I’m starting to plan for the long-term with the idea to move out of the US, eventually. Having watched a lot of urbanist content, I get the impression that Amsterdam is the ideal city. However, I think other European cities get overshadowed. Specifically, Scandinavian/Nordic cities. How do Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm and Helsinki compare to Amsterdam and other Dutch cities? Can I get around with just walking and cycling? What’s the public transit infrastructure in those cities like?
Additionally, I’m of Cuban descent, so will I face any racial discrimination? I’m pretty sure that Scandinavia as a whole isn’t racist, but I don’t doubt that I will have isolated encounters.
stockholm is very walkable and has super-convenient public transit, but bike paths are so-so. were i to live in stockholm i would instantly get rid of my car. alas, it’s very hard to get an apartment for anything approaching a reasonable price. go outside the city and the price drops sharply, as does the convenience.