If you had to live in a European city, which would it be

[WillyBrandt]

For the next five years, you've got to live and work in a European city. Which would it be?

I vote first Berlin--extremely energetic, edgy, exciting (and alliterative).

Then Paris--because Paris is Paris.

You?

[A HERETIC I AM]

1. I lived in Athens in the '60's and it wouldnt be there!

Amsterdam. Or maybe Stockholm. Or Tolouse (sp?) Liberal, secular, free thinking socialist democracies that reject overtly religious ideologies are right up my alley.

[caledesi]

3. Port Bou Spain (on the Costa Brava) - very cool little place. n/t

[Sting]

2. I don't know the names of any city on...

the island of Sicily in Italy, but I'd love to live there and study Mt. Etna. I've always loved Italy and want to travel there someday.

[gate of the sun]

4. someplace in a socialist country

I'd have to find out which one's are and then choose.

[Dirk39]

6. Keep me informed...

being german, I'm looking for a socialist country for decades now.
During the cold war and being so close to communist countries, the corporations somehow threw one or two pennies in our hats. But that's not, what I would call socialism anyway, and it's over for at least a decade now. But if I would have to chose the lesser evil, I would start to study the swedish language pretty soon...
Hello,
Dirk

[Rowdyboy]

5. Rome

or Athens

[amlouden]

7. zurich

or amsterdam, either would be fine

[pasadenaboy]

8. wierd choice but true

I really like manchester, but the winters are super depressing.

[demigoddess]

9. A little town i was in in the 50's called

chatillion, france or where i went to high schoo, chateauroux , france. If you get a chance to go there, go. Nice people, good weather all the beauties of france without the big city

[Kellanved]

32. Châtillon sur seine ?

Excellent choice. I have very fond memories of the town and the area.

[DemBones DemBones]

10. Firenze. If I have to tell you why, you've never been to Firenze!

Siena and San Gimignano are also favorites of mine. If I could live anywhere I chose, I'd spend my winters in Tuscany and summers in Devon, UK.

[WillyBrandt]

12. How about summers in Tuscany and winters in Devon?

[radwriter0555]

Tuscany sucks. They hate americans! LOL

And the food sucks too unless you meet nice tuscans who take you home to eat with them.

Very cloistered society.

[radwriter0555]

41. Tuscany sucks. They hate americans! LOL

And the food sucks too unless you meet nice tuscans who take you home to eat with them.

Very cloistered society.

[lpbk2713]

11. Seville or Malaga ............. n/t

[baby_bear]

13. Brussels, hands down

I was lucky enough to live there for one year. I had a blast. Great people, great food, great wine, great travel, great old city...and it's close to everything. You can take the train to Paris in less than 5 hours. What more could one want?

s_m

[WillyBrandt]

14. BRUSSELS?!?!!?

The Jersey City of Europe? Man, that place is the world's most boring dump... are you serious? Even the Belgians think it sucks

[JohnKleeb]

15. lol the jersey city of europe heh

Oh for me
I dont know but I would love to try
Ljubljana

[baby_bear]

18. It's a beautiful city

What is there not to like about castles, great food, nice people, diversity, and incredible history everywhere you go?

The Ardennes -- take the train to the site of the Battle of the Bulge. Hike the beautiful forest hills.

I lived 5 miles from the site of the Battle of Waterloo. There is a great monument there overlooking the valley where you can just imagine the horror that unfolded there.

Belgium is nothing if not a fascinating place in relatively recent history, having been trampled through in both WWI and WWII.

As an American, I found the experience highly enlightening, educational and profound.

Next question?

s_m

[RainDog]

89. typische

Belgium is the country the rest of Europe likes to pick on because, as the French-speaking aristorcrats used to call it, it is a nation of farmers and peasants (and shopkeepers).

I also love Belgium, and have lived in Antwerp, and would happily live there again if they would have me. Of course, I have former family there, and friends, so that always makes a place special.

Also like Leuven (Louvain) very much...a college town.

plus, the rest of Europe is just jealous because of Belgium's history of comics... :)

[JohnKleeb]

16. Ljubljana, wouldnt mind trying that out

[rwenos]

17. Paris or London, Hard to Say Which

I'd hate the weather, but London is still the hippest city in the world (although the home of the worst restaurants and ugliest buildings). It conjures up images from William Gibson novels . . . .

And Paris, the Moveable Feast. The near-in Left Bank, 6th arrondisement, lots of antique shops and linens, bookstores, the St. Germain de Pres, Boul' Mich. Shakespeare and Company. The Musee D'Orsay, second floor especially. Jazz caves. Tall brunette women in black turtlenecks. Prix fixe. Bistek frite et salade verte avec vinaigrette du fraise (Fried steak and green salad with rasperry vinaigrettte. The best ice cream sundaes I ever tasted. Cafe au lait. My honeymoon.

[pasadenaboy]

19. when were you last in London?

I think the restaurants are really good now.

[rwenos]

21. It's Been a Long Time . . . 1987

1987. Had to resort to Italian restaurants or fish and chips in pubs, the one thing the Brits seem not to overcook.

I'll bet the good ones now are run by Frenchmen, Chinese families or Mexicans. Or do you like steak and kidney pie? (Haggis?)

Or . . . (my trump card) Wimpie's Burgers.
I rest my case. Yech.

[emulatorloo]

49. Restaurant scene has exploded there

and you can get a great cup of coffee, too.

[radwriter0555]

42. Yes, Paris, London, Nice is Nice, but MONACO ROCKS..

talk about gorgeous!

I'll take Monaco.

[ronzo]

20. What... nobody's going to say Amsterdam?

C'mon!

I pick Amsterdam.

:toast:

[Melsky]

26. I'm right there with ya

one of the funnest cities in the world.

[MrScorpio]

22. Zeist, Netherlands

Just outside of Utrecht and down the road from Amsterdam.

That place has some of the most beautiful houses in Holland.

[DemExpat]

59. Someone here on DU knows Zeist?????

I went to Dutch language school there in the 70s.....it IS a beautiful town.
:hi:
DemEx
Who lives in a very satisfactory city The Hague.

[Muesli]

74. I've lived in Zeist too!!!

But, since I am Dutch, it isn't that extraordinary.

[_Jumper_]

23. London, with Oslo a close second

n/y

[Feanorcurufinwe]

24. Paris

Faut qu'ils s'activent
Pour qu'on qu'on qu'on s'cultive

Paris ! lieu de culture et de vie
Ville lumière que tout le monde nous envie
Vise un peu le prix de ta sortie
Sûr que c'est pas les banlieues qui s'cultivent à Paris

Paris ! lieu de culture et de vie
Deux cents balles le concert et trente le demi.
Si tu veux moins cher, reste devant l'Juste Prix
Tu pourras te distraire et passer ton ennui

Paris ! lieu de culte et de pognon
Où tous les bons artistes viennent vivre leurs ambitions
On aligne les fûts de bière on oublie les cachetons
Y a tellement d'monde derrière qu'il faut jouer de toutes façons

Paris ! lieu mythique de la musique
Trois cents salles de concert, deux millions d'gens pour le public
Avec ça y a de de quoi faire dans l'arnaque artistique
Et les artistes se laissent faire, j'te parle même pas du public

Faut qu'ils s'activent
Pour qu'on qu'on qu'on s'cultive

Oh Paris ! Et toutes ses boîtes de nuit
Tout l'monde rêve d'y aller au moins une fois dans sa vie
Danser sous la terre sur les nouvelle technologies
Et casquer la bouteille pour épater les amis

Paris ! Avec ses discothèques où on t'mate à l'entrée
Des pieds jusqu'à la tête
T'as interêt à avoir d'l'a monnaie si t'as la tête du métèque
Conseil si tu viens d'la cité ne viens pas en baskets

Faut qu'ils s'activent
Pour qu'on qu'on qu'on s'cultive

Paris ! Et ses nombreux cinémas
Ecrans géants Dolby et tout l'tralala
Quand tu vois l'prix du yébi tu comprends mieux pourquoi
Nagui et ses amis font un audimat comme ça !

Paris ! Et sa superbe mairie qui n'entendra jamais
Tout c'que j'viens d'vous chanter
Tibéri et Chirac, son vieil ami
Sont occupés à de biens vastes projets

Faut qu'ils s'activent
Pour qu'on qu'on qu'on s'cultive
http://www.azuraweb.com/tryo/paris.txt

[MrScorpio]

25. Prague and Budapest

The homes of some the finest looking babes in all of Europe.

[Ellen Forradalom]

27. Budapest

but that's just because I speak Hungarian

[JohnKleeb]

31. Prague would be cool too and yep

[noonwitch]

67. I don't know/care about the babes, but I'd love to live in Prague

It's one city that wasn't affected by WWII bombings, so their old buildings are intact. I went to their tourist website and it just looks awesome.

I had dreams a while ago in which I was on a boat on a river that started out being the Detroit river, but as it went under the Belle Isle bridge, it emerged into a very different river and city. I couldn't place the city for the longest time-having been an iron curtain city, not many pictures were in the books I'd seen and it wasn't extensively covered in the media at the time of the dream. I wrote the dream down in my diary, anyways, the first time I had it, which was 1992 or so. A couple of years ago, when there was all that flooding in central Europe, I saw coverage on tv of Prague and instantly recognized it as the city from my dreams. I feel that either I lived there in a past life, or saw pictures as a little kid and just don't remember the source of the images. Either way, I feel the need to go there and explore the possibilities.

On top of that, it was D'Vorak's city, and I am a big fan of his music.

[wickerwoman]

78. Prague by miles.

It's the only city I've ever lived in where you could rent an apartments miles from the city center, hop on a tram (which comes by every 7 minutes), do your grocery shopping, hop back on a tram and be home before your perishables even began to defrost. I've lived in dozens of big cities and have never seen a public transportation system like Prague's. Plus you get indefinite lovely views of one of the most beautiful cities in the world for a $7 monthly pass. Only downside is all the tourists.

#2 London.
#3 Dublin.
#4 Krakow.

[joeybee12]

83. Yes Prague is number one! And I actually plan on moving there in a few

years. Number 2 is a tie between Barcelona and Venice.

[ClintonTyree]

28. Amsterdam..............

for all of the obvious reasons.

[MrScorpio]

29. Amsterdam IS the coolest city on the PLANET

...And the coolest day is the Queen's Birthday in late April.

Ever see and entire CITY through a party? I did!!!

[Melodybe]

30. Dublin with Amsterdam running a close second.

[Nikia]

79. My husband is liking his visit there

He is there this week. I talked to him this evening and he says that it is awesome. He wants to take me there soon. He said besides the pot that the city is beautiful and everyone is rather sociable.

[SmileyBoy]

33. Istanbul, because I'm a Turkish citizen, and I know a little Turkish.

Also, I've been there before, and it truly is God's Country. Most beautiful city in the world, IMO.

[Kellanved]

34. Berlin has mellowed a bit

But still an excellent choice. In my biased opinion it's the most underrated of the European capitals. It came a long way since the mid-90s.

[juajen]

35. Paris

I am mostly French, with a bit of Anglo thrown in. France draws me from the heart.

[JohnKleeb]

36. Why I said what I said, I am part Slovene

[HuckleB]

37. 1. Barcelona 2. Paris 3. Warsaw 4. Prague 5. Marseille

[JM]

38. Munich...

Any place that has police measuring beer steins to ensure the consumer was poured the full amount required by law is fine by me.

:evilgrin:

JM

[matcom]

39. Salzburg, Austria

if there WERE a heaven, it would look like Salzburg

[supernova]

46. Matcom, you do know the way to a girl's heart!

Salzburg is my other softspot! :D

[RebelOne]

40. London or somewhere in northern Scotland

Probably Inverness. It's beautiful there.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

48. You may laugh, but Glasgow is a great city.

The architecture is great, the nightlife is second-to-none, and it's the most left-wing city in Western Europe.

[DemExpat]

60. I saw on a documentary how modernized it has become

in the past couple of decades....

My Dad was born in Glasgow.

DemEx

[Awsi Dooger]

73. Great choices, also St. Andrews

I've traveled throughout Europe, and want to agree with almost every suggestion on this thread. But if forced to live somewhere, and not merely visit, I would likely choose London, where I've always had a blast. The same-language realities are an admitted, pathetic rationale.

Northern Scotland is a treasure. I'm happy someone mentioned it. Plus, from there it's not too far a trek south to legendary little St. Andrews, where a golfer like myself is in heaven. Even if the Old Course greens fees are not the absurd bargain like my first visit in the mid-'70s.

[bearfan454]

43. Barcelona

The paella at the Siete Puertas restaurant kicks ass.

[OldSoldier]

44. Back to Berlin!

I was there for six years, so I already know the place.

It is everything WillyBrandt said, and more.

But would it be okay if I worked in Berlin and lived in one of the outlying communities? Say within 30km of Berlin? This for housing expenses, of course; living in Zossen or Wuensdorf would have to be cheaper than living in Berlin--same deal as living in Jersey and working in NYC, and there are excellent trains between Berlin and the outlying areas.

Second choice: Seiffen. You know those neat little German nutcrackers, the ones that look like soldiers? Seiffen is where they were first made, and wooden carvings are still the main industry there. It's a pretty little town that's closer to Dresden than it is to Berlin.

Third choice: Bad Freienwalde, a resort town way up north and not far from the Polish border.

Fourth choice: a mid-sized town in France.

Fifth choice: Amsterdam.

Sixth choice: London

[supernova]

45. Vienna or Prague

of the places I've visited. Vienna is artistic, light-hearted, musical, delicious, sensual, historical, intellectual, complicated, sophisticated, high-brow, lo-brow -- a veritable smorgasbord of life.

Prague is much the same, but more intellectual I think. Not certain, just the impression I get now. I do enjoy their overall faded decadent empire look.

More importantly what they both have in common is a kind of ease of daily life that I find very similar to here in the south, believe it or not. They may be big cities, but people still have time to visit with you, to say hello.

I've been to Berlin and Budapest, also. Berlin is wonderful, but it's a bit like NYC in that it's too hectic for me. Budapest is as beautiful as Vienna, and I hope they improved their air pollution problem. Budapest is only place on the planet that made my eyes water. :P

London and Paris would probably be good too, but I've never been to either of those places. Still want to someday.

In short, If I really wanted to live in a big, urban center, I'd pick a European over an American one in a heartbeat.

[Kamika]

47. Amsterdam

Living in Holland id be close to Berlin, London and Paris

[Character Assassin]

50. Konstanz, Olso, Edinburgh, Bergen, Trondheim

[Screaming Lord Byron]

52. Edinburgh is a living hell of atrocious insufferable philistine wankers.

Glasgow is a shining paragon of civic achievement.

I may be slightly biased

[Character Assassin]

56. Och, laddie, yee lookin' fehr a Glasgee kiss, are yee?

[Screaming Lord Byron]

57. Well, maybe just a little one.

[Character Assassin]

64. Glasgee Kiss: unexpected heat butt directly into the bridge of the nose

A dirty trick, IOW, exactly on parr with the citizenry of that city.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

66. Hey, you know where you stand (or rather lie painfully) with a weegie.

[elcondor]

51. Zurich--free bicycle loans!

:-) I'd also like to visit Warsaw and Poland, but I'm not sure if I'd like to live there for five years.

[BurtWorm]

53. I loved Granada and Sevilla, in that order.

Of course I wouldn't sneeze at the offer to live in Paris or London, either. Amsterdam and Copenhagen were nice too.

Berlin...I liked visiting it, but I don't think I'd want to live there. I found the weather and people somewhat harsh.

[HereSince1628]

54. Leighton-Buzzard and commute to London or its suburbs...

It's a cute little country town with a personal ancestral connection.
Good golf course, too.

[WoodrowFan]

55. London

London, even though I've never been to Europe. I don't speak any language but English (alas) Besides, I LOVE books and I hear London has great bookstores!

[HereSince1628]

68. Language got me too, I love St. Petersburg/Leningrad

Been there 3 times, but my Russian isn't good enough.

[thom1102]

58. God, I can't beleive I am the first to say Prague...

It's cheap, beautiful, and very friendly towards Americans. I have been almost all around the world, and I have to say, I thought Prague was the most beautiful.

[bif]

61. Venice

The most beautiful city on earth.

[Zan_of_Texas]

62. Copenhagen

I'm past going out clubbing and all that. I just like a friendly, manageable city with some magic. I think Copenhagen would be that place. I would consider Ireland or Glasgow, Scotland too.

[smirkymonkey]

63. Prague, Vienna, London

Wherever I lived I would be travelling all the time throughout Europe though. Some of the smaller cities in Europe are quite nice as well - Sienna, Brugge, Salzburg, Haarlem etc.

[TopesJunkie]

65. Barcelona or Prague

Barcelona or Prague.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

69. 1. Paris 2. Amsterdam 3.Rome

Paris is my fave.

[Heddi]

70. Amsterdam---Actually, anywhere in the Netherlands

Hubby and I went there last year---before then, we thought London/UK in General was the SHIZNIT.

WRONG.

The Dutch were THE friendliest people I've ever met. The cities were beautiful, and the views--my god the views.

I'm not a sentimental person---and A'dam is the FIRST and ONLY Place I've been that the word "romance" actually came to mind.

One day we just walked around residential neighborhoods for hours. Got more lost than I've ever been before (tried to find the Anne Frank House....got lost in a maze of canals (singel) and bridges...God I could have stayed lost forever.

Our next vacation, and the vacation after that, and the vacation after that will ALWAYS be to the NL.

ANd people say I only like it for the reefer---that is *SO* wrong. It's so much more than that. Even without legalized pot & prostitution, NL is just great great great.

I love that there are more bicycles than people in the city :)

[amazona]

85. do you have suggestions on places to stay in Amsterdam?

I have to pass through Amsterdam in January for a few days, and I am at a loss trying to figure out where to stay. Everything seems so expensive! Do you have a good place to recommend?

I saw the ad for the houseboats under the windmills, and I thought of trying to rent one of them, but then I got to wondering -- just how noisy are those windmills?

Any ideas or recommendations for things to do will be much appreciated. Thanks!

[Heddi]

88. we stayed

at the Rho Hotel -- right off Damsquare in the center of town. It's not too expensive--I think we paid under 100 Euro per night---but that was through British Airways.

There's SO much to do. The Van Gogh Museum, Rembrandt Museum, Anne Frank House, just walking around is a trip. GET A GOOD MAP---really. One wrong turn at the wrong canal and you'll end up clear on the other part of town!

WE took a day trip down to Delft (where they make the pottery) and there's a little place there called Mardorudam or something---Tiny Village. These people's son died in a concentration camp, I believe, so they dedicated their lives to creating a tiny village at 1/100th size. It's AMAZING. Everything is so small, but it look so real. People are always amazed by the pictures, b/c they think they're pictures of real buildings, but they're just miniatures.

You can have a tour of a delft pottery factory.

There's the Hague...

Take a canal cruise. You'll see the whole city for relatively cheap.

GREAT food---eat the pancakes :) mmm... Also, if you can, get some Stroopwaffels - they're 2 thin cookie-type waffles that are put together with a honey paste in the middle. They're VERY very thin, and VERY VERY good. Get them warm if you can.

There's tons of open air markets and stuff (at least there was when we were there, altho that was in May).

You will NOT be at a loss for things to do. If you're like us, you'll wish you could spend your whole life there just so you can experience it all!

[FloridaJudy]

71. Venice

Just because.

[area51]

72. I'd take almost any European city ...

... that had universal health care.

[Hubert Flottz]

75. Bebra Germany!

A fine little town!

[VOX]

76. London or Edinburgh...

So much to do in London, it never gets old.

Edinburgh, 'cause it's so damn charming and the people are so nice!

:toast:

[FlashHarry]

77. Geneva

Beautiful. Multicultural. Centrally located. Small-ish, yet cosmopolitan. Unfortunately, it's expensive as hell. (I lived there a couple of years, from '99 to '01.)

[SiobhanClancy]

80. 1)Cork 2)Dublin 3)Amsterdam 4)Florence 5)Vienna

really,there are many wonderful cities in Europe..this is only the short list.

[Zomby Woof]

81. Cordoba, Spain

Beautiful ancient Moorish architecture, and rich in the Andalusian culture. Someone else mentioned Sevilla, and I would make that a concurrent choice.

[name not needed]

82. london or toulouse

[amazona]

84. is there one i can afford?

I have no idea. It is something I've never considered because it seems so expensive over there. Maybe I'll ponder and come back later after I've read the other suggestions.

[theemu]

86. Why not have a different one for each season?

Winter: Rome
Spring: London
Summer: Moscow
Autumn: Paris

[Scott Lee]

87. Edinburgh. Mo Caragh le bhatha uille!