No. 10: San Francisco, U.S.
It’s not called the San Francisco Bay Area for nothing. San Franciscans stretch out beyond the dense urban jungle to bike up Mount Diablo in the East Bay, hike the Marin Headlands or shuck fresh oysters along the north coast. San Francisco has one of the most dynamic food scenes in the United States, and a weekend of wine tasting is just 45 minutes away in Napa and Sonoma.
No. 9: Sydney, Australia
Sydneysiders love to party, and they love to eat. To join in with both, why not start in the harbor at Quay, then move on to the Opera Bar or the Rockpool Bar and Grill, newly opened in an Emil Sodersten building, for some style. For nightlife, tourists go to the Rocks, but the locals still love King’s Cross.
No. 8: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Going out in Buenos Aires is all about casual wear and flip-flops, with revelers hitting the town late. While foreigners are understandably intimidated by the steely glares of the porteños (port-dwellers), behind those pouting faces are some of the friendliest clubbers in the Southern Hemisphere.
No. 7: Miami, U.S.
While Miami may be best known for its beaches and the beautiful people who sprawl across them, culture isn’t given a backseat. Miami is North America’s emerging design capital, and given the plethora of party venues (and the great weather), there are tons of special events and festivals here all year, from wine and food festivals to music blowouts.
No. 6: Cape Town, South Africa
Two words: World Cup. Cape Town is South Africa’s glossiest city, and guys have much more than soccer to occupy them: all within a stone’s throw are windsurfing beaches, wineries, rock-climbing walls, and oh yeah, the continent’s best nightlife.
No. 5: London, UK
The cost of living in London is notoriously high, but it’s actually gone down in the past year, despite a continued surge in innovative food, design and nightlife. The city’s gearing up for the Olympics in 2012, which means new developments on the horizon.
No. 4: Madrid, Spain
Madrid gives New York City a run for its money as the city that never sleeps, with Madrileños beginning their evenings around 11 p.m. with shots and sangria and staggering home no earlier than 6 a.m.
No. 3: Tokyo, Japan
We’ll never cease to be amazed by Tokyo. From the food to the parties to the tech, we’re continually humbled. And the shopping — well, this is quite possibly the premier fashion city on earth, especially for menswear, with obscure brands and some of the best denim in the world available in stores that are designed to blow your mind.
No. 2: Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne is affordable, stylish and laid-back — basically all of our favorite qualities in a city. As the home of Aussie-rules football, you’ll never lack for willing opponents in a pickup game, and there’s a new stadium where you can go watch the pros, too.
No. 1: New York City, U.S.
There’s no place on earth that makes us happier to be men in 2010 than New York City. The Big Apple is always reinventing itself and never fails to surprise us with what comes next. Since the financial crisis, the high-gloss bottle service bars have been replaced by cozy speakeasies, and designer tapas bars have been replaced by burgers and suckling pig, which is definitely a step in the right direction.