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Mods, if there is another topic for this please feel free to lock this one, I searched for one and I didn't find one, so here goes.

Thought I'd ask for pretty early thoughts on the best city in the game. Put a vote in the poll and a sentence explaining your decision.


For me, It's a close one between Solitude and Markath, but I'll go for Solitude based on the nice looks and the awesome Proudspire Manor.

Its Whiterun for me. First city best city. I love the city being organized in tiers, with the marketplace in the middle. I'll put Morthal a close second.

I have to say in general the cities feel more realistic than in Oblivion. Everything seemed so planned in Oblivion, whereas in Skyrim the towns are sort of organized but there are also winding pathways and houses off to the side of the city where it's sprawled away from the main part of the city. Really well done.

Markarth. I've heard that you actually end up hated it after related quest chains, but I'm yet to see that. The Temple is actually the main attraction, as far as I'm concerned. It would seem that more or less, all its workers are required to be beautiful, since it is the temple of beauty. Unfortunately, I believe Orla is glitched and she won't move in with you. That caused me to reload. Other than that minor setback, the lore looks rich. There are the Battle Borns and Gray Manes of every city, stuck in endless petty feuds. But at the end of the day, no harm is truly done. No one lives in fear, and you get the sense the city functions just fine. In Markarth, the stakes are higher. Age-old conflicts have turned to violence. The first thing you see is vendors getting struck down by swords, and you're helpless to stop it. Yes, Morthal and Winterhold may be in equally bleak situations, but those are the kind of situations we've been seeing for years. Markarth is different. It's struggling, isolated, and confused, but it's also wealthy, so it never appears dysfunctional.

Also, I haven't visited it yet, but I think Rorikstead might belong on here since it's already showing up on my map. I've been everywhere else, though. Also, Falkreath really bothers me. It's more of a town than a city, a Riverwood with lesser architecture. As far as I'm concerned, Riverwood is the real 7th city. But it's all geographical, right? Falkreath fell within a hold that lacked a major city, so it was given its own keep where the Jarl would stay.

Falkreath for me. It was the first 'city' I discovered as I didn't want to follow the MQ straight away, it has an awesome gloomy feel with a massive graveyard, I've explored heaps around the area, got 3 daedric quests within or close to the city and it currently has a dragon skeleton lying just inside the gates. Just wish I could buy a house there .

Markarth. Unique Dwemer cliffside architecture, with convenient access to nearby Dwemer clutter to decorate your spacious abode with. Temple of Dibella across from your house, plus majestic waterfalls and aqueducts. The sick and unfortunate safely sequestered away beneath the city in the Warrens. Intriguing questlines, local history, and city politics. Strong economy and law and order both provided by the presence of the toughest jail in Skyrim. Just a great all around city.

Whiterun or Solitude they are the most beautiful cities for me.

I really love Riften, and its the perfect city for my Argonian thief.

On the flip side, what's the worst? I've only been to Markath, Riften, Whiterun and Falkreath so don't know what the best city is. Falkreath and Riften are definitely not my favourites though the latter looks to have decent merchants\gold plus the Thieves Guild so some positive to make up for its negatives. Falkreath's just a hole. Whiterun's nice looking, central, where you start and where I've spent a lot of time based. Markath's pretty spectacular but not spent much time there.

Riverwood, it just feels like home to me. Second would probably be Solitude, it reminds me of Skingrad.

Whiterun is my favorite. It just reminds me so much of Edoras from Lord of the Rings.
I also enjoy the cozy house you get there.

Winterhold. It is so out the way it is virtually cut off from the worlds problem plus there the college of winterhold and i love the weather.

Falkreath. I just love the dark atmosphere around it.

Solitude, it makes me feel like I'm playing Oblivion a little

Windhelm. I love the architecture, the climate, and the atmosphere. It feels like a fortress turned city, which I love.

Second is a tie between Riverwood and Whiterun. They did a good thing, showing those two cities first. Riverwood feels like a place I could live forever comfortably, and Whiterun is fairly self explanatory.

Solitude! I just love its cool location on the cliff and all the history with the wolf queen and Pelagius the mad.

Winterhold, for sure. The snowier, the better!

Just caught sight of Solitude for the first time, haven't even been in it and it is already my favorite. I am definitely moving my wife there asap

Markath is insane... that's what I'll say on that subject. Solitude looks like the best so far... but I dunno

Been 40 plus hours and I haven't been to every city yet