What Cities Have You Been To That Have That Certain "Je ne sais quoi"

[Pedestrian]

The only cities I've been to, and I've been to a lot around the world, that meet the established criteria of having "je ne c'est quoi", which I interpret as meaning a special aura or mystique that appealed to me, are (in no particular order):

1. New Orleans

2. New York

3. Munich

4. Rome

5. Athens

6. Vancouver

If I didn't live here, I might put my own San Francisco on the list but I know it well enough to not only know its charms (which are many) but its faults.

I've not been to London and to Paris only briefly, to change trains. They probably would also make my list but I simply don't know. Asian cities are big and bustling and interesting but somehow I don't relate bcause the culture is simply too unfamiliar. And when I was in Australia it was a long time ago but in Sydney and Brisbane, at least, I did not feel much attraction. I actually did find New Zealand to be possibly the most beautiful country on the planet but its cities didn't seem as special (and there's a lot to be said for the ancient history of Europe).

[north 42]

Montreal

[LouisianaRush]

Berlin, Montreal, Mexico City, New Orleans, Cape Town, Philadelphia, Merida, and Budapest all have it for me.

[xzmattzx]

How many pages will it take for every major city to end up on this list?

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by xzmattzx

How many pages will it take for every major city to end up on this list?

well, that's the problem with the expression " je ne sais quoi" in the first place.

it's so nebulous that it borders on meaninglessness.

[niwell]

Of the places I've been in North America it's really only New Orleans for me. There's lots of other cities I really enjoy and would happily live in, but that's a bit different. Same goes for places I've been internationally, but I suspect there are some smaller ones that have the same sort of unique vibe.

For me the massive cities don't really, at least not in the way I think the thread intended.

[UrbanImpact]

For me it has been Rome, London, NYC (i expected), and Sao Paulo.

agree with niwell. every city has it's own "feel" to some extent, but the only US city that feels substantially unique to me is New Orleans. that said, "je ne sais quoi" is not equivalent to "place i want to live".

[dc_denizen]

New York
Chicago
Los Angeles
San Francisco

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by IWant2BeInSTL

agree with niwell. every city has it's own "feel" to some extent, but the only US city that feels substantially unique to me is New Orleans. that said, "je ne sais quoi" is not equivalent to "place i want to live".

Very much so. I put New Orleans on my list for its "je ne sais quoi" but I would NOT want to live there because of the climate mostly. I always visit in January when it can be chilly but is usually quite pleasant. I would be miserable there from May through October. Love the food, the atmosphere and so much about the city, most of which would be negated if I had to shut myself indoors with the air conditioning blasting as I would do during the months mentioned.

Many of the cities I like make them fit the old saying, "Great place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there."

[pdxtex]

so, like that neato city energy where just walking around and looking at stuff is fun with new sh!t around every corner?? London is my top pick. Chicago, SF, Seattle, Portland, Toronto, Madison, WI too. I suspect Pittsburgh is extremely awesome but ive never been there. its on my list.

[isaidso]

Montreal and New York

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

This feeling is what originally lured me to Pittsburgh a decade ago. Recently, it's been Mexico City and Berlin. The right speeds, textures, grit, lush overgrown greenery. For the US, strangely attracted to Atlanta (?). Hoping to check New Orleans off my bucket list later this year, finally.

atlanta definitely has that lush, overgrown thing going on. lots of huge trees.

[Labtec]

Tokyo has an awesome vibe. Rome was pretty awesome besides all the people who tried to pickpocket me.

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by Labtec

Rome was pretty awesome besides all the people who tried to pickpocket me.

That's part of its charm--when I was first there they still used the lira and literally hadn't made enough coins so nobody gave change. In those dark times I smoked and I had to beg a vendor to sell me a pack of cigarettes because I gave him a 100 lira paper bill for a pack that cost maybe 30 or 40 lira (rough guess, a lot less than 100 anyway) and he had no change but I didn't care, being an addict. The bus drivers were all on strike so getting anywhere meant taking a cab and getting no change. I got dirty looks for ordering a bowl of pasta in a trattoria and calling it the complete meal rather than just the first course (I was on a budget) and got mobbed by hotel touts at the train station. But it was all part of the experience.

Same in Athens where on my first visit they were on the verge of a revolution.

And later in Zurich I traded travel stories about this and other stuff over früstuck with others staying in the pension.

This is what it's all about.

[lrt's friend]

From places I have visited, Montreal, San Francisco, London, Amsterdam

[a very long weekend]

montreal, miami beach, stanley and wan chai in hong kong, koreatown in los angeles, honolulu, shanghai.

[brickell]

Which cities have a culture that is both unique and omnipresent (my interpretation)?

New Orleans for sure. Hard to come up with a city that embraces itself as much as they do.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by brickell

Which cities have a culture that is both unique and omnipresent (my interpretation)?

New Orleans for sure. Hard to come up with a city that embraces itself as much as they do.

Montreal for sure. It is both North American but not quite, both Canadian but not quite. There is a taste of Europe but not quite. It is uniquely bilingual, but not like the rest of Quebec nor like the rest of Canada. It is cosmopolitan, multilingual and multicultural. You can taste its provincial French Roman Catholic roots but it has moved way beyond this in becoming very worldly and open minded.

[Omaharocks]

I'll echo a few that many others have mentioned: Montreal, New Orleans, San Francisco, Portland, NY, Austin

Cities I expected to have it, but didn't (for me): Berlin, Boston, Seattle

Cities I didn't expect to have it, but did: Athens, Madrid, Philly

Cities that I think could have it one day (and maybe not in the traditional sense): Atlanta, Los Angeles, Denver, Seattle, Miami (always keep an eye on the biggest cities in each respective region for cultural shifts and ever-increasing vibrancy & diversity)