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Gwangju, South Korea -

Often credited with the birth of Korean democracy, the city of Gwangju is located in southwestern South Korea. In 1980, the city witnessed huge bloodshed during protests against the 1979 military coup.

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Gwangju, South Korea -

Today, the sixth largest city in South Korea is emerging as a top tourist destination largely thanks to its reputation as a food capital.

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Gwangju, South Korea -

The famed ingredient kimchi is said to have its home in Gwangju, and visitors to the city can enjoy dishes ranging from bibimbap (a national rice dish) to gejang (soy-marinated crab).

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Tunis, Tunisia -

Tunis is the capital and largest city of Tunisia, a country whose reputation has suffered over the last decade due to the 2011 revolution that prompted the Arab spring and a spate of terror attacks in 2015.

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Tunis, Tunisia -

Despite its troubles, the country has emerged with a democratic government and functioning economy, making it ripe for tourism.

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Tunis, Tunisia -

The only Arab nation with freedom of expression, residents of Tunis are buzzing with creative energy and their creations are helping to establish the city as one the world’s most exciting artistic hubs.

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Kigali, Rwanda -

Over 25 years after genocide shook the country, and indeed the world, to its very core, the East African country of Rwanda appears to be on its way to recovery.

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Kigali, Rwanda -

Its capital city, Kigali, is now a vibrant, social affair where art and community thrives.

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Kigali, Rwanda -

Largely responsible for the country’s rapid recovery is the unifying principle of umuganda. Every last Saturday of the month between 8 am and 11 am, at least one person from each Rwandan household must go outside and do cleaning, fixing, or maintenance work.

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Pristina, Kosovo -

Often described as one of Europe’s ugliest capitals, it is true that the city of Pristina is not very aesthetically-pleasing.

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Pristina, Kosovo -

It is home to many unattractive Soviet-era buildings, such as the National Library of Kosovo, which has been described by Virtual Tourist as one of the world’s ugliest buildings.

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Pristina, Kosovo -

Yet the juxtaposition with some of Europe’s oldest mosques provides a fascinating picture of the country’s tumultuous recent history: in the past century alone, Kosovo has been ruled by the Ottoman Empire, Serbia, Yugoslavia, and even Italy.

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New Orleans, Louisiana -

‘Katrina crosses,’ (spray-painted X's that indicated that the home was searched, how many dead were found, and more) can still be found throughout the city that was ravaged by the deadly hurricane some 15 years ago. When people repainted their houses after the devastation, they often painted around the cross or reapplied it when they were done.

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New Orleans, Louisiana -

The hurricane that killed more than 1,800 people and left 80% of the city underwater is not ignored today but instead commemorated, with visitors able to view what is left from the devastation.

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New Orleans, Louisiana -

The city itself has made a remarkable recovery, with more restaurants open than before the tragedy and a burgeoning arts scene where there wasn’t one before.

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Beirut, Lebanon -

For a long time, the capital city of Lebanon was not considered a desirable place to visit-the Middle Eastern territory has suffered two major conflicts in the past 30-odd years.

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Beirut, Lebanon -

Beirut has stood strong, however, and the neighborhood of Hamra, once a major stage in Lebanon’s Civil War, is littered with shops and clubs, receiving regular visits from international partygoers.

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Beirut, Lebanon -

The Beirut National Museum has also been restored after being destroyed by fighting, and has regained its place as a major cultural center.

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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania -

The city was almost brought to its knees after its all-important steel industry collapsed in the 1980s.The city was hit by unemployment and massive economic decline, with many inhabitants choosing to move away.

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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania -

However, a spectacular effort at reinvention was made and the city developed a strong economy driven by cutting-edge research.

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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania -

Nowadays the city is once again renowned for its stylish restaurants, hotels, and galleries.

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Asmara, Eritrea -

For years, Asmara was off-limits because of fighting between Eritrea and neighboring Ethiopia.

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Asmara, Eritrea -

Now that the city is safer, increasing numbers of people are visiting to discover the beautiful Art Deco architecture. It has to be said, however, that much of it was built by Mussolini during his bid to build a second Roman Empire.

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Asmara, Eritrea -

The city is also home to Fiat Tagliero, a fuel station shaped like an airplane ready for take-off.

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Rotterdam, The Netherlands -

The second-largest Dutch city after Amsterdam was obliterated during the Second World War, but it's made a remarkable recovery.

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Rotterdam, The Netherlands -

Nowadays it is home to a number of pioneering design projects as well as one of Europe’s most vibrant electronic music scenes.

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Rotterdam, The Netherlands -

Recently a project introduced a string of colorful lights to the city to mark the limits of the Luftwaffe bombings.

See also: An A-Z guide of interesting cities to visit

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