Spreading out from the banks of the Mississippi River, in the north-central US state of Minnesota, Minneapolis and St Paul are colloquially known as the Twin Cities.
With striking contemporary buildings, Minneapolis is the more cosmopolitan of the twins. St Paul, with its many restored 19th- and early 20th-century buildings and laid back attitude is more like a small town. Both are veritable melting pots with significant Hmong and Somali populations among its residents.
With 949 of Minnesota’s 12,000 lakes lying within the metro area, outdoor recreation is a given. Both cities are rich in the arts and cultural entertainment. The quality, quantity and diversity of productions and facilities far surpass the norm for cities of this size, with The Walker Art Center and Guthrie Theater among the top cultural venues in the nation.
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