Cape Town (South Africa), Christchurch (New Zealand), Hobart (Australia), Punta Arenas (Chile), and Ushuaia (Argentina) are the cities that are most connected to the Antarctic. They are formally recognised international gateways through which most travel to the region happens. In these cities, Antarctica has exercised a powerful hold on the urban imagination since the late 19th century.

All five cities are small in size and population and, with the exception of Cape Town, do not fit the profile of a global city. But that changes if we consider their influence over an entire region, the high percentage of residents employed in global scientific research, and the fact that they host some of the best educational, tourism, and entertainment facilities in relation to the Antarctic region.