10 Amazing Island Cities around the World
By: By Mike Kaplan (Touropia)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
10 Amazing Island Cities around the World
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the ultimate Robinson Crusoe feel on several uninhabited islands around the world. The islands listed in this post were also once uninhabited but after being settled became so heavily urbanized that the built-up areas eventually took over the entire island, forming island cities .
10. Lindau
Edda Praefcke / Wikipedia
The historic city Lindau is located near the meeting point of the Austrian, German and Swiss borders in the eastern part of Lake Constance (Bodensee). The city is connected with the mainland by bridge and railway and has about 3,000 inhabitants. Full of medieval and half-timbered buildings, the island city is quite a popular tourist attraction.
9. Santa Cruz del Islote
ToluCaribe.com
Located off the Caribbean coast of Colombia, Santa Cruz del Islote is unofficially the world's most crowded island. It has some 90 houses and a population of around 1200 people crammed on an island of about 1 hectare. The islanders bury their dead in a nearby island because there is no space for a cemetery. They play football on the neighboring Mucura key, because the only public square on Santa Cruz is about half the size of a tennis court.
8. Isola dei Pescatori
Night Flier / Flickr
Isola dei Pescatori (Fishermen's Island) is the most northerly of the three principal Borromean Islands in Lago Maggiore. With a population of about 50, it is the only one island to be inhabited all year round. A narrow street running along its spine is joined by cobbled alleys to the promenade which encircles the island.
The promenade is frequently flooded and the houses built against it are constructed to allow for this. While the traditional occupation of fishing still exists, its picturesque charms has made tourism the most important source of income for the islanders.
7. Mexcaltitan
comefilm / Flickr
Mexcaltitan is a small man-made island city off the Pacific coast of Mexico. The town sits low in the marshy, mangrove-lined channels that surround it, and during the June to October rainy season, water floods the streets and everyone rows from place to place in boats.
Some experts believe that Mexcaltitan may actually be the legendary Aztlan, the ancestral homeland of the Aztec people. Today it's foremost a shrimping town, with shrimps spread out to dry on any available surface throughout the town.
6. Trogir
Located close to the city of Split, Trogir is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe. Tiny medieval streets wind through the enchanting island city revealing hidden restaurants and eye-catching galleries. A wide seaside promenade snakes around the town, culminating in a charming port full of sailboats. A pleasing blend of Romanesque and Gothic architecture, Trogir boasts a spectacular Venetian Cathedral of St. Lawrence, a town hall and a medieval fortress.
5. Nesebar
Boby Dimitrov / Flickr
Often referred to as the "Pearl of the Black Sea", Nesebar is a rich island city defined by more than three millennia of ever-changing history. The ancient part of the town is situated on a island connected to the mainland by a narrow man-made causeway, and it bears evidence of occupation by a variety of different civilizations over the course of its existence.
Nesebar is sometimes said to be the town with the highest number of churches per capita and represent the rich architectural heritage of the Eastern Orthodox.
4. Flores
Javier Aroche / Flickr
Flores is a located on Lake Peten Itza and connected to land by a causeway, on the other side of which lie the twin towns Santa Elena and San Benito. It was here, on the island of Flores, that the last independent Maya state held out against the Spanish conquerors. Their city, Noh Peten (literally "City Island") was eventually destroyed in 1697 when the Spanish attacked by boats.
For many tourist, the main reason to visit Flores is its proximity to the famous Maya ruins of Tikal. But the island city itself is a great destination, filled with colonial, red-roofed buildings, narrow cobblestone streets, a historic church and many hotels and restaurants. Most will find that this island city is more than just a take-off point, but a memorable attraction in itself.
3. Male
Timo Newton-Syms / Flickr
Male is the capital and most populous city in the Maldives. Over 100,000 people are crammed onto the small island. Since there is no surrounding countryside, all infrastructure has to be located in the city itself. Water is provided from desalinated ground water while electric power is generated in the city using diesel generators. Solid waste is transported to nearby islands, where it is used to fill in lagoons. The larger airport island nearby was built in this way.
2. Manhattan
l1mey / Flickr
Manhattan is one of New York's five boroughs and is what people most often think of when they picture New York City. Manhattan is actually a city island and includes most of the best known attractions in New York. The word "Manhattan" comes from the Lenape who inhabited the area before the Europeans and is translated as "island of many hills".
In 1625 the Dutch built a Fort on Manhattan Island, which marked the birth of New York City. Today Manhattan is one of the most densely populated island cities in the world, with a 2008 population of 1,634,795 people living in a land area of 59.47 km² (22.96 square miles).
1. Venice
Camille / Flickr
World famous for its canals, Venice is built on an archipelago of 117 islands which are connected by 455 bridges. In the old center, the canals serve the function of roads, and almost every form of transport is on water or on foot.
The island city is slowly sinking however and during the high tides in autumn and winter, the Piazza San Marco, the lowest area of the island, becomes totally flooded with water. Over the last 1,000 years, it has sunk by around 7 centimeters (2.8 inches) for every century, while recent reports have stated that in the last century alone, the city of Venice has lowered by around 24 centimeters (9.4 inches).
This may have more to do with the rising of the sea levels in the Adriatic than with Venice sinking into its own foundations. One proposed solution is to lift the city to a greater height above sea level by pumping water into the soil underneath the island city.
The administrator of this group reserves the right, along with the site moderators, to moderate all and any postings to this group, including the right to enforce the ToS, the CoC, and also including anything that the administrator deems within his sole discretion to be offensive or off topic, with the power to delete in exercising those rights.
It would be best, therefore, to be civil in posting on this group.
By now it should be well known that I am unable to open certain videos and pictures. If I cannot, I will ask that they be described and explained. If the poster refuses to comply, their comment will be deleted. Instagrams are banned.
Tags
Who is online
77 visitors
The only one of these I've been to is Manhattan. The others are kind of esoteric.
While they're not exactly "Island Cities" there are other small islands that are part of New York City. Among the better known:
FWIW, Staten island is a bit different than other NYC boroughs in several ways. Not so long ago there were a lot of farms there. Also, its the only New York City borough that generally votes Republican.
And finally, The NYC Marathon starts there. (And in fact it won't be long before this year's marathon begins!)
You see what I did there?
No, what did you do there?
I said
it won't be long before this year's marathon begins!
The impilcation of the phrase ("it won't be long") might usually imply weeks or even a few months ('till the next NYC Marathon).
But when I typed "it won't be long" it was a relatively short time until it was to begin. (The NYC Marathon is today, Sunday, November 2nd!)
Venice is like being in a dream. Overwhelmingly beautiful.
You cannot talk about great island cities without mentioning Singapore. I spent a few days there and it is a very interesting place to visit.
(photo from the internet)
I also like Georgetown on the Malaysian island of Penang. I took this photo from Kek Lok Si, which is a large Buddhist temple complex in the hills above Georgetown.
(© G. Gam)
My stepdaughter has been to Venice, but not I. Although I've been to England, Wales, Switzerland, Spain and Gibralter, I'm really sorry I missed France and Italy.
I missed Wales, Switzerland, and much of Italy (as well as much of France outside of Paris). But I did live in Paris for a little over a month and attended the Sorbonne (University of Paris). After that I was pretty fluent in spoken French.
Paris was one of my favourite places . . .
I've spent about 6 weeks in Paris spread out over 3 trips and another 2+ weeks in southern France in Provence on a 4th trip. Our recent trip in June included 8 days in Paris and then a few days in Lourdes in southwestern France, because my devout Catholic wife has always wanted to visit the shrine there. Lourdes is a very nice town and it is in the foothills of the Pyrenees, which was a beautiful area.
Paris is one of my favorite places, too. I love it.
Lourdes in southwestern France, because my devout devout Catholic wife has always wanted to visit the shrine there.
I am not Catholic but for some time I've been fascinated by "alternative" methods of healing. So one of the places I thought of visiting was Lourdes.
I am not Catholic but for some time I've been fascinated by "alternative" methods of healing. So one of the places I thought of visiting was Lourdes.
Many years ago I visited a famous hot spring in the Rockies-- one which supposedly had healing powers. (It was so long ago that I don't remember the name of the place-- or even the state!)
I have no serious health problems, But it was still a powerful experience!
And as Rick said to Ilsa,,,"We'll always have Paris."
Has it ever worked for you?
Everyone I know that been there had said basically the same thing!
These days limits are being put on the tourists because it's getting too crowded.
We arrived in Venice by train from Florence. Venice has a mid-20th century modern style train station. The second we walked out of the glass doors at the front of the station I thought I had stepped into the Renaissance. I was completely astounded. My wife was being practical saying that we have to catch the taxi boat on the canal in front of the station to get to our hotel, but I was stunned and just stood there saying: "Do you see this?" I will never forget that moment.
Although I've been to many places during my lifetime, obviously I missed some of the ones that were not to be missed. However, I look back on the fact that I've probably seen more wonders than most.
You cannot talk about great island cities without mentioning Singapore. I spent a few days there and it is a very interesting place to visit.
I've never been there but have heard a lot of positive things about it.
Same here.
From Wikipedia (edited for brevity):
As a highly developed country, it has the highest PPP-adjusted GDP per capita in the world.
It is also identified as a tax haven. Singapore is the only country in Asia with a AAA sovereign credit rating from all major rating agencies.
It is a major aviation, financial, and maritime shipping hub and has consistently been ranked as one of the most expensive cities to live in for expatriates and foreign workers.
Singapore ranks highly in key social indicators: education, healthcare, quality of life, personal safety, infrastructure, and housing, with a home-ownership rate of 88 per cent.
Singaporeans enjoy one of the longest life expectancies, fastest Internet connection speeds, lowest infant mortality rates and lowest levels of corruption in the world.
It has the third highest population density of any country, although there are numerous green and recreational spaces as a result of urban planning.
With a multicultural population and in recognition of the cultural identities of the major ethnic groups within the nation, Singapore has four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil.
Multi-racialism is enshrined in the constitution and continues to shape national policies.
Seems to be as close to a paradise on Earth lifestyle one can find, if they can afford it.
It is a very modern city, very clean, with a mix of cultures. One day we visited a Hindu temple. On another day we went to their Botanical Gardens that has an amazing outdoor orchid collection. The food was good, too. One downside is that it is very hot and humid even though we were there in January-February which is considered its mildest season.
Oh, then maybe it ISN'T the closest thing to paradise on Earth., LOL