In this research, an attempt will be held to answer some of the questions of urban nature, that arose during my stay and activity in the three metropolises of the title: Athens, Budapest and Rotterdam. Being both an observer and a habitant in all of those cities, I was constantly processing the images of the urban environment to which I was exposed each time. Therefore, out of all the urban topics, the object of this research will more specifically focus on the image of the city. The investigation of the image of the city will be carried out through an extensive analysis, combining not only academic research methods but also various empirical data of my personal experience in each city.

Firstly, I define the methodology of this research through the study of the theoretical approaches of famous architects and urban designers, as well as linguists, in an effort to specify our research field but also shape the suitable tools and means in order to delve into the urban morphology. Afterwards, I analyze thoroughly each city, through a series of consecutive analytic steps organized in two phases.