World's 10 best city tram and street car rides

RINGSTRASSE TRAMS, VIENNA, AUSTRIA

Vienna's grand boulevard, the Ringstrasse throws a lasso around the city's wedding-cake palaces, museums and monumental buildings created when the Habsburg empire was at its height. While the tourist tram makes a complete circuit of the Ring, a much cheaper option is the city's regular trams. From Schwedenplatz take tram number 1 from platform B, travelling in an anticlockwise direction. When you get to the Opera House, change to tram number 2 to take you back to Schwedenplatz. See wien.info

T1 TRAM, ISTANBUL, TURKEY

The glorious antique trams have disappeared, but their sleekly modern successors are a foot saver in hilly Istanbul. From Kabatas, on the eastern side of the Golden Horn, the T1 tram winds through the boho-chic Karakoy district, over Galata Bridge and up the hill crowning Seraglio Point, gateway to the Topkapi Palace, Haghia Sofia, the Blue Mosque and the amazing Basilica Cistern. A few stops further along, alight at Beyazit to visit the Grand Bazaar. See iett.istanbul

"DING DING" TRAM, HONG KONG

Running east-west along the foreshore of bustling Hong Kong Island, the double-decker trams are slow, noisy and anything but smooth, but there's fascination every inch of the way. It's a journey for the senses with smells as well as sights and sounds, especially where the tram travels through the middle of Chun Yeung Street wet market. Central to Causeway Bay is the classic journey. Squeeze your way to the upper deck and sit beside the window. See hktramways.com

TRAM NUMBER 96, MELBOURNE

East Brunswick to St Kilda Beach packs in some of the city's favourite icons including the Melbourne Museum, Exhibition Buildings, Carlton Gardens, State Parliament, the Bourke Street Mall, Crown Casino and Carlton Gardens. Hop off at Fitzroy's Moor Street stop for some of Melbourne's sassiest street art then duck into Lune Croissanterie at 119 Rose Street for a sweet treat, take a stroll along St Kilda Pier and snap a selfie against the leering clown face of Luna Park. See yarratrams.com.au

TRAM NUMBER 3, ROME, ITALY

One of the longest of the capital's tram routes, tram No. 3 is a cheap introduction to some of the highlights of Rome. Travelling in a half loop, the tram stitches together the village-like atmosphere of Trastevere, Circus Maximus, the Colosseum, the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, Porta Maggiore and finally to Valle Giulia near the National Etruscan Museum, close to one of Europe's biggest urban parks surrounding Villa Borghese. See rome.net

TRAM NUMBER 2, AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS

Running from the main railway station through Amsterdam's heart, tram No. 2 takes in the Van Gogh Museum, the splendid Rijksmuseum, the Royal Palace, the city's famous flower market and the canal belt. Another essential stop is Leidseplein Square, a centre for restaurants, cafes, nightlife and street performers. Buy a day ticket for €7.50 and hop on and off as you please. See iamsterdam.com

BLACKPOOL TRAMWAY, BRITAIN

Dating back to 1885, this tramline running along the Fylde Coast bordering the Irish Sea is one of the world's oldest, although trams on the 17-kilometre line were modernised in 2012. Today it draws millions each year, many of whom recall riding the tram while licking a bar of Blackpool Rock as one of the linchpins of their youth. During summer holidays and non-winter weekends, original heritage trams operate between Pleasure Beach and North Pier. See visitblackpool.com

See also: The world's greatest train journeys

See also: The world's 20 coolest public transport rides