When it comes to choosing places to visit, some people like to go off the beaten track and they deliberately choose to stay away from the big cities and places where locals, tourists, and visitors alike want to spend time. They prefer the quieter spaces, and that’s fair enough – it’s their choice.
However, it might be that they’re missing out because cities, and especially capital cities, have a lot to offer. As much as smaller, quieter places might be lovely, there’s just something about visiting a country’s capital that’s so exciting, it’s often a shame to skip it. Let’s take a look at exactly what it is about capital cities that make them such a good choice when it comes to a vacation.
Lots Of History
Capital cities are traditionally where the country’s governments sit and perhaps were formed, and that means there’s going to be a lot of history surrounding the place, right back to when the city (and maybe the country) was first founded – in some places, that could be thousands of years, and at the very least, you’ll find there are hundreds of years worth of history to learn about.
Of course, it’s not just a question of reading about all this history in dusty libraries – when you visit a capital city, it all comes to life right in front of your eyes because there will be museums, historic buildings, palaces, and much more to explore. In some places, you can even sit in parliament and listen to what people are talking about (it depends on where you are and when you’re visiting, of course, so it’s wise to check that out in advance).
Architecture
Capital cities are well-known for being places where the architecture is outstanding. Take London, for example; if you arrive at London’s Victoria Station, you’re already in a beautiful building, and it just gets better from there. Leave your bag in a Victoria Station luggage locker and go for a walk before you get settled for your vacation and you’ll be surrounded by gorgeous buildings, from historic houses to palaces (Buckingham Palace is a short walk away, for example), famous attractions (the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are great examples), and theaters – and that’s just a start.
Every capital city was built to compete with others around the world, so if there’s any place you’re going to find gorgeous architecture, it’s the capital of a country. This is where the time, effort, and money was put in, and it can be a breath-taking sight when you start to really look around.
Diverse Food Options
If you love food and want to try a lot of different options, there’s no better place to go than a country’s capital city. This is the place where you’ll be able to enjoy the most traditional meals cooked to perfection by experts, but it’s also where you’ll find cuisines from all over the world, so you’ll have a lot of choice, whether you’re looking to try something new or you’re hoping to come across an old favorite.
The reason behind this is a simple one; capital cities are full of people from all around the world because they’re where people head for when they move to a new country – capital cities have the most job opportunities, and although they’re also generally more expensive than elsewhere, there’s more chance of success. So when people go to a new country and they want to start a business, very often they’ll choose to open a restaurant or cafe specializing in their home cuisine. That’s why you’ll find so much choice when it comes to food in a capital city; people from all over the world have decided to call it home and bring some of their own home there too.
Events And Festivals
It’s true that events and festivals take place all around every country, and many different regions will have their own traditions, but it’s equally true that a capital city will have a lot of those events and festivals, often because it’s a generally easy place for people to get to (capital cities tend to be on straight lines from pretty much everywhere else in the country, so even if it would take hours or even days to get there, it’s still a relatively easy journey to make).
If you really want to throw yourself into the heart of place, it’s the festivals and various different events and celebrations that will make the difference and help you to feel like a part of things, so before you book your tickets, why not explore what events might be taking place so you can plan your trip to ensure you don’t miss out on anything fun and exciting?
