10 Unexpected Cities to Love

Valentine's Day is obviously the perfect day to celebrate the cities we love, but rather than go after the usual suspects—London, New York, Barcelona, Copenhagen—we're sending our love to ten cities that deserve adulation but don't get much attention.

As Mary Jander writes, "Needless to say, these cities are recognizably successful by a range of yardsticks. But often they don't make headlines. Some are eclipsed by larger neighbors that may be more significant in world politics. Others are short on the kind of news items that put cities in the international media spotlight -- things like drunk or misbehaving mayors, city councils that erupt in violence, and bankruptcy.

"Yet these cities do stand out for a variety of reasons. Many have overcome significant problems to achieve new stability; others have retrieved economic success despite enormous odds. These are cities we think worth remembering today."