How The World's Most Loved Cities Got Their Nicknames

The Big Smoke, the City of Love, the Big Apple. You all know which great cities these iconic nicknames refer to, but more importantly, do you know how they got them? No. Didn’t think so.

London. Paris. New York. An order synonymous with the fashion capitals of the world. The Big Smoke, the City of Love and the Big Apple don’t really command the same attention, but have you ever sat down for a minute and wondered ‘why do I call London the Big Smoke’ from time-to-time? Probably not, because you’ve got far more important things on your mind – like what’s going to happen when Jon Snow meets Daenerys in the next episode of Game of Thrones. We feel your pain.

For those who are curious, however, the team at Globehunters put together this little infographic to answer all your questions. From Rome to Venice and Geneva to Sydney, here’s the story behind the nicknames of 13 cities that really should earn a top spot on your bucket lists. Oh, and it’s great knowledge to have for your next pub quiz, too.

About the author

Luke Abrahams

Luke Abrahams is a born and bred Londoner and is proud to call the capital his home. He mostly writes about popular culture trends and pugs but isn’t afraid to tackle food, art and style from time-to-time.