If you’re from the old continent and you’ve decided to open your wings and fly to a new adventure in the States, then New York City is the perfect place to start your new life. As Truman Capote summed up quite rightly, New York isn’t a tree or a street or a house, something that belongs to you, but you belong to it anyway. The feeling of belonging is exactly what brings the various districts, cultures, and people of NYC together. Wherever you come from, you’re from NYC when you live here. In fact, it’s difficult not to love NYC as there’s so much the city has to offer – and keeps offering day after day, night after night. But if you’re European, visiting the Big Apple can feel like a very long journey. After all, you’ve got amazing countries just next doors. So why should you come and see NYC nevertheless? I can give you 6 excellent why you will love New York City if you’re from Europe. 

New York City

#1. Your fashion world might implode

If you’ve got a strong sense of fashion, you’ll enjoy the New Yorker’s approach to fashion more than anything else. Fashion in the Big Apple is very different from Europe: The contrast in style and personality is appealing, to say the least. Compared to the effortless and timeless Parisian elegance the New York gal always follows the next big trend. Trends in NYC come and go as fast as you can blink, while Paris cherishes a sense of underdone style that never dies. In the Big Apple, it’s about getting noticed, and consequently mixing brands, colors, and trends for a ‘notice my style’ effect. Not an avid admirer of the Parisian style? How about the edgy and experimental class of Londoners? The New York style has a researched runaway touch to it, while British girls are happy to mix and match their bold and edgy patterns for an individual festive style. If you love your brands, you’ll enjoy the American branded style in New York. What about the German style? Berlin is a cultural hotspot that happily mixes flea market discoveries and high-end fashion. There’s a sense of eccentricity that brings together unmatchable patterns. This eccentric mismatch of labels, designs, and prices is a bright clash against the polished NYC trends. 

#2. We happily mix cabs & public transport

If you’re used to living in big towns, you’re probably an expert in public transport solutions. Places like Oslo have a vast network that goes from the sea to the mountains just via subway/tramway and buses. If you live in London, you’re certainly an expert of the Oyster card, the public transport card that allows you to use boats on the Thames – the ones connected to the transport route – intercity trains and subways all for the same price. There are buses too, but they tend to be a favorite only at night when the subway stopped running. Paris also uses a strong network of subways and inter-regional trains to connect all the suburban areas. For most cities, taxis tend to be a one-off solution to take you to an appointment without the stress of switching between transport connections. Here, in NYC, taking the cab is a much more natural exercise, and especially for short distances. It’s a change of mindset for the European culture, but most budget transportation in NYC adds cabs for short travel, whether it’s to reach to neighborhoods safely at night and to avoid being crammed in public transports when you’ve got a lot of things to carry. We love our iconic yellow cabs and are happy to book the trendy limos from JFK Car Service from the airport into town. Traveling by cab is a lot cheaper than you might think, as long as you’re smart with your transport choices. Short distance and defined services are okay. Just don’t grab a cab to get you to the other end of town as it’ll cost you an arm!

#3. The Big Apple is a melting pot of cultures

We are a melting pot with 18 ethnic micro neighborhoods spread across the 5 boroughs of the city. Chinatown and Little Italy are the most famous of them, but they are far from being the only ones. We’ve got a little Dominican Republic, a little Senegal, a little Guyana, a little Poland, and even a little India, to name but a few. There’s a sense of diversity all across the town so that you’ll rapidly feel at home even if you’re not American. 

#4. NYC is cheaper than European cities

As surprising as it might sound, if you compare New York City to a European capital, such as London, you’ll find that their offering is very similar. In fact, NYC might even be a better option for tourists. For a start, housing for tourists and locals is cheaper in NYC than in London. But the transport system is also cheaper, more spread out and runs later than in London. There are even more prestigious restaurants in NYC than in London. So why don’t you come and see for yourself? 

#5. People love the planet 

You may not be an environmental activist, but there’s no denying that eco-friendly areas are better for everyone. Believe it or not, but NYC is one of the greenest urban areas in the USA. New Yorkers consume less electricity with only 4,700kW per year and they privilege public transports and bicycles over cars. Overall, in NYC, we’ve got the smallest American carbon footprint. Can you say the same about Paris or London? 

#6. If you’re European, you’ll identify with the New Yorkers

People in NYC have a strong European vibe to them. We may come from all over the world – and some of us might have European descendants several generations back – but we have in fact a lot in common with our European neighbors. NYC people are passionate about pizza and bagels. Parisians, in comparison, know everything about their favorite little bistros and their boulangerie. Surprisingly, both New Yorkers and European city dwellers have a bad rep for being friendly to tourists, but they agree that tourists are rarely polite. In fact, most people in NYC have a European behavior about their city: Pride, savviness, and we love our local specialties!

Don’t let the long flight stop you: NYC is a place to visit to give your European heart a throb. We’re distant cousins, separated by an ocean but much more alike than we’d care to admit!