What's the most fascinating place you've ever been?

[ImaLumberJack]

Just read through the disappointing famous places thread, and it got me thinking of the morning at interesting places. For me, it's either Siem Reap (especially Angkor Wat, but all kinds of other things too) or Rome (which made it onto the disappointing thread a few times ). How about you?

most , not 'morning at'

Kirby Hall near Corby, beautiful dereliction

Also I really loved Athens, wasn't expecting to.

This will sound like the ultimate wanky answer but I am endlessly interested in the street-by-street history of my unremarkable bit of London - who was living there, how they ran their lives, how we inhabit the same spaces differently from one another.

Petra and the Pyramids

Rome and Berlin for me so far I think.

Iceland was jaw-droppingly stunning, you can taste the volcanoes in the air and it looks like another planet.

Spreewald was amazing in a 'quiet and undiscovered backwater' kind of way.

I didn't like any of the big sights and didn't bother going to most. I've been all over the place. The most magical places are where you meet lovely people. Little villages in Colombia whilst hitch hiking there and the most amazing San Blas Islands! Look them up, we hitched on a boat through there and it was so cool. Chiapas, Atitlan, Titicaca, Phokara so many

San Francisco. I was amazed to see it come up so often on the disappointing places thread. I'm crap at holidays too.

Venice. Off-season. Fucking weird place! Fabulous!

Varanasi akaBanares in north India. Breathtaking.

Florence - adore it. I love wandering the streets and seeing what turns up.

Havana, the old town is superb.

Natural beauty - Yosemite.

In terms of cities I loved Vilnius in Lithuania.

Yes, I loved Florence.

I never, ever tire of London and every aspect of the Centre of the Known Universe

Most recently Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia.

Havana, Isfahan in Iran, Lhasa. I am get lucky to have travelled.

The ghetto in Venezia is fascinating if you go with a guide.

Venice - sorry! Had Italian keyboard on.

Also I really loved Athens, wasn't expecting to

I really loved Athens, too, OP, and I wasn't expecting to either.

Milford Sound on the South Island of NZ, for it’s absolutely stunningly outstanding beauty.

Have posted this before but the place I was most unexpectedly utterly charmed by was Charleston, South Carolina.

Venice.
I'm no boffin but I found the history of the Doge system absolutely fascinating. I came over all funny weird when I stood in the courtyard of the Doges Palace.

No, before you ask, I didn't scream or cry. I simply whispered to dd words along the lines of how beautiful, how atmospheric etc etc.