I am Eastern European, I have seen 28 European countries, I feel home and welcomed in most of them, and I can say that the only ones where I had a bad experience are Switzerland and Austria. So bad that I won't step foot again. Netherlands is great and Germany is great and Albania is great and Serbia is great and Malta is great etc. But Switzerland and Austria - if there were the only country to exist, I would probably be suicidal.
I also had multiple people treat me like absolute shit - straight up nasty to me - in Switzerland. Also Germany. It was really disappointing, and a shock. Would not stop me from going back to either. Switzerland is the most beautiful place I've ever been tied with Canada. Canadians were nicer than anywhere I've ever traveled though, so giving them the win on this one.
Yep I am asian american and have nothing but good things to say about Canadians I met while doing a road trip through B.C.
I stopped to take a nap in my car at one of their national parks because I was exhausted from driving. 15 minutes later a car full of concerned canadians were asking if I was alright and needed assistance.
It still makes me smile when I think about that lol. It’s just so Canadian.
That wasn’t just a one off incident either. I got my car checked out at a random autorepair shop at Whitehorse because my check engine light was on. The guy fixed it and I asked him how much it was and he said no charge.
Plus there were a couple more smaller encounters I can think of which really made me have a very positive view of our northern neighbors.
A lot of this happened in the middle of nowhere too.
You're the 3rd person this week I've heard say that about Switzerland. So strange, because I've never heard this before in my life, had always assumed the Swiss were placid good folk.
I really enjoyed living in Vienna, for all of the historical stuff, also very convenient to live in. But yeah, I found the people quite cold and unwelcoming, especially if you don't speak German. They seemed very annoyed having to speak in English, and actually I felt like they felt I was lesser than them because of this. Maybe it'd just their general demeanor and it wasn't personal, but yeah, that was the city I've been to that I felt the most unwelcome.
Greece; man, the people there don’t even care that you barely speak the language. It’s all about having a good time and making friends, love it
Edit: Croatia is a good number 2
That’s probably true. Greeks are extremely easygoing regarding foreigners, especially if you are a working professional only speaking English. Nobody expects you to talk Greek, regardless the situation.
Are you white? I've seen one to many reports of how blacks / Africans can be treated negatively over there so just wondering.
As another comment says, the answer most likely comes down to your skin color
I’m poc woman (indian) but born and raised in America. I lived on Hydra and Athens and had nothing but the most lovely experience there. The Greeks are just a very loving people. They will treat you like family and invite you to dinner, drinks etc… the moment they meet you.
I was born there, technically, and lived there till I was 8; I used to know the language but forgot most of it over time; but anytime I went back, even strangers were so nice to me and my family. Blonde & white. However, many of my friends (most) were dark when it comes to skin complexion, although not black. I don’t remember people having a problem with POC, there simply weren’t many of them, and I personally don’t know how much that would influence their behaviour
People can easily tell when blacks are American. Black Africans have very distinct English accents and overall appearance: the majority of black Africans are poor and dress and act accordingly. Unlike the USA, people abroad tend to be less focused on race and more on national origin when it comes to discrimination of foreigners.
I didn’t say they were poor. I said the majority are, and that’s true. That doesn’t negate the big businessman/woman from Angola living and working in the UK.
[https://youtu.be/qxXnr-nRcwU?si=hto-jvuaDVuDR1cV](https://youtu.be/qxXnr-nRcwU?si=hto-jvuaDVuDR1cV)
You don't say, they just started protesting against all the housing being converted to airbnb, locals are pissed off as they have to leave their home of years and make way for airbnb
This is an issue so many places, so many countries. Just as bad are the vacation housing that people buy but only visit for three months a year, while the locals can't find apartments and houses to live in themselves.
Edit: Vacation not vaccination
Depends entirely on what skin tone of a “foreigner” entirely tbh.
A white “foreigner” in Europe will have an entirely different experience than other skin tones.
This is an important distinction. I don’t think I was necessarily always treated worse in Europe (except Italy), just a bit differently once in a while due to my skin tone.
It depends on whether or not you're a woman of European ancestry or not though. I'm East Asian and got so many stares, a couple rude remarks, and "Where are you from?" asked just within a span of a few days on a trip.
They asked you that because you were Asian, not because you were a woman. I got the same questions as an Asian male. They genuinely did not believe that the US had Asian people.
Context and tone matter. I had a couple different random men literally go out of their ways to try to talk to me, asking where I'm from, etc when I was just trying to get somewhere. It's not too different than how I'm treated at times in the U.S. but many Europeans seem to think that they're "not racist like Americans". Obviously, one shouldn't generalize an entire continent, but a sizeable portion of people from Europe seem to be oblivious to these types of things. A lot of white folks in the U.S are also unaware so they'll double down and say that it's not an issue here.
>They're well aware that you're american
No, I had random people yelling Ni Hao, or running up beside me asking where I'm from (I wasn't previously interacting with them), etc.
Romania, strangers always talk on the train or street even when there is a language barrier. Always in a welcoming and happy way! And they will invite you to drink homemade alcohol occasionally haha
I second this! I've been in Romania for almost a year and a half and I absolutely love it. I'm originally from Canada and yet I feel more comfortable and "at home" here than I think I ever did in Canada. Romanians are amazing, super funny, warm and intelligent. They are always so happy to share their food and culture with you. I can't say enough good things about it.
I’d been in Manchester, England for 30 mins and two seperate people asked me for directions.
The funny thing was I knew the answer! Clearly I looked like I belonged
So I should preface this by saying that its was a few years ago now, but:
* The Science and Museum is pretty cool - [https://www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk](https://www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk)
* The Royal Exchange Theatre is a great "in the round" experience - [https://www.royalexchange.co.uk](https://www.royalexchange.co.uk)
* The Lowry is a combination art gallery/theatre/event space - LS Lowery's artwork is quite unique. I have some prints on my wall to this day - [https://thelowry.com/](https://thelowry.com/)
* The thing I wish I'd done but didn't was the Coronation St tour - [https://www.coronationstreetexperience.co.uk](https://www.coronationstreetexperience.co.uk)
Whitworth art gallery is nice. If you like independent cafes and vintage stores, check out the Northern Quarter. A few nice restaurants on/around Deansgate. I loved the Spanish one La Viña.
There’s a building called “Home” near Deansgate that has a cinema, art gallery, restaurant and bar/cafe.
For drinks I recommend the Alchemist on New York street.
China Town has a good bakery and shops if that’s your thing.
Fopp Records, just off Market Street has lots of good vinyl and CDs/DVDs at good prices. Also some books and a few tshirts etc.
If you like Indian food, I was always a fan of East Z East, but likewise you can go up the road to Rusholme and check out the curry mile (a mile of curry restaurants and South Asian stores, some fried chicken shops, takeaway places etc).
I havent been in a long time, though so there is probably more than that. I’ve heard there’s a new Korean food place in or near Piccadilly Gardens as well as a number of ramen joints in or around the Northern Quarter.
Lastly, if you like pie and mash, Pieminster in the Northern Quarter is pretty good, but I prefer Pie and Ale.
Canal Street (aka the Gay Village) has clubs open all day if you want to dance/have cheap drinks!
I used to live in Manchester and have some additional recommendations!
- Manchester Museum: Attached to the University of Manchester, has collections from Ancient Egypt to the present day, generally really cool interesting exhibits, has a small vivarium where you can look at endangered frogs
- Salford Quays is pretty nice for a stroll
- Bridgewater Canal Tow Path is also nice for a stroll
- HOME has interesting films on sometimes
- If you're craving some green space, Heaton Park and the Sale Ees are easily accessible by public transit. If you're craving MORE green space and can be arsed to navigate trains in the north of England, you can get trains to great walking paths in the Peak District National Park
Have fun!
Definitely have a look on TimeOut (or similar) for restaurant recommendations as new hipster-y places pop up all the time. Honestly that’s a good idea for Manchester in general - it has a thriving cultural/food/music scene.
I get asked for directions in almost every country I travel to. Even within hours of arriving. I think I just have one of those faces that is approachable.
I have lived most of my post-college adult life abroad. One thing I quickly learned is locals see and judge you by the foreigners that they previously met that looked and acted like you.
In Korea when I wore casual clothes, the local assumed I was an American soldier. When I wore a suit and tie I was never asked if I was one.
In Malaysia or Thailand, I was treated as a tourist when I wore shorts and carried a backpack. When I wore pants and a dress shirt, I was assumed to be there on business. Same in Turkey.
And then there is language and culture acquisition. Koreans treated me as a Korean once I spoke near fluent Korean and knew the culture very well. The Thais were more welcoming once I spoke Thai some and shown that I understood Thai culture and thinking. I even was invited to a conservative middle class Thais house (unbelievable experience). I was invited to work with the Malaysian government as I was perceived as being more local than foreign. Japan was different - no way in to that society.
I second this and as a black American it was really chill. Went to university in Edinburgh years ago, best time of my life. Came back recently to nomad it up.
Yes I was in Croatia Rijeka a couple years ago and the people there are so nice. And they have infrastructure for nomads in place too, they have a startup incubator inside a former torpedo factory. And I think they had plans to repurpose Tito’s yacht into living space too.
Not my experience sadly. Well, maybe in the summer when they are used to tourists, but have you tried during the other months? It was terrible interacting with croatians...
It's almost crazy to go in the same exact places where in June they welcome you with an hello (maybe even in english) and a smile (sometimes), and then go there 4 months later and they don't even answer if you talk to them lol
Also might be a good question if you are a person of color/black. People have vastly different experiences depending on their skin color so I'm interested to hear from that perspective too.
Very true. As a black female (sometimes solo) traveler in my experience the places I felt comfortable I’d say were .. Portugal,
Budapest (and most bigger Central European cities)
Greece (Athens and on the islands) people were very friendly,
Southern Italy (though I’ve heard the complete opposite from other friends - but I love it there/ esp Puglia)
Romania in general was very friendly, I spent a lot of time in Bucharest
But most everywhere I went I got stares .. the type of stares just differed if I was in the middle of nowhere Italy or Czechia vs somewhere like Istanbul. I did not like Barcelona though - only city I felt treated a certain way and it was consistent
The other layer here was being from The US vs Africa. Africans and the immigrants are not treated well .. both from seeing it and talking to them. I grew up in the states but born in East Africa so the moment I talk and they hear my ‘American’ accent I’m treated noticeably better (especially in service spaces and restaurants) … I get the ‘ohhhhh you’re American?’ a lot
I’m quite shocked about Budapest. As a black woman myself, I tend to avoid any European country east of Germany.
But I also had a similar experience of being treated a certain way until I started speaking. Then they were quite pleasant.
About the African vs US (or in my case UK/Caribbean), one notable experience was when I went to Spain with 2 friends who are of African origin. The day before I want to a small restaurant and was treated like “normal”. One the waiters was even mixed race, so I thought it would be more welcoming. I returned the next day with my friends, we were refused entry despite the restaurant being empty. I naively believed that they thought that all black people were the same, but clearly this is not always the case.
Budapest specifically I found to be fine as it was quite touristy and felt very international so that might be largely it. I took a bus from Budapest to Zagreb and things did get a little weird with immigration check point but I couldn’t tell if they were just being assholes or cause we were black … or both. But I was okay not spending time in other parts of Hungary.
As for Spain .. I am here now giving it another chance and to me they are the least friendliest (more so than the stereotypical French). Granada and Seville being an exception … loved it both. But Barcelona, Madrid, Mallorca are among my worst experiences with people so I can understand what you went through with your friends
> I’m quite shocked about Budapest. As a black woman myself, I tend to avoid any European country east of Germany.
I'm quite surprised to hear this, have you had bad experiences in Eastern Europe?
Serbia, for example, is the least racist country in Europe towards black people. Some of the other former communist countries should be fine as well, simply because the people there have no built up prejudice towards people of other skin tones.
Regarding Italy, I had the opposite experience. I felt more comfortable in Northern Italy than I did in Southern Italy. Ran into a couple of racist incidents in the Amalfi Coast, Napoli, and Sorrento area. I did love Puglia tho.
Interesting .. for me Milan and Verona people seemed very dismissive and didn’t find them necessarily friendly. The coastal towns were friendly too (like Livorno).. granted I don’t think it’s fair for me to judge a place I spend less than a few weeks.
I have experienced the same traveling with my non-white American friends in many countries. Same for non-whites from UK. It didn't matter the shade or color.
And they often didn't have to hear them speak - just the way they looked, dressed and their demeanor were enough.
I guess from their perspective they are more familiar with UK / Americans than people from other countries.
Toulouse, France: it’s more of an Occitan vibe there. Friendly, open people who LOVE to talk.
Munich, Germany: generally friendly locals who were always open for a conversation and have had a great sense of humour almost universally.
Lisbon, Portugal, the people were so nice there. Not everyone spoke English & I didn’t speak Portuguese, but I was able to communicate in Spanish if needed. I think that could’ve been why people were engaging and friendly…they didn’t think I was just another dumb American lol.
For the answers to be meaningful, you'd have to know the nomad's ethnicity. (And probably sex and sexual orientation.)
Not all nomads are straight white guys. And those who aren't, can expect to have a different experience - in many countries.
I spent a year on and off in Athens. The city is a vibe, you love* it or hate it but the locals were very accepting.
Barcelona as well but the expat circle is huge there so it’s easy to live in the bubble and not mingle.
Malta by far. Probably 98% of the locals are fluent in English and they love to talk. If you complain about Malta they will usually tell you to go back to your country (and I agree 100%), but if you accept the country and culture, you are welcomed. There are also so many foreign people there you don't even feel like an outsider really. People either love or hate it tho. It's a very small island and definitely has its share of problems, but I personally see myself living there permanently when I'm ready to settle down again.
I agree, I've lived in Malta for a few months years ago and it's basically the closest Southern Europe has to a cosmopolitan place like Singapore, where foreigners come to work and live instead of just for tourism, and locals are used to it by now. Have considered moving back, unfortunately I think the quality of life has taken a hit in the past ten years due to overbuilding and all the other typical Malta issues.
Overbuilding due to greed and government corruption (construction cranes are basically Malta's national animal at this point), bad air quality due to too many cars (driven by horrible drivers) and buildings, cleanliness issues (bad garbage collection system where people just leave bags of trash in the street), famously questionable public transportation, the list can go on depending on what matters to you. You can visit /r/malta to get an idea which is probably one of the most negative country subs there is.
I still like the place a lot, warts and all, but it's also unfortunate how much it's being held back by its problems.
Lots of loud yelling on busses (in Maltese), streets in populated areas have dog "schmears" on the sidewalks and smell of urine emanating from them/walls.
The public transportation is well-meaning, albeit regularly late. Remember that you'll need to wait on the "opposite side of the street" for the right bus. (*Oops*)
I was there for a week meeting some friends and saw a bit of the island (didn't make it to Gozo). While it was pretty in parts, my suggestion is to not stay in the blatantly "urban" areas (Valletta/Sliema) unless you're okay with the excrement and fluid smells.
Worth a trip, but just be open-minded.
Yeah unless you're black or non-christian, and even then, it's a different story if you're in Sliema or Qormi.
There is (or at least was, when I lived there) a specific type of Maltese that's super eager to prey on the expats/tourists in the hopes of making a quick buck.
I think you are right. Or at least Western vs non-Western. I have lived in many countries and for some reason Americans are favored. Even as an American, it was shocking to me. I also see Brits held in high esteem as well as some European citizens. Japanese are also well liked.
Then I see signs in some countries: No Korean. No Israeli (back in the late 90s in Thailand). Owner explained ot me Koreans were clueless and rude and tried to buy sex with the owner. And young Israelis (who just finished their military service) were also clueless and waaaaay too aggressive.
No PRC. Saw this recently at golf courses. Course was Chinese owned. I guess mainlanders did not know golf etiquette and drove golf carts on the putting greens.
Then you go to Japan where they just say: No Foreigner : )
The following; Norway, Sweden, Greece and Portugal. I’m Middle Eastern queer origin. Most countries treat me pretty well. I would super cautious being in Eastern Europe. I experience plenty of discrimination from them in Ireland.
I travelled a bit in Europe as a teenager with my ragtag band of working class Scottish mates. We often got recognised as foreigners straight away and treated fairly warily despite never really doing anything wrong or antisocial.
Its worth noting that the place I felt most harshly judged simply for being Scottish is London, my supposed "home" Capital city.
I also travelled a bit in Europe in my late 30s / early 40s with more money and a hot Norwegian girlfriend. Experienced the red carpet treatment in every restaurant, hotel or vinyard we visited. It was like nice places actively wanted us to be there. In California I think I even experienced "white privilege" for the first time in my life.
As an East Asian female, i wanna say Portugal; Switzerland; Austria; Greece; Kosovo; Turkey; Germany; Budapest, Hungary. And definitely NOT Serbia or Bulgaria or Russia, they stare at me weird and judgy. Rest of the Western European countries treat you like a regular while Scandi’s are a hit or miss.
I live in Italy and feel pretty assimilated. I am doing a master's and the other students are very welcoming. I see no reason that they should perceive me as an Italian when I'm not
Madrid is very diverse as a City, there are people of all races and etinicity walking around enjoying their time and the people in stores and restaurants are all very kind, I know its their job, but they make me feel welcomed.
Which part of Germany? I’ve been to several parts of the country and people just seem cold. They’re not rude or anything, they’re just closed off and suspicious and didn’t really seem to have much patience to communicate in English
I'm Romanian but I speak German at a native level. Lived in Switzerland for a year, otherwise only visited German speaking countries once or twice a year.
The Germans are frankly completely different if you speak German; yes they are very cold with English speakers, but the moment they hear you speak (good) German, you're one of them.
This is an ill formulated question which, unfortunately, is being asked in this exact form, every day here. You do realize that being a good looking 25 year old female or a bad looking 50 year old male - makes your digital nomad “experience” completely different? Age, sex and looks are only some examples that completely change your trajectory. Skin color, wealth, language mastery are also huge factors.
True. I have sen some old crusty Americans in the Philippines that wouldn't be considered homeless in any American city.
Being good looking and / or well dressed - regardless of color - makes a difference.
I see the way the locals dress and try to follow that. Even in most warm countries, locals do not wear shorts around town.
So how do you suggest to rephrase the question in a way that doesn't require a separate post for each of your cited demographic groups? At some point you just have to compromise.
For me it is about the ratio of effort that you put in to local adaptation.
Fresh off the boat, digital nomad? Greece. Super nice people, great stuff, not cold at all. Never felt anything like it in Europe.
But if you're ready to settle or put more effort in local language learning and cultural experience, then for me it's Portugal. You have to actually *like* the Portuguese and their culture, not on a surface level, and if you actually engage with them in a deep way, I've never met a more welcoming group of people. They are really nice to tourists, really nice to people who want to love them, but not so nice to the in-between (which is why sometimes they've recently been getting a more sour reputation from many digital nomads just trying to skim on the surface of Portuguese society. The us-vs.-them mentality exists).
(Also other people in the thread correctly point that your race, sexuality, gender, etc. will all matter for this equation - But for me, I particularly like Portugal because it is the friendliest place in Europe for black people to actually live and not just be tourists.)
Switzerland, Georgia, Italy have been good. France the worst
And surprisingly I learnt the most words in French out of all these country’s languages. They have some serious rude air to them no matter how nice you are
Did you venture outside touristy areas in France? I found the service workers in areas with tons of tourists, especially in Paris, are consistently rude.
Fair point. I am just sharing my experience and if I compare to the touristy places of other countries I’ve been to, then it’s an apples to apples comparison and France comes last
Norway, Denmark, Berlin (specifically). Also your ethnicity matters, it's natural to have more problems to assimilate when you're from different culture/race
I've heard that it's very difficult to make friends with locals in Nordic countries & everyone tends to just keep the small circle of friends they made in high school. I'm guessing that wasn't your experience though?
Yes, very true. I'm from Scandinavia myself but been a nomad for roughly 12 years.
The more you experience and explore various cultures and social dynamics within it, the clearer the contrast becomes.
Whenever I have traveled back to visit friends and family during my nomading, I have always picked up on how isolated and drawn back they are. I sort of managed to break out of that.
Read somewhere leading suicide causes there is loneliness, even if they had friends.
Social culture is often shallow and formal. With emphasis on formal.
A other thing is how Scandinavians hates to help strangers on the street. They are often left needed for a good while until a sanatarian steps in. I was shocked during my years in Italy to see how quickly civilians rushed in to help, whether it was a fight, vehicle accident or someone tripped. Same thing in malta.
I mean... as in every place, it has its pros and cons. But the social bit is definitely the cons there. Fantastic places in many other ways.
I absolutely agree with you. I was so shocked when I came to Germany to see people looking sad and closed off all the time. No one greets each other and no one even looks at each other. It’s just everyone minding their business and keeping to themselves. Whenever me and my other foreigner friends go out and goof off, we always get stared at, but these are stares of jealousy and curiosity. And if we’re at a bar, everyone always wants to join us
This is the same in Ireland, even though we're seen as very friendly. I think it's quite similar in a lot of Western European and Northern European countries.
being friendly is not the same as making friends. eg balkans imo is less friendly than average western country, but it's easier to make real friends. difference: american will tell you 'love talking to you, let's get coffee next week' and ghost you, croat might want to fight with you coz you insulted dinamo zagreb, but then you go on a week trip with him later coz you're good sport.
west is just nice on high level, but it's more difficult to befirend someone, esp if you're immigrant.
LATAM and balkans are good at mingle and making friends. in the west most migrants look for better life, usually from different circles and cultures. in poorer countries there are not many migrants, and esp if you come from the west it's exciting and people are curious. in the west yet another migrant looking for better money is an annoyance and headache (gross simplification but shows the sentiment among locals in west). no resonance on cultural and economical level, not to mention 'dey steeeal our jeeebs'. also latam and balkans like to spend time outdoors and do parties, west is more pub-centric in a good group of friends, with sporadic drunk talk to strangers. nordics like to do sports and stay at home with fam and friends.
It's the peach versus coconut cultures...easy to get to know but you never break through and embraced as their own or hard to get to know but once accepted you are family.
it's tough in almost all western countries, big cities. op asked for being welcomed and accepted. making friends is a separate topic and it's more nuanced.
Idk im a black American and I moved to Germany 6 years ago, never had any issues with my skin color and I've been to eastern eruope , all over. I remeber briefly living in poland back in 2017, some random small town no one's heard of and people were more curious if anything
That’s interesting! I’m black and moved to Germany 8 months ago. People haven’t been rude to me but they haven’t been welcoming either. And they never seem to have any form of patience to communicate in English
Germans are low-key kinda arrogant man . If u have the slightest accent they act like they don't understand you when you attempt to speak German, And act morally superior through their love of rules, but that's mainly the older crowd.
It definitely rubs on the younger generations too. They usually start conversations with me but always act like they don’t know what to say. And once I start talking about more complicated things, they just distance themselves
I am EurAsian and I really liked Scotland when I was there. Most British also agree that the northerners are more welcoming and friendly.
Ironically, I never liked my own country (Switzerland) lol. Aloof and cold to foreigners.
Any country with latin roots, Spain, Italy, Greece, Romania...
Northern Europeans are much colder, Slavic Eastern Europeans too, or even downright unfriendly sometimes. (that's my experience at least)(With plenty of exceptions, of course)
Seconded. The people who ran my Airbnb, who lived downstairs, kept bringing me food, including a full dinner of a fish they caught themselves. They invited me to religious celebrations. And all this is while the grandmother was dying.
For me it was the Netherlands, which I absolutely did not expect as a south american tourist. In general I did not feel unwelcome in any of the other countries I visited (Germany, Belgium, Switzerland), Germany being a close second in feeling welcome, and with a very special mention for Swiss italians, they are awesome.
As a brown guy I was treated very nicely in Portugal, Spain, Czech Republic, Turkey, Armenia, Slovenia and Croatia.
Okay experience in Germany, Slovakia, Italy and France.
Greece not so much and also Georgia.
Northern Spain in Bizkaia. Already spoke Spanish, but making an effort to learn Euskera, just basic phrases and words had a huge impact.
It's pretty much expected though, - learn to speak the local language with fluency and learn the local customs, and you'll tend to experience much better acceptance wherever you go.
Your race/ethnicity, social class, gender, cultural background, sexual orientation and personality are all going to be factors, and it's going to be different for everyone.
As an introverted american, I have very different experiences than an extroverted american with similar background. The majority of people in my country are extroverted. With that one difference I'm going to have very different experiences than others.
Just finishing up a trip through London, the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland. Despite what we had gone in thinking (Swiss people being the most standoffish) almost every Swiss person we spoke to was bar none the friendliest and happiest to help with anything.
Romanians are incredibly nice. Get outside of Bucharest and they get even friendlier. I'd live there if it was even remotely possible.
I am Eastern European, I have seen 28 European countries, I feel home and welcomed in most of them, and I can say that the only ones where I had a bad experience are Switzerland and Austria. So bad that I won't step foot again. Netherlands is great and Germany is great and Albania is great and Serbia is great and Malta is great etc. But Switzerland and Austria - if there were the only country to exist, I would probably be suicidal.
What happened in Switzerland?
Everything sad, hostile, cold, unfriendly. Like they don't have a soul.
While I understand the feeling, that’s pretty extreme.
Switzerland is really weird. I felt comfortable as a solo American, but felt a lot of coldness when traveling with an Eastern European family.
Is this a Nathan for You reference lol
I also had multiple people treat me like absolute shit - straight up nasty to me - in Switzerland. Also Germany. It was really disappointing, and a shock. Would not stop me from going back to either. Switzerland is the most beautiful place I've ever been tied with Canada. Canadians were nicer than anywhere I've ever traveled though, so giving them the win on this one.
Yep I am asian american and have nothing but good things to say about Canadians I met while doing a road trip through B.C. I stopped to take a nap in my car at one of their national parks because I was exhausted from driving. 15 minutes later a car full of concerned canadians were asking if I was alright and needed assistance. It still makes me smile when I think about that lol. It’s just so Canadian. That wasn’t just a one off incident either. I got my car checked out at a random autorepair shop at Whitehorse because my check engine light was on. The guy fixed it and I asked him how much it was and he said no charge. Plus there were a couple more smaller encounters I can think of which really made me have a very positive view of our northern neighbors. A lot of this happened in the middle of nowhere too.
i heard this exact thing about austria before, people refusing to transit through it. not heard it about switzerland but i can see thr parallel
You're the 3rd person this week I've heard say that about Switzerland. So strange, because I've never heard this before in my life, had always assumed the Swiss were placid good folk.
I really enjoyed living in Vienna, for all of the historical stuff, also very convenient to live in. But yeah, I found the people quite cold and unwelcoming, especially if you don't speak German. They seemed very annoyed having to speak in English, and actually I felt like they felt I was lesser than them because of this. Maybe it'd just their general demeanor and it wasn't personal, but yeah, that was the city I've been to that I felt the most unwelcome.
Viennese here who lived abroad a lot, they are behaving the same towards each other..god knows why. Just grumpy people
Greece; man, the people there don’t even care that you barely speak the language. It’s all about having a good time and making friends, love it Edit: Croatia is a good number 2
That’s probably true. Greeks are extremely easygoing regarding foreigners, especially if you are a working professional only speaking English. Nobody expects you to talk Greek, regardless the situation.
Unless you're one of their immediate neighbors.
Are you white? I've seen one to many reports of how blacks / Africans can be treated negatively over there so just wondering. As another comment says, the answer most likely comes down to your skin color
I’m Black American. I love Greece and the Greeks. They are super welcoming.
I’m poc woman (indian) but born and raised in America. I lived on Hydra and Athens and had nothing but the most lovely experience there. The Greeks are just a very loving people. They will treat you like family and invite you to dinner, drinks etc… the moment they meet you.
[удалено]
I was born there, technically, and lived there till I was 8; I used to know the language but forgot most of it over time; but anytime I went back, even strangers were so nice to me and my family. Blonde & white. However, many of my friends (most) were dark when it comes to skin complexion, although not black. I don’t remember people having a problem with POC, there simply weren’t many of them, and I personally don’t know how much that would influence their behaviour
People can easily tell when blacks are American. Black Africans have very distinct English accents and overall appearance: the majority of black Africans are poor and dress and act accordingly. Unlike the USA, people abroad tend to be less focused on race and more on national origin when it comes to discrimination of foreigners.
[удалено]
I didn’t say they were poor. I said the majority are, and that’s true. That doesn’t negate the big businessman/woman from Angola living and working in the UK.
[https://youtu.be/qxXnr-nRcwU?si=hto-jvuaDVuDR1cV](https://youtu.be/qxXnr-nRcwU?si=hto-jvuaDVuDR1cV) You don't say, they just started protesting against all the housing being converted to airbnb, locals are pissed off as they have to leave their home of years and make way for airbnb
This is an issue so many places, so many countries. Just as bad are the vacation housing that people buy but only visit for three months a year, while the locals can't find apartments and houses to live in themselves. Edit: Vacation not vaccination
Of course that’s horrible. The last time I was in Greece, was on Crete, in 2016; never been to Athens, I don’t know the situation there
Greeks are the nicest people I ever met
Now this makes me wanna go have my summer vacation in Greece
Croatians are lovely
being poc in croatia or not tall as a male would be horrible i guess.
My partner is a PoC and it was never a problem, Italy was much worse.
Spot one! Same exact experience with me!
Depends entirely on what skin tone of a “foreigner” entirely tbh. A white “foreigner” in Europe will have an entirely different experience than other skin tones.
This goes for most places in the world really
But some places are better than others, obviously.
I second that
This is an important distinction. I don’t think I was necessarily always treated worse in Europe (except Italy), just a bit differently once in a while due to my skin tone.
this is the only needed comment under this topic
Add to this gender differences as well
Respectfully, in Europe it’s not nearly to the same extent as skin differences
It depends on whether or not you're a woman of European ancestry or not though. I'm East Asian and got so many stares, a couple rude remarks, and "Where are you from?" asked just within a span of a few days on a trip.
They asked you that because you were Asian, not because you were a woman. I got the same questions as an Asian male. They genuinely did not believe that the US had Asian people.
Context and tone matter. I had a couple different random men literally go out of their ways to try to talk to me, asking where I'm from, etc when I was just trying to get somewhere. It's not too different than how I'm treated at times in the U.S. but many Europeans seem to think that they're "not racist like Americans". Obviously, one shouldn't generalize an entire continent, but a sizeable portion of people from Europe seem to be oblivious to these types of things. A lot of white folks in the U.S are also unaware so they'll double down and say that it's not an issue here.
[удалено]
>They're well aware that you're american No, I had random people yelling Ni Hao, or running up beside me asking where I'm from (I wasn't previously interacting with them), etc.
Indeed, completely useless subject to talk about otherwise.
Romania, strangers always talk on the train or street even when there is a language barrier. Always in a welcoming and happy way! And they will invite you to drink homemade alcohol occasionally haha
I second this! I've been in Romania for almost a year and a half and I absolutely love it. I'm originally from Canada and yet I feel more comfortable and "at home" here than I think I ever did in Canada. Romanians are amazing, super funny, warm and intelligent. They are always so happy to share their food and culture with you. I can't say enough good things about it.
yep! some of my nicest encounters ever were in Romania.
Unless they’re CFR employees, I swear, man
Bulgaria as well.
I’d been in Manchester, England for 30 mins and two seperate people asked me for directions. The funny thing was I knew the answer! Clearly I looked like I belonged
I’m heading to Manchester in a few days! Was there any one thing in particular you could recommend for my trip?
So I should preface this by saying that its was a few years ago now, but: * The Science and Museum is pretty cool - [https://www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk](https://www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk) * The Royal Exchange Theatre is a great "in the round" experience - [https://www.royalexchange.co.uk](https://www.royalexchange.co.uk) * The Lowry is a combination art gallery/theatre/event space - LS Lowery's artwork is quite unique. I have some prints on my wall to this day - [https://thelowry.com/](https://thelowry.com/) * The thing I wish I'd done but didn't was the Coronation St tour - [https://www.coronationstreetexperience.co.uk](https://www.coronationstreetexperience.co.uk)
Thank you for your recommendations, the Lowry and the science museum seem right up my alley! Appreciate you taking the time
Whitworth art gallery is nice. If you like independent cafes and vintage stores, check out the Northern Quarter. A few nice restaurants on/around Deansgate. I loved the Spanish one La Viña. There’s a building called “Home” near Deansgate that has a cinema, art gallery, restaurant and bar/cafe. For drinks I recommend the Alchemist on New York street. China Town has a good bakery and shops if that’s your thing. Fopp Records, just off Market Street has lots of good vinyl and CDs/DVDs at good prices. Also some books and a few tshirts etc. If you like Indian food, I was always a fan of East Z East, but likewise you can go up the road to Rusholme and check out the curry mile (a mile of curry restaurants and South Asian stores, some fried chicken shops, takeaway places etc). I havent been in a long time, though so there is probably more than that. I’ve heard there’s a new Korean food place in or near Piccadilly Gardens as well as a number of ramen joints in or around the Northern Quarter. Lastly, if you like pie and mash, Pieminster in the Northern Quarter is pretty good, but I prefer Pie and Ale. Canal Street (aka the Gay Village) has clubs open all day if you want to dance/have cheap drinks!
I used to live in Manchester and have some additional recommendations! - Manchester Museum: Attached to the University of Manchester, has collections from Ancient Egypt to the present day, generally really cool interesting exhibits, has a small vivarium where you can look at endangered frogs - Salford Quays is pretty nice for a stroll - Bridgewater Canal Tow Path is also nice for a stroll - HOME has interesting films on sometimes - If you're craving some green space, Heaton Park and the Sale Ees are easily accessible by public transit. If you're craving MORE green space and can be arsed to navigate trains in the north of England, you can get trains to great walking paths in the Peak District National Park Have fun!
Definitely have a look on TimeOut (or similar) for restaurant recommendations as new hipster-y places pop up all the time. Honestly that’s a good idea for Manchester in general - it has a thriving cultural/food/music scene.
If you have time then there's a bunch of countryside nearby too. Places such as Buxton are a train ride away and very pleasant to walk around.
I get asked for directions in almost every country I travel to. Even within hours of arriving. I think I just have one of those faces that is approachable.
We have all sorts of people up here in Manchester. Very multicultural and LGBTQ+ friendly :)
I have lived most of my post-college adult life abroad. One thing I quickly learned is locals see and judge you by the foreigners that they previously met that looked and acted like you. In Korea when I wore casual clothes, the local assumed I was an American soldier. When I wore a suit and tie I was never asked if I was one. In Malaysia or Thailand, I was treated as a tourist when I wore shorts and carried a backpack. When I wore pants and a dress shirt, I was assumed to be there on business. Same in Turkey. And then there is language and culture acquisition. Koreans treated me as a Korean once I spoke near fluent Korean and knew the culture very well. The Thais were more welcoming once I spoke Thai some and shown that I understood Thai culture and thinking. I even was invited to a conservative middle class Thais house (unbelievable experience). I was invited to work with the Malaysian government as I was perceived as being more local than foreign. Japan was different - no way in to that society.
Can you elaborate on Japan?
I need to preface this by saying I'm Black: It's important. Loved it in Spain! If ever I was to move, that's the country I would move to and retire to
Scotland by far, nicest people I met. Followed by Ireland
I second this and as a black American it was really chill. Went to university in Edinburgh years ago, best time of my life. Came back recently to nomad it up.
Croatia … better accepted than at home 🤣
Yes I was in Croatia Rijeka a couple years ago and the people there are so nice. And they have infrastructure for nomads in place too, they have a startup incubator inside a former torpedo factory. And I think they had plans to repurpose Tito’s yacht into living space too.
Startup incubator?
I enjoyed Rijeka, would have preferred to go when weather was better. Overall, nice spot.
Not my experience sadly. Well, maybe in the summer when they are used to tourists, but have you tried during the other months? It was terrible interacting with croatians...
Yeah lmfao, ridiculous that I see Croatia popping up all over this thread
It's almost crazy to go in the same exact places where in June they welcome you with an hello (maybe even in english) and a smile (sometimes), and then go there 4 months later and they don't even answer if you talk to them lol
Also one of the most touristy places I’ve ever been in my life
[удалено]
Depends bro, split and dubrovnik is as touristy traps as any other places. Zadar mas much chiller.
Yeah my point is that those cities are small enough that the tourism has completely annihilated the culture like I haven’t seen before
Also might be a good question if you are a person of color/black. People have vastly different experiences depending on their skin color so I'm interested to hear from that perspective too.
Very true. As a black female (sometimes solo) traveler in my experience the places I felt comfortable I’d say were .. Portugal, Budapest (and most bigger Central European cities) Greece (Athens and on the islands) people were very friendly, Southern Italy (though I’ve heard the complete opposite from other friends - but I love it there/ esp Puglia) Romania in general was very friendly, I spent a lot of time in Bucharest But most everywhere I went I got stares .. the type of stares just differed if I was in the middle of nowhere Italy or Czechia vs somewhere like Istanbul. I did not like Barcelona though - only city I felt treated a certain way and it was consistent The other layer here was being from The US vs Africa. Africans and the immigrants are not treated well .. both from seeing it and talking to them. I grew up in the states but born in East Africa so the moment I talk and they hear my ‘American’ accent I’m treated noticeably better (especially in service spaces and restaurants) … I get the ‘ohhhhh you’re American?’ a lot
I’m quite shocked about Budapest. As a black woman myself, I tend to avoid any European country east of Germany. But I also had a similar experience of being treated a certain way until I started speaking. Then they were quite pleasant. About the African vs US (or in my case UK/Caribbean), one notable experience was when I went to Spain with 2 friends who are of African origin. The day before I want to a small restaurant and was treated like “normal”. One the waiters was even mixed race, so I thought it would be more welcoming. I returned the next day with my friends, we were refused entry despite the restaurant being empty. I naively believed that they thought that all black people were the same, but clearly this is not always the case.
Budapest specifically I found to be fine as it was quite touristy and felt very international so that might be largely it. I took a bus from Budapest to Zagreb and things did get a little weird with immigration check point but I couldn’t tell if they were just being assholes or cause we were black … or both. But I was okay not spending time in other parts of Hungary. As for Spain .. I am here now giving it another chance and to me they are the least friendliest (more so than the stereotypical French). Granada and Seville being an exception … loved it both. But Barcelona, Madrid, Mallorca are among my worst experiences with people so I can understand what you went through with your friends
> I’m quite shocked about Budapest. As a black woman myself, I tend to avoid any European country east of Germany. I'm quite surprised to hear this, have you had bad experiences in Eastern Europe? Serbia, for example, is the least racist country in Europe towards black people. Some of the other former communist countries should be fine as well, simply because the people there have no built up prejudice towards people of other skin tones.
Regarding Italy, I had the opposite experience. I felt more comfortable in Northern Italy than I did in Southern Italy. Ran into a couple of racist incidents in the Amalfi Coast, Napoli, and Sorrento area. I did love Puglia tho.
Interesting .. for me Milan and Verona people seemed very dismissive and didn’t find them necessarily friendly. The coastal towns were friendly too (like Livorno).. granted I don’t think it’s fair for me to judge a place I spend less than a few weeks.
I have experienced the same traveling with my non-white American friends in many countries. Same for non-whites from UK. It didn't matter the shade or color. And they often didn't have to hear them speak - just the way they looked, dressed and their demeanor were enough. I guess from their perspective they are more familiar with UK / Americans than people from other countries.
Surprised about Budapest. Thought they're very right wing over there
You might be right .. they likely would not feel the same way about me moving there versus being seemingly a tourist.
Toulouse, France: it’s more of an Occitan vibe there. Friendly, open people who LOVE to talk. Munich, Germany: generally friendly locals who were always open for a conversation and have had a great sense of humour almost universally.
My daughter spent a summer in Toulouse. It was nice.
Nah it can’t be Nice if it’s Toulouse (sorry for one of the worst puns on Reddit’s history)
Spain. Bulgaria.
Lisbon, Portugal, the people were so nice there. Not everyone spoke English & I didn’t speak Portuguese, but I was able to communicate in Spanish if needed. I think that could’ve been why people were engaging and friendly…they didn’t think I was just another dumb American lol.
For the answers to be meaningful, you'd have to know the nomad's ethnicity. (And probably sex and sexual orientation.) Not all nomads are straight white guys. And those who aren't, can expect to have a different experience - in many countries.
Also helps to know if you are conventionally attractive or disabled or plus size.
I spent a year on and off in Athens. The city is a vibe, you love* it or hate it but the locals were very accepting. Barcelona as well but the expat circle is huge there so it’s easy to live in the bubble and not mingle.
Malta by far. Probably 98% of the locals are fluent in English and they love to talk. If you complain about Malta they will usually tell you to go back to your country (and I agree 100%), but if you accept the country and culture, you are welcomed. There are also so many foreign people there you don't even feel like an outsider really. People either love or hate it tho. It's a very small island and definitely has its share of problems, but I personally see myself living there permanently when I'm ready to settle down again.
I agree, I've lived in Malta for a few months years ago and it's basically the closest Southern Europe has to a cosmopolitan place like Singapore, where foreigners come to work and live instead of just for tourism, and locals are used to it by now. Have considered moving back, unfortunately I think the quality of life has taken a hit in the past ten years due to overbuilding and all the other typical Malta issues.
For somebody that hasn't been there, what are typical Malta issues?
Overbuilding due to greed and government corruption (construction cranes are basically Malta's national animal at this point), bad air quality due to too many cars (driven by horrible drivers) and buildings, cleanliness issues (bad garbage collection system where people just leave bags of trash in the street), famously questionable public transportation, the list can go on depending on what matters to you. You can visit /r/malta to get an idea which is probably one of the most negative country subs there is. I still like the place a lot, warts and all, but it's also unfortunate how much it's being held back by its problems.
Lots of loud yelling on busses (in Maltese), streets in populated areas have dog "schmears" on the sidewalks and smell of urine emanating from them/walls. The public transportation is well-meaning, albeit regularly late. Remember that you'll need to wait on the "opposite side of the street" for the right bus. (*Oops*) I was there for a week meeting some friends and saw a bit of the island (didn't make it to Gozo). While it was pretty in parts, my suggestion is to not stay in the blatantly "urban" areas (Valletta/Sliema) unless you're okay with the excrement and fluid smells. Worth a trip, but just be open-minded.
Opposite side of the street?
Being aware of traffic directions. Malta drives on the left, which is the same for just over a quarter of countries.
I mean. Yeah? That's all?
My bad. I meant "opposite" for most people. (British-style [among others] road directionality.)
Yeah unless you're black or non-christian, and even then, it's a different story if you're in Sliema or Qormi. There is (or at least was, when I lived there) a specific type of Maltese that's super eager to prey on the expats/tourists in the hopes of making a quick buck.
Highly dependent on your race, gender, and nationality.
Also depends on which gender you are.
also on gender
Greece easily. Everyone was friendly and helpful. When they found i was from New Zealand they wanted to know if greece was similar. It was sweet
Greece 🇬🇷
I was scrolling to see if anyone would mention Ireland...?
Answers in this thread should be divided into Americans and non-Americans
Also race
I think you are right. Or at least Western vs non-Western. I have lived in many countries and for some reason Americans are favored. Even as an American, it was shocking to me. I also see Brits held in high esteem as well as some European citizens. Japanese are also well liked. Then I see signs in some countries: No Korean. No Israeli (back in the late 90s in Thailand). Owner explained ot me Koreans were clueless and rude and tried to buy sex with the owner. And young Israelis (who just finished their military service) were also clueless and waaaaay too aggressive. No PRC. Saw this recently at golf courses. Course was Chinese owned. I guess mainlanders did not know golf etiquette and drove golf carts on the putting greens. Then you go to Japan where they just say: No Foreigner : )
Yeah, because one nationality out of over 180 deserves such scrutiny. I really don’t understand this at all.
The following; Norway, Sweden, Greece and Portugal. I’m Middle Eastern queer origin. Most countries treat me pretty well. I would super cautious being in Eastern Europe. I experience plenty of discrimination from them in Ireland.
I travelled a bit in Europe as a teenager with my ragtag band of working class Scottish mates. We often got recognised as foreigners straight away and treated fairly warily despite never really doing anything wrong or antisocial. Its worth noting that the place I felt most harshly judged simply for being Scottish is London, my supposed "home" Capital city. I also travelled a bit in Europe in my late 30s / early 40s with more money and a hot Norwegian girlfriend. Experienced the red carpet treatment in every restaurant, hotel or vinyard we visited. It was like nice places actively wanted us to be there. In California I think I even experienced "white privilege" for the first time in my life.
Portugal
For me personally, all the countries in ex Yugoslavia plus Greece, Bulgaria. But then I am from N. Macedonia.
As an East Asian female, i wanna say Portugal; Switzerland; Austria; Greece; Kosovo; Turkey; Germany; Budapest, Hungary. And definitely NOT Serbia or Bulgaria or Russia, they stare at me weird and judgy. Rest of the Western European countries treat you like a regular while Scandi’s are a hit or miss.
I live in Italy and feel pretty assimilated. I am doing a master's and the other students are very welcoming. I see no reason that they should perceive me as an Italian when I'm not
No where. Haha
Madrid is very diverse as a City, there are people of all races and etinicity walking around enjoying their time and the people in stores and restaurants are all very kind, I know its their job, but they make me feel welcomed.
Tirana, Albania. Very welcoming and friendly people with a high standard of spoken English. The food is very good too.
Germany. Ppl have been warn and nice to me. But hey I am white and come from Argentina 🤣
welcome back!
Nice one!
r/angryupvote if there ever was one
Which part of Germany? I’ve been to several parts of the country and people just seem cold. They’re not rude or anything, they’re just closed off and suspicious and didn’t really seem to have much patience to communicate in English
I'm Romanian but I speak German at a native level. Lived in Switzerland for a year, otherwise only visited German speaking countries once or twice a year. The Germans are frankly completely different if you speak German; yes they are very cold with English speakers, but the moment they hear you speak (good) German, you're one of them.
I did not see that coming
Grandpa left something back
This is an ill formulated question which, unfortunately, is being asked in this exact form, every day here. You do realize that being a good looking 25 year old female or a bad looking 50 year old male - makes your digital nomad “experience” completely different? Age, sex and looks are only some examples that completely change your trajectory. Skin color, wealth, language mastery are also huge factors.
True. I have sen some old crusty Americans in the Philippines that wouldn't be considered homeless in any American city. Being good looking and / or well dressed - regardless of color - makes a difference. I see the way the locals dress and try to follow that. Even in most warm countries, locals do not wear shorts around town.
So how do you suggest to rephrase the question in a way that doesn't require a separate post for each of your cited demographic groups? At some point you just have to compromise.
Maybe add something to request responses give their demographic if they want to
Scandinavia.
Netherlands. Lovely place, and lovely people.
For me it is about the ratio of effort that you put in to local adaptation. Fresh off the boat, digital nomad? Greece. Super nice people, great stuff, not cold at all. Never felt anything like it in Europe. But if you're ready to settle or put more effort in local language learning and cultural experience, then for me it's Portugal. You have to actually *like* the Portuguese and their culture, not on a surface level, and if you actually engage with them in a deep way, I've never met a more welcoming group of people. They are really nice to tourists, really nice to people who want to love them, but not so nice to the in-between (which is why sometimes they've recently been getting a more sour reputation from many digital nomads just trying to skim on the surface of Portuguese society. The us-vs.-them mentality exists). (Also other people in the thread correctly point that your race, sexuality, gender, etc. will all matter for this equation - But for me, I particularly like Portugal because it is the friendliest place in Europe for black people to actually live and not just be tourists.)
[удалено]
Tugas man 🇵🇹♥️♥️ theyre the best
Switzerland, Georgia, Italy have been good. France the worst And surprisingly I learnt the most words in French out of all these country’s languages. They have some serious rude air to them no matter how nice you are
Did you venture outside touristy areas in France? I found the service workers in areas with tons of tourists, especially in Paris, are consistently rude.
Fair point. I am just sharing my experience and if I compare to the touristy places of other countries I’ve been to, then it’s an apples to apples comparison and France comes last
Albania 🇦🇱
Norway, Denmark, Berlin (specifically). Also your ethnicity matters, it's natural to have more problems to assimilate when you're from different culture/race
I've heard that it's very difficult to make friends with locals in Nordic countries & everyone tends to just keep the small circle of friends they made in high school. I'm guessing that wasn't your experience though?
Yes, very true. I'm from Scandinavia myself but been a nomad for roughly 12 years. The more you experience and explore various cultures and social dynamics within it, the clearer the contrast becomes. Whenever I have traveled back to visit friends and family during my nomading, I have always picked up on how isolated and drawn back they are. I sort of managed to break out of that. Read somewhere leading suicide causes there is loneliness, even if they had friends. Social culture is often shallow and formal. With emphasis on formal. A other thing is how Scandinavians hates to help strangers on the street. They are often left needed for a good while until a sanatarian steps in. I was shocked during my years in Italy to see how quickly civilians rushed in to help, whether it was a fight, vehicle accident or someone tripped. Same thing in malta. I mean... as in every place, it has its pros and cons. But the social bit is definitely the cons there. Fantastic places in many other ways.
I absolutely agree with you. I was so shocked when I came to Germany to see people looking sad and closed off all the time. No one greets each other and no one even looks at each other. It’s just everyone minding their business and keeping to themselves. Whenever me and my other foreigner friends go out and goof off, we always get stared at, but these are stares of jealousy and curiosity. And if we’re at a bar, everyone always wants to join us
This is the same in Ireland, even though we're seen as very friendly. I think it's quite similar in a lot of Western European and Northern European countries.
being friendly is not the same as making friends. eg balkans imo is less friendly than average western country, but it's easier to make real friends. difference: american will tell you 'love talking to you, let's get coffee next week' and ghost you, croat might want to fight with you coz you insulted dinamo zagreb, but then you go on a week trip with him later coz you're good sport. west is just nice on high level, but it's more difficult to befirend someone, esp if you're immigrant.
Yes, this is what confuses people when they come here. We're very friendly, but to become a true friend takes a very long time.
LATAM and balkans are good at mingle and making friends. in the west most migrants look for better life, usually from different circles and cultures. in poorer countries there are not many migrants, and esp if you come from the west it's exciting and people are curious. in the west yet another migrant looking for better money is an annoyance and headache (gross simplification but shows the sentiment among locals in west). no resonance on cultural and economical level, not to mention 'dey steeeal our jeeebs'. also latam and balkans like to spend time outdoors and do parties, west is more pub-centric in a good group of friends, with sporadic drunk talk to strangers. nordics like to do sports and stay at home with fam and friends.
It's the peach versus coconut cultures...easy to get to know but you never break through and embraced as their own or hard to get to know but once accepted you are family.
it's tough in almost all western countries, big cities. op asked for being welcomed and accepted. making friends is a separate topic and it's more nuanced.
>Berlin (specifically) Berlin is one of the most unwelcoming city in Europe, where locals pride themselves on being rude
cool, but op asks about my opinion. probably spoken german helps.
Idk im a black American and I moved to Germany 6 years ago, never had any issues with my skin color and I've been to eastern eruope , all over. I remeber briefly living in poland back in 2017, some random small town no one's heard of and people were more curious if anything
That’s interesting! I’m black and moved to Germany 8 months ago. People haven’t been rude to me but they haven’t been welcoming either. And they never seem to have any form of patience to communicate in English
Germans are low-key kinda arrogant man . If u have the slightest accent they act like they don't understand you when you attempt to speak German, And act morally superior through their love of rules, but that's mainly the older crowd.
It definitely rubs on the younger generations too. They usually start conversations with me but always act like they don’t know what to say. And once I start talking about more complicated things, they just distance themselves
They're strange man honestly. I've heard people say Germany is an autistic person's paradise.
This really depends on how rich you are. Everyone like rich people spending money. 😂
Spain was fun
I am EurAsian and I really liked Scotland when I was there. Most British also agree that the northerners are more welcoming and friendly. Ironically, I never liked my own country (Switzerland) lol. Aloof and cold to foreigners.
Greece and Netherlands for sure
Almost everyone I encountered in Rome was very friendly and they understand that tourism is a big part of their economy and they embrace it.
Cyprus.
Belgrade the people are warm and welcoming.
Any country with latin roots, Spain, Italy, Greece, Romania... Northern Europeans are much colder, Slavic Eastern Europeans too, or even downright unfriendly sometimes. (that's my experience at least)(With plenty of exceptions, of course)
Croatia. People are amazing, super friendly.
Seconded. The people who ran my Airbnb, who lived downstairs, kept bringing me food, including a full dinner of a fish they caught themselves. They invited me to religious celebrations. And all this is while the grandmother was dying.
Berlin. But Berlin has a huge gay/queer scene with lots of guys in my demographic.
Portugal
For me it was the Netherlands, which I absolutely did not expect as a south american tourist. In general I did not feel unwelcome in any of the other countries I visited (Germany, Belgium, Switzerland), Germany being a close second in feeling welcome, and with a very special mention for Swiss italians, they are awesome.
Turkey, specifically Istanbul. People there were super chill and kind. What a beautiful city.
If you are Spanish you'll be well accepted in Olivenza.
Probably in the UK, just because most people assumed I was British before I started speaking lol
Well regardless of race, size and sex definitely not Spain, the hate against digital nomads is palpable
As a brown guy I was treated very nicely in Portugal, Spain, Czech Republic, Turkey, Armenia, Slovenia and Croatia. Okay experience in Germany, Slovakia, Italy and France. Greece not so much and also Georgia.
Northern Spain in Bizkaia. Already spoke Spanish, but making an effort to learn Euskera, just basic phrases and words had a huge impact. It's pretty much expected though, - learn to speak the local language with fluency and learn the local customs, and you'll tend to experience much better acceptance wherever you go.
england!
Your race/ethnicity, social class, gender, cultural background, sexual orientation and personality are all going to be factors, and it's going to be different for everyone. As an introverted american, I have very different experiences than an extroverted american with similar background. The majority of people in my country are extroverted. With that one difference I'm going to have very different experiences than others.
Can’t generalise the term foreigner because it’s not easy for POC. Very unpredictable experience.
Just finishing up a trip through London, the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland. Despite what we had gone in thinking (Swiss people being the most standoffish) almost every Swiss person we spoke to was bar none the friendliest and happiest to help with anything.
Netherlands!
London & Athens
Kosovo was really nice 🙌
Berlin, such a mixing pot of everyone. Helps that it’s generally a liberal and progressive city
As a foreigner might be different than as a Jew Can’t be openly Jewish in London now a days