Paris + Amsterdam OR Vienna?
 

Hubby and I will be returning to our first love (Paris) for 7 days in June but can't decide whether our second city should be Amsterdam or Vienna for an additional 5 days. We love good restaurants but not necessarily the super trendy i.e. hot new chefs/super $$$$; we like to find the off the beaten-track ones where the locals eat. We spend our days walking the neighborhoods looking for great shops/art galleries/art fairs/local crafts and, of course, I will research to find the 'must see and do' sights and decide which one(s) we'll see/do.
Thanks so much for your help.

Vienna hands down.

My choice would also be Vienna, but you need to look at what each city offers, then decide.
It's a very personal choice! Di

Great shops...vague, sorry; selling what or does it really matter?

You say nothing about museums but perhaps those are of less interest

I agree it's ultimately and obviously a personal decision. Right now you have given me no reason to suggest either and I've been to both. But best wishes nonetheless.

While Amsterdam is charming Vienna has way more to see/do with great museums and several wonderful royal palaces to explore.

I live in Vienna and love good food of all kinds. There is very good Central European-inspired cuisine to enjoy here beyond the dreadful Schnitzel and dried out Sacher Torte; it just takes time to find the right places. Off-the-beaten-path in the city means happening upon a Serbian or Russian restaurant, and there is good food to be found at Naschmarkt even though it is a touristy destination; neighborhood restaurants mostly serve traditional Austrian cuisine. Up in vineyards off-the-beaten-path means a heuriger tucked down a lane.

I would not list Vienna as one of the world's great shopping cities. There are the usual high-end brands jammed in along Kohlmarkt, but nothing you really can not find in any major city. For trendy shopping and galleries, research the "Neubau" district ("bezirk" in German) to get a sense for what the city offers.

I'd prefer Amsterdam. Only 3.5 hours by train from Paris. Beautiful and unique. Love the city, love the people.

My vote also goes to Amsterdam but IMO the two cities are quite different so in the end it should be which "vibe" you prefer. The Dutch people are super-friendly and welcoming. I think Amsterdam has a funkier vibe while Vienna has more of the formal, cultured atmosphere. Not sure either has a strong food reputation but I know you can find interesting eats in AMS and I would assume in Vienna too. But I LOVE sitting canal-side in Amsterdam watching the little boats putt along and all the locals on their bikes. I've been to both several times and AMS just "fits" me better.

Both Vienna and Amsterdam are wonderful cities and have much to offer. What you may wish for is the greater contrast between Paris and your second destination. Vienna has grand boulevards, palaces, and grand museums. While we weren't bowled over by the food scene, we did dine at Steirereck, which is deservedly listed as one of the world's great restaurants. It is, however, quite expensive. I'd agree with sued that Amsterdam is less formal than Vienna, but it's also true that the neighborhoods and canal houses give it a very different feel from Paris, whereas Vienna has an Imperial feel that you also get in parts of Paris. The influence of Indonesian cuisine on the food scene in Amsterdam is also a plus. I would recommend it as the better pairing with Paris.

Disclaimer- I was in Amsterdam earlier this year and have not been in Vienna for in many years.

As noted they are two very different cities. I found Vienna imperious and cold. The museums were worthwhile but with high entry fees. It was an exceedingly expensive place although the desserts were spectacular. And if clean is important to you, Vienna is the place.

Amsterdam has great museums as well, but with a significant difference. The Dutch have a closer intellectual, emotional, and artistic attachment to their artists. I thought the Dutch were extremely friendly and Amsterdam is a wonderful walking city filled with, of course, canals, well-preserved residential architecture, and a vibrant population. Decent food is expensive otherwise the food is uniformly dreadful.

For ease/expense of travel, Amsterdam. Haven't been there, but friends have and loved it so it is near the top of our list. We loved Vienna as well, but it would take more time and trouble to get there.

Ultimately, as suggested above, it depends on your interests. Read about both on this site or elsewhere (i.e. get some good travel guides) and decide.

"decent food is expensive otherwise the food is uniformly dreadful" - not sure I'd agree - I don't remember the "browncafes" as being high priced and we found several other ethnic restaurants (like Italian and Turkish) that were reasonable. But do some research ahead of time for best results.

anyone who says one of those cities offers more of whatever just hasn't been to both enough - Amsterdam cannot be topped for museums or restaurants - every type here - Vienna is more homogenous in cuisine.

Can't go wrong with either. I prefer Amsterdam or a Vienna I find cold and rather boring but different strokes for different folks.

Better museums in Vienna but Amsterdam's geography and architecture presents a greater change from Paris'.

Thanks for the many helpful responses and I will most definitely start with my R&R (reading & research). Many people mentioned museums but we are really interested in privately owned art galleries with works by artists available for sale. We have been most surprised (when travelling throughout Europe)to discover that many cities just don't seem to have many such galleries and we are always on the hunt to find wonderful pieces to bring home.

Have a look at this site.
www.amsterdamart.net/indexE.html

Lots of links to galleries etc.