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!!!

Agree with PP about the Mona Lisa and about Stonehenge, both are way smaller than you expect them to be!

Many years ago when you could, I went into the White house, it is bigger on the inside must say, have some fab pics of inside.

Went to Egypt over 35 years ago so was very different then, just a few hawkers around not much hassle and really nothing else around, could really appreciate then scale and the wonder of the whole area, but you could not pay me to go back now .

Pompeii, was a let down for me.

Will think of many more but off out!!!

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

Me too. Just think how underwhelmed they'd be by Cheddar Gorge!

My husband was scathing about Cheddar Gorge. Personally I felt proper ancient vibes!

I have a memory of being a teenager and completely blown away by the Mona Lisa- its smallness made it seem more precious somehow.
Underwhelmed by Pisa. Enlivened by being there with 3 year old DS whose word for penis was Pisan
Just have to share that there was an Aboriginal Australian in the first series of Masterchef, at least.www.datsip.qld.gov.au/be-involved/deadly-stories/deadly-stories-gallery/brisbane/tom-mosby
Isaiah Firebrace, the Australian entrant for Eurovision this year is Aboriginal.

I was pleasantly surprised by Pisa as i knew the general consensus was it was disappointing and preferred the tower and Duomo experience to the Duomo and Tower in Florence tbh.

And after living in different countries and visiting lots of places, i think the UK is very underrated.

The thorn tree that came from Joseph of Arithmithea at Glastonbury Abbey.

I wasn't expecting a common hawthorn!

It was so underwhelming I don't even recall the Thorn!

The Notting Hill Carnival, not a landmark I know! I've been twice and had an awful time, no tube stations open nearby so you have to walk miles, no toilets, every pub absolutely rammed, extremely crowded for miles and miles, if you buy overpriced food/drink there is nowhere, not even a curb to sit down on to eat/rest. Then you need a wee....
I like a good dance and party and am fit enough to walk for hours but I hated it!

Also, half the streets blocked by police so when you do decide to leave/escape it take hours to find a way out!

The Taj Mahal. It was lovely but have seen as lovely without having to deal with Agra. And a bee stung my toe!

Stonehenge.

However standing on a beach in North Wales looking back at the mountains of Snowdonia never fails to impress.

Lands End and John O Groats are both awful, though Lands End worse. Bafflingly irrelevant shops and attractions.

By contrast we absolutely loved Lizard Point and DH is very keen on Dunnet Head DC preferred the excellent café in Thurso where less is more and it's all about the geology and the wildlife.

Didn't bother with the Little Mermaid as we were short of time, but just loved the underwater statue - I think it's called The Merman and His Children and spent over an hour just staring at it. Criminally underpublicised by comparison.

This summer we went to the Bug Farm in Pembrokeshire as recommended by MNers on a camping thread. It was both underwhelming and better than we expected, if you see what I mean. Looking forward to going again in a year or two when it's more established.

Statue of Liberty.

Small, green and dirty. On a poky Island.

NYC, In general really. I blame the films making it look bigger than it is.

It's all close together and you see it all very quickly. We had a 5 day holiday there, and we were getting bored by the end.

Very disappointed in Dublin. And wasn't overwhelmed by Edinburgh. Just couldn't understand what was so great about it.

Completely underwhelmed by the Sistine chapel. Though after walking round the endless corridors of the Vatican museum I was knackered.

Miniaturworld in Hamburg.

It's very well done, DH adored it and so did BIL and SIL (so we spent several hours in there, me in the cafe with my kindle!) but to me it was just like a bigger version of the train set my grandad used to have in his garage many years ago. Yawn.

Pyramids in Cairo.
I was SO looking forward to going into the smallest.
Graffiti, I mean hideous graffiti on the walls, beggars, crap being sold as soon as we got off the coach, the museum made it all ok, wonderful (apart from the crowds, it was heaving).

Venice! Too many people!

London Eye: nothing but a sea of beige and grey!

"The Acropolis in Athens. Looked like a Shell garage on top of a hill."

Hahaha

Not had chance to rtft so this has probably already been mentioned, but Stone Henge. We drove past it with the intention of visiting, saw it from the road and thought, "Is that it?" so we didn't bother.

Another was Brimham Rocks in North Yorkshire. It always looks really interesting on photos but irl it just looked like a path with a few rocks strewn about here and there.

Oh, I thought the Grand Canyon was boring and ugly. Just, meh. Was miffed I'd been persuaded to take a precious week off work to drive over there.

Redcar vertical pier

It's as shit as it sounds.

Eden Project. Like a zoo but without animals.

Sooo expensive, not enough places to eat, all a bit sticky and moist.

Also, YY to The Louvre making you sick. I felt so queasy in there I had to come out. I think it's because a lot of it is underground.

I also struggled with New York. It's so claustrophobic and high. The only place to get some air is Central Park which is still surrounded by buildings. I felt a bit like the place was closing in on me the whole time.