Founded in about 1625 as the base of the Hova chiefs, the name Antananarivo, “city of thousands” derives from the 1,000 men set to guard it. Of the several kingdoms on the island, the Merina Kingdom became prominent by 1810, Ramada I made Antananarivo the capital of the island. In 1895 Madagascar came under French rule; the wooden city was rebuilt in stone and brick, and roads, steps and squares were added. Independent since 1960, Madagascar has struggled through various socialist dictatorships to the democracy it now enjoys.

The ruins of the Rova – the Queen°s palace – visible from wherever you may be, crowns Antananarivo and offers wonderful views. Burnt down in 1995, it is still possible to visit, but thus far only the chapel has been rebuilt. Nearby stands the former prime ministere palace, storing an unusually personal collection of Royal belongings that were retrieved from the Rova.

The centre of town, Haute Ville, is small enough to explore by foot, but the whole city is a Warren of steep streets, cobbled paths and flights of steps. Although the more important buildings are solid structures, there are still numerous picturesque Wooden houses, with shutters attesting to their French heritage. The spires of some fifty churches rise above the largely low-rise city,including both an Anglican and a Catholic cathedral. At sunset, When the surrounding hills turn blue and the buildings take on a golden glow, Antananarivo looks glorious.

“Cities o’ the world” is a simple city guide or impressions’ guide of some cities.

In the early 19th century, a delegation from the British East India Company on their way to Sikkim stopped in a village here and decided that it was a good place to build a sanatorium for their sick soldiers. They negotiated a lease with the ruler of Sikkim and started to clear the densely forested hills and build a town. In 1841, they set up an experimental tea plantation which was so successful that soon tea estates were established on all the surrounding hills.

Within a decade, the population had grown from 100 to 10,000 and, when the Himalayan Railway opened in 1881, Darjeeling became even more popular. After the Chinese annexed Tibet in 1950, thousands of Tibetans fled across the border and settled in Darjeeling, both in the town and in their own colony just outside. The majority of the town is ethnically Nepali but, as well as the large Tibetan community, there are Sherpas, Biharis, Bengalis and Anglo-Indians.

Darjeeling today has the picturesque façade of a colonial town, with mock Tudor houses and Gothic churches. ln Chowrasta, the main square, there are ponies for hire, and from the Hindu Mahakala Temple on Observatory Hill there is a fantastic view of Kancheiijunga, the third highest mountain in the World. For trekkers and mountain lovers, this is paradise.

“Cities o’ the world” is a simple city guide or impressions’ guide of some cities.

It is also the excuse for popular resistance to extensive further development, ensuring that the city remains surrounded at close quarters by unspoiled wilderness. By way of contrast, Oslo is a major cultural capital, with world-class museums, galleries, sculpture parks and music venues. Take a ferry to the BygdØy Peninsula to see superb maritime museums – of Viking ships, Kon-Tiki and Fram, the latter pair celebrating great Norwegian seafarers Thor Heyerdahl and Roald Amundsen.

Olso is a place of visual contrasts, with a lot of modern architecture some of which, from the 1960s, is frankly hideous. But the overall effect is not displeasing and there are many interesting vistas. Walk along Karl Johans Gate through the heart of the city, from the Royal Palace to the railway station, for a flavour of Oslo at its best (and that includes shops). For charming original wooden houses find your way to areas like Kampen, Rûdemkka Or Vålerenga. The 17th century cathedral (Oslo’s third) is definitely worth visiting, whilst those with grand designs will love a tour of sumptuous Royal Palace.

“Cities o’ the world” is a simple city guide or impressions’ guide of some cities.

Among Durban”s most popular tourist spots are the beaches, bars and restaurants of the Golden Mile, the Suncoast Casino, uShaka Marine World – one of the largest aquariums on earth – the African Art Centre, Waterworld, the Maritime Museum and the Botanical Gardens. For those who can face it, the Fitzsimons Snake Park on Lower Marine Parade makes an interesting excursion. Many of the beaches have shark protection nets – shark attacks are not as common as all that, but there are Great Whites in the region – and the Shark Institute runs trips to watch them.

The large Indian population means that curry is a speciality of the city, especially Bunny Chow – a hollowed out chunk of bread filled With your choice of curry. Wilson’s Wharf, off Victoria Embankment, has a Wide variety of cuisines, as does Florida Road, Which is also great for little boutiques. At the opposite end of the scale, the Gateway Mall is the largest in the southern hemisphere. Tourist Junction is home to good craft shops that sell “designer Quality’ Zulu beadvvork and Wirework.

“Cities o’ the world” is a simple city guide or impressions’ guide of some cities.

Built in 1217 but remodelled over the years, the Cathedral has a stately neo-Gothic façade and twin steeples which were added in the l880s. Inside it is breathtaking. The north wall features the Ten Commandments written in a twelfth-century script. St Mark’s Church, dating from the 13th century but rebuilt in Gothic style in the 14th, is famous for the red, White and blue tiles on its roof arranged in the coats of arms of Zagreb and the kingdoms of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia. Its south portal is thought to be the work of sculptors of the Parler family from Prague, and is celebrated for its artistic composition and the number of statues. The Lotrscak Tower, built in the 13th-century to protect the city gates, affords spectacular views over the city. For over 100 years, a cannon has been fired from the top of the tower at noon.

Zagreb’s lower town, Donji Grad, is revered for its elegant squares, gardens, wide boulevards and parks. It can be reached by funicular railway from the upper town. Donji Grad was built to a grid design in the late nineteenth century and is now home to most of Zagreb’s numerous museums. These reflect the history, art and culture not only of Zagreb and Croatia, but also the rest of the world. The Archaeological Museum’s most famous exhibits are the Egyptian collection, the Zagreb mummy and the oldest Etruscan inscription 111 the world. The Croatian Natural History Museum holds an extensive collection of Neanderthal remains, while the Museum of the City Of Zagreb deals with the cultural, artistic, economic and political history from Roman times to the present day. Also well worth a look are the Arts and Crafts Museum, the Ethnographic Museum, the Croatian Naive Art Museum, and the Mimara Museum, comprising 8,750 works of art from different cultures and civilizations.

“Cities o’ the world” is a simple city guide or impressions’ guide of some cities.

The cemetery Where Confucius’ grave lies is a little north of the town. More than 100,000 of his descendants are buried here. It has been planted with thousands of trees to give the appearance of a forest and late in the afternoon When the crowds have gone, it is a peaceful place to stroll or cycle.

The Kong family mansion was inhabited until 1937 by descendants of the philosopher who tended the cemetery and temple and conducted services there- The buildings here now date to the late l880s: there are nearly 500 rooms. Look out for the Five Strange Objects. Qufu’s central importance in the culture of China makes it a must-visit city.

“Cities o’ the world” is a simple city guide or impressions’ guide of some cities.

This was the moment that marked the beginning of the end of the 1 16-year Hundred Years’ War, with the English finally being expelled from France in 1453. Though she wasn’t around to savour the English rout, Joan is still everywhere in Orléans. The grand 19th-century boulevard Rue Jeanne d’Arc runs to the Cathédrale-Saint-Croix, where there is a monumental altar carved with scenes from her life, with stained glass windows expanding the story. The Maison de Jeanne d’Arc on Place General de Gaulle (heroine meets hero) tells you all you need to know about the saint. Her equestrian statue is in the large central square, Place du Martroi, and another may be found in Place d’Étape, this time pocked with World War II bullet holes.

Orléans is well Worth exploring in its own right, with the banks Of the untamed Loire a particular delight. Near the Cathedral, the red-brick Renaissance Hôtel Groslot (the old Town Hall) is worth visiting. The Place de la République has a wonderful 15th-century bell tower. The old industrial area’s attractive narrow streets slope over to the river, with two important early churches there – St-Aignan and St-Pierre-le-Puellier. Here also is the White Tower, once part of the city walls.

“Cities o’ the world” is a simple city guide or impressions’ guide of some cities.

The Château Frontenac is one of the city’s dominant landmarks: this large hotel on the Cap Diamant is a model Loire château. The Basilica of Notre-Dame is also very French in feel. Another building left from colonial times is the Haute-Ville’s Citadelle, a star-shaped complex of military fortifications. ln Basse-Ville you will find the church of Notre-Dame des Victoires. Cne of the areas best-known attractions is the Musée de la Civilisation.

There is a wide range of museums that cover the history and culture of the region, among them the Musée de Quebec in the Parc des Champs-de Bataille, which has a fanstastic art collection. The park is the site of the battle that ended the rule of the French in North America and holds free concerts in summer.

At the other end of the year the Quebecois cheer themselves up With the biggest winter carnival in the world, which features a talking snowman called Bonhomme, who inhabits the Snow Palace and Dresides over horse-drawn sleigh rides, the International Canoe Race across the part-frozen St Lawrence River, dogsled races, parades and the International Snow Sculpture Event. What better way could there be to chase the winter blues away?

“Cities o’ the world” is a simple city guide or impressions’ guide of some cities.

Some of the finest surviving Mughal architecture in the world is to be found here, including the World Heritage Site of Lahore Fort, a masterpiece containing mosques and palaces in marbles and mosaics, and the Shalimar Gardens, a classic example of a Mughal terraced garden With channels, waterfalls, and lodges in Which to sit and admire the view. The national monument of Pakistan, stands in the middle of Iqbal Park – a 60-m (197 -ft) tall minaret built on the spot where the Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution demanding a homeland for the Muslims of India in 1940. Nearby is the magnificent 17th century Badshahi Mosque, a striking building of red stone and white marble, one of the largest mosques in the Indian sub-continent.

Much of the old city wall remains intact and the narrow lanes of the bazaars are a lively scrum of rickshaws, donkey carts and street hawkers. Anarkali is one of the oldest markets in South Asia and Ichhra Bazaar is in a district of beautiful old houses.

Lahore lives up to its sobriquets of “Garden of the Mughals’ and the “heart of Pakistan”. It is one of the most beautiful, atmospheric and cultured cities of South Asia as well as being a shopper’s paradise.

“Cities o’ the world” is a simple city guide or impressions’ guide of some cities.