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When people say European on here--often they're referring to old historic places in Europe(which obviously there's a lot more of than the US)--or places that have a certain quaint feeling(and often Western Europe). Though overall there's a lot of variety in Europe--and there's plenty of modern buildings as well. But "European" oftens refers to history and a certain scale--dense but not super-tall--in people's minds(just like a "Asian" feeling city could be somewhere super-modern and very dense with a tall skyline).
In general plenty US cities resemble many places in Western Europe more so than they'd resemble cities in Asia or Africa or the Middle East(obviously) in a broad sense--while plenty of Latin American cities feel closer to Mediterranean Europe in terms of buildings more so than places in Northern Europe. So to say a place is European in feel, can mean a lot of things...
You can say that Boston feels similar to a city in the British Isles, but does it feel like anywhere in Spain or Greece or somewhere in Eastern Europe? Absolutely not... The French Quarter of New Orleans feels like what it is--a former colonial outpost of France and Spain(similar to other former French or Spanish colonies)--but does it feel like many places in Spain or France? Not really except in a broad sense...
Oh yea well my friends from Turkey & France chose SF over Saint Paul hands down in this category. In fact, they thought I was talking about St. Pauli IN HAMBURG and when I said "no, the one in Minnesota" they said "never heard of it". So there.
Well of course you just had to make that up to attempt and prove a point on the internet. Sorry, nobody is buying what you're selling though. San Francisco is nothing like larger European cities. Only misinformed Americans think that. Of course nobody has ever heard of Saint Paul, everybody knows it's a completely irrelevant city. Doesn't take away from the fact it is far more Euro than most US cities, and by the way, as has been already pointed out, your admitting they had never hears of the city of Saint Paul just proves they, like you, are uneducated and misinformed on the subject. For how could they say SF was "more European" than Saint Paul when they have never heard of it!! LOL, Just a fact. So there.
Or I just made up that stupid anecdote because apparently those kind of anecdotal posts are totally acceptable, especially if you include dumb CvC cliches like "hands down" somewhere in it.
Don't get me wrong, anecdotes are fine - it's all most of us have to go off of - but turning them in to more than just a formed opinion (like a fact) is counterproductive.
Certainly not as counterproductive as people admitting they made up "stupid anecdotes" in an attempt to back track out of admitted misrepresentations or lies, is it? If you'd like further information as to why my European friends came to the conclusion that Saint Paul has more of a European feel to it than Seattle, San Francisco or Portland, "hands down" (Sune's words not mine) I could ask and post their reason here for you if you'd like? Otherwise, you'll just have to accept it or not, for what it is, just another opinion you can choose to believe or not. The best bet is to do what I have done and live and travel in the USA and Europe. It's not about fame or recognizable cities. In that regard, Duluth MN is very similar in many ways to Tromso Norway.
In that regard, Duluth MN is very similar in many ways to Tromso Norway.
I had to look up what Tromso, Norway looked like, but honestly it sort of reminded me of Juneau, Alaska. Though this again though where looking "European" again can mean a lot of things.
From my perspective (as one who has lived in Italy)
Northeast: I've never been to Boston so I can't say, but I hear Boston is very European, so I'd have to assume Boston wins.
It also depends on how you define European. Urban doesn't necessarily = European. (sometimes people mistake the urban/density of NE cities for being European. Maybe like London & Paris, but doesn't look much like a lot of other places. Instead they are sometimes VERY American)
Personally, I think much of inner Washington DC is very similar to parts of Europe I've been to. Yeah, I'm definitely saying Washington DC.
I know DC is borderline South and not quite NE, BUT I'm putting it in the NE for this
South: Either New Orleans or St. Augustine (proper).
Midwest: No clue... I'm going to guess St. Paul
Mountain West: Denver... Don't underestimate Denver... There are a lot of places in Denver that can look very similar to South Germany & Austria.
West: I don't agree with San Francisco. San Fran is far too unique to say it's European. It isn't anything but San Franciscan (if that's a word).
I'm going to lean toward Seattle for the outer cities like Bremerton & Tacoma looking a lot like parts of south Germany.
No wait... I'm going with Santa Barbara, CA. Looks similar to Costa Brava region and other parts of the Med coast in Italy & France. Monterey, CA also has a similar feel, but I don't think as much as Santa Barbara.
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