXcbxTWocRoMe1kZXUpxOkns-GZPEpYqhyuzOdl6VO8q5xmOGxHY3f8hlOIGuytOfcoT8NiVz8OZLAho5knjtExCx4E-SOwJHaGhD4ctKA8waeIb57i8Keb/s1600/san-francisco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3jR_pgfrs0ALtkXFd7vs-LXcbxTWocRoMe1kZXUpxOkns-GZPEpYqhyuzOdl6VO8q5xmOGxHY3f8hlOIGuytOfcoT8NiVz8OZLAho5knjtExCx4E-SOwJHaGhD4ctKA8waeIb57i8Keb/s640/san-francisco.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><ul></ul></div></div>

San Francisco. A voyage to San Francisco, United States of America

Let other cities build grand monuments. San Francisco days are better spent sunning by the bay and digesting lavish seafood dinners – no m...

Read more »