Most overrated destination you’ve visited?

[Hairbrush123]

For me, it was Paris. Not an AIBU, I know

I think it is to do with expectations of a place. Sometimes, what you've imagined in your mind, having read about a place, doesn't equate to the reality, and sometimes that gap is huge.

Familiarity definitely helps.
Being shown round by someone who knows the place is helpful for starters, then being left to wander at your own pace.

Good thing we all like different things I suppose.

Vegas, NYC, Grand Canyon. Also didn't enjoy India which surprised me.

Agree Dublin was also grim.

Venice, smelly, dirty shithole!

@IDoAllMyOwnStunts

Paris. Dangerous, threatening shit hole.

I think I must have visited a different Paris. I've been 3 times, one of them on my own and certainly didn't find it dangerous and threatening or a shit hole. Was slightly wary of being on the metro and RER later in the evening when there weren't many other passengers, but no different to how I feel on the tube.

@SportsMother What’s the matter with Bali? Please tell me and spare me wasting years trying to save money to go there, beaches look lovely in pictures 😃

Miami - the beach was lovely but everywhere was just so expensive to eat and drink and everywhere we went stank of cannabis.

I loved the food in Florence, we ate so well, but it didn't blow me away. Pretty, but so busy. Rome - loved the city and how beautiful it was with ruins on every corner, but we struggled to find good food there which was disappointing. If I could combine the food of Florence with the views of Rome I'd be very happy.

Birmingham Christmas Market. If you are young and are meeting friends for a drink on a Friday night, amongst the twinkly lights, it's probably okay. If you aren't , it's a bunch of people who are as German as my left arm ,selling tat whilst other people pick your pockets.

Most cities, dirty, smelly I feel nervous and not safe.

Anywhere uber touristy.

I'm just an anti social country mouse I think

Gambia - harassed constantly by men, filthy, rotting dead dogs on the beach, worst public toilet I've ever had to use, food that gave me vile shits and market full of flies and rotting food!! 🤢
Brussels - boring 🥱
Portugal - only food at hotel edible was the bread rolls! Town run down and basically closed.
Best place - Cyprus ! Love it all !! ❤️

Oh and agree with everyone saying Edinburgh. It's like a colder, hillier, more expensive Manchester but full of tourists and people who hate tourists.

@Utterlybutterly8

Rome. So dirty, shit food compared to other big cities

I went to Rome a couple of years ago and ate in some fabulous restaurants.

Bizarre. I literally read every guide, chose the top reviewed and threw more and more money at it (lots) and I didn’t have any great food at all. You can get far better for a lot less in Paris, NY or London.

Verona, on the other hand…every meal was unreal. It wasn’t cheap but nothing broke the bank.

Venice is shit. No idea why it’s considered to be so romantic. Distinctly average (and it smells) with a little bit of wow from a gondola now and again. 🤷🏼‍♀️

@BeckyWithTheAverageHair

Mogadishu Kinshasa Blackpool

I wasn't that keen on Spain either.

What - all of Spain?

Paris went when 17 hated it dirty over crowded unless you’ve money the hotels are dumps.

I loved Paris. Didn’t like Rome though. Not that much to do, annoying sales people everywhere and hard to get around. (Also freezing but to be expected when you go in January).
Also not keen on Dublin, for a lot of the same reasons.

@Dinosauraddict

Naples. Definitely Naples.

Why Naples? Find it much more 'real' than Rome and 100 times cheaper!

Actually, any Christmas market, ever, anywhere.

Amazed at some of these. You’re naming living cities….dirt, crime and pockets of deprivation are standard in all big cities. Amongst all of that is amazing stuff to see. Just be careful.

With you on Dubai though. Horrible. And Disney….why? Unless you’re under 10 what’s the attraction?

Mine are Paris and New York. I love London don’t think these places are in the same league. Also we saw Matilda the musical in NY, the British accents where so bad!!

Been to Corfu a few times and had only heard of the horror that is Kavos.

One year we decided to take a drive down south and around to our hotel the west. Stopped for a drink in Kavos just to see it, knowing it would be bad.

Jesus. Even though it was daytime and most party goers were still sleeping, the streets were covered with those little metal canisters (think its nitrous oxide?) And broken glass/plastic cups from the night before everywhere.

Jesus it was horrible. A stark contrast from many other parts of the island.

[quote AutomaticMoon]@SportsMother What’s the matter with Bali? Please tell me and spare me wasting years trying to save money to go there, beaches look lovely in pictures 😃[/quote]
Bali is my favourite place on earth (other than the French Riviera which is obviously a different beast). Absolutely love Ubud and Seminyak. Kuta beach is terrible though - like Benidorm for Australians.

Not that much to do in Rome

Oh but @SportsMother, the beaches aren’t good. But if you hop on a boat to the Gili Islands, they’re stunning there!

People writing off whole countries just seem mental IMO and massively ignorant. The whole of Morocco, Turkey, SPAIN ffs? Just makes you sound like a close minded tourist. As for the slagging off of Nice; flower markets, old town, beautiful shops, Sandy beach, various Michelin star restaurants, not exactly as i would describe a 'shit hole'. Maybe I don't get out enough 🧐

Definitely Dubai. I swiftly realised they’ve spent a lot of money marketing that city!

One place that exceeded my expectations was Florence! I had so much fun.

But I think it can really depend on luck when you’re there - eg I went to Lake Como 9 years ago and hated it, then went again 4 years ago and really loved it! Sometimes you do need to give places a chance, as travelling can be hectic and stressful and sometimes it’s not the places fault that you had a shit time.