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London vs. New York (Poll included)

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Both have pros and cons, but probably NYC for me :girl:
Personally I've only been to London. I try and go for a long weekend break once a year and i love it. The history, the architecture, the night scene, the shows! its all so wonderful.
My boyfriend has been to New York three times and he firmly believes London is better. He likes NY as everyone does, but he doesn't think it has the same character and he finds it very imposing.
ghanglish
I absolutely love London, the atmosphere, everything. I've never been to New York though. I get the feeling that if I still love London as much as I do then New York would just blow me away. One day I hope to find out.


I'm guessing you're not a native Londonder and have moved here at some point? I find that usually the native LDN'ers can sometimes be a bit more negative, or perhaps they've lived here so long they're impervious to LDN's charm-I know I am.

But also remember the strategic location of London-at your doorstep you have so many amazing places to visit: France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Poland etc. New Yorkers don't really have that luxury (unless they wanna go to another American city).
I've also added a poll so vote away!
KwungSun
Pretty much the same city only that New York does everything on a bigger scale.


This.
+ NY has Brooklyn :heart:
It's a bit biased asking this kind of question on a primarily British message board.

Having lived in and around London all my life i've experienced both the glamorous, touristy side of London and the seedy, dangerous side of some of the London housing estates.

I've only been to New York once, for a few days and stuck to the obvious touristy places. Obviously I have a favourable opinion of New York, because I only got to experience the glitzy side of NY life, whereas I live in London and experience both the good and bad sides.

If I'd spent years of my life growing up in one of the poverty stricken areas of NY, my opinions might be completely reversed.

If I try and ignore everything I know about London and just focus on the tourist areas of Central London compared to the tourist areas of NY, I'd say I actually prefer London. London has everything NY has (the shopping, nightlife, famous buildings) but there's also a sense of culture and hundreds of years of history you don't really get with a "new" city like NY.
Reply 46
Avatar for Lizia
Lizia
2
I've not been to New York, but I'd pick London simply because I'd far rather live in Europe than the US. But partially also because I'm a big traveller, and usually just reading about cities on the internet gets me excited and makes me want to go there. But however much I read about how awesome NY is, or see it looking glossy on the TV, it's never appealed to me in the slightest. What New York offers just seems to me to be excessive materialism. I'm more into beautiful old building with culture and a sense of history.

Meh, I think most people will say New York. It's easy to fall in love with a city when you're a tourist and you only see the bits they want you to. It's like Paris. So many people go on and on about how amazing it is and how it's so much better than London. However,most people I know who have lived there (either as native Parisians or for gap years, year abroads etc) don't think it's anything particulalry special.
New York is amazing - definite vibe just walking through Midtown. But that's a point in itself: when people think of 'New York' they think of 'Manhattan', not unsightly areas of Queens/Brooklyn/The Bronx/Newark (though not a Borough), as well as within Manhattan itself. A fairer comparison would be said perception of New York compared to your typical tourist's 'Central London'.

Lizia
It's like Paris. So many people go on and on about how amazing it is and how it's so much better than London. However,most people I know who have lived there (either as native Parisians or for gap years, year abroads etc) don't think it's anything particulalry special.


Agreed (as someone who frequents Paris :smile: ). Personally I love the place to bits, but most people have never been anywhere near the banlieue, except on a train on the way to Disneyland. Indeed, you don't even have to stray that far to find unsightly areas of Paris. Popular culture/media portrayal and all that.
This was actually taken from another similar thread but I thought it adequately sums up the whole LDN vs NY debate well:

Andy_ryan
i wander how many people who say they want to move to america in their heads go

"it will be awesome and just like friends" or sex in the city etc.

when i heard a girl say this on the bus she was very swiftly shot down, by people who actually know what america is like.

familiarity breeds contempt, i've lived near the gower peninsular (first "area of natural beauty" in the uk) near swansea all my life, could literally see it from my bedroom window and couldnt have cared less. Only when i took my gf from uni and other uni friends in uni down there and they were amazed at how beautiful it was did i really start to appreciate it.

Seriously people are blind to the beauty on their own doorstep
Janey91
I was thinking about this today actually. Having been in both citys I loved New York and London didn't really compare in my opinion. People in New York were so welcoming and friendly, streets are so clean and have very little litter and I felt so much safer wandering around there on my own which may be strange to some people. This is of course just my opinion, the shopping in NY was great as all the places I wanted to go were close together and when I went the exchange rates were great, but London shopping is fantastic.
I would choose NY over London personally.



Clearly you have never been to harlem!
Reply 50
Avatar for WoWZa
WoWZa
14
New York is New York though.
London has history, class and culture.

New York is just a show town.
vas876
Clearly you have never been to harlem!


It's a pretty stupid point. That's like saying about London 'clearly you've never been to Brixton'

And i doubt you have been to Harlem.
TheLouisVuittonDon
It's a pretty stupid point. That's like saying about London 'clearly you've never been to Brixton'

And i doubt you have been to Harlem.


Iv been brixton and harlem.

I like harlem, but iwoulnt describe it litter free and welcoming.

and i never even quoted you!
La Esmerelda
Which do you think is the better city to live in and why?

Take heed, the article below is quite biased and blatantly written from a pro-NY perspective and sometimes they seem very anti-London (check out the 'Sold on London-not so fast' bit-author paints London as racist and cheap-in the derogatory sense)

http://nymag.com/guides/TOC/london/


Quite a few interesting articles in there, OP. Thanks :smile: Unfortunately I've never lived in either New York City or London, nor have I visited New York City itself. So I can't hardly comment on it. Whilst I love London, I find the streets too busy and packed for me at times. I'm unsure if I'd like to live in a big city but who knows. I may try it some day :o:
vas876
Iv been brixton and harlem.

I like harlem, but iwoulnt describe it litter free and welcoming.

and i never even quoted you!


Yes, but your point is void.. considering the fact that you are arguing that New York isn't welcoming because of one area.. when you could say the same about some areas of London. Everywhere has it's good and bad parts
Reply 56
Avatar for Francis Y
Francis Y
I've been to both. Definitely New York. Without a doubt.
TheLouisVuittonDon
Yes, but your point is void.. considering the fact that you are arguing that New York isn't welcoming because of one area.. when you could say the same about some areas of London. Everywhere has it's good and bad parts


I know!

But in that case everyone's point is void, as it is their opinion and therefore subjective.

So neither city is better, its just a mater of opinion.
I don't like London. Far too many people and tourists. I live in a big village/small town so I don't really like busy places anyway.
Reply 59
Avatar for botchok5
botchok5
New York because it's cheaper to shop there lol, but I do find the bus annoying because you need to have the exact amount of coins.
And you gotta love those people on the streets with huge black bags selling knock off items and when a police officer is around they just cover up their stuff with a black sack haha.

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