The 15 Most Iconic Streets in the World

Who agrees with me that streets are totally awesome? I see almost everybody’s hands up. Except for the guy who always disagrees with me just to be a jerk. Seriously, think about it: if streets didn’t exist, how would we ever find each other? It would be like, “Hey, let’s meet up this evening. Where? How about on some famous street in the city? You’re telling me that streets aren’t a thing? Well, I guess we won’t be able to meet then and that’s sad.” Another reason why streets are pretty sweet is because their smooth surfaces are convenient for escaping in the getaway car. Certainly better than driving through a cornfield with all those bags of money. But that’s a story for another time. Here’s a look at the 15 most famous streets in the world.

1. Nyhavn, Copenhagen
This 17th century waterfront and canal is notable for its brightly colored buildings and the historical wooden ships that harbor there. After World War II, its relevance as a key shipping port began to wane and by the 1970s much of the street was used as boring ol’ parking lot space. But revitalization efforts in the 1980s – including creating a pedestrian walk – has made this a popular place for tourists who want to visit the many cafes and shops. Unsurprisingly, the water is also said to be full of mermaids.

2. Nanjing Road, Shanghai
Big fan of shopping, ladies? Then get yourself a tourist visa to China, make the flight to Shanghai, and visit the dozens of luxury goods and fashion stores that make Nanjing Road one of the world’s busiest shopping streets. They’ve got Old Navy. Tommy Hilfiger. Calvin Klein. And even a Lego store! Go ahead and max out that credit card. Don’t be weird.

3. Svobody Avenue, Lviv
Looking for a true Eastern European cultural experience? Head on over to Lviv, Ukraine and wander around Svobody (Freedom) Avenue. Catch a performance at the Lviv Opera House. Try out the culinary masterpieces that are served up at the McDonald’s. If pizza is your thing, Da Vinci makes a pretty passable version of it. On Sundays they even close off the street to traffic so that you can enjoy the atmosphere without all those crazy Lviv drivers. This doesn’t always stop cars from driving through, but what can you do?

4. Long Street, Cape Town
Dream about living a Bohemian lifestyle? Live out these fantasies by visiting Long Street in Cape Town. It gets its name because it is literally a long street, see? Logic. It’s a diverse area with lots of cafes to sip coffee in, bookstores where you can pretend to be all smart and stuff, and plenty of nice looking Victorian buildings with wrought iron balconies if that strikes your fancy.

5. Lombard Street, San Francisco, CA
Want to visit one of the world’s crookedest streets? So do 2 million other people, apparently. This famous street located in the Russian Hill neighborhood consists of really windy turns. You’re even welcome to drive your car down the street, but make sure to keep yourself busy as you wait in the cue as it can sometimes take 30 minutes or longer before you get your turn.