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Original poster

Places you've been underwhelmed by

999 replies

HannaPintura · 20/01/2018 20:59

I just love going away and have really loved most places. One place in particular really Underwhelmed me...Gibraltar...just like Britain in the sun! I'm sure it has so much to offer, but I couldn't wait to cross the border back to Spain!

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missyB1 · 21/01/2018 08:17

New Zealand- pretty scenery (in some areas) but sweet FA to do there. Also felt like they were at least 30 years behind the rest of the world.

Sydney on the other hand was amazing we loved it! A smart city with a good vibe and happy people.

Agree with Gloucester it’s a dump, go up the road to Cheltenham - a really nice town with lovely shops and restaurants.

WhooooAmI24601 · 21/01/2018 08:18

And New York we loved, too. It's not somewhere calm and relaxing, it's hustle and bustle and touristy stuff but also lots of fun.

I'd hate to go somewhere on a holiday or break and come away feeling disappointed in it.

The only place I've ever felt genuinely uncomfortable was in Sharm el Sheikh Airport in Egypt. We'd done a trip over to Jerusalem earlier in the week and seen the Wailing Wall and not felt a minute of unease but that airport felt unsafe and I wouldn't go back.

londonrach · 21/01/2018 08:18

Bitoffun..wild ponies everywhere in new forest. Loved it. Very poor towns. You can tell people are struggling but they were the nicest people who went out they way to help you. (Got lost as was going to a wedding of my friend who grow up there...she greeted me with can you see why i wanted to leave...i did if she wasnt retired. Its beautiful but limited if you are a teenager etc. However those ponies and the foals..❤️)

Frogletmamma · 21/01/2018 08:19

The entrance to hell in Cyprus. A couple of rocks and a hole. Similarly Aphrodites bathing pool was a small muddy pond. The Greeks are not all taking the mickey out of tourists though as in Thessaloniki the woods full of tortoises actually were full of tortoises. Really weird seeing them in the wild.

tiddlyipom · 21/01/2018 08:19

Budapest was a very depressing place, Amsterdam is another city that I wouldn't return to, I had an oppressive feeling in both.
My kids were hugely disappointed with Hong Kong Disneyland, it was full of adults with self sticks pushing to the front - in fact there were barely any other children in the place.I still remember 6 year old DS's face when he couldn't get a picture with Woody from Toy Story because of the bloody adults taking up all the spots!
We went to Ocean Park the next day and that was 1000 times better, highly recommend it.
Hated Denapasar/Katu beach in Bali, though might have loved it if I was 20 years younger, luckily we only spent two days there, our main holiday was in the north of the island and it was fantastic.
Not getting the hate for Edinburgh ,Melbourne or Rome though.I was fascinated by Pompeii too.

Equimum · 21/01/2018 08:20

Niagara Falls. While the Falls are amazing, the area is like a bad 80s tourist hell-hole.

Austin, Texas. I’d been led to believe there were lovely little shops and places to look round. By the time we went, the streets I was reading about had largely been turned into hotels!

Pictureiswonky · 21/01/2018 08:21

I have been to a fair few places on my own, from Hong Kong to Rio and in between. However the only place where I felt unsafe and have NO desire to go back is Naples. I don't even look like a tourist, as in I look Italian and speak Italian, but yet I felt unsafe and couldn't wait to leave.

PecanPieFace · 21/01/2018 08:22

Paris. I love France but I just thought it was distinctly underwhelming.

I'm underwhelmed by a lot of places truth be told - I know it's not very fashionable to admit but I don't really like travelling. I like holidays in England Grin

One of the only exceptions to that is Iceland which is breathtaking. Honestly the most magical place.

Shimmershimmerandshine · 21/01/2018 08:22

I really really don't get the New Forest division and I used to have relatives that lived there so I have been a lot. Sad looking ponies that have been dumped, frequently getting hit by cars. Bleak, flat landscape with traffic jams everywhere. It would probably be nicer if it was further from London but there are just too many people.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 21/01/2018 08:25

Budapest was a very depressing place

Whaaaat? Budapest is one of my favourite cities. I love the baths and the views from Fisherman's Bastion are amazing. I remember the lovely musical fountain too and the statue park.

I have to agree about Barcelona - other people rave, but I just could not see why. It was grimy and ... dull. I loved Lisbon though, although I went before it got popular.

purpleleotard · 21/01/2018 08:25

New Zealand.
North Island very like Dorset, South Island has more rugged scenery but not as impressive as Norway.
Distances are large and the roads are like UK "A" roads so it takes ages to get anywhere.
Do not hire a camper van (slow) as all you will do is see the inside of the vehicle for a week or two
I think that those who do visit have invested so much time and money getting there that they are reluctant to admit that it was a disappointment.
Norway is closer and there is more to see in Dorset.

londonrach · 21/01/2018 08:26

You see we loved Budapest divided by the river so you have two cities but can see why you wouldnt like it if you went to the wrong part.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 21/01/2018 08:26

One of the only exceptions to that is Iceland which is breathtaking. Honestly the most magical place

I'm seriously interested in Iceland. How did you get around? My OP hates driving on the right.

JapaneseBirdPainting · 21/01/2018 08:27

Thailand is lovely, but Pattaya in particular I found depressing. Open sex tourism of invariably fat white old European men with very small thai children of both sexes. I worked in the field of sex trafficking for some years (combating it obviously) and knew/know too much about the underbelly.

PecanPieFace · 21/01/2018 08:29

Spartacus we actually stayed in Reykjavik and went on organised tours which I know sounds tragic but they were fantastic and meant we got driven around. We were only there a few days though. Next time we'd go for longer and hire a car.

It was truly stunning. Like being on another planet.

Shimmershimmerandshine · 21/01/2018 08:30

That's just horrible japanese Sad

speakout · 21/01/2018 08:31

London.

Sparkletastic · 21/01/2018 08:33

This thread has been an eye-opener. I've just come into a £10k inheritance and we are planning to spend it on a family holiday. We were going for LA / California Highway / SAN Francisco and Seattle. Having read all the comments about LA and SF we are now having a complete turnaround and thinking Tokyo / Japan instead!

I disagree on Lanzarote and Iceland though - both spectacular in their volcanic landscapes and lovely people.

I profoundly dislike Paphos in Cyprus. Very over-developed and Brits Abroad.
Newquay - trashy.

PecanPieFace · 21/01/2018 08:34

I genuinely can't understand how anyone could be underwhelmed by Iceland.

Shimmershimmerandshine · 21/01/2018 08:35

My main issue with Lanzarote is we went on a family holiday there in late June with little children and it was cold. There is then not a fat lot to do.

Shiraznowplease · 21/01/2018 08:44

Venice .... hot, it stunk, food was dreadful
Bali.... again stunk, went during nyepi so basically barricaded in hotel with no lights/electricity for 24 hours, really aggressive street sellers and people touching me for luck as I was very pale ?! And despite staying in 5* hotel food poisoning.

Both places I know most people loved.

Coyoacan · 21/01/2018 08:48

Barcelona is without a doubt the biggest travel letdown I've had. Apart from the Gaudi architecture it's just a huge non-descript city

Whao! Maybe it depends on where you've already been. I stayed in a central part of Barcelona where there was no traffic just a huge hubbub of people and it was unlike anywhere I had ever been before.

MissBeehiving · 21/01/2018 08:50

I think that city breaks, particularly in Europe are much better in off season - not full of tourists and not too hot. You actually get to see the architecture and art without the aggro.

Egypt is an amazing place, the only place that I’ve not really liked is Hurghada but Aswan and the Nile are breathtaking. How can any one not been blown away by Giza?

I loved New York - it’s such a vibrant bustling city. There is something for everyone. It was like being in a film set.

South Africa - gorgeous but I would go back because I didn’t feel safe there. It takes the shine off a place when you can’t walk anywhere and the houses all have massive security systems.

Canaries - incredible landscapes.

Turkey - beautiful and great people.

Closer to home - Cambridge- lovely compact centre and walking along the Backs.

KERALA1 · 21/01/2018 08:51

We went to Lanzarote in August it was heaven. Perfect temperature 26 so not too hot but lovely and warm. So many beaches to choose from and great cycling for dh. One of our best holidays.

Oh and the people contemplating LA yes downsides but we loved it. Don't not go. We stayed out of town near Disney and the beaches, Laguna Beach, Anaheim way. The Disney resorts, universal studios, seals on the beach, dh inadvertently asking a Hollywood star to take our picture as a family Blush downtown LA old Hollywood buildings, Getty museum, Palm Springs. You will have a ball we still often talk about the trip.

Taffeta · 21/01/2018 08:53

I agree we need a travel appreciation thread Grin

We had the most wonderful family holiday in Barcelona - a long weekend in Oct half term. Was 70 degrees, found a lovely square and drank some booze whilst DC played footy with locals. Food markets, Gaudi, mooching. Wonderful.

Venice in Oct also wonderful, and have been to Rome in spring & autumn & winter & every time I’ve loved it.