Also Known As Trivia Quiz

Answer: Avignon, France

The nickname dates from 1309, when Pope Clement V relocated the papal court to Avignon. His successors, also French, chose to remain in Avignon until Pope Gregory XI moved back to Rome. Avignon is located in south-eastern France, and is also remembered in a song about its famous bridge.

Answer: Lima, Peru

When Lima was founded, in 1535, it was named Ciudad de los Reyes by the Spanish, in recognition of it being January 6th, or Epiphany in the Christian calendar. The English translation is City of the Kings, and the city is still referred to by this name, although the name of Lima was adopted very early in its history.

Answer: Singapore

The name of Lion City is a direct translation of the Malay name of Singapura, which originated from the Sanskrit words of simha, meaning lion, and pura, meaning town. Located at the tip of the Malay peninsula, Singapore is an independent city-state, having formerly been a British territory.

Answer: Cambridge, England

Home to one of England's oldest universities, founded in 1209, Cambridge is situated in the south eastern area of England. The nickname is relatively recent, having been coined by Frederick Raphael in his 1976 television drama 'The Glittering Prizes'.

It is a play on words, since Oxford, home of England's oldest university, is known as 'the city of dreaming spires'. This name is also attributed to an author, in this case Matthew Arnold, who wrote the poem 'Dover Beach'.

Answer: Denver, USA

Located in Colorado, Denver is situated close to the Rocky Mountains. According to its own website, the 'thirteenth step on the west side of the State Capitol Building' is at exactly one mile above sea level, giving the city its nickname. Because of the thin air, any sports ball, such as a tennis or golf ball, will travel further, although athletes also have to adapt to the lower oxygen levels.

Answer: Venice, Italy

Although Venice is not the only city to claim the name, it does seem to have history on its side as the original 'bride of the sea'. By tradition, the doge, or chief magistrate, of Venice threw a ring into the sea reciting the words, 'we wed thee, sea, in token of perpetual domination'.

He would have used Latin, though. The original ceremony dates from about 1000 AD, and is still enacted in the twenty-first century, on Ascension Day, with the mayor of Venice taking the role originally played by the doge.

Answer: Auckland, New Zealand

Although not the capital, which is Wellington, Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand. Because of its coastal location, and numerous harbours, Auckland is one of the favourite areas for yachting, which gives it the well known nickname of 'city of sails'. The city is located on volcanic ground and has 48 identifiable volcanic cones.

Answer: Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong is located on the delta of the Pearl River, along with Macau and Guangdong. The name is also used to describe the Philippines, but that doesn't fit the theme of cities. Hong Kong was leased to Britain for 99 years in 1898, with ownership returning to China in 1997.

Answer: Florence, Italy

One of the powerhouses of the Renaissance era, Florence is renowned for its art and the flowers from which it derives its nickname. Located in Tuscany, on the Arno river, Florence is also near the Apennine Mountains, giving it the benefit of both natural beauty and created beauty, in its architecture, sculpture and paintings.

Answer: Miami, USA

Miami, as a city, dates only from 1896, although many native Americans lived in the area prior to that date. At the time, the population was only around 300, but the rapid growth in people living there up to the 1920s gave it the nickname of 'magic city'. Because of its location, close to Cuba, Miami is also known as the 'capital of Latin America' since many of its residents escaped from Cuba when Castro came to power, to find new homes.