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New York Post
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
NYC snubbed on list of the 'most cultured' cities in the US
The Big Apple's got no juice. On a new list of the most cultured cities in the United States, New York was crowded out by a bunch of bizarre picks including at least one Rust Belt burg — and a city way out west known more for lei-ing around than lining up for the opera. 8 NYC ranked far below other less popular cities in a surprising new list of American cultural capitals. Christopher Sadowski According to Europe-based eSIM provider Holafly's US Culture Index, the concrete jungle where dreams are made of sounds more like a nightmare for true sophisticates. The self-styled smarty-pants survey ranked each of the country's top 100 most populous cities — based on the number of museums, live music venues, art galleries, landmarks and theaters per capita. Despite having some of the world's most popular museums, music venues, art galleries — not to mention landmarks around every corner and lines of people waiting for Broadway tickets — Gotham didn't even make the list of the top 40 'most cultured' places. In fact, the center of the known universe only managed to squeak its way onto the surprising list at number 43. Instead, swampy New Orleans was crowned the country's cultural capital. 8 The Big Easy scored the number one spot on the bizarre list of cities. Getty Images 'More people are broadening their horizons when it comes to picking that next city break and opting for more culture-filled experiences,' Juan David Soler from Holafly said in a statement. 'Whether it's the bustling music scenes of New Orleans and Nashville, to the sandy beaches and Pacific coastline of Honolulu, the US is home to some cultural gems.' 8 The list touted the beaches of Hawaii's largest city as a 'cultural gem.' REUTERS Regardless of any wacky lists, real New Yorkers know where their creative and intellectual bread is buttered. And plenty of travelers do, too, apparently — with a staggering 64.3 million visitors wanting to wake up in the city that doesn't sleep in 2024. That makes last year the second-best in city history, visit-wise — reflecting a 3.5% increase from 2023, according to a report from the city's tourism and convention bureau. 'New York remains the most visited city in the United States and a top destination for international markets and major events,' the organization claimed in a December report. Here are the top five places the survey authors said were the best in the country for culture vultures — do you agree? New Orleans, Louisiana – Culture Score = 126.07 8 New Orleans topped the list with the most cultural attractions and experiences per capita. WireImage Museums per 100,000: 15.65 Music Venues per 100,000: 23.62 Landmarks per 100,000: 38.99 Art Galleries per 100,000: 42.97 Theatres per 100,000: 4.84 San Francisco, California – Culture Score = 116.93 8 The city of San Francisco was ranked second, mostly thanks to its many landmarks, including the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Getty Images Museums per 100,000: 11.98 Music Venues per 100,000: 30.34 Landmarks per 100,000: 41.54 Art Galleries per 100,000: 25.39 Theatres per 100,000: 7.68 Nashville, Tennessee – Culture Score = 63.95 8 Although well-known for its music scene, Nashville also has a high concentration of museums. Getty Images Museums per 100,000: 31.32 Music Venues per 100,000: 18.06 Landmarks per 100,000: 4.22 Art Galleries per 100,000: 7.28 Theatres per 100,000: 3.06 St. Louis, Missouri – Culture Score = 60.54 8 St. Louis, Missouri comes in fourth place with a culture score of 60.54. Getty Images Museums per 100,000: 13.00 Music Venues per 100,000: 7.80 Landmarks per 100,000: 8.91 Art Galleries per 100,000: 22.28 Theatres per 100,000: 8.54 Honolulu, Hawaii – Culture Score = 60.47 8 Rounding out the top five most cultural cities in the US is Honolulu, despite not having many theaters. Earth Pixel LLC. – Museums per 100,000: 10.97 Music Venues per 100,000: 17.19 Landmarks per 100,000: 17.49 Art Galleries per 100,000: 11.86 Theatres per 100,000: 2.96
NDTV
29-04-2025
- NDTV
Why You Need An eSIM For Your Next Trip And How It Will Change The Way You Travel
Remember the days of fumbling with tiny SIM cards at the airport, praying you didn't lose that microscopic tool to pop open your phone tray? Good news: Those days are officially numbered. If you're planning your next trip, whether it's a quick European city break or a long-haul adventure, there's a smarter, much easier way to stay connected — and it's called an esim. So, what exactly is an eSIM? Short for "embedded SIM", an eSIM is a small chip built directly into your smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch. It works just like a traditional SIM card — letting your device connect to a mobile network — but you don't have to insert anything physically. Instead, you can instantly download mobile plans, switch providers without swapping cards, and manage multiple numbers from your settings. It's a game changer, especially for travel. All You Need To Know About Using An eSIM For Your Next Trip: Why eSIMs Make Travelling So Much Better First off, no more queuing at tiny airport kiosks trying to buy a local SIM with patchy Wi-Fi and a dubious language barrier. With an eSIM, you can sort out your mobile data before you leave home. Services like Airalo, Holafly, and Nomad let you buy local, regional, or global plans online. You scan a QR code or download a profile directly to your device, and boom — you're connected the moment you land. Another massive win? No more worrying about losing your primary SIM card. Travellers used to juggle their original SIMs, tucking them into wallets (or worse, the bottoms of rucksacks) only to panic later when they couldn't find them. With an eSIM, your original number stays untouched, and you simply activate a temporary travel plan alongside it. Dual SIM functionality means you can keep using your regular WhatsApp, banking apps, and texts while enjoying local rates abroad. The Tech You Need To Know Before you get too excited, check if your device supports eSIMs. Most newer smartphones do: think iPhone XR and later, Google Pixel 3 and onwards, and Samsung Galaxy S20 and above. Many new tablets and wearables, like the latest iPads and Apple Watches, are also eSIM-ready. It's worth noting that not all mobile networks fully support eSIM technology yet, especially in more remote parts of the world. But coverage is growing fast. According to GSMA, the association representing mobile operators, eSIM adoption is set to triple over the next few years. Translation: If it's not available where you're heading today, it probably will be soon. How To Set Up An eSIM Setting up an eSIM is refreshingly simple. After purchasing a travel data plan, you'll usually receive a QR code via email. Go into your phone's settings, select "Add Mobile Plan", scan the code, and follow a few on-screen instructions. That's it. In some cases, you might download an app (like Airalo's) to manage your plan directly. Pro tip: Set it up before you fly. You'll avoid stress and any roaming charges that might kick in as you search for a cafe with Wi-Fi in a new country. Also Read: 5 Airline Stopover Programmes That Offer You (Almost) Free Mini-Vacations Why It's Totally Worth It Not only does using an eSIM save you money — no overpriced airport SIMs or outrageous roaming charges — but it also gives you serious peace of mind. Imagine landing in Tokyo, Paris, or Cape Town and instantly hailing an Uber, finding your Airbnb, or checking in with family without breaking a sweat. Plus, most eSIM providers offer transparent, pay-as-you-go rates, so you're not tied into sneaky contracts or hidden fees. You buy what you need, when you need it. For frequent travellers, digital nomads, and even casual holidaymakers, eSIMs are quickly becoming the no-brainer choice. They're flexible, secure, and ridiculously convenient — everything modern travel should be. Popular Network Providers For International Travel 1. Airalo: 200+ countries including USA, UK, France, Japan, Thailand, Australia, India, Mexico 2. Holafly: 160+ countries including USA, Canada, UK, Europe (regional), Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Brazil 3. Saily: 150+ countries including USA, UK, Germany, Australia, UAE, Turkey, Singapore 4. Ubigi: 190+ countries including USA, UK, France, Italy, China, UAE, South Africa, Japan 5. Nomad: 165+ countries including USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia 6. Jetpac: 70+ countries including USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Europe 7. Instabridge: 100+ countries including USA, India, Brazil, Philippines, South Africa, UK 8. Flexiroam: 150+ countries including USA, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, UAE, UK, Australia 9. aloSIM: 130+ countries including USA, Mexico, France, Italy, Spain, Thailand, Japan 10. GigSky: 190+ countries including USA, UK, Europe (regional), China, UAE, Australia 11. Matrix: 130+ countries including USA, UK, UAE, Thailand, Singapore, Canada, Germany 12. ETravelSim: 200+ countries including USA, India, UK, Europe (regional), Australia, UAE, Japan
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Yahoo
These Washington cities are the 'most cultured' in the US, according to new report
Refined. Intellectual. Enlightened. You might be able to use these terms to describe the communities on Holafly's "Most Cultured Cities" in America list. The travel website and international eSIM provider recently analyzed 100 of the most populous cities in the U.S. to "establish where you can find America's cultural hotspots." Holafly created a "culture score" for each city by tracking the number of theaters, live music venues, museums, arts galleries, and landmarks per 100,000 people. New Orleans ranked first with a cultural score of 126.07, followed by San Francisco (second, 116.93) and Nashville (third, 63.95). Here's what to know. Seattle, the highest-placing Washington state city on the list, ranked 18th in the nation with a cultural score of 44.6, according to the report. Juan David Soler, a travel expert with Holafly, said Seattle is a "cultural gem" of the Pacific Northwest that marries nature and art. "For the Seattleites that call it home, they're spoiled with surrounding lush green forests and stunning areas of natural beauty like Lake Washington right on their doorstep," he said in an email. "Aside from a bustling music scene, it's also home to a host of renowned museums and art galleries, with almost 20 galleries per capita." Soler pointed to the Seattle Art Museum and the Museum of Pop Culture as must-visit destinations. Spokane ranked 41st, with a cultural score of 24.39, and Tacoma ranked 42nd, with a cultural score of 23.55. Elsewhere in the Northwest, Portland ranked 15th, scoring 45.51. Boise ranked 27th with a score of 32.76. New Orleans, Louisiana San Francisco, California Nashville, Tennessee St. Louis, Missouri Honolulu, Hawaii Boston, Massachusetts Arlington, Virginia Miami, Florida Washington, District of Columbia Richmond, Virginia See the full "Most Cultured Cities" in the U.S. report and methodology on Holafly's website. (This story was updated to fix a typo.) This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Seattle is a top 20 'most cultured' US city, according to new report
