1. Athens, Greece
   Rome, Italy
2. Santiago, Chile

There may be no more historic city in the story of modern man than Athens. Wars have been fought, discoveries made, philosophies founded, foods invented and books written by the thousands there, over the centuries.

1. Madrid, Spain
   Rome, Italy
2. Athens, Greece

You pretty much can't walk 100 feet without running into a historic site in Rome. History buffs often make dozens of trips to the city to see and revisit spots like the Circus Maximus and the Colosseum.

1. Stockholm, Sweden
   Madrid, Spain
2. Paris, France

Paris is known as the City of Lights, and for good reason. At night, the Eiffel Tower glows over a landscape of cafes, museums and shops lit with artistic flair.

1. Amsterdam, Netherlands
   Accra, Ghana
2. Ottawa, Canada

For American tourists, Amsterdam is famous for certain activities that are largely frowned upon stateside. However, the canals, castles, museums and arts centers have made it one of the hottest tourist stops for people from all over the world.

1. Baghdad, Iraq
   Paris, France
2. Rome, Italy

One of the most historic cities on the planet, Baghdad has through the centuries proved to be the unkillable city. Despite the military conflict and strife that have raged across the region for centuries, Baghdad remains a center of commerce and street culture.

1. Tallinn, Estonia
   Helsinki, Finland
2. Jerusalem, Israel

Considered a holy city by a majority of the world's religious people, Jerusalem has been a site of conflict for centuries. The U.N. doesn't recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and many countries have located their embassies and missions in other cities, such as Tel Aviv.

1. Paris, France
   Helsinki, Finland
2. Tokyo, Japan

Unlike many capital cities, Helsinki is also the largest city in its country. It was chosen as a World Design City in 2012 because of its incredible architecture.

1. Doha, Qatar
   New Delhi, India
2. Bucharest, Romania

The crush and rush of New Delhi can be overwhelming to the first-time visitor. Your best bet is to go with the flow, and keep your nose and eyes peeled for the amazing variety of street food vendors!

1. Washington, D.C., United States
   Stockholm, Sweden
2. Kampala, Uganda

Humans have lived in what is now Stockholm since the Stone Age, but our Neanderthal brethren wouldn't recognize the place now. With a number of Michelin star restaurants, tons of festivals, sports teams and world-famous museums and performance halls, Stockholm is one of the epicenters of European culture.

1. Paris, France
   Berlin, Germany
2. Washington, D.C., United States

One of the greatest features of the tourist landscape in D.C. is the Smithsonian Museum system, with something for just about everyone. You could spend days covering all of the exhibits.

1. Montevideo, Uruguay
   Monaco, Monaco
2. Dodoma, Tanzania

Long a hangout of the rich and famous and European elite, Monaco has a reputation as a city of pampered excess. It's the home of the original Monte Carlo casino, long held as the world's top spot for high rollers to see and be seen.

1. Berlin, Germany
   Belmopan, Belize
2. Rome, Italy

Berlin has recovered well from the days of partition, when the Berlin Wall split the city between two countries. While there is still some economic and infrastructure inequality between East and West Berlin, the government has worked diligently to resolve the problems.

1. Brussels, Belgium
   Abuja, Nigeria
2. Beijing, China

People always think of Germany for beer, but Belgium is actually one of the world's beer capitals. Freed from the German beer purity laws, brewers in Brussels experiment with all manner of additions and brewing styles to make a huge menu of tastes and types.

1. Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
   Dushanbe, Tajikistan
2. Moscow, Russia

Moscow's Red Square is one of the most easily identifiable locations in the world. It's been the backdrop for countless movies, and it is the place to go for field reporters looking for a dramatic background shot for their pieces.

1. Kabul, Afghanistan
   Oslo, Norway
2. Singapore, Singapore

Kabul has endured fighting and terrorist activity for the last two decades. Before that, battles between the Russians and the U.S.-backed Mujahideen rebels reduced buildings to rubble.

1. Dublin, Ireland
   Budapest, Hungary
2. Seoul, South Korea

Budapest, on the Danube, is known for its thermal baths. Its museums hold a huge collection of European art and collectibles, making it a must-see for art fans.

1. Buenos Aires, Argentina
   Riga, Latvia
2. Mogadishu, Somalia

If you're a steak lover, Buenos Aires is the place to be. Argentinean beef is world-famous, and Buenos Aires has steakhouses that draw gourmands from all over the world. Pack some extra Lipitor!

1. Baghdad, Iraq
   Victoria, Seychelles
2. Vienna, Austria

Fun fact: Vienna is the home of neither the sausages nor the finger cookies that bear its name. It is, however, one of the most beautiful capital cities on the planet, with cathedrals that are the model for churches worldwide, and performance halls coveted by musicians and singers everywhere.

1. Jakarta, Indonesia
   Paramaribo, Suriname
2. Juba, South Sudan

Jakarta sits on the world's most populous island, Java, and the city has more than 10 million people. The food is an interesting cross of Chinese and Western influences, with local ingredients incorporated.

1. Asmara, Eritrea
   Dublin, Ireland
2. Suva, Fiji

It's hard to say what's more worth visiting in Dublin, the churches or the pubs. Why not do both? If you handle your pub visits right, you'll have plenty to need forgiveness for.

1. Minsk, Belarus
   Algiers, Algeria
2. Dhaka, Bangladesh

Algiers is also known as "Algiers the White," because of the shining exteriors of its buildings. It's a great mix of old and new, with a modern city on the Mediterranean coast and the ancient city above it in the hills.

1. Tehran, Iran
   Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
2. Oslo, Norway

For most Americans, our first awareness of Tehran was during the 1979-80 hostage crisis, when the U.S. embassy staff was held by anti-shah protesters. It has modernized slowly under a repressive government, but is one of the largest cities in the region.

1. Panama City, Panama
   Dhaka, Bangladesh
2. Ngerulmud, Palau

Seventeen million people live in the area of Dhaka, making it one of the world's most populous cities. There's a tremendous mix of cultures, religions and political systems across the city, and many multinational corporations have bases there.

1. Dakar, Senegal
   Zagreb, Croatia
2. Reykjavik, Iceland

Reyjkavik commonly makes lists of the cleanest, safest and greenest cities in the world. The country has become a wildly popular tourist destination for Europeans looking to get in touch with their inner Viking.

1. Moscow, Russia
   Canberra, Australia
2. Mexico City, Mexico

Just about every American wants to visit Australia at some point, despite the fact that large portions of the wildlife population seem bent on killing humans. Similar to Washington, D.C., Canberra is not part of any state, existing in its own municipal district.

1. Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis
   Tokyo, Japan
2. Islamabad, Pakistan

Fans of Godzilla movies may be surprised to learn that Tokyo is still alive and well and un-monster-trampled. At night, the moving neon signs along every street call to mind the streetscape in Blade Runner, but with better food.

1. Libreville, Gabon
   Nassau, Bahamas
2. Budapest, Hungary

Two centuries ago, the Bahamas were a stronghold for pirates and other ne'er-do-wells, but that's changed a little bit. These days, the only bandits looking to take your booty are souvenir vendors selling "authentic" island artifacts.

1. Damascus, Syria
   Beirut, Lebanon
2. Dublin, Ireland

Beirut has been the scene of a lot of turmoil, but the city refuses to buckle. Two of the greatest chronicles of life under fire in Beirut are P.J. O'Rourke's travel columns from the '80s and Tony Bourdain's episode of "No Reservations," filmed in the city just at the time Israeli rocket attacks began.

1. Brasilia, Brazil
   Mexico City, Mexico
2. Taipei, Taiwan

After the recent Olympics, you could be forgiven for thinking that Rio de Janeiro is Brazil's capital. It's actually this city, located far from the coast in the central mountain highlands.

1. Mexico City, Mexico
   Bangkok, Thailand
2. Tunis, Tunisia

The population density and pollution in Mexico City are constant issues. Since the city sits in something of a bowl, pollution from vehicles and industry tends to collect and remain, leading many residents to make breathing masks part of their daily wardrobe.

1. Stanley, Falkland Islands
   Havana, Cuba
2. La Paz, Bolivia

La Paz is one of the most naturally beautiful of the world's capitals. It sits at a higher elevation than any other, and it's surrounded by snow-capped mountains.

1. N'Djamena, Chad
   Oslo, Norway
2. Muscat, Oman

If you like cities with a history, Oslo was founded around the year 1040! In 2012, it was ranked as the city with the best quality of life in Europe, so maybe practice does make perfect.

1. Washington, D.C., United States
   Ottawa, Canada
2. London, England

Fun fact: The Rideau Canal in Ottawa is the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America. Oh, there's also poutine there. Don't know what poutine is? Look it up, then book your ticket north.

1. Canberra, Australia
   Maputo, Mozambique
2. Lima, Peru

Lima is referred to in foodie circles as the gastronomic capital of the Americas. Waves of conquerors and settlers have brought their own world cuisines to mix with the native offerings to create a food scene second to none.

1. Lisbon, Portugal
   Port Louis, Mauritius
2. Athens, Greece

Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world, with continuous settlement for more than two millennia. Today, it's a massive port city, one of the biggest container shipping ports in Europe, as well as a center for finance and industry.

1. Amsterdam, Neterlands
   Santiago, Chile
2. Beijing, China

Because of its location right on the Ring of Fire, Santiago has some of the toughest earthquake-proofing building codes in the world. This paid off in 2010, when an unimaginable 8.8-magnitude earthquake did relatively minimal damage to the city.

1. Manila, Philippines
   Asuncion, Paraguay
2. Kathmandu, Nepal

During the reign of Ferdinand Marcos, Manila was the center of resistance to his rule. Travel writer P.J. O'Rourke, shortly before Marcos' overthrow, referred to a cigarette seller in a bar using a picture of Marcos to strike matches on to light her customers' cigarettes.

1. Dublin, Ireland
   Seoul, South Korea
2. Cairo, Egypt

Strategically situated on the Nile River delta and not far from the Giza pyramids and the ancient city of Memphis, Cairo is the natural starting point for any tourist looking to explore ancient history. But the city itself has plenty to offer, from a street food scene that hops all day and night to many museums and other cultural offerings.

1. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
   Hanoi, Vietnam
2. London, England

As you might expect for a country with massive oil wealth, Riyadh is a gleaming city of modern architecture. The past is everywhere, though, with mosques and street markets that date back centuries.

1. Paris, France
   Bucharest, Romania
2. Lusaka, Zambia

Romania is an old country, but its age is beginning to show. Bucharest is on numerous international watch lists for the decaying condition of both its infrastructure and historic buildings.

1. Bishek, Kyrgyzstan
   Pyongyang, North Korea
2. Beijing, China

The explosion of the Chinese economy in the last three decades can be seen written across the face of Beijing. Where there was once a sprawling city of hundreds of thousands, now there rises a high-rise-dense, ultra-modern urban area with millions of inhabitants.

1. Copenhagen, Denmark
   Montevideo, Uruguay
2. Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

If you want to visit Copenhagen, don't miss the Little Mermaid statue. 75 percent of all Copenhagen tourists visit this statue, after all. After that, feel free to explore cozy out-of-the-way spots frequented by the locals.

1. Bogota, Colombia
   Pristina, Kosovo
2. New Delhi, India

Like other South American countries, the cuisine in Colombia is a mix of native and international flavors. One of the most popular native creations is tamal, somewhat similar to its Mexican cousin but cooked in plantain leaves.

1. Dublin, Ireland
   Nairobi, Kenya
2. Warsaw, Poland

After the Nazi occupation, followed by decades of Soviet control, Warsaw has now recovered to become a center of commerce and tourism for Central Europe. The heavy industry placed there under the Soviets has largely gone bankrupt, replaced by high-tech businesses and finance.

1. Bern, Switzerland
   San Salvador, El Salvador
2. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

One of Bern's most famous residents is Albert Einstein, who worked out his Theory of Relativity while working at the patent office there. Less universally praised is Vladimir Lenin, who lived there from 1914 to 1917.

1. Ljubljana, Slovenia
   Havana, Cuba
2. Madrid, Spain

The recent easing of U.S. travel restrictions to Cuba is allowing more Americans to see a place that their parents and grandparents knew as a tropical vacation spot. While the Castro government still holds sway, the economy is recovering as new money flows in from tourists' pockets.

1. Stockholm, Sweden
   Caracas, Venezuela
2. Freetown, Sierra Leone

Despite its oil wealth, the Venezuelan economy has been in the dumps for several years. Socialist government policies and rampant corruption bankrupted the treasury, and Caracas' infrastructure has suffered directly as a result.

1. Zagreb, Croatia
   Helsinki, Finland
2. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirites

Abu Dhabi is somewhat overshadowed by the opulence of the country's largest city, Dubai, where things like building islands and starting indoor ski slopes are fairly common. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, in Abu Dhabi, is an awe-inspiring building that should be on any tourist's must list.

1. Prague, Czech Republic
   Tehran, Iran
2. Berlin, Germany

After the Velvet Revolution of 1989 and the split of Czechoslovakia, Prague began to rebuild from decades of decline. It's now dotted with high-rise buildings in among the historic churches. The music halls are world-famous for everything from opera to symphony to jazz.

1. Honiara, Solomon Islands
   Kyiv, Ukraine
2. Hanoi, Vietnam

Ukraine was one of the first former Soviet satellite states to really succeed after the collapse of the USSR. Kyiv allows visa-free travel from European Union countries, which has boosted its tourist income dramatically.