If you thought these famous cities were the official capitals, you were wrong. Test your geography knowledge…
Here are 10 countries where famous cities are regularly mistaken for the capital while the low-key number-ones go quietly about their business.
1. Istanbul, Turkey
Real deal: Ankara, whose population is only around one-third of Istanbul’s, cannot match the beauty of Turkey’s most famous city. Ankara is, however, renowned for its long-haired (Angora) goats and cats.
Ankara is much smaller than Istanbul.
2. Geneva, Switzerland
Real deal: Bern. Geneva is headquarters to the Swiss branch of the UN and the Red Cross, but Bern (the fifth largest city in the country) is the capital. Zurich is also often mistakenly crowned number one.
The Old Town comes to life around the Aare river, Bern, Switzerland.
3. Marrakesh, Morocco
Real deal: Many people even put Morocco’s other well-known city Casablanca (thanks to Bogie and Bergman) before the country’s actual number one, Rabat.
The historical Medina of the city of Rabat, capital of Morocco.
4. Auckland, New Zealand
Real deal: Unless you are from the Southern Hemisphere, you probably assume New Zealand’s biggest city, Auckland, is head honcho. It seems Windy Wellington suffers from a version of the ‘Canberra Complex’.
Wellington is nicknamed Windy Wellington.
5. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Real deal: Whenever Brazil hits our television screens (Olympics and the Soccer World Cup) clichéd pictures of the statute of Christ surveying Rio de Janeiro are the focus so it’s no wonder people don’t even know what real capital Brasília even looks like, let alone that it houses the country’s parliament.
Brasília is the capital of Brazil.
6. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Real deal: It’s the gateway to Zanzibar and has been a major trading port for centuries (spices and slaves), but Dar, as the locals know it, is not the full-blown capital. Yet while Dodoma houses the government, Dar es Salaam is considered the ‘commercial’ capital.
7. Johannesburg, South Africa
Real deal: The largest city in South Africa is presumed to be the capital by many, followed by Cape Town. Strangely, in fact, the capital duties for SA are shared between Pretoria, Cape Town and Bloemfontein (executive, judicial and legislative).
Beachhouses at Muizenberg Beach, Cape Town.
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8. Toronto, Canada
Real deal: Canada’s capital Ottawa (complete with bilingual parliament) is sometimes at number four on people’s lists. Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and even Quebec City may overshadow their little brother in publicity, tourism and beauty – if not political might.
Ottowa is not often on people’s bucket lists – but look how nice it is!
9. La Paz, Bolivia
Real deal: While the 3,000-metre-above-sea-level city is the administrative capital of this land-locked South American country, the much smaller city of Sucre takes the power by being the constitutional capital.
Sucre is only small, but is the capital of Bolivia
10. Tel Aviv, Israel
Real deal: It’s the financial capital, substantially larger in size, and a thriving sea-side metropolis, but Tel Aviv actually plays second fiddle to one of the most ancient cities in the world, Jerusalem – home to three of the world’s main religions.
The many ancient wonders of Jerusalem.
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Why travellers are increasingly dreaming of a white Christmas – and the best places to experience one for yourself.
If the Euro summer has long been Australians’ defining holiday, the white Christmas may well be emerging as its frosty successor.
Booking data from APT Travel Group has revealed that Australians are planning long-haul travel further in advance and increasingly swapping summer at home for a white Christmas abroad.
Why more travellers are booking a white Christmas
Find festive spirit in abundance in Tallinn, Estonia. (Credit: Unsplash/Dmitry Sumin)
Part of the shift is practical. With the Australian Government recently downgrading its travel warning for parts of the Middle East, travellers’ confidence in long-haul travel is returning as key transit hubs for Australians travelling to Europe reopen.
But accessibility alone isn’t the reason we’re seeing an incline in festive winter holiday bookings.
This year, Australia has experienced a particularly patchy start to the snow season, reminding travellers of how unpredictable winter has become and leading them to look overseas for their next wintry escape. At the same time, rising global temperatures are making reliable snowfall less certain across many parts of the world. Ironically, the rarer a classic white Christmas becomes, the more alluring it feels.
Travellers are increasingly looking overseas for guaranteed snowy escapes. (Credit: Unsplash/Joni Kuusisto)
Behavioural psychologists have long observed what they call the ‘scarcity effect’: we tend to assign greater value and desirability to experiences that feel limited or increasingly out of reach. A white Christmas – once an annual tradition for many – has evolved into a bucket-list experience.
It’s also a novel antidote to the Australian festive season. Rather than scorching pavements and beachside barbecues, travellers want to experience the Christmas they’ve spent their whole lives watching in films: snow-dusted pines, chestnuts roasting over an open fire and streets glowing beneath tinsel garlands and fairy lights. Nostalgia sells, but even more so when we feel like it might not always be available to experience.
For decades, Australians have sought to escape winter in search of a European summer. Now, the pendulum is swinging the other way. Below are the top places to have yourself a very Merry Christmas in the snow.
The best places to have a white Christmas
Finland
Finland is one of the best destinations for a white Christmas. Credit: APT)
When you’re set on experiencing a blanket-white Christmas, your best bet is to go north. Thanks to its chilly temperatures and geographical proximity to the Arctic Circle (nearly one third of the country’s landmass lies within the Arctic region), travellers are guaranteed to see snow during Finland’s winter months. Plus, the possibility of witnessing the northern lights ribboning across the sky makes the experience all the more magical.
Tallinn, Estonia
The city of Tallinn has a UNESCO-listed medieval town. (Credit: Unsplash/Ilya Orehov)
While places like Finland and Norway are coveted Christmas destinations, they certainly aren’t easy on the wallet. Estonia’s charming medieval capital of Tallinn is one of the best places to have a white Christmas on a budget, boasting Gothic spires, an intimate atmosphere and toasty market stalls selling everything from handicrafts to sugar-coated almonds. While snow over the Christmas period isn’t guaranteed these days, the country is further north and generally colder than Western European countries such as Germany and the Netherlands.
Canada
Explore the Christmas lights of Whistler. (Credit: APT)
With its festive spirit, friendly locals and picturesque landscapes, Canada is a top contender for the best place for a white Christmas. Victoria in British Columbia has just about every Christmas tradition covered in one town: a main street of snow-frosted stores, a gingerbread competition, a visit to see the reindeer and horse-drawn trolley rides; while Alberta will see you embracing cosy holiday traditions with the spectacular Canadian Rockies as your backdrop.
If you can’t choose just one destination, the Twelve Days of Christmas tour by APT includes Christmas in Banff, sleigh rides at Lake Louise, Vancouver’s Canyon Lights and the Canadian Rockies. “It’s a relaxed, accessible way to get a proper white Christmas, snow guaranteed rather than hoped for,” says Sarah Latimore, Head of Product at APT for Europe.
New York, USA
Central Park dusted with snow is all but magical. (Credit: Unsplash/Caitlyn Wilson)
Yes, films have been romanticising Christmas in New York for decades, but there’s a reason: the cool shift transforms the grand metropolis into what feels like a cinematic village where families glide over ice skating rinks in Central Park, dazzling displays illuminate the streets and carollers sing outside cosy bars with crackling fireplaces.
Germany
Browse bountiful Christmas markets in Regensburg. (Credit: APT)
Germany does Christmas with all the trimmings, especially the Christmas markets; there are hundreds (if not thousands) to choose between in picture-postcard historical towns across the country. Dresden has one of the oldest markets in the country, while Regensburg offers four fairy-light festooned markets within its UNESCO-listed medieval old town.
London, UK
Cosy up in London for the winter. (Credit: Unsplash/Zhang Kaiyv)
London is a prime place to celebrate a white Christmas with little people: Hamleys alone is worth getting on a plane for! Not only do many hotels offer holiday packages for families, but the sight of latticed snowflakes drifting from the sky on a rugged-up stroll along the Thames is nothing short of enchanting.
Prague, Czech Republic
Escape to the charming city of Prague. (Credit: Unsplash/Lukas Konvica)
Offering Gothic architecture, charming cobbled streets and spiced pastries in spades, Prague is among the best places to spend a white Christmas. Come Advent season, when a dusting of snow may cover its ancient castle, and the smell of roasting ham rises from the market stalls, it becomes utterly unforgettable.
Niseko, Japan
Hit the slopes for a Christmas spent skiing in Niseko. (Credit: Unsplash/Kristian Klausen)
You don’t need to fly all the way to Europe to enjoy a wintry Christmas abroad. On Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, Niseko is a wonderland for travellers wishing to spend the Christmas season carving up the ski slopes. Promising festive events such as fireworks and giant illuminated trees, as well as plenty of the fluffy white stuff, this ski resort town doesn’t disappoint.
Is Europe or Canada better for a white Christmas?
Europe and Canada are the two most popular destinations among Australian travellers booking wintry Christmas escapes. But which is right for you? Sarah Latimore, Head of Product at APT for Europe, says the answer hinges on your travel interests and preferences.
“Europe suits travellers who want depth, variety and a bit of indulgence, moving through centuries-old Christmas market traditions city by city,” Latimore says.
“Canada is for travellers chasing that classic, snow globe white Christmas. Think twinkling lights and decorations through Whistler and Banff, evenings by an open fire in a Fairmont hotel, and the kind of moments that define the season: dog sledding, sleigh rides, snow underfoot rather than sand.
“Neither is the ‘right’ choice universally; it comes down to matching the traveller. Someone chasing romance and heritage will lean Europe. Someone chasing a classic, white Christmas will lean Canada.”
