Where would you have once liked to visit but now wouldn’t go?

[buddhasbelly]

For me San Francisco. Would have loved to visit Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge etc but seeing the reports of the drug epidemic /fentanyl use just makes it seem like it would no longer be a place to feel safe whilst sightseeing.

Where would you no longer wish to visit?

Venice. Always longed to go there but now the volume of tourists is contributing massively to its destruction and I think I'd struggle to shake that feeling that I was part of the problem. Also it looks sooooo busy and expensive I'd just feel too stressed.

@beeswain - snap. Most of South Africa is possible, even Kruger if you go to a camp high enough to avoid mosquitoes.

I've been to Egypt, Israel and South Africa several times each - all fine, and I'd happily go again. Best holiday we ever had was in SA.
Hoping to go to Egypt to see the new museum next year.

We worried about this but went recently by train (across by the Bernina Express, magnificent , look at man in seat 61 website for how to get to Venice by train) out of season. It was magical , we stayed in a reasonable b and b and just wandering the streets and taking a water bus around was lovely. Tourism is both Venices doom and saviour , money raised in the past helped stop a lot of the damage.
They have stopped the big cruise ships now , which was a major factor with a lot of people not contributing much to the local economy but damaging the infrastructure.

New Zealand because of their macho woman-hating culture.

And Russia. Would have loved to see Red Square, St Petersburg etc., but Ukraine invasion takes the shine off.

I went to Rome in February and didn’t unzip my winter coat once . It was also fairly cheap and definitely not stupidly crowded. It did however piss it down the entire time but it made all the lovely stone shine very becomingly.

I’ve a picture of myself stood on the Spanish Steps with hardly anyone around, brolly up, eating a massive gelato.

East Dulwich!

I visited San Francisco 20 years ago and was warned not to go into the tenderloin district. We saw a lot of homelessness around the city but never felt unsafe. I have such happy memories of it.
I read an article recently, I think it wasone bbc news, saying that many are planning on leaving the city to live elsewhere. Such a shame it appears to be on the decline.

A wretched hive of scum and villainy! 🫣

I'd love to visit Russia, DH has been a couple of times and thoroughly enjoyed it, we visited China at the end of 2019 just as COVID was surfacing (we were oblivious) I loved it but it had been my Number 1 place to go on the bucket list. Getting in through passport control etc was at bit interesting and intimidating but once in Beijing it was amazing. Spotlessly clean and everyone was friendly and helpful. Now I been there I wouldn't go again as I've seen what I wanted to see and am very glad I did.

We wandered into Tenderloin by mistake, looking for a restaurant. It felt very tense, I was relieved to see a parked police car. As we got closer we realised it was a dummy! Soon made our way back to Market St with no incidents.
I understand that the gardens in front of City Hall are now all tents.

Just came on to say the same! Friends went 20 years ago as part of their honeymoon and said it was a lovely place so I always wanted to visit. Looks hellish now. So sad.

I've been to most of these places listed. I hope to be able to go back to Russia this century. St Basil's I've always loved.

I think anywhere longhaul really. Just can't justify it when I do all I can otherwise to mitigate my personal impact on the environment.

Just to add..
Finland is such a beautiful country. We went to Lapland last Xmas and the people and culture are fantastic, such a shame that people are ruling it out.

My favourite holiday ever was South Africa. The main tourist areas in Cape Town and the organised safari trips are fine. The only place I felt unsafe was Johannesburg. We only stayed overnight before a flight. There was a free daily newspaper in the hotel room and oh my goodness!! The stories of shootings, car jackings and a woman being stoned to death for wearing trousers in an outlying village were horrific I could barely sleep!
It was still an amazing trip though. Such a country of contrasts.

I have a soft spot for Finland too.
I’m going to say Barcelona. I’ve been a couple of times but would never go back. It is drowning under over-tourism. I was last there in 2010 and pretty much hated it, the crowds, the queues. God knows what it’s like now.

I was in San Francisco 5 years ago and it felt perfectly safe. Saw a few homeless people but to be honest I'd seen way more in Chicago. Sad to hear of the deterioration. Such a great city.

Russia
Israel
Eygypt

Russia - obvious reasons.
India - i went a few times when I was younger but couldn’t justify it now based on the treatment of women and girls.
Pakistan - would just feel unsafe.

Russia.

It was all booked for 2020 :(

Cairo. It was a childhood dream of mine. Now, such crowds and scams. I can't. I just can't

This

I've always wanted to go to New Orleans but sadly it seems to have gone way of San Francisco. I went to SF in 1999 and loved it! The Golden Gate Bridge was beautiful and Alcatraz was fascinating. Loved the cable cars too, it was like being in a movie! So sad to hear what it's become now, the drug problem and lack of a safety net for poor people seems to have created a hopeless situation for so many in America.😓

I walked through the Tenderloin in San Francisco after dark (admittedly by accident!) and I didn't realise this made me some sort of intrepid explorer. It was totally fine.

Yes I found the Tenderloin a bit challenging in 2019 but it was incredibly localised. I loved SF and have family in California. This time round I'm seeing more family in Rhode Island and Washington DC. I find it amazing and sad that people appear to have written off the USA as a whole.

Tbh I'm a bit wary of going to Mexico atm. I also don't love the idea of any country where if you're surrounded by men with machine guns it's absolutely fine.