Some locales offer the imagination a touch of intrigue or glamour or the exotic. Many of the world’s rudest cities may, indeed, be feeding your imaginations with such delusions of the exotic. These world class cities have been voted, time and time again, by travelers as the rudest, crudest, most ill mannered cities on Earth.
#5 – Los Angeles, California USA
Several of the major travel sites, guide books and agencies are quite consistent with Los Angeles ranking in the top five on pretty much everyone’s list. Despite what the city tries to project in the media and on television, travelers and out of towner’s are consistently met with rudeness and a lack of desire to help anyone. The other thing consistent with LA, people state, is that everyone seems in their own little self absorbed worlds or else they are trying to scam you. Everyone, it seems, is on the make to make the fast buck. America’s second largest city is not a friendly place so if you plan to go there, consider booking a tour.
#4 – Marseilles, France
There was a time when Marseilles was the drug smuggling capital of the world. The heroin of the world generally passed through there. First off, there are French people there and the French are well known throughout the world for being arrogant and rude to anyone who isn’t French. France’s second largest city, people find, is shadowy and gritty in nature and the sense of aloofness is everywhere. You may be wise to take the seven hour trip from there to Paris instead. It’s not much friendlier but at least it’s Paris.
#3 – Saint Petersburg, Russia
The Russians tend to be extremely cold and aloof especially to Americans. There is little openness or a desire to engage with someone from another country. The city itself is very old and the architecture is a marvel to look at. The Russians tend to discourage tourism as a rule and there is much paperwork to be done to travel there. If you plan on going there, you will need all of your proverbial ducks in order and it is advisable to go with a group that includes some one who speaks Russian.
#2 – Newark, New Jersey USA
Without a doubt, Newark is quite likely the rudest and most unfriendly city in America and comes in at number two in the world. It is a hard core blue collar place with little sense of humor. It comes in at the top of everyone’s list year after year. Their international airport is among the worst in the world, traffic is a horror show and it is never on the top of anyone’s bucket list. Conde Nast took the pulse of nearly 50,000 travelers and pretty much everyone said the only reason they went to Newark was to pass through the airport on their way to somewhere else.
#1 – Moscow, Russia
This is, indeed, the unfriendliest and rudest of the world’s major cities. No other city, even Newark, has ever even been close. The Russians of Moscow are not likely to even look at you never mind speak with you. There is a lot of paperwork to be done and it is almost impossible to get a visa to visit if you are a foreigner. Travel is terrible, the food is worse, and unless you have an official letter of recommendation from a licensed tour guide or one of the hotels, you won’t get in anyway. Taking a proper and recognized tour is the only way to go and you had better pack a second passport.
PHOTO CREDITS: Pixabay / CBS News