Which city is more European between Vancouver, BC and Seattle, WA?

[nei]

Vancouver for getting more cultural influence from Europe as it was historically part of the British Empire. But it doesn't feel European at all, just slightly more than Seattle.

Vancouver has more dense neighborhoods, and it seems like more families living in them. Seattle has slightly older architecture, though both are rather similar.

[erasure]

Originally Posted by Natnasci

Have you been to Europe? It's a mix of many cultures, including Africans. The south of France is filled with Moroccans for instance.
A less ethnic feel is not more European.

I've walked around Seattle many, many times over 40 years. It has never felt European at all. Very American feeling.

You have probably forgotten all about it, but yes it did. About twenty five years ago or so.
It was overwhelmingly "White," very quiet and very wealthy - the wealth was beaming out of the every store window downtown, out of every bar and restaurant it seemed. After all, that's where Nordstrom had its original store downtown, not to mention couple of other trendy department stores next to it, that were selling some European boutique stuff. You could walk at night through downtown and still feel safe ( other than hearing couple of drunkards around the Pioneer Square.) The city was clean, felt kinda "mid-size," with politely-reserved locals, that were yet again giving the vibe of Northern Europeans somewhat.
I came there directly from Europe, and it felt very much like it, sort of continuity of Europe ( with some variations of course.) I saw huge difference with Europe right away only when I made it to the East Coast. It felt almost like arriving to a third world country after Seattle at that point - no similarities with Europe any longer, none at all. Huge difference between "haves" and "have nots" that was noticeable neither in Europe nor in Seattle at that point.
Of course after Washington ( being probably the best-kept secret in the US back in the day ) has been discovered by wealthy Californians and they moved there in droves, it drastically changed the picture. Seattle became yet another typical big American city - any resemblance with Europe was gone.
So Vancouver probably gives more "European vibe" today; because of extensive system of public transportation, more dense neighborhoods, plenty of people on the streets walking - that kind of stuff, not necessarily the "whiteness" of population.

[VANMENTON]

Are you guys forgetting something? The whole US vs Canada thing is important too when the discussion is about which city is more European.

Apart from the things already discussed (transit, denser downtown core, walking, biking etc...), you also have to think about the lack of gun culture in Canada, lack of distrust in government (to the extreme level that exists in the US) and everything else that makes Canada closer to Europe compared to the US. All those things matter as well.

Even if Seattle was a carbon copy of Paris in terms of architecture, I'd still say Vancouver is more European. Culture is more important.

[foadi]

Who cares. Cascadia is superior to yurop. Asking which is more yuropean is an insult.

[mooguy]

Neither feels European to me but if forced to choose it would be Seattle.

Seattle has a more low/medium rise built form and has some nice older neighbourhoods while Vancouver's have almost all been torn down.

There is nothing European about Vancouver, it is pure Asian and especially Chinese. Of all of Canadian cities, Vancouver is one of the least European with only Calgary and Edmonton beating it out.