Paris vs Amsterdam: Cities Compete for My Love

I know it’s silly to choose favorites, but by nature we like to compare things. Our identities are developed through our preferences. Paris has been my favorite city since I first went there in 1985. Every other city I’ve been to is held up against the City of Lights and pales in comparison. Until Amsterdam.

Amsterdam                Paris

I visited Amsterdam twice in this last year and last June, I could feel it catching up to Paris as my favorite city. In March, I finally capitulated and admitted that my desire to live there is real. Ever since my first visit to Amsterdam in 1988, I’ve wanted to stay there longer.

Because I like to understand and analyze things, I’m going to do a city-to-city comparison. Let's look at the appeal of both of these compelling cities.

Paris is full of beauty – the architecture, the shop windows, the people, the gardens, all provide an urban landscape of gorgeous site after gorgeous site.

Amsterdam is a city of style – the architecture, the show windows, the people, the canals, all provide an urban landscape of charm and beauty. And, Amsterdam residents have a habit of keeping their windows un-curtained, so passersby can peek in and check out their excellent style. Parisians, and the French in general, are famous for their shuttered windows.

Paris is huge and impressive – the wide boulevards, the grand buildings, the enormous parks are all designed to instill awe and wonder in us wee pedestrians.

Amsterdam seems cozy – the streets along the canals are narrow, the buildings tucked in along the canals, the small corner cafes all seem more my size.

Paris’s beauty and elegance instills in me a desire to be more classy, to wear designer clothing and to have impeccable manners and style.

In Amsterdam, I feel comfortable as I am. I’m not self-conscious of my red sneakers and jeans. I don’t feel the need to dress up and be my ‘better self.’

Paris has been part of my life since I began studying French in 1982. Her history is familiar to me, her stories part of my own past.

Amsterdam offers a new historic landscape to discover; I know very little about her history other than the Anne Frank story and the fact that Amsterdam was a refuge (like Paris) for all kinds of freaks and weirdos that were shunned elsewhere. (Is it a surprise that I love these havens of wackiness?)

Paris has, of course, the best pastries anywhere. Often imitated, never replicated, the croissants, bread and artful pastries can’t be beat. And then there’s the cheese and wine.

I haven’t had enough time to discover the culinary delights of Amsterdam. I did find a few vegetarian restaurants, imbibed some delicious coffee and a fresh croissant at an Italian café, and thoroughly enjoyed the organic market.

Both cities have their watery arteries, which I thoroughly enjoy. Give me a canal, a river, a lake and I’m happy. (Creativity is fueled by water!)

I have to say that Paris’s parks seem to surpass those of Amsterdam. I have spent a good amount of time tracking down Paris’s pockets of green. It’s the only way I can stay sane in the dense and intense concrete urban environment.

The Vondelpark in Amsterdam is vast, but when I was there in March it hadn’t emerged from its winter slumber, and the rampant construction made it feel more like a construction zone than a park. With more time, I know I would find the city’s sweet green spots.

I’ve been able to partake in my favorite activity in Amsterdam, but not Paris: bike riding. Next time I am in Europe I vow to have a credit card that has the chip that allows me to rent a bike through Paris’s Velib program. 

Both cities have an abundance of bookstores, and bookstores with English books. Yippee!

Paris doesn’t yet have a le Cool guide, which is a shame. I thoroughly enjoyed the Amsterdam le Cool guide, which even had references to where to pee in the city, an issue not to be dismissed lightly!

Of course, in both of these cities I am a stranger, a visitor, skimming the surface. It’s a surface judgment on a place without a real experience of living there, interacting with the people, wading through the local bureaucracy.

Perhaps it’s my life-long love affair with France that has me turn to new landscapes. When I left on my trip, I wanted to expand beyond francophilia. I mean, France is great and all, but it’s not the only country worth visiting. My journey to Europe was an extension of my degree in West European Studies. I learned tons about Portugal, and a bit about Spain, Italy, England and Holland.

I met an American woman in Amsterdam who also has a home in Paris. What a perfect combination: time in Paris, time in Amsterdam, a way to enjoy both cities. If I didn’t have to choose a favorite, I’d go back and forth between the two.

Other elements that need more study: the museums, the music scene, the freebies, yoga studios, the possibilities of integrating into the culture, and more. I’ll just have to go back and investigate further.
What’s your favorite city, and have you ever been torn between two cities like this?

Comments

[Jodie (Journey girl)]

hello fellow journey person! :) much like you, i enjoy analyzing and exploring, as well as writing (inspired a lot by being near water, as you also stated!)about cities...i love to travel.

in the US, I am a Midwestern girl who would love vacillate b/w NY and LA. In EUROPE (my first visit being last year, and only including Paris, London and Amsterdam), I FELL IN LOVE with Paris, but, as you said, felt "comfortable" in Amsterdam. I, too, felt the need to "be my best and most beautiful" in Paris, but felt like I could really open to possibility and creativity (not that Paris, in all its splendor, isn't inspiring) in Amsterdam. But, there were some "freaky" parts to Amsterdam as well and I would have to definitely research more about both cities, as to how to get around, especially by foot or bike, and stay safe as a single gal.

I look forward to hearing more about your research as I continue on my journey, which I'm certain will lead me back to both cities soon! :) Please feel free to read about my journeys and view photos at: www.journeyswithjodie.com

[Cynthia Morris]

Jodie,
Thanks for writing! How exciting that you recently had your first visit to Europe. Of course you fell in love with Paris! How could you not.
Great site - keep up the journey! Let me know how I can help anytime.

[Christina]

Dear CYnthia, what a treat to find your blog, it is so well written and thoughtful..and this post was so funny to me, because I am living right now in that quandary! Actually I'm living in Zurich, where I came after leaving the states a few months ago, thought I would try life here as I always liked the town , quality of life is good..but it is so stodgy and though I'm living on the lake, I'm bored to tears, and trying right now to decide between- Amsterdam or Paris!
I feel exactly the same as you about both cities, and I have lived brief periods in both, and can tell you you're exactly on the money about both of them- and I always felt that sense of creative possibility in Amsterdam, felt it was a more human city in many ways, also I loved riding my bike everywhere, especially at night as the city seemed like a passing parade on two wheels..so romantic..also the dutch men are so bloody attractive and tall, yummy! and much more masculine than the french, but that;s another histoire..
Paris? yes, I also have this glamorous idea of myself living there, that I'll always dress so much better and be so much more chic, and my hair and nails will look perfect, etc etc ..and then what?
I'm feeling , at least in this moment, at this ungodly hour of the morning (3 am websearching ) that the human town of Amsterdam looks so gezellig to me (cozy that means) ..healthy, simple, fun..
please tell us what you decide when you do, and if you need a pal over here to discuss, feel free to write!
very best,c

[Zach]

Thanks for sharing. I am trying to plan a trip through either Paris or Amsterdam, but I really only have 2 or 3 nights.

What am I after?

I haven't been to many cities in Europe, so it's hard to pick. I would love to see as many tourist trap icons as possible, but would also like to get the feel for the city by just enjoying a coffee shop. I have some Dutch DNA, but I feel Paris might have a few more things to see.

With so little time, would it be possible to see much in Amsterdam?

Of course, I am open to other major cities too ...

Any suggestions?

Much Thanks

[tim]

Hi Cynthia!

great to hear about your experiences in Paris and A'dam! My name is Tim and i'm Dutch, living 45 min away from Amsterdam. I have been to Paris many times (this is 4 hours driving from where im from) and I really like the city. There is something magical about the city! I really like to be there and to visit Paris. Nowadays a faster train is going to Paris so you can be there in about three hours :) from Amsterdam. I like Amsterdam as well as other dutch towns like Utrecht and Maastricht. The feeling of living in a developed country where you feel like its always cosy and beautiful areas on a not too big area strikes me a lot. It's easy to bike around and there are many stores, cafe's and so. About the coffeeshops, the are way coffeeshops mainly because of the tourists in Amsterdam compared to other cities in the Netherlands. The people in Amsterdam are always willing to talk english while in Paris its many times not the case. The Dutch are down to earth and they are pretty direct in communicating. They say what they think and it can sometimes sound rude but they are not intending to harm you. From what I know about the French is that they are more chauvinistic and France is much more hierarchical compared to Holland. I like Amsterdam better as a city to live in, make friends and mingle with people. Especially at work and sportsclubs its easy to make friends. Paris is stunning and always great to go to for a citytrip. Its magestic and I feel great to be there for some days. I wouldnt wanna live there but thats maybe my Dutch look at it. Regarding the museums I think that Amsterdam and Paris both have nice museums. The museums in Amsterdam our f.e. about the Dutch painters Van Gogh and Rembrandt. In Paris the meseums are amazing, the Louvre is great and you have to have seen it. Both cities are appealing in my opinion but there is a difference between visiting a city and living in a city. Kind regards, Tim