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!!!

Most of Paris, just hated it

The only bit I would like to explore in more detail is the island where Notre Dame is

This was the original medieval Paris, even if nothing remains of it, I would still like to just be there

I can't understand how anyone could hate Paris. I'd move there tomorrow, honestly.

Funny how we're all different.

I didn't like Paris either! My husband loved it, now Amsterdam I thought I'd hate but loved it

eastmids yeah thanks for the sarcasm. I expected seedy, but I also expected big windows with red lights like you see on telly.

Most museums just remind me of school trips and ( horrors) having to do work sheets and look interested.

My ds2 actually went to the British Museum and Natural history for a day out and enjoyed it , just for something to do! I just shuddered. I think school really put me off.
I hope to see the Canyon next year, but people tell me the one in Mexico is bigger and better so i am already disappointed! lol.

Bizarrely I liked Epcot. I didn't expect to so it exceeded expectations!

I think technology has fucked our perceptions. With all the wide angle/close up stuff, we have a completely distorted idea of what we'll see. Most of the complaints here are about the size. So many photos are taken from helicopters, so how could the reality at ground level not disappoint?

And that's before you get to the crowds, if which we are all of us one.

I've never been to the Giant's Causeway and was disappointed in advance by chancing on a photo with a human on it. So teeny-tiny. (Bushranger's Bay in Victoria has similar, waaaay bigger basalt formations. With added kangaroos):o

Stone henge

With all the wide angle/close up stuff, we have a completely distorted idea of what we'll see. Most of the complaints here are about the size.

The Egyptian pyramids are the exception to the rule, as they're huge and far bigger than you expect.

Do you ever think they may have been disappointed by you?

Don't know, they didn't say. Which is unusual as buildings are such gossips.

I wasnt that keen on Florida ( this was in 1990) the parks are so overblown and the rides were pretty dire. People rave about it, but i wouldnt go back and i 've never taken my children as couldnt afford it then. It might have changed a lot over the years i suppose, but i didnt see the hype. Wished i hadn't bothered and gone to Spain instead!

littlepleasures it's not called "Giants Causeway" because of the size of it though!

I thought it was lovely and loved the story behind it.

The Louvre and Eiffel Tower were big disappointments for me.

Man some of the people on this thread have really had the joy of life sucked out of them somewhere along the line!

The Grand Canyon is AWESOME!
Northern Lights in Sweden = Magical! even without the best show.
Petra = AMAZING! Full of people, all loving it. Just ignore the people trying to sell stuff.
Stonehenge = Incredible! It's about far more than just a few old rocks. Statue of Liberty = ICONIC!
Hagia Sophia = Beautiful!
Palmyra = Ermergerd.
Wadi Rum = WHAT SO GOOD.

I preferred Blackpool tower to the Eiffel tower as it was far more impressive to the tiny child I was when first viewing it. And I was likely eating an ice cream at the time too!

I've not been to the Giants Causeway ... maybe better go to Staffa then, marvel at the geological processes which created this structure, and that the other end is in Ireland ... and then go on to Lungha for the puffins. At the right time of year, obviously.

Has anyone mentioned the Mannequin Pis (sp?) in Brussells. Gosh it's a let down somehow

I am amazed by people saying the Grand canyon is "just a hole" / boring

We should do a thread about landmarks and places that were unexpectedly interesting or better than expected, so's other posters don't think we're all cultural vacuums.

Sistine Chapel, by the time you get to it you've seen so many paintings on ceilings that you just look up and think "Oh, another one."
Waikiki Beach.
Vesuvius.

The moon. Went there in the late 60's. Just a fucking big dusty rock ffs!

I visited Stonehenge when you could touch the stones and loved it. Been back since and just found it disappointing.

Me and DH have been to Paris twice and just don't like it. The first time we thought we must have missed the good bits so we went back but still didn't like it. Just don't get the love for it - Prague, Barcelona, Stockholm, Berlin all much nicer and London is a million times nicer.

We spent a week on the Isle of Wight about 30 years ago and hated it. Never been back.

Other than that I have liked everywhere I have been. I love the British Museum, me and DH visit at least 3 times a year and never get bored of going there. Also like the Natural History Museum, loved Edinburgh, Portmeirion, Snowdon.

Me and DH try to go to places out of season that way they are nowhere near as crowded nor as hot so usually much nicer.

Love this thread, really interesting viewpoints. Don't have any disappointments to add really, though agree the Mona Lisa was much smaller than I expected and I knew it was going to be smallish...glad no-one has mentioned Christ the redeemer as disappointing my dream is to see that one day.

Agree about the moon.

I'm underwhelmed by most things. I think I've seen pretty much all the sights mentioned about (apart from Stonehenge and any in New York), and yep. Most of them were alright. Nothing amazing. Just a bit 'well alright then, I've ticked it off' and then off to plan another trip to find something that was amazing.

Cristo Redentor - definitely best viewed from a distance. You get a good view from the top but it's so so busy and full of people doing the same poses!

Curtainsider which mission were you on? I expect we probably know each other.