What is the worst place you have ever visited?

[Washingforweeks]

I saw a thread on instagram about this and found it really interesting and wanted to hear more. What is the worst place you have visited and why?

Tangier in Morocco. I grew up in (Southern) Africa and have visited/worked in many African countries, but have never felt more unsafe than when I was in Tangier. We ended up getting back on the 'ferry' rickety rotting wooden boat with garden furniture on the deck clutching a carpet we didn't want but had to haggle for and buy for our own safety.

Also LA. Filthy and impossible to walk 3 feet without falling over a homeless person lying on the pavement or beach...with obscene wealth just a couple of blocks away.

Armpit is over selling it. Stinking, sweaty arse crack would be more accurate.

Had a lovely holiday to stoke last year touring pottery places - it was fab.

Loved the craziness of Marrakesh.

Enjoyed Paris but we love historical stuff so perhaps not everyone does.

Not keen on Blackpool. Scunthorpe was pretty meh but most places have something interesting somewhere.

I moved to the area recently and have yet to venture far into Hull. Have only been to the park by the bridge, Kingswood shopping centre and the hospital 😅 oh and the Peter Pan park run! What would you recommend outside of the deep/museums/marina?

That seems to be happening in a few places now. I saw a lot of bin rummaging and up-ending in California and I've read people complaining about it in Ireland too.

Hard disagree about Naples. An amazing city..

This was my first thought. The food, architecture and scenery was all wonderful, but didn't make up for the harassment and poor treatment of animals we saw. I was groped by someone who looked to be not yet in double figures, a member of our group was held ransom until we handed over a not insubstantial amount of money to a 'tour guide', I was followed and felt rather unsafe, all the sellers were pushy and didn't take no for an answer. In spite of dressing very conservatively I was called all sorts of names. Various other things too. There were some really lovely parts but wouldn't go back.

Gili T in Indonesia is another one I'd avoid. Got there to stay a week and genuinely turned right back around and got on the next boat. Was billed as a tranquil, tropical paradise and I was greeted by competing bass lines coming out of every hotel and drunk teens/20 something backpackers yelling profanities. It was really not for me. Went to the next gili instead and did a homestay, speaking to the elderly owner was heartbreaking. He basically said Gili T had only got like that in the last 5 or so years and he could see his island going the same way but was powerless to stop it. Imagine living on an island with no traffic noise and surrounded by peace and knowing that tourism was imminently going to ruin it. I felt bad I was even there!

I enjoyed Atlanta and Georgia - beautiful countryside and enjoyed it more than parts of Florida. I expect the person that compared Atlanta to a larger Croydon is a not very well veiled racist view because Atlanta has more black Americans. It's a friendly place that has great food and culture.

Whereas for the rest of us, any noticeable lack of hammered people and 'amusements' would be a very good reason to go there.

Widnes & Slough for the UK.

Thats what I’m saying! The bonus is it’s NOT the place to go and get hammered.

Had exactly this experience

Dubai. Arranged to meet up with a friend as halfway point to Australia. No history, just expensive shopping and fake.

I loved Marrakech! So bonkers and surprising. Wasn’t hassled (there are undercover tourist police milling around these days!) and there are loads of amazing restaurants.
The undercover tourist police must have had two weeks off when we went last year. I was with my husband but it was none stop harassment all the way from Marrakech to the the Atlas mountains.
Other parts of Morocco are alright but I felt drained by the time we left Marrakech.

They actually arrest them in Hull? What, like with real policemen that actually turn up quickly when you ring them and everything? That's so cool. Like going back in time to a bygone era.

Tunisia…..belongings stolen on beach and sexual harassment all day long.

I loved Marrakesh, went on my own. Just said non merci firmly alot with my best resting bitch face. Also wore long trousers and long sleeves and a scarf i could pull over my head. Food was fab!

Full of very rich tax exiles - there's got to be a pretty high proportion who've made their money by dodgy means. It's got that Switzerland vibe - they're not interested in what you're up to if you're bringing in money.

Brussels - so boring.

Volendam - we went there when it was hot, on a day trip from Amsterdam. There was no shade so it was boiling hot and felt stifling. All the places to get a drink and cake shut early. There wasn't really anything to do after about 15 minutes of looking at the harbour/marina and the architecture of the houses. I just wanted to leave ASAP.

Petra - the archaeological site is interesting, but my sister and I got massively harassed by men. At one point I was surrounded by about 20 men all arguing with each other around who was going to 'get me' (wanted me to ride their horse). My dad got scammed out of money at the hotel.

Hope Cove in Devon. H and I named it hopeless cove. Dreary and absolutely nothing to do.

My experience was probably tainted by my ‘hotel’ experience. I think it was actually a sailors’ knocking shop.

Once took my partner on a surprise trip to Brussels for her birthday thinking "Brussels" was the English translation of "Bruges" (even put the tickets in a copy of "In Bruges" as a romantic gesture... 😐)

A good if embarrassing anecdote, but no history, beautiful architecture or chocolate, just technocrats, a wind that hollowed you out and museums that closed on a Sunday (who closes museums on a Sunday!)

A lot of the other places on here fall into the good bits/bad bits category - bewildered at the hate for Amsterdam (it's not just Dam Square FFS, of course that's horrible, but the museums and cafes etc are great, the houses, canals... but yes I preferred e.g. Utrecht), Berlin (simply a fascinating city, such a cool vibe everywhere, but I imagine off putting to people who say "naice"), Northern towns (generally so friendly)...

Worst I've been to is probably Marrakech: interesting but stressful, one wrong turn and you've walked into a hellhole with fly blown raw meat butchered in the streets and people washing clothes in holes, children in ill health, men starting at you menacingly. Not relaxing at all, not good if you like going off the beaten track, and (yes) not good if you're a woman (especially if you don't think you should respect local customs re: dress etc.)

😂😂oh dear!

I expected Cairo to be hot, dusty etc but also expected there to be places you could get some respite from it - I'd just trudge for miles just dying to give my money to anywhere that could supply me with some shade, a cold drink and a place to sit down - and maybe even a loo that has running water, towels and soap all at the same time. But often there just isn't anywhere, or at least nowhere that doesn't look like the main thing they're selling is dysentery (flies crawling over the food etc). Or else an all-male clientele that makes you scared to go in. I had imagined that a place with so much tourism would have a bit more in the way of cafes that don't make you feel you'd rather go hungry. I came back with quite a lot of my spending money and that's the only time that's happened - just nothing to spend it on.

My family moved there when I was 9. My mother doesn’t understand why all three kids moved away at 18 and never went back! 😂😂
Yarm is (was) lovely though.