You know, when you're speaking and writing English, you can use Cardiff. I am guessing you don't say and spell out Deutschland when you are referring to Germany while using the English language...
Your Favourite European cities
- Thread starter keli
- Start date
You know, when you're speaking and writing English, you can use Cardiff. I am guessing you don't say and spell out Deutschland when you are referring to Germany while using the English language...
JohannaK
Heroically Clueless
Deutschland ist gut. Or something.
Virote_Considon
The Great Dictator
My favourite cities which I could totally imagine myself living in (in no particular order):
*London (Hey, I'm English, what can you expect?
)
*Bucharest (When you get past the god-awful smell particularly in the summer and the stray dogs, this is a really vibrant city)
*Belgrade (Again, a really vibrant city with pretty much everything I'd need)
*Kyiv (Not so vibrant, but still has everything I need. Also, I get the impression that this city is bigger, I felt I had more I'd be able to do on any given day)
Honorable mentions to:
*Tbilisi (I really, really, really love this city and everything about it. The only downside is that, being in the Caucasus, getting to/from there can be a pain in the backside - if I needed to scoot back to Britain for any reason it'd probably cost an arm and a leg!)
*Berlin (Big and busy and happening, and really cheap for a Western European city, too! Plenty to see and do; but I didn't feel quite the connection I did with the other cities)
*Budapest (Not much to say which hasn't already been said. Some lovely cafés though!)
Favourite cities to visit:
(Most of these fall just short of being somewhere I'd like to live due to size and transport infrastructure)
*Banja Luka (One Hell of a night out there I had, let me tell you that! Also, the Bosnian Serbs were some of the most naturally friendly people I've ever met - and this is from within a region pretty notorious for the friendly nature of its people! However, transport links are somewhat limited!)
*Zagreb (Plenty of good bars, some great surrounding countryside, and an absolutely stunning old town!)
*Chisinau (I find this city is amazingly aesthetically pleasing despite the fact that for all intents and purposes it really probably shouldn't be. The architecture seems typically crudely Soviet, and most buildings are the same drab white hue. However, the streets are wide and near universally lined with greenery, which perhaps adds the perfect level of contrast. Biggest downsides are that you will inevitably run out of stuff to do and until you know where you're going, finding a decent bar can be a slight pain
Overall, a really nice place and I'd certainly recommend it to anyone)
*Yerevan (A lot like Tbilisi to be honest except even more remote. Caucasians are all generally a pretty cool bunch!)
*Odesa (To be honest, I probably could live here for an extended time. Transport is a bit awkward, and I'm not so sure what it's like outside of the tourist season. Absolute blast when I went there though!)
Other places I've liked, some with commentary, some without:
*Stepanakert and Shushi in NKR (As much as I liked them, I didn't get to spend long enough in either to form too much of an opinion. The people there were mindblowingly excited to meet me though)
*Batumi
*Constanta (Seemed like a great place, but only stayed there the one night)
*Bratislava
*Bristol
*Exeter
*Barcelona
EDIT: *Tiraspol, how could I forget?! Really nice place, was there on Transnistrian independence day. Technically only stayed there the one night though I hadn't even planned on doing that, and was subsequently fined upon leaving because I hadn't registered with the police. That'll learn me, I guess
And to round it off, cities in Europe I've been that I was rather unimpressed with:
*Poti. Dear Christ, that place was a <*expletive deleted*> hole!
*Paris. Because I'm English
*Cologne. Don't get me wrong, it was a nice, clean, pretty city. The people were nice. No problems so to speak of. It just seemed boring as heck there.
*Portsmouth
*Southampton
*Bournemouth (not technically a city but I don't care)
*Birmingham
Wholeheartedly agreed. Almost everything everyone said about it turned out to be the opposite:
Everyone said it was a beautiful city. However, I found it ugly and cluttered and dirty and drab. The couple of places they had that were nice (the Louvre) stuck out like a saw thumb but on the whole there was nothing spectacular about the city; I'd say its beauty was on par with London - a city not particularly noted for its beauty.
On the plus side, everyone said the people were arrogant arsehole who would turn their noses up at you especially if you spoke to them in English (the only language I can speak), and would go so far as to pretend not to know it when they obviously do just to drive this point home. I actually found the Parisians quite accommodating, always willing to at least try and engage in English, and of those who I tried talking to who couldn't speak English/couldn't speak it very well, every single one of them tried getting someone else to help translate for me.
Expensive as all Hell though. Everyone was right about that.
I liked Budapest the times I've been there. Coming from the Balkans though the poverty really does hit you - people in broad daylight on a busy-ish street fishing in bins for clothes just doesn't seem right. Other than that, it has the feel of quite a clean city, 'specially outside of the old ruins (which I admit I didn't spend too much time outside ).
Gotta disagree that it isn't full of tourists too. Literally every second person there seemed to be a tourist. I noticed this both when I went towards the end of September and again a couple of weeks back.
Try Zagreb and Bratislava too if you like small picturesque cities
That would make my town (Weymouth) a city. It is clearly not a city. In fact, I'd not even say it was a large town.
Don't they even have any kebab houses that stay open to near-enough when the supermarkets open?
Surely they do? Surely?
The first 3 I can personally vouch for. Loved 'em to bits!
Stunning scenery. Wonderful people. AM-A-ZING food, especially in Georgia. Reasonably cheap, though with a staggering variation (in Tbilisi, I found variations in bars of 2 Lari to 7 Lari for .5 liters of beer - that's between just under €1 and about €3.50!). Also, the music and general atmosphere is nice, and the mix between European and Middle Eastern seems just right. 10/10, would go there again, and hopefully will be going there again towards the end of the year
You're really missing out there! Anywhere in the North Caucasus (Chechnya, Dagestan as you said) I'd probably agree. South Ossetia most definitely so, too. Abkhazia, not so much. But NKR was amazing when I went. Transnistria was also pretty OK, back in continental Europe.
*London (Hey, I'm English, what can you expect?
)*Bucharest (When you get past the god-awful smell particularly in the summer and the stray dogs, this is a really vibrant city)
*Belgrade (Again, a really vibrant city with pretty much everything I'd need)
*Kyiv (Not so vibrant, but still has everything I need. Also, I get the impression that this city is bigger, I felt I had more I'd be able to do on any given day)
Honorable mentions to:
*Tbilisi (I really, really, really love this city and everything about it. The only downside is that, being in the Caucasus, getting to/from there can be a pain in the backside - if I needed to scoot back to Britain for any reason it'd probably cost an arm and a leg!)
*Berlin (Big and busy and happening, and really cheap for a Western European city, too! Plenty to see and do; but I didn't feel quite the connection I did with the other cities)
*Budapest (Not much to say which hasn't already been said. Some lovely cafés though!)
Favourite cities to visit:
(Most of these fall just short of being somewhere I'd like to live due to size and transport infrastructure)
*Banja Luka (One Hell of a night out there I had, let me tell you that! Also, the Bosnian Serbs were some of the most naturally friendly people I've ever met - and this is from within a region pretty notorious for the friendly nature of its people! However, transport links are somewhat limited!)
*Zagreb (Plenty of good bars, some great surrounding countryside, and an absolutely stunning old town!)
*Chisinau (I find this city is amazingly aesthetically pleasing despite the fact that for all intents and purposes it really probably shouldn't be. The architecture seems typically crudely Soviet, and most buildings are the same drab white hue. However, the streets are wide and near universally lined with greenery, which perhaps adds the perfect level of contrast. Biggest downsides are that you will inevitably run out of stuff to do and until you know where you're going, finding a decent bar can be a slight pain
Overall, a really nice place and I'd certainly recommend it to anyone)*Yerevan (A lot like Tbilisi to be honest except even more remote. Caucasians are all generally a pretty cool bunch!)
*Odesa (To be honest, I probably could live here for an extended time. Transport is a bit awkward, and I'm not so sure what it's like outside of the tourist season. Absolute blast when I went there though!)
Other places I've liked, some with commentary, some without:
*Stepanakert and Shushi in NKR (As much as I liked them, I didn't get to spend long enough in either to form too much of an opinion. The people there were mindblowingly excited to meet me though)
*Batumi
*Constanta (Seemed like a great place, but only stayed there the one night)
*Bratislava
*Bristol
*Exeter
*Barcelona
EDIT: *Tiraspol, how could I forget?! Really nice place, was there on Transnistrian independence day. Technically only stayed there the one night though I hadn't even planned on doing that, and was subsequently fined upon leaving because I hadn't registered with the police. That'll learn me, I guess
And to round it off, cities in Europe I've been that I was rather unimpressed with:
*Poti. Dear Christ, that place was a <*expletive deleted*> hole!
*Paris. Because I'm English
*Cologne. Don't get me wrong, it was a nice, clean, pretty city. The people were nice. No problems so to speak of. It just seemed boring as heck there.
*Portsmouth
*Southampton
*Bournemouth (not technically a city but I don't care)
*Birmingham
Wholeheartedly agreed. Almost everything everyone said about it turned out to be the opposite:
Everyone said it was a beautiful city. However, I found it ugly and cluttered and dirty and drab. The couple of places they had that were nice (the Louvre) stuck out like a saw thumb but on the whole there was nothing spectacular about the city; I'd say its beauty was on par with London - a city not particularly noted for its beauty.
On the plus side, everyone said the people were arrogant arsehole who would turn their noses up at you especially if you spoke to them in English (the only language I can speak), and would go so far as to pretend not to know it when they obviously do just to drive this point home. I actually found the Parisians quite accommodating, always willing to at least try and engage in English, and of those who I tried talking to who couldn't speak English/couldn't speak it very well, every single one of them tried getting someone else to help translate for me.
Expensive as all Hell though. Everyone was right about that.
I liked Budapest the times I've been there. Coming from the Balkans though the poverty really does hit you - people in broad daylight on a busy-ish street fishing in bins for clothes just doesn't seem right. Other than that, it has the feel of quite a clean city, 'specially outside of the old ruins (which I admit I didn't spend too much time outside
). Gotta disagree that it isn't full of tourists too. Literally every second person there seemed to be a tourist. I noticed this both when I went towards the end of September and again a couple of weeks back.
Try Zagreb and Bratislava too if you like small picturesque cities
That would make my town (Weymouth) a city. It is clearly not a city. In fact, I'd not even say it was a large town.
Don't they even have any kebab houses that stay open to near-enough when the supermarkets open?
Surely they do? Surely?The first 3 I can personally vouch for. Loved 'em to bits!
Stunning scenery. Wonderful people. AM-A-ZING food, especially in Georgia. Reasonably cheap, though with a staggering variation (in Tbilisi, I found variations in bars of 2 Lari to 7 Lari for .5 liters of beer - that's between just under €1 and about €3.50!). Also, the music and general atmosphere is nice, and the mix between European and Middle Eastern seems just right. 10/10, would go there again, and hopefully will be going there again towards the end of the year
You're really missing out there! Anywhere in the North Caucasus (Chechnya, Dagestan as you said) I'd probably agree. South Ossetia most definitely so, too. Abkhazia, not so much. But NKR was amazing when I went. Transnistria was also pretty OK, back in continental Europe.
Traitorfish
The Tighnahulish Kid
Do any of these places do a decent sausage supper? Cos, like, it's kind of a deal-breaker for me if they don't.
Virote_Considon
The Great Dictator
Yes. Yes they do.
Quackers
The Frog
I've found that many European countries pride themselves on their sausages.
Most of them are -ok-. Not many come close to cumberland sausages, onion gravy and mashed potatoes.
Most of them are -ok-. Not many come close to cumberland sausages, onion gravy and mashed potatoes.
I liked Budapest the times I've been there. Coming from the Balkans though the poverty really does hit you - people in broad daylight on a busy-ish street fishing in bins for clothes just doesn't seem right. Other than that, it has the feel of quite a clean city, 'specially outside of the old ruins (which I admit I didn't spend too much time outside
Gotta disagree that it isn't full of tourists too. Literally every second person there seemed to be a tourist. I noticed this both when I went towards the end of September and again a couple of weeks back.
I guess it's probably the 2nd or 3rd biggest tourist place in E. Europe, but still doesn't hold a candle to Paris in that regard. I was there a few weeks ago too (for New Year's), and the number of tourists seemed to be completely drowned out by locals
The poverty does seem to be much more noticeable, but compared to the Balkans I put that down to it being a bigger city (just as the poverty is much more noticeable in Bucharest compared to, say, Brasov). Also seems to have more inequality (judging by the rich people), I suppose.
Try Zagreb and Bratislava too if you like small picturesque cities
Bratislava is a hole! Literally one of the most unappealing and generally boring places I've been.
Don't they even have any kebab houses that stay open to near-enough when the supermarkets open?
There are two döner shops within a few hundred metres of where I live. Both close at 10pm. Kinda defeats their entire purpose, I would've thought.
Traitorfish
The Tighnahulish Kid
Just to note that Hungary is not in the Balkans. Nothing north of the Danube is (technically not even the bit of Serbia above the Danube). So virtually none of Romania is in the Balkans either.
While different areas have been called that, the term historically replaced the older term of the "peninsula of Aimos". 'Balkan' is supposed to connote the densely forrested area in eastern Bulgaria. Just think of it as consisting of all European areas under Byzantine rule at the date Basil II died, apart from Italy and the Crimea.
While different areas have been called that, the term historically replaced the older term of the "peninsula of Aimos". 'Balkan' is supposed to connote the densely forrested area in eastern Bulgaria. Just think of it as consisting of all European areas under Byzantine rule at the date Basil II died, apart from Italy and the Crimea.
If that's a reply to me, then yes, I know Budapest isn't in the Balkans. You can arrive in Budapest from what most people would tend to call the Balkans, however (i.e. Yugoslavia, the former states of which can at least be referred to as 'the Balkan states'), which is why the differences between the two would be noteworthy.
Virote_Considon
The Great Dictator
Oh yeah, going from Budapest to Bucharest the poverty is much more noticeable in fact (incidentally, Bucharest was where I spent my NYE
)Wow, that really is horrifying!
TF, I think you forget you're talking to a coupke of Southerners
If that's a reply to me, then yes, I know Budapest isn't in the Balkans. You can arrive in Budapest from what most people would tend to call the Balkans, however (i.e. Yugoslavia, the former states of which can at least be referred to as 'the Balkan states'), which is why the differences between the two would be noteworthy.
Yep. I first arived there from the Former Yugoslavia, where the poverty seems less pronounced!
Phrossack
Armored Fish and Armored Men
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2008
- Messages
- 6,045
Wow! I wish I can travel as much as you someday. Ideally, I'd visit the Caucasus, the Balkans, Mongolia, Hungary, New Zealand, Kazakhstan, and various parts of Russia. I'd like to learn the languages before I go, though, so as to have a more interesting experience.Honorable mentions to:
*Tbilisi (I really, really, really love this city and everything about it. The only downside is that, being in the Caucasus, getting to/from there can be a pain in the backside - if I needed to scoot back to Britain for any reason it'd probably cost an arm and a leg!)
Favourite cities to visit:
(Most of these fall just short of being somewhere I'd like to live due to size and transport infrastructure)
*Banja Luka (One Hell of a night out there I had, let me tell you that! Also, the Bosnian Serbs were some of the most naturally friendly people I've ever met - and this is from within a region pretty notorious for the friendly nature of its people! However, transport links are somewhat limited!)
*Zagreb (Plenty of good bars, some great surrounding countryside, and an absolutely stunning old town!)
*Chisinau (I find this city is amazingly aesthetically pleasing despite the fact that for all intents and purposes it really probably shouldn't be. The architecture seems typically crudely Soviet, and most buildings are the same drab white hue. However, the streets are wide and near universally lined with greenery, which perhaps adds the perfect level of contrast. Biggest downsides are that you will inevitably run out of stuff to do and until you know where you're going, finding a decent bar can be a slight pain
*Yerevan (A lot like Tbilisi to be honest except even more remote. Caucasians are all generally a pretty cool bunch!)
*Odesa (To be honest, I probably could live here for an extended time. Transport is a bit awkward, and I'm not so sure what it's like outside of the tourist season. Absolute blast when I went there though!)
Other places I've liked, some with commentary, some without:
*Stepanakert and Shushi in NKR (As much as I liked them, I didn't get to spend long enough in either to form too much of an opinion. The people there were mindblowingly excited to meet me though)
*Batumi
*Constanta (Seemed like a great place, but only stayed there the one night)
*Bratislava
*Bristol
*Exeter
*Barcelona
EDIT: *Tiraspol, how could I forget?! Really nice place, was there on Transnistrian independence day. Technically only stayed there the one night though I hadn't even planned on doing that, and was subsequently fined upon leaving because I hadn't registered with the police. That'll learn me, I guess
Expensive as all Hell though. Everyone was right about that.
Try Zagreb and Bratislava too if you like small picturesque cities
The first 3 I can personally vouch for. Loved 'em to bits!
Stunning scenery. Wonderful people. AM-A-ZING food, especially in Georgia. Reasonably cheap, though with a staggering variation (in Tbilisi, I found variations in bars of 2 Lari to 7 Lari for .5 liters of beer - that's between just under 1 and about 3.50!). Also, the music and general atmosphere is nice, and the mix between European and Middle Eastern seems just right. 10/10, would go there again, and hopefully will be going there again towards the end of the year
You're really missing out there! Anywhere in the North Caucasus (Chechnya, Dagestan as you said) I'd probably agree. South Ossetia most definitely so, too. Abkhazia, not so much. But NKR was amazing when I went. Transnistria was also pretty OK, back in continental Europe.
What else was interesting about the Caucasus? What kind of food did you have? Sounds like you had a great time!
I'm glad that was not a link to gay porn.
Agreed. I did some Paris hating a little earlier on but I don't feel like I was able to fully express my depth of hatred for that crotchstain on the underpants of urban society.
Verbose
Deity
If you get there in the summer, the 9,6 million Swedes will likely be enjoying their 6 week vacations, either leaving the country, taking to the roughly 1,5 million privately owned (never registered) boats, and dispersing in the archipelagos, or returning to the dreams of rural origin centered on their little summer home red and white timber cottages in the countryside.
As for the weirdly charged Swedish attitude towards alcohol, a somewhat different (though possibly weirdly explanatory) experience might be had by those able to join in traditional Swedish Midsumer's Eve late night revelry (sexually charged drunken haze often as not). But then you really do need to get out of the cities.
Bulldog Bats
King
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2013
- Messages
- 701
I think you can find something good to do in almost any city.
Back before we had a child, and had both disposable time and income, my wife and I used to pick a city at random each year. When we went there, we would ask locals working at the hotel and local businesses their favorite restaurants and such. I spend two days covering all of London with the Underground, just popping up at different areas of the city.
Once our son graduates college, we intend to resume.
Back before we had a child, and had both disposable time and income, my wife and I used to pick a city at random each year. When we went there, we would ask locals working at the hotel and local businesses their favorite restaurants and such. I spend two days covering all of London with the Underground, just popping up at different areas of the city.
Once our son graduates college, we intend to resume.
Don't forget losing weight from your wallet as you pay 2 million dollars for anything.
Marla_Singer
United in diversity
Very interesting discussion as I'm actually quite involved in Paris affairs.
To sum up my opinion about it, Paris suffers from a heavy "20th century-minded" conservatism which leads to a total lack of vision for the future and the acceptance by the local crowds of outdated (and decaying) standards of living.
I'm very depressed about it as I'm convinced the city, which I love more than anything else on this earth, is full of potential but simply can't move forward because of that general mindset.
To sum up my opinion about it, Paris suffers from a heavy "20th century-minded" conservatism which leads to a total lack of vision for the future and the acceptance by the local crowds of outdated (and decaying) standards of living.
I'm very depressed about it as I'm convinced the city, which I love more than anything else on this earth, is full of potential but simply can't move forward because of that general mindset.
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