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The City of the Kings - Lima -

The Peruvian capital was given this grand title in 1535 by Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro. The city was founded of January 6, which is when the feast of the Epiphany (aka Three Kings Day) is celebrated in Catholic tradition, hence the name.

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The Pearl of the Danube – Budapest -

The Danube river splits the Hungarian capital in two, so the nickname is pretty self-explanatory. Budapest is also known by other nicknames, including the Capital of Spas and Thermal Baths and City of Spas.

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The Eternal City – Rome -

Rome was the capital of a powerful empire that lasted centuries, so the name doesn't really come as a surprise. The origin of the nickname though, is credited to poet Tibullus, who in the 1st century BCE referred to the city as Urbs Aeterna, which means "Eternal City" in Latin.

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The Big D – Dallas -

Everything is bigger in Texas, and of course this includes Dallas. The nickname dates back to a 1950s musical that popularized "Big D" with a song by Bing Crosby. Dallas Morning News writer Paul Crume also called his column 'Big D.'

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The Capital of the Alps – Grenoble -

It's not hard to see why this French city was given this nickname: Grenoble's close proximity with the European mountain range makes it an obvious choice.

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The City of 72 Nations – Tehran -

The Iranian capital has attracted numerous immigrants over the years. From Persians, to Turks, and Mazanderanis, the city is a melting pot of different ethnicities to this day.

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The City That Never Stops – Tel Aviv -

This cosmopolitan city on Israel's coast is as lively as it gets, with a buzzing nightlife and a dynamic atmosphere. These characteristics earned Tel Aviv the nickname of The City That Never Stops.

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The Pearl of the Adriatic – Dubrovnik -

The Croatian city, located on the Dalmatian coast, facing the Adriatic Sea, is indeed a pearl not to be missed. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, Dubrovnik is a must-visit.

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The Emerald City – Seattle -

This city in the Pacific Northwest earned its nickname in 1982, following a contest held by the Convention and Visitors Bureau. The surrounding evergreen forests and the city parks inspired the nickname.

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The City of Gaudí – Barcelona -

Okay, this one is pretty obvious. Anyone visiting the city probably won't miss the iconic works of the famous Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudí (i.e. La Sagrada Familia).

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The City of Brotherly Love – Philadelphia -

The nickname dates back to the founding of the city. It was envisioned by English Quaker William Penn to be a place of religious freedom. In fact, Philadelphia means love (phileo) and brother (adelphos) in Greek.

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The Forbidden City – Beijing -

You might recognize the name from the imperial palace in the heart of the Chinese capital. Beijing as a whole has been called The Forbidden City as a result.

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The City of Tigers – Oslo -

Tigers in Norway? Well, not quite. The term is said to have been first used by poet Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson in 1870, when he made reference to a tiger as an analogy for how edgy the city was.

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The Steel City – Pittsburgh -

The nickname could well be used for numerous industrial cities, but Pittsburgh earns it due to its  300-plus steel-related businesses. This city in Pennsylvania is also known as the City of Bridges (it has 446 of them).

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The Harbor City – Sydney -

The nickname comes naturally, as Port Jackson, or Sydney Harbour, is home to some of the city's most iconic attractions, including the Sydney Opera House.

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The City of a Hundred Spires – Prague -

The Czech capital is full of magnificent historical sites, including numerous churches and a castle. It's easy to see why Prague got this nickname.

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The Smoke - London -

The English capital used to have a huge air pollution problem, mainly caused by the thousands of people using coal to heat up their homes. Other similar nicknames include The Big Smoke and The Old Smoke.

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The Paris of South America – Buenos Aires -

The capital of Argentina has a rich European heritage. Its architecture, wine, food, and glamour has seen it compared to the French capital.

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The Fashion Capital – Milan -

This city in the north of Italy is well known for being home to iconic fashion houses, including Armani, Versace, Prada, and Dolce & Gabbana.

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The Big Apple - New York City -

Probably one of the most famous nicknames in the history of city nicknames, the Big Apple was first used in 1920 in relation to horseracing. Though the name didn't stick until an ad campaign ran in the '70s to attract visitors to the city.

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The City of Light - Paris - The French capital is full of light, with iconic monuments such as the Eiffel Tower being lit every night. Though the nickname actually comes from it being a center of thought and progress throughout the Age of Enlightenment.

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The Mother of the World – Cairo -

Founded around 969 CE, Cairo is one of the largest, and most important, cities in Africa, and indeed the world. The Egyptian capital has been known as Um al-Dunya, which is Arabic for "Mother of the World," for a very long time.

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The Lion City – Singapore -

This nickname is actually a literal translation of the city-state's name. The Malay word singa means "lion" in English.

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The Peace Capital – Geneva -

Home to numerous organizations, including the European seat of the United Nations, the Red Cross, and UNESCO, the Swiss city is indeed a hub of international diplomacy.

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Muddy York – Toronto -

The nickname of this Canadian city dates back a long time. Before the streets of Toronto were paved, the dirt roads would turn very muddy when it rained, hence the name.

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The City of Lilies – Florence -

The beautiful flower is celebrated in the Italian city.  The birthplace of the Renaissance era has used the lily Iris florentina as its symbol for centuries, including in the city's flag.

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The Big Easy – New Orleans -

It's believed that New Orleans earned the nickname for being a city where jazz and blues musicians flocked to, and easily found work. The city remains a welcoming place, for everyone.

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The Little Paris – Bucharest -

Buenos Aires is not the only city to be compared to the French capital. The nickname of the capital city of Romania also makes reference to Paris, thanks mostly to its architecture.

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Venice of the North - Amsterdam -

Home to 165 canals, it's easy to see why the Dutch capital is nicknamed the Venice of the North. 

Sources: (List25) (Elle Decor) (Great Value Vacations) 

See also: The surprising history behind every state nickname

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