What are your picks for most friendly city and the least friendly

[boomy]

Montreal as least friendly...tabarnac

YUL is easily top 3 friendliest in the world, along with Tokyo and upcountry Maui.

(you do need to know your way around YUL, I spent 3yrs there FIFO and have alot of local, French speaking, mates)

Some of the locals in Montreal don't like to speak to someone who doesn't know French. They all know English there but choose to ignore you and I didn't like that. Not very friendly towards tourists.

Regarding Tokyo and Maui I completely agree with you. I should have added Maui to my list, such a friendly place.

 

[Rox]

Most friendly : Vanuatu (I suspect that smaller islands have a greater propensity for friendliness in general. )
Least friendly: I have met unfriendly people in Paris, but no more than anywhere else and I didn't get the feeling of an unfriendly city.
On the other hand, Florence...
When I went there they were very obviously all heartily sick of the tourist season, and seemed to be difficult at every opportunity.

 

[JohnK]

Most friendly :

Anywhere in Greece
Pattaya

Least friendly :

Manila

 

[Nizar]

Most friendly in no particular order

1. Arman Jordan

*Amman.

I was there in 1998 and agree wholly.
The hospitality of the people there was amazing.

 

[TonyHancock]

Valletta - friendly.
Paris, Montreal .........unpleasant.

 

[Major]

Most friendly.......Vancouver

Least friendly......Jakarta

 

[RooFlyer]

Montreal as least friendly...tabarnac

YUL is easily top 3 friendliest in the world, along with Tokyo and upcountry Maui.

(you do need to know your way around YUL, I spent 3yrs there FIFO and have alot of local, French speaking, mates)

Chali*e! Hostie! (IIRC ) I'd forgotten about Quebec (blocked out mentally). Lived there for a year once got a basic command of Quebecquois lingo but never enough to be accepted. I'm afraid I'd have to add any city in Quebec to the unfriendly category.

 

[Dyslexic traveler]

It seems that Paris is high on the list of most unfriendly. What I have found with Paris and with the French in general, is that they tend to dislike Americans and the English, however if they know your Australian then it's a hole different ball game.
I can understand the Parisian attitude to Americans, (speak loudly so the foreigners can understand you honey)

 

[burmans]

I've found there are layers to friendliness having not only travelled but lived in a number of cities for a while. There is a difference between a fairly superficial friendliness to strangers and inviting someone into your house, which I think as a tourist/traveller we sometimes miss. Some nationalities are more outgoing and externally friendly but dont really care much to let you into their lives, others more reserved upfront but when you get to know them a bit extremely open and welcoming.

Some examples
- I lived in England close on 3 years, some great friends at work who I'd drink with every Friday until midnight (and sometimes during the week and lunchtimes too), very friendly on the surface but did I get invited home, not once. Same for the sports teams I played with, happy to have a few pints and socialise but thats where it stops.
- I've lived in both Melbourne and Sydney, absolutely agree that in the CBD Sydneysiders can be brusque but actually have found them to be friendlier once you get to know them, Melbourne people are outwardly more friendly to strangers but seem to have much tighter social circles that go back to school days that are extremely close and extremely hard to break into
- Being a kiwi I take some pride in the fact we regularly get rated up there in friendliness but think in reality think this closed friendship thing exists there too. When I came back from my first big OE of a few years I found them very closed and even unfriendly to my experiences, most will still reliving their youth and had the same group of friends. In fact that one of the reasons I eventually settled in Sydney, I thought Sydneysiders were more genuinely welcoming (not that those cliques dont exist here!)
- Americans are famously outgoing (including New York) but I wouldn't be the first to wonder if this is somewhat superficial (they certainly havent passed the invite me into their house test much for me - though as always with exceptions). Whereas Canadians more reserved on first meeting but IMO more genuinely friendly
- Lived in Fiji, totally agree, lovely people, and would probably include most Islanders, from my childhood went to school with many Samoans and Tongans, in general (because there definitely are exceptions to this rule) extremely friendly and welcoming
- Germans & Austrians, sometimes regarded as fairly cool and brusque, but get to know themm and yes they do invite you into their home
- Eastern Europeans, went there 25 years ago and would have said they were reserved and unfriendly (with exceptions), went back this year and found them very friednly, not sure it was them who had changed!
- Asians in general are regarded as friendly, but some e.g. Japanese and Chiness are much more reserved and in some cases (e.g. Chinese) can be regarded as rude. However my daught went to school where there were many Chinese and in fact almost all her friends were Chinese, while it does take a bit to brek the ice I now think the reputation is perhaps totally unfair.

My experience with the French is very like this too. Certainly they are more reserved upfront (and even brusque in Paris) but I regard as one of the more friendly people once you get past this. As is well known too, they very much respect you attempting to converse in even schoolboy French rather than thinking the way to get them to understand English is to shout at them.

 

[harvyk]

- Americans are famously outgoing (including New York) but I wouldn't be the first to wonder if this is somewhat superficial (they certainly havent passed the invite me into their house test much for me - though as always with exceptions). Whereas Canadians more reserved on first meeting but IMO more genuinely friendly

I've received several invites to American houses, and even have a standing offer for accom in LA next time I'm there, I've also received invites to parties from people I've barely met (that was good fun, at a party been the party animal foreigner, a role I loved playing and have done so several times since).
A few of the guys at work was talking about this just yesterday and it was decided that at least for Australian's, America is the place to go if you want to make friends.

 

[get me outta here]

It seems that Paris is high on the list of most unfriendly. What I have found with Paris and with the French in general, is that they tend to dislike Americans and the English, however if they know your Australian then it's a hole different ball game.
I can understand the Parisian attitude to Americans, (speak loudly so the foreigners can understand you honey)

I agree w' that. I say in broken French, ''scuse moi, je suis un Australien', and look apologetic and they seemed to be positively friendly.

 

[boomy]

I can understand the Parisian attitude to Americans, (speak loudly so the foreigners can understand you honey)

They have short memory. Without the help from the Americans they would probably speak German by now...

 

[OATEK]

What about the "Too friendly" category. Could be a few candidates there.

Most friendly (so far) - Paris

Least friendly (so far) - Singapore

 

[burmans]

They have short memory. Without the help from the Americans they would probably speak German by now...

Ah yes, though to be fair its not only the Freanch who aren't unanimous in their love for the Americans (or some aspects of their attitude/behaviour)

 

[Dyslexic traveler]

They have short memory. Without the help from the Americans they would probably speak German by now...

What you say is very true, however, I would have to say that as much as I love America and Americans, they can be quite demanding of people in other country's. When they travel and they tend expect the places they visit to be like it is in America, They stay in American hotels, want to eat food that's like it is at home and they do speak loudly ( something I have experienced in Paris) rather than make the effort to try to blend in and endeavour to understand that not every country you visit is going to be like down town USA.

Now in saying this, I will not say all Americans are like that it's like saying all Australians are like some who go to Bali and act like Bogan and Yobbos, but some Americans do tend to be there own worst enemies.

Wayne

 

[amaroo]

Friendly

Halifax
Quebec City
Sevilla

Unfriendly

Budapest
Youghal - Ireland

 

[tgh]

A recent short visit to Japan shot it to the top of our friendly list.
Rather than unfriendly .. the place I would least like to have to spend the night without credit card or cash .. is St.Petersburg.. followed closely by B.A.

 

[boomy]

Now in saying this, I will not say all Americans are like that it's like saying all Australians are like some who go to Bali and act like Bogan and Yobbos, but some Americans do tend to be there own worst enemies.

I agree. I remember sitting in a restaurant in Tokyo and a few tables next to me was a large group talking so loud, almost shouting, about footy.
I felt so ashamed, I actually hoped they will be mistaken for Americans

 

[Alanslegal]

Top Cities/Countries:-

1. Anywhere in Japan
2. Santorini, Greece
3. Havana, Cuba
4. The Bahamas
5. The Maldvies

Bottom Cities/Countries:-

1. Cairo, Egypt
2. Rome, Italy
3. Venice, Italy
4. Istanbul, Turkey
5. Paris, France

 

[gwilli1]

Friendly

Dublin
Boston
Seattle
Vancouver

Unfriendly

Paris
Los Angeles