[Closed] Where to spend a day - Paris or Amsterdam

undecided eh ? split the difference go to Brussels 😉

I'd always say Paris but it really depends on what you like to do

The haters will say it's busy, overpriced, dirty (which always puzzles me, it always looks cleaner than most UK cities)

I'll tell you it's impressive, beautiful, stylish, relaxing (if you don't drive). There's far too much to see in a day so choose a few things that you'd like to do.

Yes you could end up being overcharged for almost anything, but do a small amount of research and you can easily find good food that's reasonably priced. Don't expect the locals to bend over backwards to be nice 😀

arriving by plane and is it real paris or Charles de Gaulle ?

if the former - then train to city and a pass for the underground isnt much

if its the latter go to amsterdam as the transport links to city are much better.

i like both but prefer amsterdam for wandering.

Just get out of yer mind on weed in the dam. Take a few space cakes to top off and you'll not care where you are.

Been to both many, many times (work and pleasure) and it wouldn't be Amsterdam.

lots of places not open on Sundays in France but still worth it
Take the RER from CdG airport to Gare du Nord. Grab a Velib bike and ride around the beautiful streets in relative calm. (make sure you do you homework and set up an account before you leave home)
If you can't set it up Paris is a fab place to walk around

[i]Grab a Velib bike and ride around the beautiful streets in relative calm.[/i]

January?

Paris tends to be colder and drier than the UK in winter. Wrap up warm have regular stops for vin chaud.
😆

Amsterdam is more like the UK damp and mild winters, ie horrible

You could easily spend the whole day at the Musée d'Orsay.

In Amsterdam beautiful girls with long flowing hair ride past you on bikes and smile, in Paris they sneer. Also weed isn't legal in Paris.

AMSTERDAM

Paris is in decline; the city is plastered with graffitti, the public infrastructure filthy and ill-maintained and the metro stinks of urine. But it looks nice.

Never had the pleasure of spending time in Amsterdam but friends say it's like getting a glimpse inside a superior mind. The Dutch are friendly as well.

How do you intend to get there?

Id go with Paris...or Bruges

Paris in the Winter for me. Stunning buildings, loads to see outside and cafes on boulevards with hot choc and croissant for mid morning breakfast.
Then just watch the beautiful Girls all wrapped up for chilly days out.

Honestly can't think why you'd go elsewhere.

May join you in fact 😀

If you've been to neither before then Paris, otherwise go to the one you haven't been to before.

Quite different places, really. Paris is a world class city with architecture, art, music, shopping, people-watching etc etc etc. Amsterdam is a pleasant place to spend the day. Depends a bit if you're after relaxation or stimulation.

Been to both this year

Paris, sprawling, city in decline resting on upperclass values and ideals, wonderful buildings to look at, metro and RER a mess and troublesome, Museums Louvre scrum to see the Mona so see and then enjoy the rest peacefully Montmarte wonderful and warm and left wing the rest I found irksomely cold and unfriendly

Amsterdam, great building better walking city, intriguing, friendly people, a town not a city, avoid the smokers area or go experience and review, museums great,more of a vibe and energy to the place, transport system excellent,

Both expensive.

Not sure if under the veneer Paris is a world class city.

For the day Amsterdam, as you will see more and it is full of bikes and thus photo opps.

Amsterdam is a really easy city to visit - simple transport link from the airport direct to the centre. S
pend the day walking around and looking at the buildings, visit a few of the smaller museums and sit in a cafe and watch the Dutch do their thing.

Personally, I find Paris a bit dull:(

I didnt like amsterdam that much, Paris is much nicer imo

I didnt like Paris that much, amsterdam is much nicer imo

I think the op is going to have to accept that either would be ok & it is very much a case of personal taste.

Yep, sounds like both have their merits. Will probably come down to how I'm travelling - yet to sort out.

Having spent a lot of time in both;

Paris
Plus - Beautiful. Stunning, in fact. It also has Le Clos Bourgoignon for dinner.
Minus - Parisians. Sorry, but it's true. I've lived in France, and it's a common theme, they let the city down.

The 'Dam
Plus - Beautiful. Stunning, in fact. It also has Van Kerkwijk for dinner.
Minus - The red light district. Full of boring boorish idiots. Either on a stag night ogling the hookers, or Americans saying "Whoah! Doooooood! Dope's like, legal, doooood!"

On balance, however, the 'Dam wins for me. Smaller, quieter, more bike friendly, and has In de Wildemaan for beer.

For one day, if you have been to neither, I'd choose Amsterdam. Everything is within walking distance and it ranges from culture to debauchery. The cycle provision is something else to someone who lives in the south east of the UK too. Paris I think is worth a couple of days or more.

Eurostar, walk from the station out to Parc de la Villette. Have a wander round the parc. Maybe go into the Cite de Science, walk back to the Eurostar via the Parc des Buttes Chaumont - there might be a wedding taking place. Walk round more. Train home.

Well just found out the meeting finishes at 12 on Saturday at CDG and I only need to be in Utrecht on Monday morning. Might have to be a last minute decision based on the weather 🙂 or maybe do both....

Beer will be a lot cheaper in Amsterdam versus Paris (~10€)

In time honoured tradition, neither of the above.
Go to Stockholm instead, much nicer.

Would love to pop up to Stockholm but as I'm going between meetings in Paris and Utrecht then it's a bit out of the way and have you seen the price of the beer!!!

In time honoured tradition, neither of the above.
Go to Stockholm instead, much nicer.

Or, indeed, Copenhagen 🙂

[i]Well just found out the meeting finishes at 12 on Saturday at CDG and I only need to be in Utrecht on Monday morning. Might have to be a last minute decision based on the weather or maybe do both.... [/i]

Neither then.

I'd hire a car and drive up to Northern France, staying in somewhere like Arras and spend Sunday having a wandering around the WW1 battlefields etc. If you've never been they are definitely worth the trip.

Or maybe Champagne country, Rheims.

Then drive up to NL.

Although i previously said Paris in my earlier post, if you do travel via car, the Park & Ride into Amsterdam was brilliant...we did the P&R from the stadium and 24 hour parking plus travel into the centre for the 4 of us was less than €15

Aside from the cliches, Amsterdam is lovely. I can't speak about Paris.

Food wasn't good in Amsterdam IMHE. Everything else the same.

Top tip. Have a look at Penta hotels Facebook page and see which hotel has the offer that week and go there. €15 pppn. You have to go the following weekend to get the deal.

and in a Holy Thread Resurrection Batman, I'm on my way down to Paris this afternoon. Following recent events I've gone for Amsterdam and heading over Sat afternoon. Any decent cheapish (and nice) hotels near the station??

See a thread a week or so about Amsterdam.
The answer is neither. Take the train towards AMS, change at Den Haag, stay Sunday in Leiden. It's a smaller, quieter,prettier version of Amsterdam. Ideal for 1 day. PLus, trains to Utrecht every half-hour for Monday morning

EDIT: Sorry confused - not sure if you are going for Paris or not

@mike - area near Gare du Nord isn't particularly nice. I could imagine it's going to be very tense there. Best Western Trocadero is good if you can get a deal

sorry my ambiguity, not doing Paris, just a little to tense currently.