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Original poster

Where in the world have you been that was very different to what you’d expected?

386 replies

Davespecifico · 04/05/2020 15:24

For me it was a journey through Montenegro to Kotor. I couldn’t believe the fjords, steep cliffs and cruise ships.

OP posts:
Unescorted · 04/05/2020 21:34

Lille - thought it was going to be a grotty industrial town, but it is like York on acid. Stunning.

lachy · 04/05/2020 21:34

Barcelona...I shouldn't have listened to my mother wittering on about pick pockets. It was lovely and I will definitely visit again.

Majorca...thought it would be lovely, it wasn't. I stayed (Cala Millor/Cala Bona) so quite touristy. It was a cheap deal though which is probably clouding my judgement.

anxietrist · 04/05/2020 21:36

Marrakesh and Cuzco were 2 places that overwhelmed me in a really good way. In both I felt like I was somewhere really new and different and loved experiencing the culture.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 04/05/2020 21:39

Dublin - I thought I'd love it, but really disliked it. The people all seemed to be very poor, but the city (pubs, restaurants) was really expensive. Lots of it was grubby. There were nice things about it, but overall I didn't think much of it and definitely wouldn't be interested in returning.

Robin233 · 04/05/2020 21:41

Benidorm, on a last minute all inclusive with a friend and his mother out of season. It was clean, quiet, very friendly and I had a lovely time.

^^
Went to Benidorm mid August.
Literally stuck a pin in map to take ds abroad.
Not sure what I expected but it was clean , safe, lovely beaches , clear blue sea.
Had a lovely time.

Honeyroar · 04/05/2020 21:42

Re LA, it’s nice if you go to the beaches. Long Beach, Redondo, even those outside Disney.

San Fran is still lovely, you’ve just got to get a little away from the tourist bits - walk up a hill! It’s much better in winter.

Cairo I still love, even though the town is quite close to the historic sites (although it’s not as close I was expecting from what people said), it’s still incredibly interesting and there’s so much history.

Disappointing places for me were Dubai and South America in general (except Rio, which I adore!). I also hate Florida.

StopChelping · 04/05/2020 22:19

Belfast - had the best nights out ever, the people are so friendly and go out of their way to welcome you in. So much to see during the day, I thought I’d be fed up but I didn’t have time to be Grin

Bavaria - I always thought Tuscany would be my dream place to settle. Bavaria was beautiful, great food, great scenery, great wine, great people. Bavaria blew me away. The air is so clean. I just felt so energised there.

thunderthighsohwoe · 04/05/2020 22:29

Edinburgh (and Scotland in general) - stunning

Barcelona - grotty and dirty

Barbados - lovely in the resorts only

Val D’Isere - doesn’t match the hype; Austria and Switzerland have many, many nicer ski resorts

jenthelibrarian · 04/05/2020 22:36

Lake District, horribly bleak and rocky. Packed out with coaches.
Similarly Scotland.
Edinburgh is grim and dirty. I got sworn at by vile drunks as I dodged the puddles of puke on the pavement. The broken glass on the ground near our hotel that my husband warned me to avoid when we arrived was still there when we left.

Pavlova31 · 04/05/2020 22:42

Bruges. Awful smell from the canal and everywhere really expensive.
Paris. Very underwhelmed.

ChicChicChicChiclana · 04/05/2020 22:48

Agree that Bavaria and Belfast are wonderful places.

Dowser · 04/05/2020 23:01

Oh yes Paphos, really boring. Mosaics were good ..but rest boring, boring, boring.
I thought I’d see if there was some nice local perfume..I like to do that
You’re not going to believe this..there wasn’t one perfume shop in the whole place..not even in the mall
You could never get me to go back
I just wished I’d gone to Tenerife instead

Smithtylater · 04/05/2020 23:14

LA...what a dump. Was visiting my friend who moved there for work. I got lost and Randomly ended up in a bad area...turns out it was skid row, with all the homeless people living in tents, working girls and all that. I thought LA would be glam!

I went to Derry, with my auntie, i did NOT want to go and thought it would be rough and unwelcoming but it was actually quite interesting.

Sparklingbrook · 04/05/2020 23:30

It's probably for the best that nobody can travel at the moment. Anyone with the holiday of a lifetime booked at some of these places would be Shock

Bloodylovecheese · 04/05/2020 23:32

Chicago...fascinating city with tons to do and fabulous food and drink

Kyoto..just beautiful with so much to see for a small place. People were so friendly and food amazing too

margaritap · 04/05/2020 23:40

Bosnia and Herzegovina, the mountainous landscape is gorgeous. Sarajevo is in a valley surrounded by mountains and is beautiful in a shabby around the edges way.

Porto is northern Portugal was much better than expected. It's a lovely little city and I actually preferred it to Lisbon.

I was underwhelmed by Ko Samui and Ko Tao in Thailand found both dirty and over run by tourists.

Also Edinburgh been a few times and don't get the hype, I find it cold and a a bit grey.

justjuggling · 04/05/2020 23:50

Disappointed by Paris, Venice, Bali and LA.

Pleasantly surprised by Las Vegas, Toronto and Perth (Australia not Scotland).

sotiredwe · 04/05/2020 23:56

I thought LA would be glam!

There are some very glam parts, unsurprisingly not in Skid row! 😆

Froq · 05/05/2020 00:03

Some of these have really tickled me - Costa Rica too many bugs, the Lake District too rocky and Venice was cold Grin

VenusClapTrap · 05/05/2020 00:10

Tokyo - Sheffield on a wet Wednesday. Disappointing.

Mexico City - fell in love with the place and the people.

fia101 · 05/05/2020 00:13

Taj Mahal - beautiful but really small. Looks massive in photo with Diana sitting in front

TooGood2BeTrue · 05/05/2020 00:14

The UK. Before I came here it was all Inspector Morse and Bridget Jones to me.

herecomesgeralt · 05/05/2020 00:16

Can't believe why some people are saying about San Francisco!! I adored it, saw absolutely no drug use in the streets, saw the most beautiful houses and buildings, I can't wait to go back some day.

Vienna - didn't have any precious thoughts about it but it was so wonderful, absolutely amazing food and gorgeous architecture.

Moo7878 · 05/05/2020 00:20

Times Square. It's not a square Grin

YgritteSnow · 05/05/2020 00:20

Vancouver. I liked it and would go back, but if you wander into the wrong part it all gets very gritty and edgy, very quickly. There's a big homeless problem there as well and some of them seem to have extreme MH issues and are very aggressive in asking for money. That said an otherwise well dressed person told my child to "move you cunt" for not getting out of his way quick enough - she was 12. She heard and was very upset, didn't leave my side when out for the rest of our time there. I was roasted on another thread by a Canadian for daring to criticise Vancouver though so hope that doesn't happen here Grin