To ask what famous landmark or must visit place/thing were you secretly underwhelmed by?

[Midge1978]

I went to stonehenge this year and whilst I was trying to get in touch with my inner druid, trying to project historical importance and mystery onto the place, I just couldn't escape the feeling that I was just looking at some very old stones and it was actually (whisper) a little bit boring!! Dh thought it was all marvellous though so I have never told him!!!

Sistine chapel was disappointing due to experience, full of rude Chinese tourists taking selfies and ignoring the sacred nature of the place.

Everything else in Rome was amazing

Another one for the Mannekin-pis. It's really small, and also hidden away - I expected it to be in the centre of a big square, looking magnificent. But it's just tucked away in a little corner - we spent ages looking for it, and then just stumbled on it.

I agree with Mona Lisa - also the Uffizi in Florence - eleventy-million madonna and childs - some of them so ugly as well

I thought the White House looked small as well, I was really surprised when we drove past it. Perhaps it's bigger inside, like the Tardis.

Stonehenge. Massive achievement at the time to lug all that rock from Wales but underwhelming.

Grand Canyon was jaw droppingly impressive though. I flew over in a helicopter and it was stunning. Felt like I was looking at a different planet.

Why does anyone go to historical and archaeological sites in high summer, FFS? Don't try to combine them with a beach holiday. We went to Pompeii at an easter too - perfect sightseeing weather. In some ways Herculaneum is better - and a longer but easy train journey Paestum (I like greek temples, the ones I've seen so far aren't in greece!)

Stratford on Avon - bad enough before they changed the river area, now just awful, and the RSC Theatre looks like a lookout tower at a POW camp

Also the grand canyan, it was a split in the ground, it might have been better if we went inside.
And the sphinx are so small.

Another vote for the Mona Lisa. I waited for ages to see it too. It looked just like the postcards in the gift shop

Can't understand how anyone can fail to be impressed by the Grand Canyon though!!!

The Ritz is pretty tatty. I realise it's not an amazing or much feted place but
with it's history I expected more.
And central park new york. Istupidly expected there'd be some story to tell from a visit there. Nothing just a fairly bland park, fairly quiet and underused. Not a break from the city either.

Chitzen Itza, Mexico. Took hours to get there and it was just full of tourists. Very commercialised. 5

Can't understand how anyone can fail to be impressed by the Grand Canyon though!!!

Absolutely, we flew over it in a small plane and it was awesome - you just can't believe the area it covers.

Though I agree, if you've not seen it from above, and only seen it from "ground" level, it's not quite so impressive. We did that first and it was "OK", but it was later in the day when we took the plane over it, and wow!

Niagara Falls. So, so tacky, like a posh Blackpool. Too many people to really get a good look at the falls (which are spoilt anyway by the American viewing platform) and massive queues. Never again.

Loved Rome though! The pantheon absolutely blew me away, it's the most beautiful building I have ever seen.

I was underwhelmed by the Grand Canyon but I'd spent the previous week in other national parks in the area which might be why. Think it also depends which part and rim you go to, the south rim gets very busy. Monument Valley was much more my sort of thing.

Loved the grand canyon, walked down it and camped at the bottom, so lucky, would not bother with madam tussauds, disappointed with new York but I think it was because it was the end for me of six weeks travelling. Also stumbled on Van gogh sunflower and other paintings, I am not a fan but to see them fairly close up, as much as possible with all the crowds, underwhelming

Chester Cathedral.

Dh was all excited about taking me to Chester and to see the cathedral. When we got there I was very underwhelmed and thought it quite ugly

I think the tourists and high expectations make a large difference

Bethlehem. Completely underwhelming.

i liked Stonehenge. Its a weird place, but fasinating.

however Snowdon was a let down as it was shrouded in mist ( in August) and the gift shop had pictures you could buy of the views that i couldnt see. The train seemed old and worn out and it all took forever.
I was only about 15 though, so maybe it was all lost on me and the train must have been updated by now!

The red light district in Amsterdam. Couldn't find it at first and then when we did it wasn't at all how we imagined it. Instead of being glamorously seedy, it was just seedy.

Another vote for the Pyramids for reasons already covered. I also disliked Florence. Too busy. Probably the most disappointing place I've been (because I wanted to see it so much) was Petra.

As an archaeology student I was able to go to Stonehenge when it was closed and go inside the circle. Helps to appreciate it.

Those are minor gripes though, I have been lucky enough to see some amazing things, the Galapagos, Tikal, Iguassu falls, the stars in the Sahara, Pompeii and Jerusalem are my highlights.

I thought I was hard to impress, but actually from this thread I'm learning I'm not! I loved chichen itza, but we had an incredible guide who made it fascinating. We also swam in a cenote afterwards which I loved.

Another vote for the various different landmarks in New Zealand. I went expecting awe-inspiring views and to be blown away by the scenery, but I wasn't. It's all really nice, don't get me wrong. But the mountain views aren't as good as those in the European Alps, the fjords aren't as good as Norway's, various bits of Scotland etc. It's like a 7 out of 10 of everything all in one country, compared to 9 or 10 out of 10 of other things scattered around the world.

Paris and Prague. Neither of them lived up to the hype.

Hamley's toy shop, EVEN AS A CHILD!

The red light district in Amsterdam. Couldn't find it at first and then when we did it wasn't at all how we imagined it. Instead of being glamorously seedy, it was just seedy.

Red light area is seedy: SHOCK!!