If you're dying to get out of Dodge, you're in luck. The Lonely Planet series of travel guides has just released its list of Top 10 World Cities. One entry is causing a few raised eyebrows — including mine. Glasgow, Scotland has made its way onto the list despite its not-too-distant reputation for rough neighborhoods, gangs, and general dereliction. When I went looking for photos, indeed most of them told that story.

The guide paints a rosier picture of a city resurrected. It says: "Forget castles, kilts, bagpipes and tartan. You come for the cocktails, cuisine and designer chic (plus the legendary native wit). Glasgow has shaken off its shroud of industrial soot and shimmied into a sparkling new designer gown."

The Lonely Planet travel editor seconds that notion saying, "The time has come for Lonely Planet to let one of its worst-kept secrets out: Glasgow's got everything. We're delighted to highlight such a fun, stylish city." While some say celebration is too soon in a city "more violent than New York and sicker than parts of Iraq," we can hope that the Planet folks have their finger on the pulse of a trend of improvement.

To see the rest of the cities that made the list, read more.

  • Antwerp
  • Beirut
  • Chicago
  • Glasgow
  • Lisbon
  • Mexico City
  • Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • Shanghai
  • Warsaw
  • Zurich

If the travel fairy bestowed you with a magical round-trip ticket, would you head to any of these cities?

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