The Most Beautiful City by Night
 

Hello guys,

I am new here. I just got back from my first trip to Italy, and I'm so in love with the country. Roma, which is now my favorite city, is simply stunning at night! Seeing the moon slowly moving behind the illuminated colosseum, the Trevi Fountain's sparkling teal water flowing over, the illumination of the town squares and the Spanish Steps, all left me in complete shock and awe! Roma has to be the most beautiful city by night (not to mention romantic).

What other city, in your opinion, is equal to the beauty of Roma at night?

Paris, day, night or anytime.

Paris is the most exquisite city in the world by night. I love Rome and it certainly has beautiful spots but, for me, Paris at night is the best. Day, too.

Several come to mind but since you decided that Rome is IT, I won;t tell you about the others and spoil your illusion!

I will agree with Paris, but I'm also partial to Venice at night now, not to mention during the day.

I agree that Paris at night is hard to beat--especially the Invalides, but I remember having my heart skip a beat when I was up on one of the seven hills of Rome and looking down on the city at night. It's been several years, but I'll never forget the pink glow.

No no way does Paris or Rome hold a Roman candle to Venice's citywide beauty day or especially at night. It's not that Paris or Rome are not great cities but they just don't exude a citywide beauty like Venice or Amsterdam, my runner-up. No way!

Paris by night, Amsterdam at dusk.

Mmm I guess I have to hurry up and jet over to Paris. It's just that my impression of Roma is so high that I find it hard to imagine another city topping it. However, I'm new at traveling and I have many more ventures to take. But Roma at night is an experience I'll never forget--never!.

Both Paris and Rome are stunning at night, as is London. I like Venice better in the daytime because the light is so different every hour, which makes it more intriguing in the daylight than at night (I consider daylight to be whenever it isn't DARK!) . But I think my very favorite and most exciting city at night will always be New York City.

Venice. I love a late night vaporetto ride around the city. Especially if there is just a bit of mist or fog.

Paris, most definitely. Venice is hauntingly beautiful at night. Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong is astoundly beautiful at night with all the buildings lit up. Manhattan is also magical at night.

London at night, with a blanket of fog

Moscow at night, with a blanket of snow

but first and foremost..............

Stockholm with midnite sun.

Salburg & Prague. A cool winter evening with the church bells ringing in the distance, walking the narrow cobble stoned streets with the castle lit above.
Heaven!!!

Oops! I mean Salzburg.

Amsterdam at twilight, as a previous poster noted.

San Francisco, seen from across the bay in Sausalito on a clear and moonlit night.

In Europe I'd agree with Paris and Venice and would add Toledo to the list.

In the US--S.F. and Seattle with Mt. Rainter, the Olympics and Cascades "out" at sunset and then with the hills and buildings and Space Needle all lit up at night.

There really is a quality to the light, both day and night, in Amsterdam that I feel the old masters conveyed. By day, the sunlight manueuvers its way down narrow streets lined by tall canal houses - ever shifting to give different shadow effects throughout the day. The acute blueness of the sky when seen with elongated pure-white clouds with gray edging drifting along, not uncommon, adds to the effect and makes for some spectacular sunsets. By night, you have the same canal-straats transformed by the rather dim lamposts (sometimes augmented by dimmish strung overheads). There is enough light to see your way along, while still watching closely for missing cobbles or sudden curbs which would be seen easily by day. The lights of the canal bridges seem the brightest things around and are beautiful as they reflect in the water. The glow from the houses adds to the tranquil effect as most are apartments and lighting varies from floor to floor. In the distance may be a church steeple or other landmark lit by spotlight. Amsterdam is a wonderful sensation at night.

I once flew out of National Airport in DC when there was snow on the ground. The lighted Capital, White House, Washington Monument, Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials were beautiful and inspiring.

Although Paris is my first love at night, there's something timeless about seeing the Acropolis in Athens lit at night.

hong kong is pretty amazing at night too--altho i think i would have to vote paris or rome for beauty....but for sheer lights...hong kong- especially from victoria peak...

Give me a sidewalk cafe and a glass of Gruner Veltliner in Vienna during May.

Au Quai all you Paris at Night lovers. I love Paris but tell me where in Paris I can sit at night and be mesmerized - there are few if any places in Paris not within earshot of boisterous traffic-plagued roads, with ubiquitous boisterous mopeds always disrupting the tranquility. In Venice or Amsterdam I can sit without any such noise pollution and be dazzled by the canals. Tell me, where in Paris should I sit and be dazzled by the city in relative silence! Even along the Seine there is a busy near-freeway, the one Princess Di died on.

Tough question. I think Venice on Christmas Eve with a snowfall was the most beautiful cityscape I ever experienced - I wanted to melt into the pavement and cry it was so lovely. Apart from that, I would have to say Paris because it illuminates itself so beautifully and has arranged itself so nicely along the banks of the Seine. But I do remember thinking Prague was gorgoeus (this was in 1983, before the fall of the wall, etc.) and would look incredible illuminated at night.

Hong Kong was it for me. Our room at the REgent had huge windows right out to the water and I thought I'd never go to bed. I pulled up a chair and spend almost every night just staring at the activity and the lights across the harbor.

Yea, hard to beat Paris otherwise.

Chicago is big-time, jaw-dropping, magnificent, a string of jewels alongside the lake and diamonds spread like a giant spider's web as far as the eye can see.

Standing on the Charles Bridge at night in Prague is beautiful and romantic. Florence from Fiesole and I have to agree with jsmith, DC is awe inspiring.

A nighttime gondola ride from the Rialto followed by dueling orchestras in San Marcos Plaza... Venice, hands down.

Venice,a boat ride through canals.

London, a stroll on Hungerford
footbridge,then to Thamas Path.

Kyoto, a walk in Giorg area.

Prague, with the Charles Bridge, the Castle and Petrin Hill!!!

Prague.

Prague, Edinburgh, Venice.

Paris? Naah.