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!!!

Absolutely agree with pp’s - the statue of David in Florence was amazing. Although I was fascinated by his hands - I’m convinced they’re out of proportion to the rest of him.

Just googled re David’s hand - apparently it was meant to be out of proportion. You learn something new everyday!

Little Mermaid, only found it because of the crowd, it's tiny.
The White House, so small we walked past it twice and then when we went it, it was in the days when you could queue for tickets, even an American commented that the East Room was 'smaller than my den'.

San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park - it's years since I went and I know it's a safari zoo now so may have changed. It was godawful back in the 1990s with caged monkeys walking up and down in a small cage looking demented. Heart-breaking.

Also Edinburgh zoo. I went there a few years ago when the panda was supposedly pregnant and due to give birth. It was a dump. Very scruffy. Hardly any animals there and definitely not worth the price.

Hollywood - seedy, unsafe place to stay. Enjoyed touring the Kodak Awards Theatre. Best reason to go is just to visit Universal Studios.

The night glow at Bristol balloon fiesta,

Go to Albuquerque, it's magnificent.

The Spanish Steps in Rome. They were just.....steps.

The Rock of Gibraltar.

We lived there for a few years and trust me, it's fascinating if you can reach the bits tourists can't!

WHat places have people unexpectedly liked, as we all seem so critical?

The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen and the Mer Lion in Singapore.
(Maybe I just don’t like mer-creatures )

WHat places have people unexpectedly liked, as we all seem so critical

Coming into the station at Circular Quay in Sydney and seeing the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Amazing view, every bit as iconic as you think. Much better than anything else.

Mind you, going to NI with a dog was a big disappointment. They don't let dogs in anywhere. We will go back, but without our pooch

Oh I must go back then. Anywhere that isn't dog-friendly is me-friendly.

How can anyone be underwhelmed by Rome?

Also Stonehenge for me, the road beside it is a travesty

It needs a massive fence to stop people slowing down and stopping to look at it. The road is already massively congested and then entitled wotsits slow everyone down even more.

The Burning Bush at Saint Catherine's Monastery. Not sure what I was expecting though.

@PlausibleSuit

"Amusingly, I also had a hugely emotional response to the fountains at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. I stood and watched it for over an hour, completely transfixed. I found it really moving and it's one of my go-to mental images when I meditate. To this day, I could not tell you why."
I love the Bellagio fountains and we always tag on a few days in Vegas when we are within 1000 miles, just so we can go there.
I will never forget Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman's song 'Time to say goodbye' being sung and the fountains doing their synchronised dancing to it. The acoustics were fantastic. So powerful I wanted to cry.

Mmm, I might try and think of it when meditating.

I agree about the White House. It isn't that small, it's just dwarfed by the Capitol, which is probably what many people are thinking of before visiting Washington.

Most Europeans looking at the WH are probably expecting something on the scale of Buck House etc and by comparison it is very small. Even some Americans were underwhelmed by the interior.
We certainly didn't confuse it with the Capitol, a much more impressive building, inside and out.
As for Canyons, the Grand Canyon is impressive from the North rim, Bryce with snow is amazing, the Canyon do Chelly is well worth the expense of a tour round inside. Monument Valley is a wonderful drive, as for Four Corners, we drove by it last month, not even worth a couple of miles off the road, a total scam.

"This reminded if a friend accounting for not taking their mum to see the Eiffel Tower, as they'd already been to Blackpool, and the towers were "much of a muchness"
When I went up the Eiffel tower in Nov 2003 there was a gunman on the rampage. The ground underneath was massively crowded and ambulances were there and the police didn't even clear the area. I phoned home to let family know I was safe as I assumed it would've been on the national news and it hadn't raised a mention. If I hadn't have found it on the internet I'd have thought I dreamt it.

I don't know if it was lit for Christmas but every 15 minutes it had a sequence of twinkling blue lights on it which lasted about 5 minutes. It looked lovely.

I suppose I'm saying it was about more exciting than Blackpool Tower.

Every single tourist attraction I’ve ever been to. I don’t seek them out any more. The ONLY thing that amazes me is the earth’s natural landscape.

Statue of Liberty - far smaller than I expected!

What places have people unexpectedly liked, as we all seem so critical?

Not a place but we watched a shuttle take off from Cape Canaveral, may years ago, we were about 12 miles away sitting on the side of a river, the ground shook and I found it amazing, I had tears streaming down my face at the awe of it. It was Columbia and I was so upset when it was destroyed years later on re-entry.

The Mona Lisa. Tiny, dark and not much to look at. Nearly missed it actually. Never been so disappointed about a work of art in my life.

The terracotta warriors. I secretly felt bored and then ashamed at my lack of depth!

Sagrda Familia - Barcelona

Amazing from the outside, but there are twice as many cranes and dust sheets as there are breathtaking Gaudi columns. Plain as anything inside as well, simply not worth going inside. Palma Cathedral and York Minster much more impressive to name but two.

Natural History Museum - London

Absolute nightmare of a place, complete jumble of unimpressive stuff, they let far too many people in so you are shuffled round in a crowd full of rude and underwhelmed tourists. It's also unkempt..the Blue Whale has years of dust on it for a start. I know these places need more funding , but seriously skip it and go to the science museum instead..

Statue of liberty

Another vote for the Little Mermaid here.

Distinctly underwhelmed by the Grand Canyon too. And Times Square. With both of them I keep thinking maybe I missed something. The “main bit” Because they were just...meh.

Pyramids were ok but it was just filthy there. I hated every second of it.

There’s no pleasing some people

I blame the bloody movies for making us want to go to these people that underwhelm us. The Americans are best at it, followed by movies set in London and Paris.

Every single tourist attraction I’ve ever been to. I don’t seek them out any more. The ONLY thing that amazes me is the earth’s natural landscape.

Amen

The Mona Lisa