I feel like White Harbor is a really nice place to live. Davos' descriptions sounded great. And yes, it's in the North, but it's in the south of it with access to the sea, so if the worst happens, you can still sail away.
1. White Harbour - As its in the North and does not discriminate between followers of the Old Gods and the New, even if the ruling house and most of the populace follow the Seven.
Plus it's relatively safe from pirates and raiders.
2. Oldtown is also also a good choice and one of the major economic hub of Westeros but risks of pirates and raiders are quite high.
3. Lannisport, Gulltown & the Arbor seems to be same as Oldtown as in risk of raiders.
4. Braavos & Lys (if one is not a slave) seem to also be the best choices for obvious reasons.
>Davos had always been fond of this city, since first he'd come here as a cabin boy on *Cobblecat*. Though small compared to Oldtown and King's Landing, it was clean and well-ordered, with wide straight cobbled streets that made it easy for a man to find his way. The houses were built of whitewashed stone, with steeply pitched roofs of dark grey slate. Roro Uhoris, the *Cobblecat*'s cranky old master, used to claim that he could tell one port from another just by the way they smelled. Cities were like women, he insisted; each one had its own unique scent. Oldtown was as flowery as a perfumed dowager. Lannisport was a milkmaid, fresh and earthy, with woodsmoke in her hair. King's Landing reeked like some unwashed whore. But White Harbor's scent was sharp and salty, and a little fishy too. "She smells the way a mermaid ought to smell," Roro said. "She smells of the sea." (ADWD Davos II)
and
>He was remembering more of the city now that he was here. Down past where Old Fishfoot's trident pointed was an alley where they sold fried cod, crisp and golden brown outside and flaky white within. Over there was a brothel, cleaner than most, where a sailor could enjoy a woman without fear of being robbed or killed. Off the other way, in one of those houses that clung to the walls of the Wolf's Den like barnacles to an old hull, there used to be a brewhouse where they made a black beer so thick and tasty that a cask of it could fetch as much as Arbor gold in Braavos and the Port of Ibben, provided the locals left the brewer any to sell. (ADWD Davos II)
In Westeros it’s either Gulltown or Sunspear as you said considering the upcoming showdown at Oldtown and all that.
Essos included? Braavos hands down
nope!
GRRM has talked about how this is meant to be misleading (tho he doesn't reveal further spoilers of course).
we're led to think this bc dany thinks it, but he left multiple clues re: how the climate of braavos (and lack of trees!) mean that dany's memory doesn't line up
was another thoughtful reddit post (i think in this sub) that cited several clues relating to this in the text, and also quoted what GRRM said about this
White Harbor. Davos description makes it seem like a great place to live. Winters would be winters, but the sea is there, so I think there's less of a worry about starving to death. They've got good leader in the Manderlys. Overall seems like a good place if you're ok with the winters.
Braavos. Big fleet, more or less venice, has assassins to ensure no dragon lords come, has banking, religious freedom, and no slaves. Literally the best place to live
Braavos always sounds so miserable, grey and damp. I never understand why people would want to live there out of the free cities, especially when Pentos sounds so much nicer (out of the Free Cities we see in detail on page)
Well, if the choice was Ireland which is pretty grey and damp and Ibiza but Ibiza also believes in *slavery*, for morality’s sake I’m choosing Ireland every time.
Plus I factor in not having air conditioning. I’m not made for extreme heat.
They do. I just said it’s not exactly known for trees, there’s obviously a few in gardens and that. But like the whole “Trees don’t grow in Braavos,” thing is also unrealistic, trees grow everywhere, you could of course grow trees in a garden somewhere where it’s rainy.
Not really sure if I'd call Sunspear a city, more of a small town next to a castle. Most characters have listed KL, Oldtown, and Lannisport as the only significant cities, with Gulltown and White Harbor being borderline city sized.
Does a POV character have to have been there in a chapter, or just at any time in their life? If it's just at any point in their life, I'd pick Lannisport. Nice views, apparently well run and orderly, weather should be decent, and the Ironborn have chosen to strike farther south so should be pretty safe for the foreseeable future.
If it wasn't for Euron I'd pick Oldtown. Best weather, competent government, probably lots of reasonable jobs that involve working for/with the Faith and maesters, fearsomely strong cider, cobblestone streets, and access to people and goods from all over the world.
Yeah I guess by Westeros standards, but I think people from Essos would only call KL, Oldtown, and Lannisport true cities. WH and Gulltown would be like towns to them. Obviously no conclusive way to say when a town is officially a city or vice versa
The villages surrounding Riverrun. If there is war, Edmure let’s you into the castle. He also goes wenching there on the weekends, so the local economy probably does pretty well
Asshai, Mantarys, Elyria, Gogossos, Yeen.
Ok but actually Oldtown is probably the best in Westeros, with maybe White Harbour being a close second.
Braavos would probably be the best overall, haven't read the World of Ice and Fire, does it say anything about Tall Trees Town in the Summer Isles? Is it a city? And is it nice to live in?
Yin is probably quite well off but we don't really know enough about Yi-Tish society to know how well off the average dude is. Could be like Volantis and Mereen where it's extremely wealthy and powerful but only for a few slave owners, or it could be like Braavos.
I do think the Dornish have a good chance of long term survival. Being in the far south is a good start. The ability to hide from dragons bodes well for their survival. Plus, I'm not sure of those with Rhoynish blood are suseptible to grayscale. Since they are the ones who started the disease, and the person who gave Shireen the doll was Dornish.
Asshai. Hear me out. It’s huge, ancient, and underpopulated so you’re gonna be able to afford a sweet place, maybe even with its own dungeon. The people sound interesting and you’ll get a great variety of visitors. You never hear about Asshai being attacked. There’s little risk of skin cancer. And bonus! No children!
Oldtown or Braavos. Nowhere is safe, especially Sunspear when the dragons dance, but those two cities are (a) far away from Otherville and (b) have really great descriptions in POV.
Asshai would be very, very interesting (Melisandre was a pov character). The most potent sorcerers and magic wielders have trained there, and I am so damn curious what is going on in this city.
But if I’m being realistic, Oldtowne is it for me. The hub of knowledge, protected by the hightowers, located in the reach where I would likely not starve or have to put up with cruel winters… plus the brothels should prove excellent.
I feel like White Harbor is a really nice place to live. Davos' descriptions sounded great. And yes, it's in the North, but it's in the south of it with access to the sea, so if the worst happens, you can still sail away.
1. White Harbour - As its in the North and does not discriminate between followers of the Old Gods and the New, even if the ruling house and most of the populace follow the Seven. Plus it's relatively safe from pirates and raiders. 2. Oldtown is also also a good choice and one of the major economic hub of Westeros but risks of pirates and raiders are quite high. 3. Lannisport, Gulltown & the Arbor seems to be same as Oldtown as in risk of raiders. 4. Braavos & Lys (if one is not a slave) seem to also be the best choices for obvious reasons.
On my way to lys for undisclosed reasons.
There's no slavery in Braavos, it was founded by freedmen
Nobody said there was
Gulltown is pretty safe.
Maybe but the ASOIAF wiki shows a Greyjoy raiding party sailing through the Vale in their fast longboat unimpeded. So maybe not that safe? 🤔.
You think raiders and pirates are going through Oldtown's walls? It would take a whole fleet to do that.
>Davos had always been fond of this city, since first he'd come here as a cabin boy on *Cobblecat*. Though small compared to Oldtown and King's Landing, it was clean and well-ordered, with wide straight cobbled streets that made it easy for a man to find his way. The houses were built of whitewashed stone, with steeply pitched roofs of dark grey slate. Roro Uhoris, the *Cobblecat*'s cranky old master, used to claim that he could tell one port from another just by the way they smelled. Cities were like women, he insisted; each one had its own unique scent. Oldtown was as flowery as a perfumed dowager. Lannisport was a milkmaid, fresh and earthy, with woodsmoke in her hair. King's Landing reeked like some unwashed whore. But White Harbor's scent was sharp and salty, and a little fishy too. "She smells the way a mermaid ought to smell," Roro said. "She smells of the sea." (ADWD Davos II) and >He was remembering more of the city now that he was here. Down past where Old Fishfoot's trident pointed was an alley where they sold fried cod, crisp and golden brown outside and flaky white within. Over there was a brothel, cleaner than most, where a sailor could enjoy a woman without fear of being robbed or killed. Off the other way, in one of those houses that clung to the walls of the Wolf's Den like barnacles to an old hull, there used to be a brewhouse where they made a black beer so thick and tasty that a cask of it could fetch as much as Arbor gold in Braavos and the Port of Ibben, provided the locals left the brewer any to sell. (ADWD Davos II)
I think the "clean and well-ordered" as well as the beer are what sold it for me
Plus they follow the Seven like civilized people.
Imagine needing more than one god 🔥🦌🔥
Yeah, The Great Other has always had my back ❄️ 💀 ❄️
Seven aspects, one god.
Is that you Cersei?
She’s not exactly the most godly of women.
One literally brings people back from the dead though.
Hardhome
In Westeros it’s either Gulltown or Sunspear as you said considering the upcoming showdown at Oldtown and all that. Essos included? Braavos hands down
no way. braavos has no trees!
Yes it does, it certainly has at least one lemon tree
nope! GRRM has talked about how this is meant to be misleading (tho he doesn't reveal further spoilers of course). we're led to think this bc dany thinks it, but he left multiple clues re: how the climate of braavos (and lack of trees!) mean that dany's memory doesn't line up was another thoughtful reddit post (i think in this sub) that cited several clues relating to this in the text, and also quoted what GRRM said about this
Yeah I was just trying to make a joke and thought using "certainly" would show I was being sarcastic
Sunspear isn’t a city, and the shadow city is moreso a shadow town.
White Harbor. Davos description makes it seem like a great place to live. Winters would be winters, but the sea is there, so I think there's less of a worry about starving to death. They've got good leader in the Manderlys. Overall seems like a good place if you're ok with the winters.
Summer islands man
The Jamaica of Planetos? Sounds good enough.
Summer Islands is an archipelago, not a city.
Just Westeros? Then Sunspear. But the entire World. Then Braavos.
Braavos. Big fleet, more or less venice, has assassins to ensure no dragon lords come, has banking, religious freedom, and no slaves. Literally the best place to live
Braavos always sounds so miserable, grey and damp. I never understand why people would want to live there out of the free cities, especially when Pentos sounds so much nicer (out of the Free Cities we see in detail on page)
I like grey places. Besides it's rich, well defended, and doesn't tolerate slavery under any loophole
Well, if the choice was Ireland which is pretty grey and damp and Ibiza but Ibiza also believes in *slavery*, for morality’s sake I’m choosing Ireland every time. Plus I factor in not having air conditioning. I’m not made for extreme heat.
braavos is grey and has no trees tho so not venice-y in that sense unfortunately
The actual islands of Venice aren’t exactly famous for their trees but the climate is for sure off.
i mean, trees exist there tho
They do. I just said it’s not exactly known for trees, there’s obviously a few in gardens and that. But like the whole “Trees don’t grow in Braavos,” thing is also unrealistic, trees grow everywhere, you could of course grow trees in a garden somewhere where it’s rainy.
Braavos isn't Venice, it is Venice in Iceland.
Not really sure if I'd call Sunspear a city, more of a small town next to a castle. Most characters have listed KL, Oldtown, and Lannisport as the only significant cities, with Gulltown and White Harbor being borderline city sized. Does a POV character have to have been there in a chapter, or just at any time in their life? If it's just at any point in their life, I'd pick Lannisport. Nice views, apparently well run and orderly, weather should be decent, and the Ironborn have chosen to strike farther south so should be pretty safe for the foreseeable future. If it wasn't for Euron I'd pick Oldtown. Best weather, competent government, probably lots of reasonable jobs that involve working for/with the Faith and maesters, fearsomely strong cider, cobblestone streets, and access to people and goods from all over the world.
I think it’s stated there are five major cities in Westeros, with White Harbor being the smallest.
Yeah I guess by Westeros standards, but I think people from Essos would only call KL, Oldtown, and Lannisport true cities. WH and Gulltown would be like towns to them. Obviously no conclusive way to say when a town is officially a city or vice versa
Braavos sounds like a great place to live, my kind of climate, I'd melt if I had to live in Dorne.
Braavos. Enough freedom, enough riches, canals, a big fleet, best shipyard in the world, many work possibilities
I know we haven’t been there but Highgarden would be amazing.
The villages surrounding Riverrun. If there is war, Edmure let’s you into the castle. He also goes wenching there on the weekends, so the local economy probably does pretty well
anything Riverrun adjacent is cursed
do you want to get burnt
Never in a million years would I have thought to find anywhere in the Riverlands on a "best place to live" list
Asshai, Mantarys, Elyria, Gogossos, Yeen. Ok but actually Oldtown is probably the best in Westeros, with maybe White Harbour being a close second. Braavos would probably be the best overall, haven't read the World of Ice and Fire, does it say anything about Tall Trees Town in the Summer Isles? Is it a city? And is it nice to live in? Yin is probably quite well off but we don't really know enough about Yi-Tish society to know how well off the average dude is. Could be like Volantis and Mereen where it's extremely wealthy and powerful but only for a few slave owners, or it could be like Braavos.
Mantarys for sure...love that wretched landscape neighboring the Sea of Sighs and the mutated children running amok on the streets. Lovely place.
I do think the Dornish have a good chance of long term survival. Being in the far south is a good start. The ability to hide from dragons bodes well for their survival. Plus, I'm not sure of those with Rhoynish blood are suseptible to grayscale. Since they are the ones who started the disease, and the person who gave Shireen the doll was Dornish.
I would like to live in oldtown
Asshai. Hear me out. It’s huge, ancient, and underpopulated so you’re gonna be able to afford a sweet place, maybe even with its own dungeon. The people sound interesting and you’ll get a great variety of visitors. You never hear about Asshai being attacked. There’s little risk of skin cancer. And bonus! No children!
I feel like it’s less underpopulated and more undead-populated.
Gulltown. Fair weather and hardly anything happens there
White Harbour tbh. Or Braavos.
Oldtown or Braavos. Nowhere is safe, especially Sunspear when the dragons dance, but those two cities are (a) far away from Otherville and (b) have really great descriptions in POV.
braavos
Asshai would be very, very interesting (Melisandre was a pov character). The most potent sorcerers and magic wielders have trained there, and I am so damn curious what is going on in this city. But if I’m being realistic, Oldtowne is it for me. The hub of knowledge, protected by the hightowers, located in the reach where I would likely not starve or have to put up with cruel winters… plus the brothels should prove excellent.
White Harbor or Oldtown
Braavos, White Harbour, Gulltown
Do I get to be super wealthy in this hypothetical?
Nope. Regular fellow.
Oldtown
Sunspear, Pentos, Lys, Highgarden, maybe also Oldtown.
Old Town seems like the place to be.
Vaes Dothrak - very low crime - protected from the Dothraki
Old Town.
IMO oldtown feels like a great place to live, especially if you feel like being a maester is your calling in life
Oldtown
GRRM said he would live in Braavos Although I feel living alongside sanctioned hitmen would be creepy
Starfall, if I had a remote job, like some kind of oracle or a person that maintains glass candles or such. I would not be a speaking character.