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.

I absolutely loved Venice and Milan. The taxi driver taking me back to the airport recommended Florence as one of the most beautiful places to visit. Has anybody ever visited?

I got married in Tuscany 20 years ago. Spent a week in Florence, then got married in a lovely place called Certaldo. @Moonshine86 Florence is beautiful, such a great place to visit. You should definitely go there.

Hull. Amazing place so many good free/cheap museums and exhibitions. Think we paid £100 for 3 nights at the premier inn. Was hoping to go last summer with dm but it will have to wait.
Barry island.

North Wales. We made a last minute booking last year when our flights to our planned European holiday were cancelled. I had very low expectations but it turned out to be a brilliant holiday. The scenery was stunning. The beaches were great for body surfing. We'd got fully kitted out for bad weather, so it really didn't matter if it was raining. Lots of great walks and mountain biking.

Lisbon. Went for work. Fell in love.

Oh and Northumberland is magical.

West Cork in Ireland - Skibereen, Baltimore, Kinsale. absolutely wonderful.

Tel Aviv - I was told it wasn’t very good and is just a stopping point for Jerusalem but I had forgone Jerusalem in the end and dedicated my whole trip in Tel Aviv. Fabulous city with a nice beach, amazing restaurants and so much culture.

Newcastle - I went for a night away with DP and was expecting it to be quite rundown but wow! The Georgian architecture instantly blew me away. I loved wandering in Jesmond. Geordies are the friendliest people I’ve come across.

Singapore - my DP was telling me Singapore is only good for a weekend and I couldn’t disagree more! I loved visiting hawker centres to try local delicacies, watching the water show at nighttime and RTM is amazingly clean. I’ve been several times and can’t get enough.

London - I need a London fix several times a year. I’m always amazed the sheer volume of things to do. I love going to the museums and getting lost looking at exhibitions. Hoping to visit in April.

Lovely reading all these posts! Let’s hope we can travel again soon!

Oops I meant MTR - not RTM.

Jersey. I went with my sister because she had always wanted to go - now we go every year (except for last year).

Madeira. Again I went with my mum just to please her and omg I absolutely love it!

This is a lovely thread. Really makes me yearn to travel again.

For me Sri Lanka (more than Maldives as a PP mentioned)
Jordan
Japan
The Nordics - travelling from Denmark up into Sweden, Finland & Norway - close to nature etc
Would agree with Yosemite too
Switzerland - love how clean and tidy it is, and how easy it is to go up to the mountains

There are so many amazing places to go and I wish we could travel

London. I always thought it would be full of people rushing about and generally being unfriendly etc. However, I was flying back from France to Luton and arranged the train back quite late after I landed so I could spend some time just pottering about in London and I loved it. Been many more times since, but haven't been for years. Really need to go.

Not quite the same as this thread, but the French Riviera. I went every year as a child, but I always thought it was boring because it wasn't Florida. However, went again as an adult with DH and DCs and just fell in love with it. We have been back every year since. Looking doubtful for this year, but we shall see.

BTW didn't like Venice when I went, but each to their own. Also really hoping Liverpool does live up to its expectations now. I've heard before how unexpectedly nice it is. I was supposed to go in 2020 for a weekend so I can run the marathon, obviously it didn't go ahead, but has now been postponed again until 2022 so it better be good as I'm having to wait another year

Tasmania.

Spent two weeks driving and camping around the island and everywhere was just spectacular. Stunning beaches, mountains, lakes, waterfalls, small towns to explore, the most delicious pancake house, Port Arthur...

We’d go back tomorrow if it was possible.

Tivoli Gardens. Magical.

The Trevi fountain. Assumed it would just be a tourist trap, but it was stunning.

Beirut - I went during the riots. I absolutely adored the place, and despite the water cannons and tear gas, the people were fantastic. One of the soldiers on patrol walked me through to the main square when I got lost at night. The street food was fabulous.

Petra - I’ve been to a lot of places, as in, I’ve only 5 countries left in Asia left to visit. Nowhere has blown me away like Petra.

Sarajevo has to be one of my favourite cities. I went because the flights fit in with a national holiday where I live so I thought why not, and I was interested to see the modern history there. I fell in love with the place, and I really want to go back.

@Moonshine86

I absolutely loved Venice and Milan. The taxi driver taking me back to the airport recommended Florence as one of the most beautiful places to visit. Has anybody ever visited?

Florence is so beautiful, we went in November a few years ago and didn't need a jacket. Popped to the old fashioned pharmacy in here, so beautiful www.italymagazine.com/featured-story/florence-more-santa-maria-novella-busy-station. so many lovely food markets too.

@Spacecudet

I've always wanted to go to Vienna. This thread has made me realise I need to make it happen.

We loved Vienna too. A trip to Schloss Schönbrunn is well worth it.

I know many people are saying Venice and I absolutely agree. Although you would think the best way to arrive is by boat (and it's easy to do this from the airport) but to me, nothing beats walking out of the station. You just walk down this very ordinary looking ramp, stopping to buy your water bus pass of course, then - Bang. Venice. I had to sit down for a while just to soak it in (no, I did not scream).

Another is Madeira. Even the driving is exciting. And the food is excellent.

Sri Lanka, such a beautiful and diverse country

Also Mallorca. I had it in my mind that it would be all tacky holidays resorts for some reason, but the majority of the island is totally not like that, so beautiful.

Angkor Wat and Siem Reap. Fabulous.
I live in Hong Kong and I love it. It's so beautiful. City to beach lifestyle in minutes. We hike all over and I cannot get enough. Winter weather is great. Summer's a bit of a beast, tho.
Also adore the UK and Irish countryside.

We arrived in Venice by train. Not Simplon Orient Express but we used bog standard basic sleeper from Paris. Booked own cabin. Woke up just before arriving in Venice and stepped out into magic. Best way to arrive.

@YakkityYakYakYak

Also Mallorca. I had it in my mind that it would be all tacky holidays resorts for some reason, but the majority of the island is totally not like that, so beautiful.

The train journey from Palma to Soller is so scenic. People think all of Majorca is like Magaluf, but it isn't.