Mercer score: 105 2007 rank: No. 16

Berlin is the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany as well as the largest city with a population of over 3 million. The city of Berline regained its status as the capital after the reunification of Germany in 1990. It also serves as a major centre of politics, culture, media and science, and a hub for air and rail transport.

As a city

noted for its cultural flair, Berlin is home to the world famous Berlin Opera and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. The art scene is diverse, which is very evident with the hundreds of art galleries, the Annual Forum - an international art fair, and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Museum Island. The palaces and parks of Berlin were designated World Heritage sites in 1990.

History

The first documented mention of Berlin dates back to the 13th century. Colln and Berlin were separate cities that eventually united to become known as Berlin, which was the larger of the two. The Thirty Year War was devastating to the city with damage to one-third of the homes and half the population lost. The Industrial Revolution in the 19th century brought increased growth to the population and the economy. In 1871, Berlin became the capital of the German Empire.

The 20th century saw great change for the city of Berlin. The Greater Berlin Act in 1920 saw many towns and villages united to create a population of almost 4 million. During the Second World War, large sections of Berlin were destroyed. At the end of the war, vast numbers of refugees entered Berlin and the city was divided into four sectors. Eventually, there was East and West Berlin with increased tensions which came to a head with the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961. The historical transition occurred in 1989 when citizens were given access across the wall, which was finally demolished. October 3rd, 1990 was the date when the two parts were reunified as the Federal Republic of Germany.

Germany was one of the founding countries in the European Union. Today Berlin is the third most popular tourist destination in the EU. The cityscape today has been shaped by the city's history with an eclectic mix of architecure and other landmark sights. Visitors will enjoy the dynamic nightlife, variety of sports and notable cultural institutions, which led to Berlin being listed as a City of Design by UNESCO.

Mercer score: 104.8 2007 rank: No. 17

Melbourne, Australia's second largest city, lies in the southeast of the continent, straddling the Yarra River at the north end of Port Phillip Bay, which shelters it from the stormy Bass Strait. It is the most European, or more precisely the most British, of the Australian capitals.

The total area of the Melbourne

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conurbation (Greater Melbourne) is 6110 sq.km, making it one of the world's largest cities in terms of area. To the east it extends into the Dandenong Ranges, in the south on to the Mornington Peninsula. Of its total area, however, just under a third consists of parks, gardens and open spaces, so that Melbourne can truly claim to be a green city.

Melbourne was founded in 1835 by John Batman, coming from Tasmania, and named after Viscount Melbourne, then British prime minister. The town's prosperity was based on the introduction of merino sheep and above all - in contrast to Sydney - on the involvement of free settlers rather than convict labor. After it was granted the status of a town in 1842 Robert Hoddle was commissioned to plan its further development. When gold was found at Clunes in 1851, prospectors flocked to the goldfields of western Victoria, and banks and mining companies established themselves in Melbourne, which then enjoyed a tremendous boom. This is reflected in the handsome buildings still to be seen in the city center and in the international exhibition of 1880. In the 1890s, however, the boom collapsed. Melbourne fell into an economic depression and lost ground to Sydney. From 1901 until the move to the new federal capital of Canberra in 1927 it was the official capital of Australia, and until 1965 the Royal Mint in Melbourne produced all Australia's coins.

Since the Second World War a large influx of immigrants, mainly from the Mediterranean, has made Melbourne a multi-lingual, multi-cultural city. The number of immigrants from Greece, for example, is so large that Melbourne has been called the third largest Greek city, after Athens and Salonica. The city's population is now around 3.3 million.

Melbourne is fully integrated into the Australian transport system. Its airport at Tullamarine is 22km northwest of the city center and is linked by the Skybus service which runs at half-hourly intervals.

Long-distance rail services leave from Spencer Street Station to the west of the city center. The main station for local services is Flinders Street Station to the south, while a new underground system serves the east and north sides of the city center.

Melbourne's tramway system, which extends out into the suburbs, also plays an important role, and the bus network covers the ground well.

The ferries for Tasmania (including MS Abel Tasman) sail from Station Pier.

For information about what's on in Melbourne (concerts, theaters, pop and rock) consult the EG (Entertainment Guide) section in the Friday edition of the Melbourne Age. Listings are also to be found in the two free leaflets This Week in Melbourne and Melbourne Events available from tourist offices and hotel reception desks.

The city's night life is concentrated mainly in the southern district of St Kilda.

Accommodation

Melbourne has over 22,000 beds in more than 180 hotels, some three dozen of which are within the central area. Many of them are new, including some luxurious and expensive establishments (Chateau Melbourne, Australia Hotel, The Windsor, Grand Hyatt, Melbourne Hilton, Menzies at Rialto, Noah's Hotel Melbourne, Regent Melbourne). Hotels are listed in the visitors' guide Hello Melbourne and other brochures.

The caravan/camping parks are all well outside the city center: Half Moon Park, Geelong Road/Millers Road, Brooklyn, is 11km to the west; the Big 4 Caravan Park, Elizabeth St., Coburg E., and Northside Leisure Village, Ecke Hume Highway/Coopers Rd., Campbellfield, are 14km to the north; Willowbrook Gardens Caravan Village, Mickleham Rd., Westmeadows, is 18km to the northwest; and Hobsons Bay Caravan Park, 158 Kororoit Creek Road, Williamstown, is 17km to the south.

The skyline of Melbourne has altered considerably over the years. Although much of the city's Victorian architecture has been preserved, many handsome bluestone buildings have given place to huge modern high-rise blocks, particularly in the business district. Melbourne's Victorian roots are still visible, however, in the broad streets, the European trees and the 19th C. buildings which have been restored and refurbished in recent years, particularly in the inner suburbs. And a walk in the central area will show that the term Garden State applies also to the capital with its numerous parks and gardens.

The central area of Melbourne, on the right bank of the Yarra River, is in the form of a regular rectangle bounded on the south by Flinders Street, which runs parallel to the river, on the west by Spencer Street, on the north by Latrobe Street and on the east by Spring Street. Within this area the surveyor and town planner Robert Hoddle laid out a grid of 30m wide avenues intersecting at right angles every 200m. The governor of the day disliked the great empty spaces between the main streets running southwest/northeast (Bourke Street, Collins Street and Flinders Street) and inserted narrower streets between them (Little Flinders Street, Little Collins Street, Little Bourke Street, Little Lonsdale Street). Swanston Street and Elizabeth Street cut across these streets, and in the area thus marked out is Melbourne's main shopping district.

Mercer score: 104.8 2007 rank: No. 18

By: Luxembourg.com.au

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg - is a state situated in Western Europe. It borders on Belgium in the North and the West, on Germany in the East and on France in the South. Luxembourg along with Belgium and the Netherlands makes up the so-called Benelux, with the total area of the country being 2,586 sq. km.

The population of Luxembourg is 425,000 people; average density is 164 people per square kilometer. Ethnic groups are the Germans and the French. Languages: German and French (both official) and Luxembourgian (a language of Germanic Language Group).

The capital of the country is Luxembourg. Major cities: Luxembourg (76,000 people), Esch-sur-Alzette (24,000 people), Differdange (15,700 people), Dudelange (14,700 people). Administratively Luxembourg is divided in two counties, which in their turn are divided into cantons and these into municipalities. State order of Luxembourg is a constitutional hereditary monarchy. The Head of the State is Grand Duke Henri (in power since October 7, 2000). In accordance with the Constitution (effective since 1868) the Grand Duke exercises his executive powers individually; defines procedures for the formation of Government and its composition, ratifys and promulgates laws, appoints civil and military positions, commands military forces, concludes international treaties etc.

The history of Luxembourg takes record from 963, when Count Sigefroi of the Ardennes had the first fortress erected at the place of an Old Roman dwelling known as "the Gibraltar of the North". Different rulers of Europe possessed this territory at different time periods what undoubtedly influenced the formation of local cultural values and traditions. The edifices built here are traditional for all West Europian countries and at the same time they strike out a line of their own. The Saint Quirin Rock Chapel (VI-XV centuries), the Saint Michel Church (1519), the Palace of Justice of the Renaissance period (XVII) and the baroque Notre Dame (XVII) present works of decorative art of the ancient city.

In 1990ies Luxembourg became one of the most prosperous countries of Western Europe with a highly developed industry. Banking and finance came to be the staples of the country's economy. Luxembourg is one of Europe's financial centers and at present there are 240 representative offices of foreign banks attracted into the country in late 70ies by the most favourable EU laws on banking which guarantee secrecy of bank deposits

The Luxembourg's authorities use their best endeavours to preserve unique fascination of this old European city. Important principle: wealthy citizens are not allowed to shock their neighbour houses' owners by demonstrating proper luxury. All citizens enjoy equal rights, the rights of each individual being strictly observed irrespective of his or her social status. There are no exceptions even for the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. These restrictions are aimed at honouring principles of social equality marked by respectful attitude towards all members of society that became standard both for the authorities and the citizens of Luxembourg.

Mercer score: 104.7 2007 rank: No. 18

By: ottawa.com

Nestled on the banks of the majestic Ottawa, Rideau and Gatineau Rivers, Ottawa is one of the most beautiful G8 capitals in the world. A thriving international technology and business centre and world class tourism and convention destination, Ottawa is also rich in culture and heritage with its many national institutions, parklands, waterways and historic architecture. It is home to a large number of foreign embassies and is a recognized centre for both academics and professional training. The city offers an open and welcoming environment to cultures from around the world, providing service in English, French, and a host of other languages. The city's residents enjoy an enviable quality of life that is recognized around the world.

Canada's capital is more strictly bilingual than any other place in the country.

Access

By air:

Ottawa International Airport has commuter airlines from most large Canadian cities, especially Toronto and Montréal, plus direct flights, particularly in summer, to the major European cities.

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VIA Rail - Ottawa's station was relocated from the center to the south-east of the city. Trains run several times daily to Toronto and Montréal.

By bus:

The city is well served by the Canadian intercity bus lines.

Ottawa Transit's city buses run at short intervals on an extensive and closely integrated system of routes.

Ottawa stands at the confluence of the Ottawa and Rideau rivers, and is also the starting point of the Rideau Canal linking it to Lake Ontario.

History

The city grew up between 1820 and 1840 from the construction base which had been set up where the Rideau Canal diverged from the Ottawa River. In charge of the project was the British Colonel John By (1779-1836) and consequently the town was known until 1853 as "Bytown". In 1854 the town changed its name to Ottawa.

From 1864 Ottawa was developed as the Canadian capital. The Parliament buildings were built in 1865, high above the Ottawa River, and this is where, in 1867, the first Canadian Parliament met following the founding of the Dominion of Canada.

In the course of time Ottawa has become a busy government seat, with all the marks of the federal city, but it has some industry too, especially timber, paper and printing.

Although the city may have been considered rather provincial in the past, it now has a very real feeling of the international metropolis, due in no small measure to the cosmopolitan nature of the many people who have come to live here.

Institutions

As Canada's capital Ottawa not only houses the national parliament but also the Supreme Court, as well as the many government departments and cultural institutions such as major museums and two universities, plus a Catholic and an Anglican bishop.

Conferences

As the seat of government of a nation that is an economic force to be reckoned with, Ottawa has also been able to develop into a top-ranking venue for conferences, many of them of worldwide significance.

Science and culture

Together with Hull in Québec Province on the other side of the Ottawa River, Ottawa has succeeded more than any other Canadian city in developing a life of lively intellect and culture. The Royal Society of Canada, University of Ottawa, Carleton University and several research institutes have all contributed to this, as have such internationally famous venues as the National Arts Center (since 1969; opera, concerts), the National Library and Archives, the National Gallery (since 1988 in a fine new building by Moshe Safdie) and the Canadian Museum of Civilization (since 1989 in an imposing new building by Douglas Cardinal, see Hull).

Business interests

Although Ottawa cannot be said to have the commercial importance of Montréal or Toronto, in recent years a great many major companies have made it their headquarters, particularly in the high-tech sector, and its status as a capital city and center for the arts have also attracted bankers, stockbrokers, and insurers, together with publishers.

Mercer score: 104.5 2007 rank: No. 20

Stockholm lies on a number of islands and peninsulas at the outflow of Lake Mälar into the Baltic, which here forms a deep inlet. The charm of its setting lies in the intermingling of land and water - the skerries fringing the coast, the crags rearing up from the sea, the intricate pattern of waterways encompassing the city. The surrounding area, with its woodlands and lakes, its old castles and coastal towns, is also very beautiful. Stockholm was the European City of Culture in 1998 and has three distinct UNESCO World Heritage sites. The city has a very active cultural life highlighted by 70 museums and many theatres.

Capital of Sweden

Stockholm is the capital of Sweden, linked by lakes and canals with the interior of the country. The city is surrounded by suburbs, many of them developed from old residential districts, and since the end of the Second World War new commuter areas equipped with shopping centers and satellite towns have grown up around the capital.

Importance

Stockholm is the seat of government, Parliament (the Riksdag) and the Supreme Court and the see of a Roman Catholic archbishop, with a University and several other higher educational establishments and scientific institutes, an Academy of Music, many libraries, a great variety of cultural institutions and the Nobel Institute. It is also an important industrial city (particularly metalworking, engineering and textiles), and in addition it is a great tourist center and congress city.

History

Stockholm originally grew up on the islands of Stadsholm, Helgeandsholm and Riddarholm, which were fortified by Birger Jarl in 1252 in order to protect the townspeople against the attacks to which they were continually exposed, particularly from the sea. These islands now form the Old Town (Gamla Stan) of Stockholm. Thereafter the town gradually spread on to the mainland to the north and south. The great days of Stockholm came in the 17th century, when it was the capital of Sweden's Baltic empire. During the 18th and 19th centuries the town's old wooden houses were repeatedly destroyed by fire, and now the buildings are mostly of stone, effectively combining Nordic traditions with modern styles. The new city center round the Hötorg and Sergels Torg, developed since 1950, is a showpiece of contemporary Swedish architecture.

The Stockholm Jazz Festival, one of Sweden's oldest festivals, is held each year in July. Other annual events include the Stockholm Marathon in June and the Nobel Banquet at Stockholm City Hall on December 10th.