Top 10 smartest cites in Europe revealed

The American magazine Fast Company has compiled a ranking of Europe’s smartest cities.

According to the magazine’s report, Amsterdam ranks second due to its innovation in infrastructure, technology and entrepreneurship. Only Copenhagen was placed higher.

Amsterdam’s sustainable ambitions

Amsterdam is praised as a capital of cycling, noting that 67 percent of all trips are done by bike or walking.

This reinforces the reputation that cycling and walking are an integral part of Amsterdam culture.

It’s just one of a number of initiatives that continue to promote the city’s green credentials.

The complete ranking of Europe’s smartest cities is as follows:

1.     Copenhagen
2.     Amsterdam
3.     Vienna
4.     Barcelona
5.     Paris
6.     Stockholm
7.     London
8.     Hamburg
9.     Berlin
10.     Helsinki

Amsterdam Smart City

The magazine also notes that in recent years Amsterdam has stepped up in its pace to be a leading smart city.

Amsterdam Smart City is a cooperative project involving Amsterdammers, companies, knowledge institutions and the government.

The aim of the project is to find methods to make more efficient use of energy and to test new technologies in Amsterdam.

An initiative of the Amsterdam Innovation Motor and network company Liander, the Amsterdam Smart City platform was set up in 2009 and is run in close cooperation with the City of Amsterdam.

Amsterdam Smart City has established the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area as an urban living lab that allows businesses the potential to both test and demonstrate innovative products and services.

In 2011 the project won the European City Star Award.

The jury awarded the prize to the project for being exemplary in demonstrating how cities can make successful efforts to use energy sustainably.

More about the project can be found here.

Holland.com / Expatica