Most overrated destination you’ve visited?

[Hairbrush123]

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

Honolulu.

I think my expectations were way too high. But everything was overpriced and it was just a bland resort filled with chain restaurants and hotels, barely any beach and I think the little beach there was was man made, the whole place had no personality whatsoever.

Paris and Rome

@halfsiesonapotnoodle

Venice.

Did you go in the summer? Odd though it sounds Venice is best in November or December. Far fewer tourists and cold and crisp. Horrid in summer.. who wants to queue to move?

Whitby. I really wanted to love it but it’s just vampires and chips.

Quote of the day!

A few.

• Munich was quite dire with rude locals.
• Venice because after a day, at a maximum two, there’s fuck all to see/do.
• Vienna purely because it seemed so quiet in the evenings, beautiful city otherwise
• Rome was a disgusting shithole in parts and completely not what I was expecting. Great history and architecture but equally grim.

I guess it just depends on what you like, though. I love Budapest and would go back in a heartbeat. It had everything- lots to see/do, affordable, good night life scene etc.

Not yet RTFT (getting there) and not as well travelled as many of you, plus many of the destinations mentioned have also been mentioned by people I know as being a let down. Egypt, Tunisia and LA in particular for reasons already described.

For me it was Whitby in my younger gothier days. Gave it a chance on three separate occasions for the festival. B&B owners, shopkeepers, etc. giving off Royston Vasey vibes. Real suspicion of "incomers" who were spending money in their businesses in off peak times, endless watching. Felt creepy and oppressive. And that wasn't down to the goths who were friendly and lots of fun

Oops, the "vampires and chips" quip about Whitby sums it up perfectly (I should have read the whole thread before posting)

[quote Infinitemoon]@CaliforniaDrumming I wondered how long it would take to be pulled up how unequal society was back then. I agree, but the tourist industry today is not much better tbh or do you just stay in the resorts?[/quote]
I never stay in resorts and at least 50% of my travel is solo, including countries sych as Thailand, Turkey and India ( pre-covid). I can't wait to return to travelling

@Infinitemoon

Whitby. I really wanted to love it but it’s just vampires and chips.

Quote of the day!

I need to go to Whitby!

I agree re. Paris. It sucked. Mostly because of rude people and men following us around. And it was filthy. I hated it so much.

@Jedsnewstar

Swansea- I watched Twin Town and was expecting a vibrant lively party town full of cool interesting people, but it was just so disappointing. Full of funny sounding English people who spat words and called everyone son or clart (whatever that means). I would never go back.

Do you think London is how it’s portrayed in Notting Hill?

Oh, I also found Brussels overrated. Wouldn’t rush to go back. However, Bruge was a nice day out, though, when I was in Belgium. Maybe not for longer than a weekend but I enjoyed walking around it as it was just so beautiful.

In my earlier post I said I’d never go back to Tunisia but that was bad wording on my part - it’s Sousse that I would never go back to.

@Infinitemoon

Whitby. I really wanted to love it but it’s just vampires and chips.

Quote of the day!

I love Whitby 😂

Paris. So many disgusting sleazy men and the place is filthy.

Any Christmas market. Too many other people 🤣

@Smallkeys

Reading back lots of people saying Naples is great I must have gone on a bad day it was a one day visit !

It depends what you are after. For an archaeology/sculpture buff like me, heaven. @Luredbyapomegranate Check out Capella Sansevero The most amazing sculptures by people you've never heard of

Oh I’m glad other people have also said Oxford. We stopped off for the day on the way back from the Cotswolds recently and I was really worried we’d missed something major. I’m not sure what I was expecting but that wasn’t it!

Surprised about Dublin though. I went on a very last minute weekend away with someone I hadn’t been dating long a long time ago and had the best time. I just loved the atmosphere and the live music in the pubs. Perhaps it’s changed since then or maybe I was just swept up in the romance of the weekend.

Hollywood. Dirty and scruffy behind the so called glamour. Santa Monica was nice but many homeless people sleeping ( daytime) on the sea front. Frightening weather as one minute it's glorious sunshine and minutes later a thick heavy fog rolls in.
We were on a coach trip and just about to leave when the fog rolled in. Great coach driver who knew exactly where he was going thank.god 😁

I quite like chaotic, grimy, workaday cities so suspect I’d love Naples. We actually really liked Pisa, and Milan, which is another one that often gets classified as ‘grimy and industrial.’ As a rule I much prefer ‘real’, lived and worked-in cities to tourist honeypots. Stayed in Genoa a few years back and loved it, but like Naples suspect it would be dismissed by many as too edgy and dangerous.

Same to all of this and all of these places. I wonder what so many of these people are expecting when they go to cities where normal people live? Like a pp, I'd never go to Dubai because I expect it to be fake and geared towards shallow money-making.

Brussels. One nice square. Awful food. Dirty. Crumbling. Boring

Dubai. So awful in so many ways!

@MissAmbrosia

I wonder what people expect when they go to these places? That they don't suffer from homelessness or grafitti or poverty as these things might offend you whilst on holiday? I've been to many of the cities mentioned and always had a fab time. You just need to do a bit research in advance.

I think people sometimes forget that all the "glamorous " holiday destinations around the world have all the same social problems as everywhere else!!

I know a lot of posts say Cornwall, we love Cornwall however...

Padstow. Absolutely bloody heaving and no room to walk around that little quay. Admittedly the weather wasn't great and so our boat trip had to stay in the Estuary so no dolphins.. And we went at the peakest of all high season... I still wouldn't rush back though.

For cities, it can make a huge difference if you go out to bars or restaurants with friends who live there. I have very happy memories of Dublin