Wikivoyage:Huge city article template

If a city is so big that we really can't keep all its information in one page, we break it up into districts, each of which has its own article -- see the district article template for starting those. In general, we keep summary info on the page about the city, with links to the pages about each district, and highlights from those pages.

To quickly insert a complete blank city template, copy the quick version into the edit box on the page you are editing. You can also just add {{subst:hugecity}} to the page, and a blank template will be included when you save.

Stuff in italics below is editorial comment, with suggestions for what should go in each section, and not part of the eventual article. If you copy the text below, you should plan on ripping out everything in italics when you start your city article.]

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{{printDistricts}} --used to point out that listings are on separate district pages (which should also be printed)

The first section of the city article does not have a heading. This is a where you give a quick descriptive overview of the city. Be sure to include some context so readers know where and what they are reading about. Links to the region and country that the city is in can be useful here, too.

Also include any background information particular to the city (i.e. Geneva is a French-speaking city, New Delhi can be more dangerous than other parts of India, etc), but try not to duplicate too much information that already exists in the country or region page.

Districts

Most of the meat of the information about a huge city is divided up into the individual district articles. You should list the districts here, as well as a short blurb about the district that lets readers know what is most relevant about the district for travel, which neighborhoods constitute the district, etc. Every district listed should have clearly defined borders to make it easy for other Wikivoyagers to know where to stick new listings. See the District article template for the structure of district articles.

Before you plunge forward creating districts, read recommendations on when (not) to districtify--following them will help the community with maintenance of the articles for city and its districts in the future.

• District 1 - overview of District 1
• District 2 - overview of District 2
• District 3 - overview of District 3
• District 4 - overview of District 4
• District 5 - overview of District 5
• District 6 - overview of District 6

Understand

Give a deeper understanding of the city, such as its history, its culture, its mores, its politics, its relationship to other cities and the country it's in. Jokes and stereotypes about locals, etc.

Get in

Arrival details. Try and include as many options as you can think of -- land, air, sea. Also include getting from transportation centers (such as airports) to central areas or hotel/hostel districts.

Below are some sections for common ways to get to a city. Try to order the sections from the most common and convenient to the rarest and most inconvenient. If for some reason there's a common way to approach the city not listed below -- by llama, by snowmobile, by bush helicopter -- just add another section. And leave out sections that don't apply.

By plane

Name the airport or airports that serve this city. Name the air carriers that serve the city, and rough schedules ("once a week, once a day") for getting to this city by air from other major nearby cities. Note transportation options for getting from the airport to the city center. If it's common to hire private planes to arrive in the city -- say, if it's in the bush in Alaska -- note the names of plane charter companies, and give contact info. If there's just no plane service to this city, leave this section out.

By train

Give names of other nearby cities and rough schedules ("once a day, on the hour") for getting to this city by train. Note the location of the train station or stations and give directions for getting to central areas or hotel/hostel districts. If there is no rail service to the city, just leave this section out.

By car

Driving details and directions for getting to this destination. Try to include the names of major highways, as well as directions from other nearby cities. If for some reason it would be exceptional to come to this city by car -- say, if it's on an island not served by bridges or ferries, or if it's in a country where personal travel by automobile is extremely rare -- just leave this section out.

By bus

Give names of other nearby cities and rough schedules ("once a day, on the hour") for getting to this city by bus. Contact info for bus companies is nice, too. Note the location of the bus terminal or terminals and give directions for getting to central areas or hotel/hostel districts. If there is no bus service to the city, leave this section out.

By boat

Name any ferries, passenger boats, or other floating vessels for getting to this destination. Give contact information for carriers, and the location of arrival points with relation to the city center, as well as transport options from the dock or terminal. If it's a common way to arrive, note the marinas where you can show up with a private vessel. If the city is landlocked or just not served by passenger boat traffic, just leave this section out.

Get around

How to get around once you are there: bus, train, rickshaw, ferry, gondola, etc. How much does local transport cost, where/how to buy tickets, and good discounts (week or weekend passes, 1/2 price seniors or students, etc).

See

This is for a summary of attractions in the huge city. Don't give full details about each attraction; you should have that in the article for the district. But if there are some attractions that people are going to be expecting to find out about in this city, like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, or just attractions that people really shouldn't miss, provide a brief description of the most notable landmarks here. It's best to use general descriptions formatted as paragraphs and avoid making point-form lists as individual listings belong in district pages, not here.

These paragraphs will group multiple, similar attractions; for each landmark, it will give the name, the district in which the landmark is listed and a brief mention of why the landmark is notable. Details such as street addresses, contact info and pricing is omitted and left for the district-level listings.

Manhattan is famous for skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building, once again the tallest completed building in New York, and the Chrysler Building, constructed as the headquarters of the famous automaker.

These sections may be divided into subsections as needed, perhaps grouping all of the best-known museums, ethnic neighbourhoods, galleries, live performance venues or historic sites with a subsection each. If there are articles for any itineraries which pass through the city, link to them here.

Do

This is for a summary of activities in the huge city, that is, things that travellers will do themselves. More active participation is needed for Do things than for See things. For example, going to see a river goes under See; kayak trips down the river go under Do. Don't give full details about each activity; you should have that in the article for the district. But if there are some activities that people are going to be expecting to find out about in this city, or just activities that people really shouldn't miss, have them listed here. Not every activity in the city needs to be mentioned -- just ones that are so important people expect them to be on the main page for the city.

As with the attractions to "see" above, this is not a comprehensive or detailed listing, just an overview with a few paragraphs describing the most common activities and identifying the district or area to visit for each.

Learn

Optionally: If there are opportunities for travellers to study in this city -- from language to cooking classes up to full university courses -- add that here.

Work

Optionally: What possibilities are there for travellers to earn money in this city? Note that this is kind of long-range and probably won't be appropriate for most destinations.

Buy

The travellers' dirty secret: we like souvenirs. What would be good to buy in this city? Local crafts? How about general shopping -- clothes, travel equipment, other? Give general tips about what to buy and where to shop in the city, preferably pointing to district pages for the full scoop.

Eat

For general points of where to eat out in the city. Mention any local specialties or oddities here. Avoid specific restaurant info; leave that for each individual district page. Instead, try to name districts where restaurants are plentiful or of a particular quality -- say, if there's a Little Italy or a Chinatown or such.

It's perfectly OK not to have any individual restaurants listed, but if there are particular restaurants that are landmarks for the city, you can mention in which district they are located and give a reason why they're called out specifically. Do not create long lists of individual eateries; these belong in the individual districts.

The beaches of District 3 offer oceanfront seafood patio dining, as well as a diverse collection of takeout stands on the pier.

Drink

For general points about bars, clubs, and other nightlife in the city. Yes, many people go out to clubs and don't drink; the name of the section is still Drink. Mention any local specialties or oddities, and give a general idea of good areas of the city to try. Avoid specific bar listings; instead, put these on the district pages. Instead, give pointers to bar areas, nightclub districts, great streets to try.

Unlike an attraction for See or an activity for Do, it is rare that a single bar in a city big enough to use this template is a significant landmark. If you insist on a mention that "Cheers" in Boston was on the telly a few years back, follow the same pattern as for the other sections - name it, indicate what district it's in and explain why exactly it's notable but leave it at that. The other details go on the district page.

Sleep

This is for helping the traveller find a place to lay his/her weary head. Give a general idea of good areas of the destination to try to find lodging. Avoid listing specific hotels in the page for the city; instead, give those listings in the individual district pages. The point here is to tick off good places to look for hotels, motels, and campgrounds, not to give contact details. If for some reason there's a landmark hotel, or just one people shouldn't miss, in the city -- and what are the chances? -- list its name and a link to the district it's in.

Backpacker hostels abound near N street, in District Z.

The most luxurious (but most expensive) hotels are on the downtown waterfront in District Y.

The tallest and most visible building in the walled historic portion of Quebec City is the Château Frontenac in the Haute-Ville or "Upper Town" district. Less famous but more reasonably-priced alternatives include the string of hotels and motels on the main roads into the city through District X to the west, as well as various charming bed and breakfast houses throughout the region.

Various national chains operate hotels near the freeway in District W which, while not notable individually, do meet a consistent and predictable national standard.

Connect

Information on communications -- phone, Internet, other. Give information on cellular phone coverage in the city. If there are free or paid wireless Internet hotspots in the city, name them here. If there are a few convenient Internet cafés or other computer rental stores, name them here, but leave the detailed listings to the district pages.

Stay safe

This is a section for general safety tips. If there are health hazards or crime problems in the city, list them here.

Cope

This section is for all those little items that people need to know when they're in a city. What media provide local news and information? Where can you get a babysitter? Attend religious services? Anything that has to do with the practicalities of daily life should go here.

Also include embassy listings here if applicable, but only fill out the name, address, phone, and url fields (to conserve space in long lists). This section contains individual listings for embassies, high commissions and consulates as these are not split into city districts. Embassies in all but name (such as Taiwan or mainland China representative offices) are also included.

Don't put something here when it could fit in one of the other sections. Don't list every minute thing a traveller might need or want, if they could easily find multiple options with a quick Internet search. If there's nothing to put in this section, leave it out.

Embassies

• Dominion of Newfoundland, 1907 Haddock St, ☏ +1 709 123-4567. M-Th 09:15-16:20. Will also assist Canadians. 

In major capital cities the list of embassies (and High Commissions, if the city is in the Commonwealth) is a long one; this is also true of New York City as one of the two primary United Nations cities. In large cities outside the capital, this section will normally be titled ===Consulates===; in Commonwealth capitals like London, Ottawa or Canberra this will be titled ===Embassies and High Commissions===.

Go next

Information about nearby destinations that would serve as a good "next stop." Provide a brief description of other nearby destination suggestions, adjacent cities and towns or day-trip ideas. Don't duplicate the information in "Get in."