Places you have been to that have exceeded expectations

[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.

Mexico, most amazing place

"Further afield, I'd like to spend more time in Singapore"
We spent 4 days on Singapore it's weird how we all feel differently about places, my DH loved it very keen to go back, me I'm glad I went but having been now see it as a stepping stone onto Borneo which I absolutely love.

Another one for Venice. We went in the summer and were told it would be 'too hot, too busy and too smelly.' I absolutely loved it.

@Sadik

Also, Felixstowe Ferry, which is a little hamlet with a charming ferry to Bawdsey, and nothing like Felixstowe proper.

Oh I’m going near here on holiday in the summer, I’d just been looking at the foot ferry!

Malta - stopped off on our Mediterranean cruise and I didn’t expect much but it was lovely - and some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met.

Kefelonia...,, it's literally a Greek paradise.
We've always found a beach to ourselves and the food and people are amazing

Carthage. I've seen loads of ancient ruins so wasn't expecting to be blown away, but these are so beautiful I felt quite emotional being there - not quite screaming in the Sistine Chapel level, but one of the few times I've been genuinely awestruck. In fact I loved Tunisia in general much more than I expected to, there's so much of interest there.

Butlins Skegness 😂 was expecting grimy, run down and scruffy... Turned out to be clean and modern (the facilities) my kids absolutely loved it.

@albertcamus I did not expect to see Mansfield on this list However, agree friendly lovely folk in that part of the world

@Spacecudet do it! Vienna is a fabulous size city for walking around.

Glastonbury Festival
Lake Louise ( Canadian Rockies)
Golan Heights ( Israel)
Kalbarri National Park ( Western Australia)
In no particular order

Canadian Rockies.
Fantastic, magical scenery.
Bears, Moose and Wolves
Wish I could go back.

Paris. I was prepared to be very unimpressed by it. I went with my sisters and our cousin who was visiting from Australia. We just had the best time. We didn't have much money so we walked everywhere and it was a perfect way to see the city. I've been a few times since, but nothing beats that first trip.

@Iwantmychairback

Canadian Rockies. Fantastic, magical scenery. Bears, Moose and Wolves Wish I could go back.

Amazing isn’t it......exceeds all expectations.....my eldest son moved there 6 years ago....don’t forget the cute little pikas !

Lanzarote. I'd grown up with people calling it lanza-grotty and thought it would be full of pisshead sunburnt Brits. Really not the case at all.

Sure, some people in some resorts are quite like that but people who live there are island folk and same as island folk everywhere they have a different take on life. It's very eco aware, all the resorts are low rise, you can surf, snorkel, do yoga, there is loads and loads of empty space and amazing beaches and the landscape is something else .. like, volcanic, you see it all around you. The seafood is awesome, there's a lovely laid back Spanish vibe but x100 because remember these are people who've left Spain because it wasn't laid back enough for them. Really gorgeous place, easy to get around, safe, clean .. I love it.

The Alhambra, Granada. I did not expect to be as blown away as I was. It was so beautiful.

Glasgow. I was expecting it to be grimy, rough and depressing. Instead it was lively, and friendly, with loads of lovely areas.

Dd and I did a day in Beirut from a cruise. It was amazing, went to the Jeita grottos and an old roman site where the crusaders had built a church.

Jerusalem, I would love to spend a month there.

Rome. Standing in the Forum knowing Julius Caesar had stood there too, mind blowing.

@MrsClatterbuck

Salzburg. It was to celebrate a big Birthday and after looking at some places the travel agent suggested this. Totally not on our radar of places to visit. We loved it. Very easy to get around and so much history and Architecture. Not a big population and it was lovely to see older people usually the men in traditional dress but not the whole shebang out doing their ordinary shopping. We would definitely go back.

Salzburg surpassed all expectations- I’d go back in a heartbeat

@Icequeen01

The Alhambra, Granada. I did not expect to be as blown away as I was. It was so beautiful.

Yes, I felt the same. It was so peaceful and stunningly beautiful.

@Susie447 re the Cadiz restaurant, is that the one with high stools outside of it? I remember keeping the receipt from that place just so I could remember what amazing food we had there for a couple of quid.

I love Cadiz. Like a pp says you do feel like you're on the edge of the earth and the attitude people have there is something else ... so funny and irreverent and you never know quite what bit of mild eccentricity you're going to stumble across next.

Maastricht, Andre Rieu concert in his home town.

I really liked Glasgow as well. The Kelvingrove art gallery and museum is utterly beautiful, and I had the best curry I have ever had in a fabulous Indian restaurant on Sauchihall Street.

More places I really liked: Llandudno, Llangollen, Tavistock, Sark, Lisbon, Bruges, Rome, Madeira and New England.

Belfast. I went there with work and wasn't sure what it would be like, but it was lovely. Need to take DS there when I can.