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Original poster

Places you have been to that have exceeded expectations

232 replies

Ginfordinner · 30/01/2021 10:17

On the back of another thread, where have you been to that you didn't expect to enjoy as much, or where you had no expectations?

When we went to Venice everyone said it was smelly and dirty. It wasn't and we loved it.
Our last holiday abroad was in Kos in 2019. Again, we loved it.
A couple of UK city breaks to Lincoln and to Carlisle made us think that both cities were underrated.

OP posts:
LittleOverwhelmed · 30/01/2021 10:37

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Bangable · 30/01/2021 11:15

@Ginfordinner

On the back of another thread, where have you been to that you didn't expect to enjoy as much, or where you had no expectations?

When we went to Venice everyone said it was smelly and dirty. It wasn't and we loved it.
Our last holiday abroad was in Kos in 2019. Again, we loved it.
A couple of UK city breaks to Lincoln and to Carlisle made us think that both cities were underrated.

Agree about Lincoln City, the gothic cathedral is one of the best in the world and the Bailgate area is lovely.

The Maldives was the place that blew me away. I went expecting it to be lovely of course but as I’ve been to the Caribbean, islands in East Africa and other places in the Indian Ocean I thought it would be similar but the Maldives blew them all out of the water for sheer beauty and perfection, the hotel we stayed at was incredible, everything was immaculate. It really was Bounty ad worthy. The diving and sea life was amazing too.

Conversely Mauritius disappointed me, it was just like any Caribbean island I’d been to and the diving was v poor, not much to see and bad visibility. I wasn’t overly impressed with Zanzibar either, too much In your face poverty to be able to fully relax (in your 5* hotel - just felt wrong).

Original poster
Ginfordinner · 30/01/2021 11:15

I loved Hong Kong as well. We went in 1996 when it was still a dependent territory of the UK. I was surprised at how safe we felt.

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Holidays
TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 30/01/2021 11:18

The Norfolk Broads.
I went as a child and it is much better now- water cleaner so more wildlife, quieter, more traditional sailing boats around instead of noisy cruisers.

JorisBonson · 30/01/2021 11:21

Tokyo. It's everything you think it will be and more, on acid.

bellropes · 30/01/2021 11:22

Yes, Chesters Roman Fort in Northumberland. The remains are really well preserved, there was a nice tea room with friendly staff and a museum with the best preserved Roman artifacts I've ever seen. We were very pleasantly surprised.

Suzi888 · 30/01/2021 11:23

Rome and Florence, though it wasn’t as good the last time we went. The first time was an amazing experience and I’ll never forget it.

SittingAround1 · 30/01/2021 11:23

Pompeii. I'm not normally that into historical tourist sites but Pompeii was incredible

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 30/01/2021 11:24

Morecambe.

The view across the bay is amazing. I love staying in the Midland Hotel.

midsomermurderess · 30/01/2021 11:28

The Taj Mahal. It is something in many ways so familiar, but in reality it is quite stunning. Going through the entrance arch and stepping out into the light, and there it is before. Wonderful.

CMOTDibbler · 30/01/2021 11:32

I've been to all kinds of really random places to work, and been so surprised by how lovely they were. Somewhere I had no idea at all about was Okinawa which was just amazing, and if you are a sad geek like me, the airport - which is shared with the naval planes - was fabulous as the civil planes use the same runway as the fast fighter jets and it was like being in Top Gun but with beautiful blue sea around.

eurochick · 30/01/2021 11:33

I agree on Venice. I went in August and everyone told me it would stink. It didn't and is incredibly beautiful.

Borneo - amazing nature

Maldives - paradise

Washington DC - great city. I much prefer it to NYC.

Disney Florida - I expected to hate it but grudgingly accept it's really well done and I had fun despite myself.

NastyBlouse · 30/01/2021 11:35

Washington DC - great city. I much prefer it to NYC.

Me too @eurochick

Although the mugginess in the summer is something else.

Cantdecidewhich · 30/01/2021 11:35

Aruba, absolutely loved it and didn't think I would

Kindlingwood · 30/01/2021 11:35

I live in Carlisle. It is a great place to live and visit too.

We went to Marrakesh. Was bit uncertain about it (but was. Mega cheap), but it was fabulous. Beautiful, lots to do, fab food, interesting.

I also love Barcelona, and Prague.

Sandsnake · 30/01/2021 11:36

Ljubljana, Slovenia. I went with work and had no idea what to expect. I wrongly assumed it might be a bit drab with ex-USSR vibes. What I found was a beautiful, friendly and exceedingly safe feeling European city. Would go back in a heartbeat!

StoneColdBitch · 30/01/2021 11:37

@aroundtheworldin80moves I love the Midland Hotel in Morecambe too!

In the UK:

Liverpool - nothing like the stereotypes! My favourite UK city.
Leicester - really nice city centre, good shops, bars and restaurants, friendly people, lots to do.
Leeds - nice, compact city centre, with great bars and restaurants.
Morecambe, as a PP said.

Overseas:

Genoa - only spent a day there, but would go back in a heartbeat. Lovely, quirky, interesting place.
Malta - before I went, I heard lots of dire warnings that it was "a hot rock", that it was boring, etc. I had a lovely time and plan to take my children when they're older (I went in my early 20s).

colouringindoors · 30/01/2021 11:37

Isles of Scilly. Simply magical Grin

SniffingOne · 30/01/2021 11:37

Vienna. It's stunning and an extraordinary European capital yet doesn't have the profile of Paris or Rome.

Gormless · 30/01/2021 11:38

Brussels. Expected a slightly bland city we were just going to use as a travel base. Found somewhere really quirky, pretty and fun. Like a less pretentious, grittier Paris.

AuntieMarys · 30/01/2021 11:39

Palma.
We had a fantastic long weekend there and couldn't fit everything in! So much culture.

Nonamesavail · 30/01/2021 11:39

St kilda

Dover Castle

OneWildNightWithJBJ · 30/01/2021 11:39

The Trevi Fountain surprised me. I didn’t expect to walk through a narrow road and it lead to such a huge fountain. Some of the lakes in the Canadian Rockies were more stunning than I expected and the black sand beach at Vik (I think) in Iceland.

Galliano · 30/01/2021 11:41

I agree re Taj Mahal... really really stunning
Charleston in South Carolina was somewhere I went without huge expectation but it was just the most lovely city. (Obviously has its dark side when you reflect.)

devildeepbluesea · 30/01/2021 11:42

Cyprus. Really wasn't looking forward to it, envisioned a dusty, brown place with nothing to do. It was gorgeous, best holiday in years.

Also Réunion. Although tbh I was expecting it to be amazing, it was all that and more. I got up close and personal to an erupting volcano which was the crowning glory to an unforgettable visit.