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Original poster

Most UNDERRATED destination you've visited

211 replies

YankeeDad · 21/05/2023 21:28

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

OP posts:
Crikeyalmighty · 26/05/2023 12:49

@RoseRobot quite a nice out of town discount centre - but as far as I can see that's about it and I've been a few times for various reasons

Londre · 27/05/2023 19:29

I’ve just come back from Norwich and what a fab city! So many nice shops, cobblestone streets, lovely cathedral, fantastic market & great parks. Definitely worth a visit - just a shame it’s so far away (I live in Birmingham so east England isn’t closest place for me!)

Retteach · 04/09/2023 18:55

Turkey - the amazing ruins
Iceland - fjords, puffins, birds, volcanoes
Copenhagen, Denmark - castles, Tivoli, biking

Saschka · 04/09/2023 18:59

Yep I am always baffled more people don’t go on holiday to Germany. So much nicer than France! (Nothing wrong with France, it’s just that Germany is nicer)

Maybe the historical food? (Food is fine now, even for vegetarians).

Also, northern/Atlantic coast Spain. Way nicer than the Mediterranean coast.

Saschka · 04/09/2023 19:02

Moscow is amazing, but pretty impossible to visit these days.

crackofdoom · 04/09/2023 19:41

I've just had a lovely weekend in Bristol. Forgot how green it was, and how pretty the architecture around Clifton etc is. And the harbour is lovely...was impressed by the M Shed and its working steam train and crane!

LittleMonks11 · 04/09/2023 21:40

Northumberland

Thereisnoname · 04/09/2023 22:00

Annecy in France

Wisterical · 04/09/2023 22:00

Aberdeen! Awesome sparkly buildings.

DameEtna · 04/09/2023 22:08

Liverpool

Glasgow

Malaysia - I much preferred it to it's (touristy) neighbour Thailand!

Aberaeron in west Wales

Ghent

Longagonow96 · 04/09/2023 22:43

NerdyIsMyMiddleName · 21/05/2023 21:32

Brussels! We went inter-railing through there on our trip around Europe (many years ago now!) and were really surprised at how nice it was.

Ghent is even nicer. Bruges without the crowds.

JudgeJ · 04/09/2023 22:48

Londre · 27/05/2023 19:29

I’ve just come back from Norwich and what a fab city! So many nice shops, cobblestone streets, lovely cathedral, fantastic market & great parks. Definitely worth a visit - just a shame it’s so far away (I live in Birmingham so east England isn’t closest place for me!)

Birmingham is nearer to us that most places but generally the distance is what stops Norwich from morphing into York!

Onelive · 04/09/2023 23:22

Fez
San Remo

Onelive · 04/09/2023 23:25

Londre · 27/05/2023 19:29

I’ve just come back from Norwich and what a fab city! So many nice shops, cobblestone streets, lovely cathedral, fantastic market & great parks. Definitely worth a visit - just a shame it’s so far away (I live in Birmingham so east England isn’t closest place for me!)

And I hear the city centre has been pedestrianised.

perrieFlora · 04/09/2023 23:29

France is just crap. Like leas accessible, up its self but more dated version of england and nobody has a laugh thrre

Underated
hague. Holland - clean. Well off. Just lovely
Berwick on tweed / borders - atmospheric
Birchington on sea / coastline to margate

wheresmymojo · 04/09/2023 23:48

Agree with Germany - have loved Berlin, Cologne and Munich and all very different to each other

GhostOrchid · 05/09/2023 00:01

Germany - absolutely. Loved Bad Reichenhall, which is just a small imperial spa town near the Austrian border (and Berchtesgaden!). Lovely formal gardens and parks, a great municipal spa complex, great places to eat.

Quebec City - a walled city, so unusual for North America. Lots of history married with quite a quirky vibe. It reminded me of York.

Washington DC - in some ways a soulless government town, but I found the monuments and museums fascinating.

in the UK, would agree with Glasgow, Cardiff and Hull. Lincoln I also thought was really nice. Amazing cathedral.

Testina · 05/09/2023 00:04

Retteach · 04/09/2023 18:55

Turkey - the amazing ruins
Iceland - fjords, puffins, birds, volcanoes
Copenhagen, Denmark - castles, Tivoli, biking

All great places, but I wouldn’t have thought any were under-rated!

OMGitsnotgood · 05/09/2023 00:39

Already mentioned but places that you tend to fly into and not visit - Alicante, Malaga, Palma. Faro. Worth a day trip for sure and great evening vibes (not had an evening in Faro so can't comment on that).

KimberleyClark · 05/09/2023 07:31

Montenegro
Bosnia-Herzegovina

itsmyp4rty · 05/09/2023 08:20

Recently went to Menton in France, never heard of it before but it was absolutely beautiful. As no one seems to have anything good to say about France I thought I'd mention it!

Thought Malaga and Mallorca would be very tacky but loved both. Agree Malaysia is wonderful. Jordan is under rated IMO in that very few British people seem to go there but the whole country has so much to offer and it's quite small so really easy to do.

There's nothing magic about the magic roundabout or even Swindon itself though. For the pp who was asking what to do there I'd say get out of there and either head towards Cricklade which is not too far or towards Marlborough and explore those areas.

IvorTheEngineDriver · 05/09/2023 09:12

Cologne. Had a marvellous time in what was intended as a temporary stop-over during a long road/rail trip home.

RavingStyle · 05/09/2023 09:52

Germany is my favourite place to visit; never been anywhere there that I didn't like! Too many beautiful towns to mention.
Also the Netherlands. So much water and beautiful architecture everywhere!
Out of resort Mallorca is stunning. Love walking in the hills and visiting the old towns.
Poland is lively. Gdansk is a lovely place to visit, with Dutch inspired architecture.

Crikeyalmighty · 05/09/2023 11:51

@RavingStyle I agree with you on all those. Germany is vastly underrated- and at the moment is good value too

Crikeyalmighty · 05/09/2023 11:52

@itsmyp4rty Malaga and Mallorca are two of my happy places - and people may take the piss but I still love Marbella too