Living in: The world’s most visited cities

What is it like to live in a place known for its sights… and crowds? Residents of 2014’s most visited cities spill how they find solitude – and why they love living there anyway.

Editor’s note: The list below reflects the top five cities on MasterCard’s Global Destination Cities Index for 2014. The2015 list remains largely unchanged.

The same attractions that prompt people to love visiting a city – top-ranked restaurants, vibrant nightlife, diverse neighbourhoods, iconic sights – can entice them into staying longer term. In fact, many of the world’s most visited cities, as ranked by 2014’s Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index released in July, are also popular destinations for expats.

But being a resident of one of the world’s most visited cities is not without its unique set of challenges. “Coming from a smaller city in Canada, I was overwhelmed at first by how crowded certain areas of Paris were,” said Erika Belavy, who moved to the City of Light from Calgary, Alberta, seven years ago. “When I first moved to the city, I made the mistake of choosing an apartment right beside the Arc de Triomphe. No matter what time of day, or which month of the year, there were so many tourists it was a nightmare getting on the nearby metro.”

Still, it does not take residents long to learn how to navigate the crowds and find secluded spots. We talked to expats and natives to learn what it’s like living in some of the world’s most visited cities – and the secrets to steering clear of the constant crowds.

London

Great Britain’s capital came in as this year’s number one most visited city, with 18.7 million international tourists estimated to arrive in 2014. (Mastercard combines tourism board statistics, flight schedules and expected passenger loads to project the year’s arrivals.) London native Sophie Loveday said she hardly notices the influx. “You just get used to so many people being around,” she said. “It's what gives the city such a buzz!”

Many of London's visitors find themselves at some point here, at the city's iconic Trafalgar Square. (Amanda Ruggeri)

Even so, she said she always tries to avoid the West End’s Leicester Square because the pedestrian plaza is too commercial – with or without tourists. However, she will brave the crowds of Covent Garden, a shopping district in the West End, thanks to its quirky shops and hip vibe. East London’s Brick Lane is also a must-visit, despite being “heaving full of people”; the neighbourhood’s Indian curries are considered among the best in the UK, and the restaurants and food stalls make finding a good meal easy.

Shopping in Covent Garden, shown here decorated for Christmas, can be crowded -- but rewarding. (Stuart C Wilson/Getty)

To escape the city, Loveday travels to the southwest suburb of Richmond. “You can see deer running through the park or take a boat down the Thames river,” she said, then finish the day off with a meal at a waterfront pub like the Bavarian beerhouseSteins or the popular restaurant Gaucho, which serves Argentinian food and wine amid cowhide-fabric furniture.

There are no shortages of neighbourhoods (called districts) to fit any vibe. Loveday lives in the southwest district of Tooting, which she loves for its multicultural vibe and influx of young professionals who keep the area lively. She also recommended Angel, in northern London, due to its “cool and friendly” vibe.

Bangkok

Due to political protests and the Thai government shutdown in 2013, Bangkok slipped to number two in this year’s global rankings, yet is still expected to draw 16.4 million international visitors in 2014. Thankfully, residents say, the influx is seasonal, with most visitors coming November to February. Ketsara Chocksmai, a Bangkok native and tour director for Thailand’s smarTours, said she especially finds the city pleasant from June to September. “It’s our rainy season, so not many tourists come to visit this time of year,” she said. But since it usually does not rain all day, locals can still enjoy being outside.

Tourists pose with sculptures at Bangkok's Grand Palace. (Pornchai Kittiwongsakul/AFP/Getty)

Despite its reputation for wild nightlife, Bangkok also has its fair share of quiet spaces for people to get away. Locals often seek peacefulness in one of the city’s many Buddhist temples, such as the old town’s Wat Phra Kaew, considered the most sacred in the country due to its 6.6m-tall “Emerald Buddha”, carved from a single piece of jade. Lumpini Park and Benjakitti Park, downtown, can also be peaceful escapes – aside from early morning and late afternoon, when they tend to be popular with joggers and yogis.

Paris

The French capital is expected to attract 15.6 million of visitors in 2014, many of whom are drawn to its iconic landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and the Louvre. But those same icons are exactly the areas that locals generally avoid. “There is no amount of money you can pay me to go to the Champs Élysées in the middle of August,” said Christina Tubb, vice president of a French technology firm who moved from the US in 2009.

Visitors wait outside the Louvre's main entrance on a summer day. (Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty)

Still, when she does visit the tourist destinations, she knows the local secrets – like getting a friend’s season pass to hop the line at the Musee d’Orsay or using the “secret entrance” at the Louvre (at Porte des Lions). “I'll still bite the bullet and do a lot of touristy things because it's half the reason I live here,” she said.

While crowded in the summer months, the Latin Quarter also has its fair share of restaurant refuges if you know where to go. “There are certain streets that can be very touristy, but right around the corner there will be a restaurant or café that is considered an institution of the neighbourhood and hasn’t changed its menu since the ‘20s,” said Belavy. Both Tubb and Belavy also frequent the Marais for its specialty shops, where, Belavy said, “the charm outweighs the stress of the crowds.

Visitors and locals relax outside a cafe in Paris' Marais. (Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty)

”Despite its size, each of Paris’ 20 arrondissements (municipal districts) have a neighbourhood feel. Once run-down, the 10th arrondissement in the city's northeast is now undergoing a revival, attracting a young crowd with its hip bars, art galleries and tree-lined Canal St Martin; the 3rd and 9th also attract bohemian residents. Those looking for something quieter can explore the 15th, a residential area just south of the Seine which is home to upper middle-class families, or the 16th or 5th, which are known for having particularly good schools.

Pari's disappearing booksellers

The bouquinistes have been a staple of Parisian culture for centuries, known as a go-to-source for out-of-print or rare reading material – but their livelihood is being threatened.

An office with a view

One of Paris’ most iconic sights are the famous bouquinistes: the booksellers who sell their wares day in and day out along the river Seine. With the trade dating back to the 1400s, the bouquinistes have been known for centuries as a go-to source for out-of-print or rare reading material, with both locals and travellers flocking here to find titles such as La Vagabonde, by the racy and controversial author Colette, or the first edition of the French comic book L’espiègle Lili, which dates from the early 1900s and was never reissued.

Growing from around 20 sellers at the turn of the 17th Century, today there are about 240 bouquinistes in Paris. Their traditional green wooden boxes dot both banks of the Seine, reaching from the Musee d’Orsay to the Institut de Monde Arabe, with the largest concentration found at the entrance to the Latin Quarter, home to the famed Sorbonne University. (Credit: Nick Kozak)

The traveller challenge

But even with 240 sellers lining the banks, competition doesn’t often come from nearby stalls. The bouquinistes’ greater challenge over the last 20 years has been the proliferation of e-readers and access to the internet, reducing book sales and making out-of-print materials easier to find.

To compensate for the drop in sales, many bouquinistes have turned to supplementing their income with tourist souvenirs, which are technically allowed under the city regulations that permit the selling of commercial wares out of one of the four green boxes each seller is allotted. But the move does not sit well with some of the bouquiniste population, sparking a debate among the sellers about what they can and cannot sell – and what will change a tradition that was once a staple of Parisian culture. (Credit: Nick Kozak)

The price of growth

In the late 1980s, Jean-Pierre Mathias quit his job as a philosophy professor to become a bouquiniste. “When I got my stall, I began by selling my old books… I loved the idea of continuing philosophy here without having to be a professor,” he said.

Mathias only sells books and old engravings; he refuses to cater to the ever-increasing number of foreign tourists by selling souvenirs. “For me, a book will always remain a book, and people who love books will continue to buy them. The theatre did not disappear with the onset of the cinema,” he said with a big smile. (Credit: Nick Kozak)

From comics to keychains

Francis Robert has been selling comics at his stall for more than 35 years. In the beginning, he explained, people would come to him if they were looking for a particular comic. If he didn’t have it, then they would go online. Now it’s the reverse: they only come if they can’t find it online.

To compensate, Robert’s collection of souvenirs – including the ubiquitous Eiffel Tower statues – has grown over the past few years. While locals still come by to purchase a book or two, he said the majority of his customers are from abroad and are more inclined to buy his souvenirs than his comics, which are primarily written in French. (Credit: Nick Kozak)

A job with benefits

Each bouquiniste is required to maintain his or her boxes, but apart from that, the job has a lot of freedom. Traders can set their own daytime hours (the stalls are locked once the sun sets); choose the reading material they want to sell; and spend the day taking in one of the best views in Paris.

Still, many bouquinistes feel that the city should do more to support the tradition as sales dwindle. One suggestion is to have electricity installed so sellers can extend their hours into the night. (Credit: Nick Kozak)

Standing strong

Bernard Carver got into the rare-book-selling business 20 years ago after arriving from Lebanon without much money. He soon began living on the streets, he explained, and chose comfort in books rather than drinking. From that passion, he befriended some of the bouquinistes.

In order to sell your wares, he said, you have to know them well, bragging that he’s read everything on his shelf. But even that hasn’t kept sales from going down, and he expressed anger at the proliferation of trinkets being sold. Some traders have gone so far to add foldout tables in front of their stands to extend their collection of souvenirs – a tactic not covered by city regulations. (Credit: Nick Kozak)

A creative solution

Many bouquinistes sell trinkets made in China, such as Eiffel Tower keychains and J’aime Paris mugs. One of the youngest traders, Roman George, opted instead to sell prints of old adverts created by himself and his father, as well as paintings by students from the prestigious Ecole des Beaux-Arts, conveniently located just behind his stall. This way, he explained, he can sell souvenirs that are both made in France and connected to local culture – a solution, perhaps, that pulls from the best of both worlds. (Credit: Nick Kozak)

Tips for Visiting the Great Wall of China around Beijing

Plan your Great Wall Tour? Needless to say, you must visit the Great Wall of China on your first trip to Beijing China. So, when to visit, which sections of Great Wall to visit and how to visit?

The Great Wall of China was built mainly during the three dynasties – Qin Dynasty (221 B.C to 206 B.C), Han Dynasty (206 B.C.– 220 A.D ) and Ming Dynasty (1368 A.D – 1644 A.D). The most powerful Yuan Dynasty and the last Dynasty – Qing Dynasty did nothing about the building of the Wall since they were “barbarians” against whom the Wall of China was supposed to have been built.

Actually the history tells us the Wall played no role in preventing the “barbarians”. Never did the Wall stop any invations, large or small. But the Wall did do many things: it proclaimed the frontier, it employed the thousands, it prevented defections, it displayed the mighty of the emperor.

The Wall is not an “it” as you think. It is a “them”, walls in the plural, and they do not form a continuous line. They are in bits built in different dynasties. Those “bits” of the Wall snake across the northern China stretching from Shanhaiguan Pass in the east  to Jiayuguan Pass in the west, totaling 21196 km long with the Great Wall built in Ming Dynasty as long as 8851 km.

Beijing is a good place to visit the “sections” of the Great Wall built in Ming Dynasty. Most of the “sections” of the Great Wall open to tourists here are tamed and reconstructed for the safety of travelers. But still there remain many wild ones (original and unrestored) – crumbling, overgrown and barred to walkers, attracting adventure hikers.

Here are some tips for planning ahead your visit to Great Wall of China around Beijing:

Tip # 01: The best time to hike the Great Wall of China

In Beijing, all the sections of the Wall are open to tourists all year round. The ideal months for the Great Wall hike fall on spring, early summer, autumn – later March, April, May, June, September, October and early November.

Great Wall Hike in Spring (March 15 to May 15)
Each year, March 15th is the official day of turning off the heating system in Beijing. This special date indicates the dry, harsh cold of Beijing’s winter is coming to an end though Beijingers will still have some chilly days in March.

A warmer spring usually starts early April and ends early May. So a warm springtime in Beijing lasts over one month. Kindly reminder: Wind and dust can be possible in the March. Generally speaking, Beijing is dry and windy in spring.

Spring is a delightful time to visit the Great Wall – mild climate, green trees and flowers. But if you hike the Great Wall, you still chilly and a bit cold in March, wearing jackets in the morning and evening due to the big temperature drop between day and night.

Visiting Great Wall in Summer (May 15 to September 15)
If you happen to visit the Wall in summer – later June, July and August, be prepared for heat stroke prevention – sunglasses, sun cream,  sun block, hat, water.  Summer is the rain season in Beijing and bring waterproofs in case.

You will expect a long queue, waiting to buy entrance ticket for the Great Wall mainly due to the large number of domestic tourists because of school vacations.

Hike Great Wall in Autumn (September 05 to November 15)
The foggy and cloudy days in Beijing’s oppressive summer are leaving us, coming with Beijing’s cooling autumn, with a blue sky, comfortable sunshine and the colorful leaves in and around Beijing.

Beijing autumn, specifically the two months from the mid-September to mid-November are the best season to visit Great Wall in a year. It’s always comfortably cool outside.

The best period autumn colors starts from October 15 throughout November 15 in Beijing with many trees change theirs colors with charming autumn hues. Snap pictures or just take in a feast for the eyes!

Fairly big difference in temperature between early morning and afternoon. Wear a thin  jacket, or a warm coat in the morning, long-sleeve shirts or short T-shirts in the afternoon. So be mindful of the temperture difference in Autumn. Comfortabel sportshoes, rubber soled shoes for hiking. In afternoon, sometimes the autumn sunlight could be very strong, get ready for sunglasses, sun cream and sun hat.

Visit Great Wall in Winter  (November 15 to March 15)
Winter Great Wall Hike is a bit challenging mainly due to the frozen weather in later December, January and early early February each year in Beijing. You are advised to dress warmly – winter hat with ear flap, ear warmers, gloves, scarf, warm jackets and ther winter accessories.

The Great Wall hike is impossible to hike only because the road access to sections is blocked due to the heavy snow. If you plan to do the hike in winter, we do suggest you check the weather report.  Check out  How to dress for visiting Great Wall in winter.

Tip # 02: Avoid weekends or public holidays for the WallIt is better to hike the Wall during the weekdays instead of weekends. Strongly advise you not to visit the Wall during China public holidays ( Especially May 1-3, and October 1-7).

Great Wall Crowdedness

On these special days you will waste much of your valuable time on the way from your hotel to the Wall. On the Wall, you have to take group photos since there are a great number of people on the Wall.

Tip # 03: Select the right bit of the Wall (Great Wall Guide)There are  8 major sections of the Great Wall around Beijing. 7 of the 8 sections of the Wall are legally open to tourists home and abroad.”legally open” means these sections of the Wall are tamed, repaired and controlled by a local Great Wall administration bureau with facilities like parking lots, guardrails, restaurants, toilets and more.

Within its administration, the entrance fees are collected, a police station is set up and security guides are dotted along Wall.These “legal” sections of the Wall are Juyongguan, Badaling, Mutianyu, Jinshanling, Gubeikou, Huanghuacheng ( certain sections opened) and Simatai. Jiankou is not open to common tourists due to their wildness and treacherousness. Below are the tips for choosing the right bit of the Wall you most like:

1) If you don’t have much time, but you still want to have a glimpse of the Wall, especially on abusy day, choose Juyongguan Great Wall.

Juyongguan Grea tWall

2) If you want to see the most popular and gorgeous restored section of the Wall in Beijing, go toBadaling Great Wall.

Badaling Great Wall

3) If you want to visit the Wall with beautiful green scenery and environment ( travel with kids or seniors), visit Mutianyu Great Wall.

Mutianyu Great Wall

4) If you want to hike the wild and original sections of the Wall (half restored or unrestored), go to visit Shixiagan Great Wall, Jiankou Great Wall, Jinshanling Great Wall, Gubeikou Great Wall, Huanghuacheng Great Wall and Simatai Great Wall  or put them together.Check out  Hike from Jinshanling Great Wall to West Simatai Great Wall.

Jinshanling Great Wall

Check out  Hike from Gubeikou Great Wall to Jinshanling Great Wall.

The wild and orignal section of Gubeikou Great Wall

Check out  Hike Huanghuacheng Great Wall

Huanghuacheng Great Wall

Check out  Hike across Shixiaguan Great Wall.

Shixiaguan Great Wall

5) Jiankou Great  Wall is forbidden to hike according to the official rule and regulations concerned. Hikers are responsible for their own safety while hiking Jiankou Great Wall.Check outWalk from Jiankou Great Wall to Mutianyu Great Wall.

Jiankou Great Wall

Tip # 04: Choose the right Great Wall transportation
Badaling Great Wall Bus No.877 （Bus Fare: RMB 12）

Deshengmen (德胜门）- Badaling (八达岭）
Operating Hours：
06:00-12:00(Apr.1-Oct.31)
06:00-12:30 (Nov.1-Mar.31)
Return:
Badaling (八达岭）- Deshengmen (德胜门）
10:30-17:00(Apr.1-Oct.31)
11:00-16:30(Nov.1-Mar.31)

From: Deshengmen Bus Station
Note:

Bus 919 has two kinds of bus lines: 919 express (919快) and 919 slow (919慢) with their final destinations being Yanqing County. Bus 919 will stop at the Badaling Great Wall ( the drop-off stop is a bit far from the ticketing office). You are still advised to take 877, the special bus for Badaling Great Wall tourists. By the way, there is a bit chaos around Deshengmen Bus Station with some touts pushing you to take theirs vehicles or group. Just forget it and insist on taking the official Bus 877. Have a good day!Badaling Great Wall Trains

Take the S Train from Beijing North Railway Station to Badaling Great Wall

Check: how to visit Badaling Great Wall by train
Beijing North Railway  Station →  Badaling Great Wall Train Schedule
Train S201: 06:12 – 07:31
Train S203: 07:58 – 09:20
Train S205: 08:34 – 09: 47
Train S207: 09:02 – 10:15
Train S209: 10:57 – 12:13
Train S211: 12:42 – 14:01
Train S213: 13:14 – 14:25
Train S215: 13:35 – 14:50
Train S217: 15:24 – 16:43
Train S219: 17:11 – 18:30
Train S221: 17:41 – 18:51
Train S227: 21:28 – 22:44
Badaling Great Wall →  Beijing North Ralway Station Train Timetable
Train S208: 08:23 – 09:47
Train S210: 10:51 – 12:12
Train S212: 11:19 – 12:40
Train S214: 11:50 – 13:12
Train S216: 13:02 – 14:23
Train S218: 15:19 – 16:43
Train S220: 15:52 – 17:25
Train S222: 16:21 – 17:39
Train S224: 17:33 – 18:54
Train S226: 19:34 – 21:11
Train S228: 20:06 – 21:43
Train S232: 21:33 – 23:03

Take the S Train from Beijing North Railway Station to Badaling

 Tourist Bus No.867  to Mutianyu Great Wall
Directly running to Mutianyu Great Wall 慕田峪长城
The Tourist Bus 867 operates two daily departures: Start at 7:00am and 8:30am; return at 2:00pm and 4:00pm
Valid time: from March 15 – Nov 15 each year.

From: Dongzhimen Public Transport Hub (东直门交通枢纽）Bus No. 916 Express (916快）To：Mutianyu Great Wall 慕田峪长城

Important Notice: The final destination of the Bus 916 Express is actually Huairou Beidajie (怀柔北大街）in Huairou District, then you have to change for the local bus No.936 (Huairou – Dongtai 怀柔至洞台), continue to take the bus 936 (936路支线) for another 18.6km, pass 8 stops and get off at Mutianyu Great Wall finally.Bus 916 Express (916快）Fare: RMB 12

Bus 936 (936路支线) Fare: RMB 8
Bus Operation Time: 6:00-17:00 ( every 20 minutes )

From: Dongzhimen Public Transport Hub (东直门交通枢纽）
Bus No. 980 Express (980快) To: Destination: Jinshanling Great Wall 金山岭长城.

Very Important Notice: Actually the Bus 980 Express stops at Miyun County ( 密云汽车站 ), and then you take a mini bus from the downtown Miyun to Jinshanling.
Bus Fare: RMB 15
Minibus Fare: about RMB 50 ( you have to share a mini-bus for Jinshanling Great Wall)

From: Dongzhimen Public Transport Hub (东直门交通枢纽）
Take a taxi to the Great Wall

You can also charter a taxi for day trips to the Great Wall. The drive ranges from 1.5 hour to 2.5 hours from the city center according to the different sections of the Great Wall. Below are the approximate taxi fares to the different sections of the Great Wall with waiting for about 2-3 hours while touring the wall:Beijing Mutianyu Great Wall: 85km – RMB 600

Beijing Badaling Great Wall: 80km – RMB 500
Beijing Simatai Great Wall: 140km – RMB 700
Beijing Juyongguan Great Wall: 60km – RMB 400
Beijing Jinshanling Great Wall: 160km RMB 800
Beijing Gubeikou Great Wall: 150km – RMB 750
Beijing Jiankou Great Wall: 85km – RMB 650
Beijing Huanghuacheng Great Wall 85km – RMB 600
Tip # 05: Book a Great Wall Bus Tour

You can easily book Great Wall Bus Tour (daily group tours) through your hotel or local tour operators. Each morning, you will be picked you up from your midtown hotel, then you will go to visit the the Wall together with other tourists.Groups are kept to about 10 passengers in a comfortable modern 22-seat coach with professional Beijing chauffeurs and English speaking tour guide.
Tip # 06 Stay near the Wall

If you want to stay one night or more near the Wall, below are some of the inns and hotels for your consideration:Juyongguan Great Wall Hotel 

the Cummune by the Great Wall

Huanghuacheng Fuwang Courtyard Farmhouse 

the Schoolhouse by the Mutianyu Great Wall

Jinshanling Hotel

Simatai Great Wall Courtyard Hotel

the Chateau Changyu AFIP Global BeijingTip # 07 Tips for Wheelchair users (Beijing Disability Travel)

Both Badaling Great Wall and Mutianyu Great Wall are wheelchair-friendly.  On the Badaling Great Wall, a special flat lane is built for wheelchair users to get to the third watch tower of the Great Wall.Even two elevators are equipped for easy ascending the wall if you book the elevator service in advance.

On the Mutianyu Great Wall, wheelchair users may take a cable car up and then use the accessible lane leading to the platform below the 14th watch tower for a good view of Mutianyu Great Wall.

The accessible lane from the upper cable car station to the platform below the 14th watch tower on Mutianyu Great Wall.

The accessible lane from the upper cable car station to the platform below the 14th watch tower

The accessible platform for wheelchair users below the 14th watch tower on Mutianyu Great Wall.

the platform below the 14th watch tower

Tip # 08 Tips for Experienced Travelersyou may choose half restored or wild sections of the Wall. But you have to be responsible for your own safety.

Travel Notes for wild great wall hiking:
1. Things to take: sports shoes or hiking boots, sticks, cap, sun-glasses, sunscreen, bottles of water, snacks, pocket knife, lip balm and first aid kit.
2. Using toilets at the entrance of the Wall. No toilets on the hiking route. Please always carry toilet paper by yourself.
3. Wearing pants and long-sleeves even in summer to hike through jungles and bushes.
4. You are responsible for your travel insurrance for your coverage of injury or accident.
5 Be a green and responsible hiker, taking nothing but photos and leaving nothing but footprint.