Favourite cities?

Tesman85

When starting to play ESO, I was positively suprised by the cities. When compared to those of Oblivion or Skyrim, they are great. Although many of them are as small as in the mentioned games, generally the illusion of size is handled better, so that they appear like proper cities. There are monumental buildings, long streets, back alleys etc. that all contribute to the effect. No wonder I rank quite a few of them among the best I've seen video games.

My personal favourites are:

1. Alinor. Hellenistic Athens meets Imperial Rome meets Schloss Neuschwanstein built in gloriously shining marble. And, of course, the city is a perfect fit to be the main showcase of Altmer culture. How couldn't that appeal?

2. Abah's Landing. After starting the Thieves Guild questline, I fell in love with this city. The atmosphere is perfect for the questline, like a blend of the pirate cities of the 16th century Barbary coast and Port Royale. Also, there is the maze of back alleys and hiding perches high above the streets that makes for some interesting navigation when avoiding the guards. The blend of opulent palaces, big harbour district and poor dwellings really make it shine as a setting for some thievery and intrigue. The size is very good, too.

3. The Imperial City. Oh boy! It's like a painting created cooperatively by Hieronymus Bosch and John Martin had come to life. The size is huge, as it should be, and there's a very nice proportion of ruins and standing buildings to show both the extent of the Daedric destruction and to give a clear picture of what the place looked like before. The oppressive atmosphere of danger is deliciously thick, and the roaming Daedra and enemy players create a true feeling of chaos and mayhem. The only minus is that the districts look too much the same. Some variation would have been nice.

4. Wayrest. Looks and feels like a rich trading city that is also a capital of a strong kingdom. Only, I don't like how hard it is to navigate because of how the streets go in circles.

The best thing is that this list might change or expand yet, because there are many cities I have not visited yet or only passed through speedily. So I look forward to discovering even more of interesting cities and towns.

So, what are your favourite cities or towns, and why? It would be interesting to see what places get the most mentions.

Seraphayel

Alinor - a picturesque, renaissance city

Daggerfall - a medieval fantasy dream come true

Rimmen - exotic and exciting

Sentinel - a desert oasis

KalyanLazair

Alinor. I have two main houses, my beautiful Mistveil in the Rift, and the Alinor house, which I fell in love the first time I saw it and I saved up the coin (I didn't have it back at the time) to buy it. Beautiful city, beautiful house.

Rimmen, it is just very beautiful. While the rest of Northern Elsweyr is a mess to traverse with the huge rift and all, it is a lovely city.

Vukhel Guard. My main is a khajiit so I spent a long time in Auridon, and made Vukhel Guard my home. It is not as impressive as most other cities, but it holds a special place in my heart.

Balmora. It has a very unique style that makes it very interesting, like traveling to some far away land.

NotaDaedraWorshipper

Abah's Watch - It looks and feel like a city. There's homes, shops, street vendors, alleys, shortcuts, a busy looking harbour etc that just makes it feel more alive and realistic despite its size. The whole shady/piratey vibe just makes me like it more.

Orsinium - Again, another city that actually looks and feel like one. Instead of Abah's more cramped look, Orsinium is majestic with impressive towering stonework and the view of Wrothgar spreading out below. You can almost smell the snow and hear the sound of the echatere walking by, which I imagine is a strange sound.

Elsweyr's Orcrest - Yes, it's a public dungeon and filled with enemies, corpses and a few desperate survivors. But I would've liked to see it before the fall.

Balmora - I like the dunmer architecture, and as smaller towns go, Balmora looks quite lovely.

Summerset's cities - These ones are nice as well. Although it do bother me they all look the same and that the altmer architecture look so human. They could've at least given them some glass ceilings or something.

I think I like most dlc/chapters cities in some way, while the base game ones suffer a great deal from being from the base game. They don't feel like towns or cities, just some randomly spread out houses.

Edit: My goodness, I forgot Kvatch! It's also a favourite of mine. Not as good as some of the others, but I think the nostalgia does it.

Mayrael

1. Shornhelm. The town itself presents a great medieval image of the town, the half-timbered construction of the houses, the stone walls, all give the town a very realistic look. It has been my favourite location since the beginning of the game. Also almost the entire Rivenspire zone is very rugged and gives the impression of being inaccessible, sharp rocks, high mountains, a bleak climate found at every turn - simply amazing.

2. Alinor, that elvish style with fantasy flavour make it really epic city. When I walk the streets of this city I am reminded of the many old games I used to play, it breathes sentimentality, I simply fell in love from the first visit.

3. Abah's Landing. A multi-dimensional city full of winding streets, dead ends, sky-high paths and that desert vibe, you can't help but love something like this.

4. Rimmen. I love the whole zone, the city itself also has that southern desert vibe, the khajiit architecture is gorgeous and very exotic.

PurplePlatypus

In ESO – Abah's Landing
In TES IV: Oblivion – Bruma and Anvil (both)
In TES III: Morrowind – Ald'ruhn
In TES V: Skyrim – Riften

P.S. Summerset s.cks.

CrashTest

Alinor and Markarth bc the architecture, and they're not dark and gloomy.

Vivec bc the daily crafting convenience.

Wayrest bc pledges.

Belkarth bc pug life.

Urzigurumash

1. Dread Vullain

2. Bloodtoil Valley

3. Tanglehaven

4. Vulkwasten

5. Woodhearth

6. Cormount

7. Karthdar

As for the sorts of cities you describe, too much clamour, too many potential agents of the enemies of the Queen

Lugaldu

I also like all cities that look and feel like "real" cities, which look like they have grown over time, where different buildings were built next to each other and over each other, a winding road network that you can't see right through etc. (like in Abah's Landing and Orsinium). It would be even better if there were more differences in architecture within a city (due to changes in architecture over the centuries). I also like the gothic architecture in Alinor, but the city is overall a bit too sterile - but let's say it's due to Altermer perfection. The concept of Vivec City is also fantastic, an interesting approach, and also Markath has its charme.
I can imagine that Leyawiin will be interesting too, a city with different "faces".

Lady_Galadhiel

Alinor - just a beautiful city imo

Rimmen - I started playing when Elsweyr came out so Rimmen was one of the cities I spended the most time in and I have some great memories related to it.Also doing my writs there daily.

Elden Root - I love the tree architecture.

Arenthia - It has a charm the Khajiit houses together with the imperial style homes.

poodlemasterb16_ESO

Raw'l Kha is my favourite, half my chars operate there.

Vivec is another hub for my little gang, and of course Morrowind is just the best place, where the best game in the Elder Scrolls was made.

The rest are mainly liked or disliked by how close the Guild Traders are to the wayshire.

GrimTheReaper45

Alinor
Markarth
CWC

ThorianB

Windhelm, Abah's Landing, Markarth are my favorites in ESO.

TX12001rwb17_ESO

1. Markarth
2. Abah's Landing
3. Anvil
4. Kvatch
5. Balmora
6. The Brass Fortress
7. Vivec City
8. Alinor
9. Rimmen

oldbobdude

I like posts like this. They give a noob a sense of what's coming. I been staying mostly in Auridon so know Vukhel Guard and Skywatch pretty good. Both seem like good cities. Filled with people (players and NPC alike). And I keep wondering how the cities I know from previous games will look.

RedMuse

Velyn Harbor. So much peace and quiet, and a decent layout.

Vlad9425

Alinor is easily the greatest city in the game and tbh nothing even comes close apart from maybe Raw'l Kha but that’s just because it’s convenient.

SilverBride

Alinor has become my go to city because it's laid out very well and is just plain beautiful. Although I still go to Rawl'ha some of the time when I need to conduct town business. I own houses in both so it's easy access.

Cireous

1. Markarth
2. Solitude
3. ... so... whens that next Skyrim Chapter releasing?

[also: please fix things so I can conveniently do my writs in one of the cities above, preferably in Stone E. Aerie, thanks]

LalMirchi

Vivec - The open city
Alinor - For my alts who've maxxed mount training

AcadianPaladin

Elden Root - it's a tree!

SidraWillowsky

I agree on Alinor, and Lillandril is great as well. I don't actually spend a whole lot of time in either, but they're gorgeous.

The Brass Fortress is fantastic and has 1 of my two favorite songs in the game (the other is Ascadian Idyll, though that plays in the... not Ascadian region of Vvardenfell for some reason).

Mournhold, mostly b/c it's neat to see the Tribunal Temple rise above everything else- it feels exactly as one might expect a majestic temple would.

Wayrest- feels like a proper city

I feel like I *should* say Vivec, because Morrowind is the greatest game of all time, but the area with the brewer and chef seems terribly far away from everything else. I do my writs in Vivec, but when I create a new toon it's always a pain to start the writ process there because of the back and forth.

SilverBride

I absolutely hate Vivec City and dread questing there. There are just too many levels and winding passages, and it always takes me forever to find the path to the quest givers. The layout just doesn't make sense to me.

poodlemasterb16_ESO

SilverBride wrote: »

I absolutely hate Vivec City and dread questing there. There are just too many levels and winding passages, and it always takes me forever to find the path to the quest givers. The layout just doesn't make sense to me.

Its very much simplified compared to Vivec in Morrowind. That was actually complicated, ESO's version is not.

TwinLamps

Vivec, for crafting
Markarth, for looks
Brass Fortress, for steampunk atmosphere
Deshaan, out of vanilla settlements

SilverBride

poodlemasterb16_ESO wrote: »

SilverBride wrote: »

I absolutely hate Vivec City and dread questing there. There are just too many levels and winding passages, and it always takes me forever to find the path to the quest givers. The layout just doesn't make sense to me.

Its very much simplified compared to Vivec in Morrowind. That was actually complicated, ESO's version is not.

It's still very complicated for me. And the quest makers just make it worse because if you head toward one you just end up going in circles.

FluffWit

Riften. On PS4 NA the spot outside the bank is really popular with people dueling and hanging out. I seldom interact with them but it's just nice to see people goofing off and having fun.

Bandaari Trading Post. Not really a city I guess but it's just gorgeous. Wish I could do my crafting writs here.

Alinor. Beautiful, well laid out city and always bustling with players of all levels going about their business.

Vivec City. It's just ridiculously convenient. Especially for someone like me who crafts furniture to sell in guild stores. I can check what I need to make then it's a 2 second walk to all 7 stations.

Kavatch. Love the vibe here.... dont know how else to put it really. Next time you visit talk to the training lady at the stables, shes a trip.

Sylvermynx

Rimmen, Anvil, Elden Root, Brass Fortress, Baandari and Redfur Trading Posts, Marbruk.

SidraWillowsky wrote: »

I agree on Alinor, and Lillandril is great as well. I don't actually spend a whole lot of time in either, but they're gorgeous.

The Brass Fortress is fantastic and has 1 of my two favorite songs in the game (the other is Ascadian Idyll, though that plays in the... not Ascadian region of Vvardenfell for some reason).

Mournhold, mostly b/c it's neat to see the Tribunal Temple rise above everything else- it feels exactly as one might expect a majestic temple would.

Wayrest- feels like a proper city

I feel like I *should* say Vivec, because Morrowind is the greatest game of all time, but the area with the brewer and chef seems terribly far away from everything else. I do my writs in Vivec, but when I create a new toon it's always a pain to start the writ process there because of the back and forth.

Here's how I get around that: you have to go to Alinor to get certified for JC. While you're there talk to Danel Telleno who's on the other side of the bridge from the JC guy (who's name I can't offhand remember), pick up the quest to get the Roast Pig recipe, learn the recipe, pick up the follow on to cook the pig, finish the JC stuff then head for Vivec. When you get there, Danel AND Millenith will be outside next to the bank. Easy peasy from there.

DinoZavr

Vivec City.
All crafting stations and bank. No doors!

SidraWillowsky

Sylvermynx wrote: »

Rimmen, Anvil, Elden Root, Brass Fortress, Baandari and Redfur Trading Posts, Marbruk.

SidraWillowsky wrote: »

I agree on Alinor, and Lillandril is great as well. I don't actually spend a whole lot of time in either, but they're gorgeous.

The Brass Fortress is fantastic and has 1 of my two favorite songs in the game (the other is Ascadian Idyll, though that plays in the... not Ascadian region of Vvardenfell for some reason).

Mournhold, mostly b/c it's neat to see the Tribunal Temple rise above everything else- it feels exactly as one might expect a majestic temple would.

Wayrest- feels like a proper city

I feel like I *should* say Vivec, because Morrowind is the greatest game of all time, but the area with the brewer and chef seems terribly far away from everything else. I do my writs in Vivec, but when I create a new toon it's always a pain to start the writ process there because of the back and forth.

Here's how I get around that: you have to go to Alinor to get certified for JC. While you're there talk to Danel Telleno who's on the other side of the bridge from the JC guy (who's name I can't offhand remember), pick up the quest to get the Roast Pig recipe, learn the recipe, pick up the follow on to cook the pig, finish the JC stuff then head for Vivec. When you get there, Danel AND Millenith will be outside next to the bank. Easy peasy from there.

Brilliant, thanks!

Sylvermynx

@SidraWillowsky - I'm into shortcuts.... so I actively look for them. You're welcome!