The "mystery" behind the nicknames of famous cities

Below is a collection of nicknames and familiar names of famous cities around the world that many people are no longer unfamiliar with.

Let's start with nicknames that "need no explanation" like Chicago (USA), known as the "Windy City" or Los Angeles, which is a Spanish translation of "City of Angels". Ushuaia, in Argentina, is the southernmost settlement on the planet and is known as "The End of the World".

“City of Seven Hills” or “City of Four Rivers” are nicknames that tell us a lot about the topography of Lisbon, Portugal and Turin, Italy. Italy’s capital, Rome, was also built on seven hills but is often called the “Eternal City” because the Romans believed their empire would last forever.

Canada’s Vancouver is often jokingly referred to as the “Rainy City.” Still on the subject of weather, some popular resorts and tourist destinations are often attracted by the “not too hot; not too cold” characteristic. These are also often hill towns in tropical countries or regions, thanks to the elevation of the terrain, allowing visitors to escape the heat of urban areas.

Dalat in Vietnam (1,500 meters above sea level), is typical of the hot tourist destinations, similar to Kunming in China. Or the city of Medellin, in Colombia, also nicknamed "Land of Eternal Spring".

Dalat is also known as the "Honeymoon City" of Vietnam or like Paris is the "City of Love". Philadelphia is still known as the "City of Brotherly Love" because in Greek phileo means "affection" and adelphos means "brother".

Las Vegas is often referred to as "Sin City", although locals prefer the term "Entertainment Center of the World".

Some regions also have nicknames based on similarities with other, more famous cities. Many places have been called the Venice of the North (such as Saint Petersburg, Russia), the East (Suzhou, China), the South (Sitangkai, Philippines) or the West (Nantes, France), not to forget the Venice of Hong Kong (China), Tai O.

Next, Prague is known as the "City of a Hundred Spires," although many say the Czech capital is home to between 500 and 1,000 towers, turrets, and bell towers.

Founded on religious diversity in its formative years, Adelaide, Australia, is known as the “City of Churches.” Meanwhile, Oxford, England, is the “City of Dreaming Spires,” a nod to its charming architecture once described in a Victorian poem.

Some nicknames are related to food and drink. Bordeaux, France, is the Cité du Vin, or "City of Wine." Bustling New York City is known as the "Big Apple," a nickname that was associated with horse racing, which was popular in the 1920s.

More recently, several cities in Southeast Asia have also been nicknamed by similar names, with Jakarta being called the "Big Durian" or Bangkok sometimes being called the "Big Mango". Additionally, in colloquial Thai, Bangkok is also known as Krung Thep, or "City of Angels".

Some nicknames speak to the city's ambition. Hollywood has been known as Tinseltown since the 1920s. The name evokes the bright lights and glitter of the area's thriving film industry.

The Indian city of Mumbai is the “City of Dreams”, for thousands of migrants come from across the Indian subcontinent every day in search of a better life.

Let's go back to Venice, one of the most nicknamed places. It has been called the "City of Canals" (with 150 waterways), the "Floating City" (117 islands) and the "City of Bridges" (with at least 400 bridges). Or perhaps we should call it the "City of Nicknames".

Phuong Thao is the Editor of Travellive Magazine. She is passionate about traveling and loves to capture moments with her camera in every land she visits. Travel, art, and lifestyle are her favorite writing topics.

Phuong Thao