London and Amsterdam are two of the most iconic cities in Europe. Both London and Amsterdam are prime examples of their own country’s cultures and heritage. London is the most visited city and Amsterdam is the 5th most visited city in Europe. Here is the ultimate guide to whether you should visit London or Amsterdam.
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London or Amsterdam Overview
London
London is the largest city in the United Kingdom with close 9 million people and a metro area of over 14 million. London has been one of the most famous cities in the world for many centuries being the home to the historic British Empire. Founded in 43 AD by the Romans, London has an ancient history dating back nearly a thousand years.
Today, London is known for its historical architecture mixing into the cityscape with modern skyscrapers, making up one of Europe’s most iconic skylines. London remains one of the most influential cities in the world along with cities like Hong Kong and New York City. London is also the most visited city in Europe with nearly 20 million visitors each year.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the capital and largest city in the Netherlands with 873,000 residents. Amsterdam is known around the world for having picturesque canals and for being one of the most progressive cities in the world. The Red Light District is one of the most famous aspects of the city. Amsterdam is one of the main centers for finance in Europe and is home to the world’s oldest stock exchange.
It has been consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities in the world. It is also home to 177 nationalities, making it one of the most multicultural cities in the world. Amsterdam is currently the 5th most visited European city with nearly 8 million annual visitors.
Things to See
London
Big Ben is the iconic clock tower at the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the most iconic structures in London.
Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the monarchy of the United Kingdom.
Westminster Abbey is a Gothic abbey church that is known for being the burial site of English and British monarchs.
Tower Bridge is one of the most famous symbols of London. It is the most well-known bridge in the city and is often confused with the London Bridge.
St. Pauls Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral that was built in 1675. It was the tallest building in London until 1967.
Amsterdam
Rijksmuseum is a museum dedicated to the arts and history of Amsterdam. The building opened in 1885.
Dam Square is the main square in the center of Amsterdam.
Royal Palace of Amsterdam was originally built as the city hall in 1665. Later on, it became the residence of the Dutch Royal House.
Heineken Experience is a museum about the Heineken brand. It is located in the old Heineken factory.
A’DAM Lookout offers a panoramic view of the city.
Food
London
London is the perfect place to try some of England’s most traditional dishes. English breakfast is one of the most traditional dishes in England and continues to be a local favorite today. It is a dish typically consisting of bacon, sausage, eggs, black pudding, baked beans, and tomatoes. Another world-renown dish is fish and chips. You can find a nice plate of fish and chips just about anywhere in London. Sunday Roast is exactly what it sounds like, a roasted meat dish served typically made on Sunday’s. The dish is oftentimes served with gravy, Yorkshire pudding, stuffing, and vegetables. Click here for more note-worthy cuisines in London.
Amsterdam
Bitterballen is a traditional Dutch cuisine that is basically a ball of meat that is breaded and then fried. It is typically served as a snack or many people think of it as the perfect “drunk” food. On the sweeter end of the spectrum, you should try stroopwafel is the country it originated in. For those of you who don’t know, a stroopwafel is two thin wafer cookies sandwiching a layer of caramel. Frites are thick fries that make for very common street food in Amsterdam. If you want a more interesting version of frites you could also get patat which is a serving of frites with mayonnaise, peanut sauce, and chopped up onion. Check here for more traditional Dutch foods.
Getting Around
London
As you would expect, the system of public transportation is massive here. London uses a pay as you go card called the Oyster Card to pay for public transportation. You can take the tube (subway), lite rail, or you can hop on the expansive network of double-decker buses. One thing to note about public transport in London is that is rather expensive compared to many European cities. a Tube journey in central London costs £2.40 with Oyster or £4.90 with cash and a bus ride costs £1.50 with the Oyster Card. Riding on the passenger boats down the Thames is a fun way to get around as well.
A popular way to explore the city, if you don’t want to mess with public transportation, is investing in a multi-day hop-on hop-off bus tour (this worked well when I tried it). These are double-decker buses that have tour guides telling you about each area you are riding through which is extremely informative. You can buy 1, 2, and 3-day tickets. The best hop-on hop-off bus tours are the Original Tour, Big Bus, and Golden Tours. Each service has dozens of buses around the city so don’t stress about missing one.
Amsterdam is arguably one of the best cities in the world to explore on foot. Walking next to the canals with the famous canal houses surrounding you is an incredible experience. Most of the attractions are with walking distance of each other. If you want to explore the outskirts of the city, you should definitely consider renting a bike. Amsterdam is known around the world for the millions of bikes in the city. There are also parks surrounding the city that are nice to explore on a bike.
If you want to use public transport, you have the option to use the metro, buses, trams, ferries, and trains. It would be a good idea for you to invest in the iAmsterdam Card because it gives you unlimited access to public transportation, free access to over 70 museums and attractions, a one-day bike rental, and a canal cruise. The iAmsterdam card is more expensive than many other city cards in Europe but it might be worth it depending on your plans while in the city.
Nightlife
London
London is known around the world for having one of the best nightlife scenes in the world. London is home to over 3000 bars and pubs so you don’t have to worry about running out of options. Though there are incredible nightclubs in London, the nightlife scene still revolves around bars and pubs. Soho is considered to be the biggest party area in the city. Pretty much any district of London has its own unique atmosphere for you to experience. If you want to go clubbing, some of the best clubs in the city are Fabric, XOYO, Cargo, and Egg London. Ministry of Sound and Studio 338 are probably two of the biggest nightclubs.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is known for coming alive after dark. From the infamous Red Light District to world class clubs, the city is anything but dead at night. You can find a lot of the bars and clubs in the center of the city and the clubs outside of the city center. Amsterdam is home to the Amsterdam Dance Event which is a five day festival and is considered the largest clubbing festival in the world. Some of the best clubs in the city are AIR Amsterdam, Panama, Escape, WesterUnie, Shelter, and Melkweg. You won’t have to worry about finding something to do after dark during your time in Amsterdam.
Day Trips
London
Oxford is a city less than an hour to the west of London. It is known for the world-renown University of Oxford.
Bath is known for being one of the most beautiful cities in England. It has incredible architecture and more than 2000 years of history.
Brighton is a seaside city just to the south of London. It is a popular day-trip destination, drawing in over 7 million day visitors each year.
If you visit London and want to see other make English cities, you may want to visit Birmingham, Manchester, or Leeds.
Amsterdam
Keukenhof is home to some of the world’s best tulip gardens. It is often referred to as the Garden of Europe.
Rotterdam is just to the south of Amsterdam. A day of exploring the city would be a day well spent.
Utrecht is known for its medieval Old Town and the canals throughout the city.
Other great cities to visit around Amsterdam are The Hague and a little further to the south is Antwerp.
Overall
London and Amsterdam are two of the most famous cities in Europe. Both cities are the capitals of their countries and are prime examples for their country’s heritages. London is a massive city with one of the most iconic skylines in the world and some of Europe’s most famous buildings. Amsterdam is a big city but no where near the size of London but it is an absolutely beautiful city with some incredible landmarks and attractions. If you have more than 3 days to spend in a city, you will want to go to London. If you have less than 3 days, London might be a little overwhelming and Amsterdam might be a little more doable in that time frame.