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Artwork for History's Greatest Cities

History's Greatest Cities

History Extra
Venice
Delhi
Roman Empire
Lisbon
Edinburgh
New York City
Bath
Immigration
World War II
Mughal Empire
Amsterdam
Portugal
Jane Austen
British Raj
Munich
Ancient Civilization
Slavery
Beijing
Marco Polo
Aldus Manutius

Travel writer and history buff Paul Bloomfield will be joining expert guides with rich local and historical knowledge. Venturing to the great cities of Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas, they'll explore centuries-long stories of foundation and growth, and examine how contact between continents shaped these far-flung places. Along the way, they'll introduce the colourful characters who played p... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes52Founded3 years ago
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Artwork for History's Greatest Cities

Latest Episodes

Vienna has long been a pivotal location in European history, shaping imperial politics, hosting landmark diplomatic negotiations, and nurturing artistic, cultural and intellectual movements that spread throughout the continent. In this episode of His... more

Kyoto stands as Japan’s thousand-year imperial heart, in which courtly ritual, Buddhist thought, and architectural artistry crystallised into the nation’s cultural centre. In this episode, travel writer and history buff Paul Bloomfield is joined by h... more

As one of the oldest cities in the United States, Boston played a pivotal role in the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, as well as the signing of the Declaration of Independence that followed. In this episode of History’s Greatest Cities, P... more

Siena stands as a brick-and-marble time capsule of the Middle Ages, where banking ambition, artistic revolution, and fierce civic identity fused into one of the great medieval Italian city states. Travel writer and history buff Paul Bloomfield is joi... more

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Recent Guests

Florian Pollock
Head of Communications and Development at Vienna Museum
Vienna Museum
Episode: Vienna
Lesley Downer
Historian and author, expert on Japan and Kyoto
Historian, author
Episode: Kyoto
John Bell
Historian and Boston expert
Author and Boston historian
Episode: Boston
Lucy Shipley
Archaeologist and researcher; author of The Etruscans Lost Civilizations
Independent scholar/author
Episode: Siena
Craig Lamont
Lecturer in Scottish Studies at the University of Glasgow; expert in the cultural history of Glasgow in the long 18th century
University of Glasgow
Episode: Glasgow
Bradley Mayhew
Author and travel guide expert featured as the host's guide for Samarkand
Episode: Samarkand
Natalia Nowakowska
Professor of European History at Somerville College, University of Oxford
University of Oxford
Episode: Kraków
Tom Hall
Vice President at Lonely Planet with over 25 years of experience in writing about diverse destinations
Lonely Planet
Episode: 2026’s must-visit historical destinations
Kirsten Elliott
Bath-based historian and writer focusing on industrial archaeology and the Georgian period.
Aitman Press
Episode: Bath

Host

Paul Bloomfield
Host and travel writer known for guiding listeners through historical city narratives with expert guests.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 302 ratings
  • Informative

    I just started listening and I’m glad to see that the podcast is now also including non European cities.

    I was struck by one very stark absence though, Moscow isn’t anywhere in the podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    3675()
    United States7 months ago
  • Next city

    When will London be added?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AllIn72847
    United States10 months ago
  • One of the BBC’s best history podcast offerings… usually!

    This show is excellent in concept and typically good fun. Paul Bloomfield is a good host and most of the time, the guests are good too. The episodes manage to tell unfamiliar stories even about familiar places, but it also does a good job in picking cities which British audiences probably know about but don’t know all that well (personally I’m always hoping for some more East-Central Europe coverage!). I love all the different questions that get asked at the end in the more recent series- major ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Daniel Ostrowski
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Another great podcast from History Extra

    I just finished listening to the excellent episode about NewYork and thoroughly enjoyed it, even though I knew the history. I must say, though. The thing you simply must try here is a freshly made bagel - boiled, baked, and hand rolled. You'll never taste one like it anywhere else. Thanks for the great podcast!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RAKGB
    United Statesa year ago
  • Great to learn about cities.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    OSCAR ORO
    a year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

- The host is generally engaging, and guests often provide vivid, expert insights into each city.
- A few episodes feel rushed or rely heavily on guest strengths, which can impact pacing and depth.
- Visually strong concept with broad geographic coverage; listeners appreciate the mix of travel tips and historical depth.
- Overall, the show is considered a high-quality history + travel narrative, though some listeners wish for more diverse city selections.
- Praise for practical takeaways and recommendations for must-see sites, with some calls for broader global coverage.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#240
United States/History
Apple Podcasts
#94
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#131
Australia/History
Apple Podcasts
#219
Italy/History
Apple Podcasts
#232
Germany/History
Apple Podcasts
#49
Ukraine/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Vienna
Q: What are five places in Vienna that history lovers should visit to feel this history?
Visitors should bike the Ringstrasse to see the city's architectural evolution; explore Volksgarten and Its/Theisewss Temple; visit Otto Wagner's church and the surrounding park to appreciate innovations in public space and design; stop at Carmelita Markt for a sense of historic Jewish Vienna in daily life; and visit the Wien Museum, which offers free permanent collection access and displays Vienna's long, layered story.
Vienna
Q: Could you pick five key moments in Vienna's history and explain why they mattered?
Key moments include the Roman origins leading to a fortress that became Vienna, the 1683 Ottoman siege shaping Europe's balance of power, the 1873 waterworks and Ringstrasse urban transformation that boosted hygiene and livability, the post–World War I socialist era that built a modern welfare city, and the postwar reckoning with the past that redefined national identity and memory, all of which left a lasting imprint on Vienna's architecture, social fabric, and international role.
Kyoto
Q: First of all, can you give listeners the headlines of Kyoto's story? Tell us why someone with an interest in history should visit the city.
Kyoto was the emperor's capital for about 1200 years and remains the cultural heart of Japan, embodying the nation's culture through epochs of imperial court life, samurai-era conflicts, artistic flowering, and the shift of political power eastward to Edo (Tokyo). It offers a continuous thread of remarkable sites, ceremonies, and stories—from the Heian court and Genji literature to geisha culture and Zen gardens—that make it a living history classroom.
Samarkand
Q: Could you pick one really key character and explain why they were so pivotal in the development of Samarkand and its story?
Timur, or Tamerlane, stands out as the pivotal figure; he expanded and unified a vast empire, funded and embellished Samarkand with monumental architecture, and his campaigns propelled cultural exchanges, mass migrations of artisans, and a lasting Timurid aesthetic that defined the city for centuries.
Kraków
Q: What should visitors try in Kraków and where should they go to experience it like a local?
I recommend Ostypek, a smoked sheep cheese often enjoyed in Kraków's historic eateries, with Pod Anioami as a top-drawer restaurant in the old town that serves modern Polish cuisine and a dramatic medieval cellar setting, offering a texture of Kraków's historic appetites and social life.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About History's Greatest Cities

What is History's Greatest Cities about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Travel-focused history show that maps the long arcs of great cities around the world, blending scholarly insight with first-hand travel texture. Each episode pairs a host with a respected historian, writer, or local expert to uncover a city's foundational moments, pivotal eras, and the people who shaped its character—while also surfacing practical travel tips, memorable anecdotes, and hidden corners to visit. Expect rich storytelling about architecture, trade, migration, and cultural exchange, with episodes spanning Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The show tends to feature guests who are academics, authors, or seasoned local guides, delivering a narrative that's informative yet accessible for curious travelers and history enthusiast... more

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Which podcasts are similar to History's Greatest Cities?

These podcasts share a similar audience with History's Greatest Cities:

1. HistoryExtra podcast
2. Dan Snow's History Hit
3. Gone Medieval
4. Not Just the Tudors
5. HistoryExtra Long Reads

How many episodes of History's Greatest Cities are there?

History's Greatest Cities launched 3 years ago and published 52 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on History's Greatest Cities?

Recent guests on History's Greatest Cities include:

1. Florian Pollock
2. Lesley Downer
3. John Bell
4. Lucy Shipley
5. Craig Lamont
6. Bradley Mayhew
7. Natalia Nowakowska
8. Tom Hall

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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