World most visited cities

Editor's note: The list below reflects the top five cities on

MasterCard's Global Destination Cities Index for 2014. The 2015

listremains largely unchanged.

The same attractions that prompt people to love visiting a city –

top-ranked restaurants, vibrant nightlife, diverse neighbourhoods,

iconic sights – can entice them into staying longer term. In fact,

many of the world's most visited cities, as ranked by 2014's

Mastercard's Global Destination Cities Indexreleased in July, are

also popular destinations for expats.

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But being a resident of one of the world's most visited cities is not

without its unique set of challenges. "Coming from a smaller city in

Canada, I was overwhelmed at first by how crowded certain areas of

Paris were," said Erika Belavy, who moved to the City of Light from

Calgary, Alberta, seven years ago. "When I first moved to the city, I

made the mistake of choosing an apartment right beside the Arc de

Triomphe. No matter what time of day, or which month of the year,

there were so many tourists it was a nightmare getting on the nearby

metro."

Still, it does not take residents long to learn how to navigate the

crowds and find secluded spots. We talked to expats and natives to

learn what it's like living in some of the world's most visited cities

– and the secrets to steering clear of the constant crowds.

London

Great Britain's capital came in as this year's number one most visited

city, with 18.7 million international tourists estimated to arrive in

2014. (Mastercard combines tourism board statistics, flight schedules

and expected passenger loads to project the year's arrivals.) London

native Sophie Loveday said she hardly notices the influx. "You just

get used to so many people being around," she said. "It's what gives

the city such a buzz!"

Even so, she said she always tries to avoid the West End's Leicester

Square because the pedestrian plaza is too commercial – with or

without tourists. However, she will brave the crowds of Covent Garden,

a shopping district in the West End, thanks to its quirky shops and

hip vibe. East London's Brick Lane is also a must-visit, despite being

"heaving full of people"; the neighbourhood's Indian curries are

considered among the best in the UK, and the restaurants and food

stalls make finding a good meal easy.

To escape the city, Loveday travels to the southwest suburb of

Richmond. "You can see deer running through the park or take a boat

down the Thames river," she said, then finish the day off with a meal

at a waterfront pub like the Bavarian beerhouse Steinsor the popular

restaurant Gaucho, which serves Argentinian food and wine amid

cowhide-fabric furniture.

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There are no shortages of neighbourhoods (called districts) to fit any

vibe. Loveday lives in the southwest district of Tooting, which she

loves for its multicultural vibe and influx of young professionals who

keep the area lively. She also recommended Angel, in northern London,

due to its "cool and friendly" vibe.

Bangkok

Due to political protests and the Thai government shutdown in 2013,

Bangkok slipped to number two in this year's global rankings, yet is

still expected to draw 16.4 million international visitors in 2014.

Thankfully, residents say, the influx is seasonal, with most visitors

coming November to February. Ketsara Chocksmai, a Bangkok native and

tour director for Thailand's smarTours, said she especially finds the

city pleasant from June to September. "It's our rainy season, so not

many tourists come to visit this time of year," she said. But since it

usually does not rain all day, locals can still enjoy being outside.

Despite its reputation for wild nightlife, Bangkok also has its fair

share of quiet spaces for people to get away. Locals often seek

peacefulness in one of the city's many Buddhist temples, such as the

old town's Wat Phra Kaew, considered the most sacred in the country

due to its 6.6m-tall "Emerald Buddha", carved from a single piece of

jade. Lumpini Parkand Benjakitti Park, downtown, can also be peaceful

escapes – aside from early morning and late afternoon, when they tend

to be popular with joggers and yogis.