Most UNDERRATED destination you've visited

[YankeeDad]

I thought it would be just as interesting to hear about places visited where you had very low expectations, and were pleasantly surprised by how much these were exceeded.

I will start with three:
Turin, Italy
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Portsmouth, England

I agree that Leiden or Utrecht are far more beautiful than Amsterdam

New Caledonia
Papua New Guinea

Leeds. I used to work there for a week several times a year and loved it. Felt busy but safe, plenty of cheap independent places to eat, museum, armory, in fantastic countryside, short train ride to York.

Yes. Me too.

I’m a bit of a fan of Southampton.

Love Albania, especially the Albanian Alps and the southern beaches, although I also really like Tirana

Kosovo is beautiful, especially Rugova Valley

Hampi in S India. Gorgeous 12th C temple.

Hull was a lot nicer than I thought it would be. I had just spent a few days in Middlesbourgh (not on holiday!) so it might have been the comparison.

Prague another one, when I first went twenty years ago. I know you'll all scoff and say yes well it's hardly underrated, and I went because I knew it would be nice, but I didn't realise just now nice. We arrived at night and I remember standing outside my hotel the next morning thinking wow is this even real.

Three Cliffs Bay isn't underrated, it's highly recognised as being amazing!

Also unlike everyone else on MN I loved Egypt- Cairo, Luxor, Aswan- and plan to return. Also loved much reviled Turkey. Incredibly beautiful country with so much to see.

Agree on Egypt, we loved it when we visited earlier this year.

Northumberland, but probably most surprising Middlesbrough, amazing live music scene though this was pre covid, hope it survives. Not so much a surprise, Liverpool is brilliant for a weekend away, so friendly too

Penrith - DH is always quite scathing and says its not the proper Lake District, but as a result it has much better and cheaper restaurants and great little shops. The staff at the George Hotel are so kind and it's only a 10 minute drive from Pooley with wonderful walks and the steamer.

To be fair, it's not underrated! Just underrated on MN.

@MiniEggsAllYear

For a short break Leicester is actually a good option, space centre, abbey park (train, boats, great play park), museums all free, drive out to the bosworth battlefield site if they have a reenactment. Hotels plentiful and cheap, best south Asian food outside of South Asia! Skip the overpriced Richard the 3rd centre, burial in cathedral is free (currently being renovated though so not this summer)

Strasbourg
St Malo
St Peter Port in Guernsey

Further afield Germany is really lovely, lakes, mountains, castles, beaches plus brilliantly lively cities. Only downside is not nice beer (sorry Germany I really don't like lager and your dark beer is too fizzy)

Lyon
Malaga
Majorca outside the tourist areas is really beautiful
Germany, especially smaller historic towns like Limburg, Bamberg, Freiburg

Filey

Scarborough. I enjoyed it so much more than I expected.

Definitely agree and am lucky enough to live just outside it!

Essex.
Beautiful county. Incredible coast. Fascinating history.

Adding more as I think of them:
Penang in Malaysia for a relaxing foodie break. Not sightseeing. But just doing nothing.

Costa Dorada, Spain.

We're not really beach holiday people, but had a truly amazing time - and booked to go back in July.

Also came to say Essex. Much of it is beautiful and it has a rich history going right back to Roman times.