To ask what tourist sites you’ve visited that met or exceeded expectations?

[VenerableFreed]

AIBU to ask what tourist sites you’ve visited that have genuinely lived up to expectations and have gone beyond them?

For me, it was seeing Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper in person in Milan. I’m not particularly emotional, particularly about art, but it was genuinely moving to see the real thing. Visitor numbers were restricted, meaning you actually got a good look and there were no distractions. The setting, in a darkened room in an old convent, really helped too. It felt really intimate and special.

Totally agree with @CarpetKnees, the salt mines near Krakow don't sound terribly interesting but it blew my mind, I've been 3 times now and still love it!

On a different note the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona was totally rammed with tourists but still really moved me, I'm not really religious but the scale and beauty of the place as well as Gaudi's story touched something in me.

Paestum on a spring day before tourist season - fabulous Greek temples etc in a green flowery setting.

Grand Canyon…we did a 6 day raft trip when we lived in the US in about 1990

Athens …so many wonders, not too hot and busy in October . The archaeological museum alone needed 2 days (and I want to go back and spend longer)

I came to say Pammukale too. Absolutely beautiful, magical. Walking up with no shoes on int he sun with the blue water reflecting from the sky against the white backdrop isbeautiful

Rivieux Abbey, Bamburgh Castle, Alnwick Castle and Alnwick gardens. In Yorkshire and Northumberland.

Amazing and easy to get into, not crowded

@MrsAvocet
https://www.talbothouse.be/en/
If you go back to visit Flanders, I recommend staying at Talbot House. It was used as a place of respite for soldiers when away from the front line.

You’ve missed Dunstanburgh castle!

If you love those try Fountains and Jervaux Abbeys too. Both are wonderful. And, while you’re in the Dales, Aysgarth Falls - best after a bit of rain when they’re in full flood.

Ha Long bay
Shibuya, Tokyo.
Lake District, Cumbria
Redwood trees, California
Central Australian desert

Edited to add the great wall of China.

Zakopane. Stunning covered in snow

The Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, at night. The Byzantine mosaics are simply beyond awe-inspiring. Quiet and uncrowded when we were there for 5 days and went to the Basilica every night. Likewise Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, though I've not been there since the re-conversion to a mosque. The Roman temples at Baalbek. Mt Ruapehu in eruption whist standing on its slopes.

I'm not sure if it counts as touristy but Millau viaduct. I finally saw it on our honeymoon & honestly shed a little tear.

Also the Atomium! I've been twice but never inside (first time was during the revamp & the 2nd was late at night & it was closed). Got emotional seeing that too. My mum & late-grandad went when I was like 5 & sent a postcard of this crazy building & I couldn't believe it was really real.

Agree about Venice, stunning. Unlike anywhere else as basically the roads are canals.
Uluru, Australia. The rock is all encompassing.
Lots of New Zealand, both North and South islands,
Iona, Scotland, however the weather was bad.

I’m desperate to see Guernica in real life. I just studied it as part of my OU course and I found it so fascinating.

Paris - especially Notre Dame, though all the Parisian churches I visited were also magnificent. I also trekked out to St. Denis to see the tombs of various French kings and queens, and loved it.

Connemara, west Cork, and Kerry - stunning.

Rocky Mountain National Park and Grand Teton National Park were sublime in summer visits.

Mozart’s house in Salzburg. We went in November so it wasn’t busy and we could wander round freely. I was in tears standing in front of his actual piano where he composed. Salzburg generally was beautiful. Lovely people, lovely sites, good food.

Grand Canyon was amazing and def takes your breath away. Loved Acadia national park in Maine.

rhossolli bay in wales in the most beautiful beach and glencoe is so tranquil

Rome as a whole was fabulous. St Peter’s was stunning tho I also loved notre dame in Paris.

such great places being mentioned by you all. Thank you

The Valley of the Kings in Egypt

The Taj Mahal

The Crand Canyon

The Empire State Building

Notre Dame

Krak des Chevaliers Syria

Persepolis - Iran

Great Buddhas of Bamiyan - Afghanistan

all exceeded my epectations

Yet another vote for Venice - it was absolutely breathtaking. Went out of season but the weather was unusually warm and there were no big crowds or cruise ships. We stayed on Lido rather in the centre, and getting the vaporetto back and forth was a treat in itself. I don't want to go back in case it ruins the magic!

Pompeii - mid-winter, sunny but cool, did a four hour guided tour with one of the on-site archaeologists. It was utterly fascinating and the whole family loved it. Several years later, we still talk about what an amazing experience it was.

Another vote for Venice

I’m not sure this exactly fits the brief but I was lucky enough to visit South Georgia and Antarctica in January. One of the most emotional experiences of my life. Just completely ‘other worldly’ and jaw droppingly beautiful. What a privilege.

Ooh yes I should add British Columbia too. Vancouver - lovely. And the drive from Vancouver to Whistler up the Sea to Sky Highway - absolutely breathtaking. Every bend we went round we ran out of superlatives to describe the view. Stayed at quite a small town called Squamish, and there’s a cable car you can take up the mountain and look down on the sound - beautiful.

Sunrise over the Valley of the Kings in Egypts West Bank.
Dier el-medina and Colossus of Memnon , also West Bank.
Cleopatras Pool in Pammukale, also the Amphitheatre in Ephesus.
The Sphinx and Blue Mosque in Cairo.
Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi.
Puerto Plata Cathedral in Dominican Republic.
Rouen Cathedral in Northern France.

so many beautiful places 🥰

The Acropolis. I’ve never felt anything like it. The air was thick with history and the weight of violence. Absolutely mesmerising.

The Blue Lagoon in Iceland. Otherworldly. Especially as it was a snowy February afternoon and the juxtapositions were beautiful.

Seven Sisters waterfall in Norway. I half expected a pterodactyl to fly past.

Every single fucking thing in New York.

Another vote for St. Peter’s Basilica & Vatican City. (Although I didn’t wail at the Sistine Chapel ceiling).
I really recommend going up to the top of the Dome to the viewpoint.

The Bund - Shanghai.

Right up the hill and behind the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles. Most of Los Angeles and Hollywood boulevard in particular are really rough and sketchy, but the view from the top of the sign is amazing. Santa Monica and Malibu were also my favourite parts of LA.