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Most overrated destination you’ve visited?

944 replies

Rnm62 · 20/05/2023 13:53

Just that really..

OP posts:
LeverageLevel · 22/05/2023 23:20

@Namechange9625 whats money or the price of the trip got to do with it?

You can be crass and arrogant and have money.

Well-off tourists can be very sneery and rude, (not the same as being critical or candid). Sometimes arrogance and ignorance fit together only too well!

Anyway I shall leave off here. Had enjoyed the thread thus far, some perspectives interesting.

Ihatepickingausername3 · 22/05/2023 23:42

Bath. Hated the ambience / atmosphere.

OMG12 · 23/05/2023 07:33

Ihatepickingausername3 · 22/05/2023 23:42

Bath. Hated the ambience / atmosphere.

What did you dislike about the atmosphere. I found the place dead. When o think back to it, I can’t remember any people there(although there obviously were), it’s like life had literally been sucked out the place.

55balloons · 23/05/2023 09:13

Torquay & Paignton! Was there one October both extremely run down with no decent restaurants

lieselotte · 23/05/2023 09:17

Boredwitholdname · 22/05/2023 03:28

I tend to travel with an open mind so I’m rarely disappointed, but I must say I find Singapore underwhelming. People seem to rave about it but I find it rather sterile and probably the most characterless country in the region.

That's why it's good though - it's an easy introduction to Asia without too much of a culture shock. The climate, however, is something else. I really liked it but I couldn't spend more than a couple of days there.

To the pp who said Liverpool -it's the people who make it - it's not a beautiful place although it has some very impressive buildings and plenty of good walks.

lieselotte · 23/05/2023 09:18

55balloons · 23/05/2023 09:13

Torquay & Paignton! Was there one October both extremely run down with no decent restaurants

To be honest, I don't think they are particularly rated in the first place are they? They wouldn't be my first choice for decent restaurants except fish and chips, either.

(I went to school in Torquay)

Beamur · 23/05/2023 09:34

Skye. Beautiful place too many people. That was ten years ago and I think it's become even busier.

ScribblingPixie · 23/05/2023 10:07

Travelled independently, did Tunis and Djerba Island. Djerba is nothing special but we stayed in a lovely French run guest house. No one on the island was at all threatening or pushy. I can imagine going to package holiday resorts with DCs would be a different experience.

I found Djerba beautiful because my experience was staying in a hotel with a wonderful garden and the sea behind, not doing much except eat and laze. But the minute you stepped on to the beach it was hassle-y men. A younger friend had a rotten time fending them off.

ScribblingPixie · 23/05/2023 10:08

Sorry, should have bolded that first paragraph from @Bitteralmond

Whereismypassport · 23/05/2023 10:48

@Seeingadistance

’Saltcoats’

just spotted this 😂

you are correct. Can you imagine not knowing what to expect, and somehow ending up in the three towns for your holidays?

Ninjama1 · 23/05/2023 11:33

Mauritius - like the Caribbean scenery wise but without the fun.

Ninjama1 · 23/05/2023 11:33

lieselotte · 23/05/2023 09:18

To be honest, I don't think they are particularly rated in the first place are they? They wouldn't be my first choice for decent restaurants except fish and chips, either.

(I went to school in Torquay)

and not in October 😂

Ninjama1 · 23/05/2023 11:34

Ihatepickingausername3 · 22/05/2023 23:42

Bath. Hated the ambience / atmosphere.

Bath has really gone downhill over the years. It's a bit of a hen place now too.

55balloons · 23/05/2023 12:27

catwithflowers · 21/05/2023 18:08

We spent three days in Genoa on our little Italian tour and absolutely loved it!! As you say, gritty, great food, friendly and very arty. We watched the most amazing piano concert there for free as we had paid a few euro to get into the palazzo where it was held. I've never seen/heard anything like it. Just beautiful.

The place in Italy that has surprised me the most is Turin where we are now. It's beautiful, so much to do and a real mixture of architecture. Lots of it feels like Paris or Geneva with wide streets and gorgeous buildings, but some of the old town is very traditionally Italian. Nothing like Genoa though 😂. Loads to do here too!

Oh delighted you mentioned Turin. We're going to Bardonnechia skiing in January, about an hour away from Turin. May try & get up to Turin for a day in the train so...

Ihatepickingausername3 · 23/05/2023 12:36

OMG12 · 23/05/2023 07:33

What did you dislike about the atmosphere. I found the place dead. When o think back to it, I can’t remember any people there(although there obviously were), it’s like life had literally been sucked out the place.

Exactly how you’ve described it. Lack of soul. It all felt a bit false… off. It’s the only place I couldn’t wait to leave!

Nave · 23/05/2023 14:52

OrangeBananaFish · 20/05/2023 13:57

New York. It was just grey and dull at eye level. Times square was OK, but the rest was a bit meh

Love New York EXCEPT Times Square!!

Nave · 23/05/2023 15:00

NewUserName2023 · 20/05/2023 15:49

Lourdes - was expecting something a bit more uplifting and spiritual, but it was surrounded by tatty stalls selling tiny plastic bottles of water in the shape of Mary.

Agree - weird and very tacky

Nave · 23/05/2023 15:04

55balloons · 23/05/2023 09:13

Torquay & Paignton! Was there one October both extremely run down with no decent restaurants

I spent my teenage years in Torquay- hated it and couldn’t wait to leave.

theDudesmummy · 23/05/2023 17:04

@thecatsthecats that must be southern Croatia/Dalmatia you are thinking of. The islands in the north are very different, still beautiful but no mention of Game of Thrones, with friendly people and not as expensive. We spend every summer holiday there. (Don't go to Pula or Opatija though).

MarkWithaC · 23/05/2023 17:15

theDudesmummy · 23/05/2023 17:04

@thecatsthecats that must be southern Croatia/Dalmatia you are thinking of. The islands in the north are very different, still beautiful but no mention of Game of Thrones, with friendly people and not as expensive. We spend every summer holiday there. (Don't go to Pula or Opatija though).

I think it's Dubrovnik that's become overrun since GoT. And yes, there's been rumblings about people not being happy abut all the cruise ships overwhelming it. Split, too, is a bit over-touristed, I think (some of the house gates/walls have signs up saying basically 'stop staring in, this is my home'.
Croatia is large and I agree, there are many other and perhaps nicer parts (Šolta, a short ferry ride from Split, is green and pretty quiet).
I really liked Pula! Amazing Roman ruins including an amphitheatre, wonderful Venetian architecture, a lovely Seccessionist market building...

theDudesmummy · 23/05/2023 17:28

@MarkWithaC Yes, Dubrovnik itself (and the whole of Dalmatia) is very pretty, but of course overtouristy and there are plenty of other beautiful medieval cities in Croatia, which are far less crowded. Split is to my mind better but I prefer to be further north and on the islands. You are right that Pula is interesting, but I find it rather crowded (and too many Brits).

MarkWithaC · 23/05/2023 17:39

theDudesmummy · 23/05/2023 17:28

@MarkWithaC Yes, Dubrovnik itself (and the whole of Dalmatia) is very pretty, but of course overtouristy and there are plenty of other beautiful medieval cities in Croatia, which are far less crowded. Split is to my mind better but I prefer to be further north and on the islands. You are right that Pula is interesting, but I find it rather crowded (and too many Brits).

I must have got lucky; I went to Pula in August and didn't find it that busy. Then again, I live in London so I guess I'm used to a lot of people! There were some Brits but I wouldn't say that many. Then again, I'd been staying in Fazana, where DP and I were the only Brits among endless Germans and Italians, so it was quite a nice change...
I wouldn't stay in Pula for long – we just went for a couple of days/afternoons. I like to get the odd hit of architecture/city bustle/culture, but for me Croatia is really about the beautiful beaches/sea and islands, although I do want to explore inland some time as well.

RedToothBrush · 23/05/2023 17:56

MarkWithaC · 23/05/2023 17:39

I must have got lucky; I went to Pula in August and didn't find it that busy. Then again, I live in London so I guess I'm used to a lot of people! There were some Brits but I wouldn't say that many. Then again, I'd been staying in Fazana, where DP and I were the only Brits among endless Germans and Italians, so it was quite a nice change...
I wouldn't stay in Pula for long – we just went for a couple of days/afternoons. I like to get the odd hit of architecture/city bustle/culture, but for me Croatia is really about the beautiful beaches/sea and islands, although I do want to explore inland some time as well.

Croatia has less Brits than other places, but it's definitely becoming more popular with Brits.

I've been to both Dubrovnik and Pula. I think when you go makes a difference. We went to Dubrovnik the week before the season officially starts - not everything was open but it was fab. We stayed in the walled city itself which few tourists do. The upside was we were in the city before the cruise ships landed and there were less of them. Getting up early we roamed the city which was virtually deserted apart from the cats. In the evening the cruise ships all fucked off and most of the tourists went back to their apartments / hotels outside the city walls which again was brilliant. If we'd had been there at the height of cruise ships it would have pissed me off. People getting off the ships didn't even know where they were and that is just ignorant. We did islands around Dubrovnik and a trip to Mostar. There was one day we went for a boat trip where they caught fish off the boat and we had it for a barbecue.

Pula was lovely for a couple of days. We went in August I think - it was the middle of the film festival. We watched a film (Spiderman! Which wouldn't be my choice but it was the film the night we arrived and we were hiring a car the next day) at the amphitheater which was wonderful. We hired a car and did some of the islands before going to Plitvice and then back to Pula.

And that would be my trip for Croatia. Don't just stay in the cities. They are great for a stopping point but there is some amazing stuff just down the coast which is less crowded (busy yes but definitely not rammed). Certainly the islands were much quieter. And there's plenty to see inland too.

If you want a beach holiday, don't bother. You ruin it for the rest of us!

Reading through the thread at mentions for a load of other places, it does read like people go with the top check list of things to do and wonder why it's not great. It's not great as it's the conveyer belt. You don't have to go off the beaten track by any means but going to places which the locals visit more often if you can is definitely the way to go.

We tend to do the 'go to things' still but go, get them done as quickly as possible and then find something else to do rather than have the entire day doing that one thing. We definitely are not ones for a relaxing holiday.

I'm looking at what we have in mind for our next holiday which is three days away and I'm seeing that it'd be a week for most people! That would bore us though!

IcedPurple · 23/05/2023 20:31

Scarletthoo2 · 22/05/2023 15:17

Manchester, what a dreadfully awful place

Not sure I'd call it awful but it's a bit soulless and bland these days.

55balloons · 23/05/2023 20:32

Bideshi · 22/05/2023 16:54

Did you know that all the water in Rome's very many street fountains is completely safe to drink, pure, and pretty cold too? No. Thought not. You'll see Romans (and clued up tourists) filling their water bottles on just about every street corner. It comes from high in the mountains probably the same place as much of the bottled water comes from. The poorness of Roman food is a bit of a joke in Italy too, but if you look for the local places where families eat you'll get a decent meal, even if not up to Bologna standards.

No I had no idea but the guy actually sold me a bottle of ice for 4 euro.. Lesson learned!