Tyler Brûlé on what attributes are necessary for a city to top our Quality of Life Survey.

Why frazzled American tourists order fries to go, plus a very Australian political grilling.

A city’s quirks can often beguile us more than its falling crime rate or fine trams. We list our favourite idiosyncrasies from around the world.

New York Public Library is reviving a classic: the mobile library last seen on the city’s roads more than 30 years ago. The Bookmobile’s wheels are set to roll and, with the help of a friendly lion, it’s already winning over young fans.

Even the fiercest dogs start life as cuddly puppies. But at Hong Kong’s police-dog training centre, every game has a purpose: to prepare canines for a life of sniffing luggage, searching vehicles and fighting crime.

The world’s largest construction trade fair might not strike many as a likely destination for a fun day out but Bauma is attracting revellers to Bavaria in droves. We don lederhosen, munch bratwurst and join the crane spotters.

Meet the team with a burning desire to protect Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-dera temple.

The co-founder and publisher of Vienna’s foremost news and reviews magazine likes to dodge the crowds in the city’s public parks.

Our annual Quality of Life rundown – where does your city rank?

Authorities set the tone but it’s residents that define the places they live in. So what can we do to improve the urban realm?

Some cities are shedding unwanted legacies while others cater to 18 million visitors per year, only to see some of the income generated by tourists ending up elsewhere. We meet five mayors facing the challenges – and making the tough decisions – that will define the future of their cities.

Roof gardens, natural light, green space – how three health centres are tackling modern healthcare challenges.

Cows on the loose? Canals used as dumps? Urban life can throw up some unique – and bizarre – challenges. Meet the people charged with fixing gritty problems in our cities.

Seek high and low, in tunnels and along elevated walkways, and you’ll find that there are fascinating stories in every city. Here we take a look at some of our favourite tales from around the globe, originally brought to you by the team behind Monocle 24’s ‘The Urbanist’.

Food markets in Turin, green (and sleek) transit infrastructure in Tilburg and Oslo’s public art biennial.

Housing in Boston gets dense, Bogotá transport takes to the skies and a book reconsiders the suburbs.

Hong Kong’s anticipated sports park, Utsunomiya LRT is on track, and boosting business in Perth.

Regeneration in Tehran, Swiss-sponsored bike lanes in Beirut and a park transformation in Johannesburg.

City life needn’t be an over-priced, overwhelming drudge; look closely and there are richer options to be had at a lower cost. We explore three bases for work that also excel at rest and play.

Cities don’t just happen; assembly is required. But the inner workings of urban development are often hidden. We meet the makers and architects doing the heavy lifting.

They shouldn’t be mixed, right? Wrong. But what can we do to make offices more appealing without making them full of bean bags and silly slides? These HQs have the balance right.

Rabat’s runway, a food firm cutting back on waste and the footwear company that’s still a step ahead.

Fill those endless days with the best in sight and sound, thanks to our sunny selection.

We visit the cities making space for people (of all ages) to get out and about and have some fun.

A life’s worth of travelling informs this South Tyrolean haunt – but it finds inspiration on its doorstep too.

Israel’s third city is defined by its port but its urbanist mayor is helping to build a smarter future.

Denmark’s longest timber building has been rebuilt and the Pavilion Le Corbusier reopens.

A Tokyo community centre with food at its heart is helping to nourish the whole neighbourhood.

Summer is the season to invite your friends and neighbours over for an alfresco appointment and enjoy the ultimate social sharing drink. Follow our fun fruity recipes below for some lively twists on a classic.

A sharp chopping bowl and restaurants from London to Hong Kong (via Izmir).

The illustrator and artist discusses food in his work, his talent for frying and the German capital’s gentrification – and doodles a quick portrait with the help of some salt and pepper, of course.

Stretch your sports style beyond the functional and feel the burn of these go-faster brands.

When it comes to orthopaedic comfort shoes, there’s a new German contender stepping up.

As creative director of Hermès shoes, Pierre Hardy oversees a major part of the luxury brand’s €6bn-a-year empire. And while the footwear superstar is comfortable with the trainer’s market dominance, he’ll never step away from his more refined – and desired – designs.

Womenswear designer Rabih Kayrouz gives us a tour of his serene new boutique, housed in a fantastical 19th-century mansion.

This month’s fashion must-knows, from straw hats to swimmers and sandals.

Thirty years ago the already polluted Rhine turned red after a chemical spill. Now cleaned up, the stretch through Basel has been revitalised to become a conduit for commuters, sunbathers and spritzes.

You can track the best of Turin along its waterways, whether it’s the spritely early-morning rowers or the late-night revellers carousing at the resurgent Murazzi. Explore and experience the aqua vita.

Brisbane River is a gravitational force for the Queensland capital’s splash-happy and active residents. From kayaking to cooling off by its banks, there’s plenty to do along this winding waterway.

The great outdoors has its minor niggles but these trusty allies will spare you.

From the river refuge of Alte Donau to the buzzy bars and restaurants that line the Danube Canal, the city waters have become a focal point for the Viennese. Clothing optional.

After decades of decline, a museum celebrating the French city’s love of wine, markets offering fresh seafood and canny commercial investment have transformed the once-seedy banks of the Garonne.

Explorers and residents alike have become besotted with Perth’s Swan River. So how has it retained its status as the city’s focal point? With good planning, a love of water sports and an appreciation of nature.

Elevating the urban environment needn’t call for grand blueprints from city planners, nor sweeping regeneration. Small projects and individual details can make a difference. Here are a few starters from our editors.