Apparently there are actually 9 holds but I don't see 2 more on maps so this is what I've got. So what are your favourite holds and regions in Skyrim? If you don't know which is which I'll give a short description for each one below

Falkreath Hold: The forested region surrounding Falkreath, southern part of the map.
Whiterun Hold: The grassy yellow tundra surrounding Whiterun
Haafingar: Includes the area around Solitude, the moor of Morthal, the forest, and pretty much the whole north western part of the map.
Eastmarch: The steaming hot spring region south of Windhelm.
The Pale: The icy canyons and iceberg smattered sea near Dawnstar, Winterhold, and north of Windhelm.
The Rift: The birch forests surrounding Riften and Ivarstead.
The Reach: The green and grey spiny hills near Markarth.

My personal favourites are The Pale, Whiterun Hold, and Haafingar. What are yours?

Even having played 3 characters, there is still much of the map I've yet to experience. I only just managed to drag myself down to Falkreath yesterday and instantly fell in love with the region. It's absolutely beautiful and scenic. Love it.

whiterun

the reach hands down

The Reach, because I'm Irish.

my fav so far is Eastmarch. Have not been to em all yet though

Eastmarch myself

Falkreath hold and Hjaalmarch, I love their ambiance and uniqueness and am irritated by how underdeveloped and underutilized they feel to me in the game, especially their capitals.

Markarth. I love the architecture and the house their is awesome

Eastmarch, The Reach, and the Rift. Not much for snow, clearly.Although there is one hill west of Winterhold that has a beautiful view.

Markarth at daytime, Solitude at night. As for regions, I love anywhere with mountains for scenery (but not the climbing thereof).

Yea, left out Winterhold Hold (delectably redundant lol) and Hjaalmarch. I honestly can't decide. I love places in each one, but to prefer exploring one hold more than another?.....Umm....I really dig Haafingar so far - I love looking down the hills/mtns and seeing the waterways and ports.

You're making me want to explore more. I kind of blindly go from point to point and am missing out on the beauty of the scenery. I think Whiterun Hold is beautiful for a plains region, but I have a bad habit of running around at night when it all blends together

theres more then 9 holds. some are just smaller villages. the 9 are the hold capitals. you're forgetting Rorikstead, Ivarstead, etc.

I thought Solitude (the town only, not the region) was the prettiest thing I'd seen, until I visited The Rift. Exactly my kind of beautiful.

The Haffingar area kind of creeps me out. I don't mind the part on the west side, near Dragon's Bridge, but the marsh in the north east is just irritating to go through.
Running through there at night, blinded by fog, hearing dragon's screeching overhead and something chasing you from behind... Not fun.

Now the Reach I could live with.

Either the Eastmarch or Whiterun, I enjoy both the areas and the cities.

Those towns are under the rule of the local hold and the Jarl that resides there for that region.

I liked the Rift the best. When i first when to ivarstead i went by way going north around the throat of the world. When i started ascending the mountain that i thought was the base of the throat, the mountains suddenly came out into a giant plateu covered in autumn trees with reds and yellows everywhere, and i realized i was in the Rift. Not only does The Rift actually feel like its own Hold (natural borders if you will) but i love how its at an altitude higher then the rest of skyrim on a plateu in the mountains and seems untouched by the weather that plauges the rest of skyrim.

Yes yes yes. And with Vurt's Skyrim Flora Overhaul ...

I like the Rift sorta, but it's full of low res textures that make the birch forest look really ugly >_>
at least on my computer.

The Reach because it reminds me of northern Scotland. Second place would go to Solitude.

Hence Vurt's Skyrim Flora Overhaul.

The Reach and The Rift, personally with The Rift being more favored (as it feels closer to Morrowind at times)

Bump!

I used to be afraid of bumping threads, but then I took an arrow to the knee.

Bump again? I dunno I like this thread

BTW, I like the Reach a lot as well, after I did the Forsworn Conspiracy quests