What famous places have disappointed you?

[mouldyhousemouldylife]

Or a landmark, artwork etc.

I guess mine is Plitvice Lakes in Croatia and Lake Bled in Slovenia. I've wanted to go for years as they both looked unbelievable and magical on photos, but going there just felt pretty ordinary. Very nice looking but I wasn't blown away.

Anyone else been to either? What did you think?

Picadilly circus. I was taken for the 1st time and thought it would be a real circus.

Was disappointed in the Lake District. Really beautiful but such a small area

Huh? The Lake District is huge!

@Gone2far

Yep, me too! In fact probably a lot of people have been let down by that!

@Horsemad glad it wasn’t just me!

I love everywhere I go but my joy in going abroad is people watching.

Some of these disappointments are more than a bit silly. Tourists complaining about there being too many other tourists. The weather in Egypt being too hot or the west of Ireland too wet or Hong Kong too humid. If you aren't interested in Renaissance art, then you probably aren't going to find the Mona Lisa or Michelangelo's David enthralling. If you wouldn't wander around a cathedral or some ruins or an art museum at home, you're unlikely to find them interesting just because they're in a different country and Tripadvisor said you would.

Who/what exactly told you that the places or sights that ended up disappointing you were amazing/really huge/romantic etc?

The Trevi fountain isn't little! Packed with people yes, but not small.

Don't know if it's improved but visited Dublin in 1990 and thought it was a horrible place - couldn't go window shopping as all the shops had metal shutters on them and loads of women selling tat from big prams like something we hadn't seen at home for years. On the drive from the airport, passing flats with bonfires burning in front of them and horses tied up.

Loved Bath but SO expensive for accommodation. We stayed in a very ordinary B and B which cost over £100 per night for continental breakfast. Would love to visit again but put off by the price.

The Trevi fountain... closed in by loads of really tacky shops. Rubbish.
The Spanish steps-not even the nicest steps I've ever seen. Love the rest of Rome however.
Edinburgh.people rave about it but I just don't think it's all that.

On our honeymoon we did a tour of Italy. Loved most of it, really looking forward to Florence, got off the coach and the first thing we saw was graffiti in Italian, 'Florence is shit', the tour guide even stood beside it talking and directing us where to go. Although I did get a very nice leather jacket there.

London. Been a couple of times over the past 15 years or so but just can't enjoy it - everything is far too busy, very unfriendly, etc. Wouldn't bother me if I never went again.

I think complaining about places being too touristy is a real issue. A bit like U.K. high streets having all the same shops.

No idea what the answer is or whether it’s better for the environment to have everyone doing the same holidays than discovering new places.

@Corneliawildthing Dublin has definitely changed a lot in the last 30 years but even still- it sounds like you were unlucky with the parts of the city you saw. Most cities have an underbelly and your trip seems to have been a tour of Dublin’s 😂

I loved venice even when the square flooded at night and we had to wade through it

Amsterdam. Just the city in general. Was filthy, raucous and unless you went to the outskirts just unbelievably expensive.

Wasn't that keen on Paris either.

I have to say, we took the kids to Disneyworld Florida last year and I was really apprehensive about going. I was expecting overcrowded, noisy, dirty theme parks with massive queues and short rides. I actually really enjoyed myself. It has to be seen to be believed. We also went to Universal Studios and I loved it there too. We went in August so it was ridiculously hot and crowded but I still loved it. We’re hoping to go again in a few years when the kids are a bit older.

I don't think the lake district is small either.
Those thinking it is, have you tried walking around the lakes?

I live near a lake and it's about 100 miles around the perimeter. If you stand at the shore you can't see the opposite side. I suppose that's why the lakes in the lake District seem small to me.

Tbf most of these disappointments should not be a surprise! It’s not a secret that the Mona Lisa is small, and crowded. It’s clear that the pyramids are surrounded by the city - which is why I wouldn’t go. If I did, I would know not to expect sand in all directions.

I wouldn’t go to Everest, spending all that time/money and finding litter and queues. I go on a city break and expect busy, climb a mountain I would want peace and cleanliness.

Barcelona. I much prefer Malaga.

I remember with amusement a friend being disappointed by New Zealand. She said it's too like NI where she is from.

Minni, I thought that quite a bit of parts of New Zealand were like the Scottish borders. It felt a long way to go to have ended up near Kelso.

I don't think the lake district is small either.

Windermere is the longest and largest natural lake in England. How anyone can think it's small is mind-boggling.

Windermere is the longest and largest natural lake in England. How anyone can think it's small is mind-boggling.

It's only something like 6 square miles in area. It's pretty, the Lake District is lovely, but the lakes aren't big. Loch Lomond is 27 square miles and Lough Neagh is about 150 square miles.

Posted too soon! For comparison to elsewhere in the UK, that was.

London, the first time I visited England in 1972. It was filthy! Everywhere we went in England was filthy. Walls black, litter all over the place, I just couldn't seen why anyone would live like that.
Have to say, the place has grown on me since.