Is there somewhere that you would not return to? And why?

[Mothership4two]

Just commented on a post asking for places you would go back to and why. Thought it would be interesting to find out places you would never go back and why not. Not trying to cause offence! I'm going to get flamed arent I?

Mine are:

Amsterdam. Just found it a big unfriendly city. Away from canals, the buildings are pretty ugly. Staff in shops/restaurants/etc had a couldnt care less attitude. Didn't help that it was a really cold few days and we werent interested in getting 'cake' from cafes or looking at the red light district. I find Dutch people usually lovely.

Dublin: found it drab and old-fashioned. People lovely though and good pubs

Florence: I love Italy but Florence is just a working city with islands of lovely buildings imo. We'd just come from Venice and it didn't compare.

North Wales: beautiful but unfriendly. Everywhere we went people switched from English to Welsh when they heard our English accents including a staff member in a tourist info office! We knew it happened but it just makes you feel meh. The fact if rained every single day didnt put it in a good light for us. Have visited many parts of the rest of Wales, all good. My lovely fil is from North Wales and my lovely sil and dn is also Welsh.

We are just back from Paris and we had a great time, walked for miles along the river, loved the bookshops on the left bank, found little cafes for coffee and lunch and great bistros for the evening. Yes, it was expensive but we knew that before we went and I don’t agree it was unfriendly - people were endlessly patient with our French and always responded with a smile (probably laughing at something we said!)

Turkey, namely the Bodrum area. Never been so constantly sexually harassed in my life. Beautiful place, a huge proportion of vile men.

Came on to say exactly this! Was there for a week with a Brit/Turkish boyfriend at the time and hated every minute. Being lasciviously stared at and looked at up and down by men on the beach with their wives and young children. And I was in my forties so god knows what it's like if you're actually young and pretty!

Have been to Paris twice and wanted to like it but found it unfriendly and unwelcoming. Would imagine it's the same for foreigners visiting London though, which I love.

Tenerife got robbed

Mauritius - lovely hotel, but didn't like the separation of the resorts from the rest of the island and it's very much set up as a resort place to go, it's hard to go out and see anything else although we did. I like to actually visit a place as opposed to just going to a resort.

Egypt - we did an architectural tour, so small hotels in cities, travelling on trains and boats I think the political situation means it's no longer safe to do a trip like that - which is a shame.

Alps for new year - would never go back for new year, the traffic and the transfers were horrible and we spent a significant amount of time sitting on a minibus going nowhere (hours) with grumpy children , would go at a different time though.

Las Vegas - I was actually there for work but really once was enough, really not my kind of place.

@Firsttimemama2017 You should have gone into the old town in Benidorm, it was lovely. The new town is something I never want to experience again, too many pissed up people and the amount of thieves was unreal.

Agree with North Wales. Lovely landscape and coast but limited infrastructure to attract and support tourism.

Bilbao.

Lasted half a day before I moved on: smelled of piss, everywhere.

We also got mugged in Paris on the metro dh clonked on head while they tried to grab my bag but I had a tug of war with a huge robber and won. Dh and I ridiculously proud of ourselves the rest of the weekend. The smallest robber shouted at us to run quite kindly we thought he was on our side abit. Not put us off Paris though !

Found Malta a bit dull and meh, nothing offensive but didn't really seem worth the actual price and flight to get there.

And really? the whole speaking welsh thing? Still? People in Wales who are speaking Welsh in front of you are doing it because they speak Welsh. Like speak it when you're not there. As a first language. Unbelievable.

Jamaica - endless aggressive hassle
Cyprus - they’re bastards to dogs (appreciate it may not be the only place with appalling attitudes towards dogs but it’s the worst I’ve been to)

half the issues on this thread stem from people not doing their research and thus having a completely baseless set of expectations of places.

I totally agree with this GaudyNight.

Take our recent holiday to Kos. I knew it would be dry and brown and not green and lush and I knew that it wasnt full of museums and antiquities or scenic landscape. I know that Kos isn't "pretty", but what I didn't expect was how lovely the people were, how interesting Kos town was and how wonderful the food was. It was nearing the end of the season and everywhere seemed relaxed and not too busy. We were made extremely welcome at the tavernas that we ate at more than once and were offered free drinks.

We took a boat trip to Nisyros and walked down into the crater of a volcano, climbed through a mountain village, had lunch in a vineyard near our resort back in Kos, checked out the flamingoes at the salt lake near our resort, took the local bus into Kos town.

We didn't see any drunks or litter. We weren't hassled to buy things. It was a lovely relaxing holiday.

What a disgusting and ignorant thing to say about Northern Ireland....

For those saying Turkey, you're just going to the wrong parts! Spend a bit more on staying outside of the mass resorts and you have gorgeous seaside villages, shops that you're not harassed in, fabulous authentic food and friendly locals.

Your Kos sounds lovely, @Ginfordinner. And @ginyogarepeat, I've only been to Istanbul, twice, and I was mostly by myself as DH was at some work event both times, and I just came along for the ride but I adored it, and certainly never experienced any street harassment at all that I can remember. This was about ten years ago, but I would love to see more of Turkey.

What rubbish about Northern Ireland. It has the most beautiful mountain scenery as well as forests, loughs and beaches. The towns are often nestled in glens with beautiful mountain backdrops. The suicide rate isn't much different than other places...but it is typical that in places following conflict people do lose a sense of identity or purpose (sad but true) and take their own lives. I moved to NI following marriage and wouldn't live anywhere else. The people here are also the best I have ever met. Especially my husband.

Mauritius. I don't understand the hype it was 12 hours, and boring. Not much culture, you could have been anywhere in the world if you know what I mean.

Don't go to Mauritius!

Northern Ireland is on my bucket list

Ceuta and Melilla are not places I have any desire to visit again. Other than that I'm game for just about anywhere. Though the US and the gulf are low on my list of places I'd visit if I could go anywhere right now.

Barbados.
Bahamas (Nassau).

Sharm el sheik. Although it was cheap and the diving was amazing. Everything else about it was fairly grim.

Agree re Cannes. I have happy memories of being a child holidaying near there but went back as an adult and was totally underwhelmed. Nice is lovely though.

Am originally from North Wales and holiday there often.
Granted that weather is unpredictable but other than that I think it's a fab and friendly place to holiday.

Not been to any beach place in Turkey but to all of you that say Turkey is rubbish I say Istanbul is fab.

Ps found Barbados and Bahamas just totally soulless and full of obese and loud American tourists (no disrespect to any Americans. I usually try and avoid Brits abroad and at least in that respect was successful).

Egypt.
I was really shocked when we started exploring, that’s its pointed to be this mystical land of history, and ancient beauty....when actually the pyramids were more like an airborne rubbish dump
Kind of ruins the magic when you’re looking out at the pyramids and a discarded carrier bag wafts past your head And the poverty was awful The children begging around the bazaars and restaurants broke my heart

We went to Prague for the Christmas markets. It is a beautiful city, but the tourism has absolutely ruined it. Street after street of tourist tat, hawkers, annoying people on segways trying to get you on overpriced tours or run you over, and the food we tried was shockingly bad. DH and I both lamented that we'd probably have loved it 20 years before. It's such a shame too, as the views and architecture is stunning.

Loved NYC though, can't wait to go back. Loved the people, the sights, the sounds, every part of it.

Auckland- it felt quite dangerous and was not what we expected

Auckland ? Auckland ??? Where on earth in the city were you ? Beautiful views, criss cross the Gulf on ferries, lovely beaches, friendly, diverse people, great food, eco conscious . Queen Street is a less than thrilling mainstreet but it’s like judging London on Oxford Street. ,

Yes I was surprised at Auckland. Hilly and VERY bad weather when I was there but never felt unsafe.

Honestly, while I sympathise with anyone who had a disappointing holiday, half the issues on this thread stem from people not doing their research and thus having a completely baseless set of expectations of places.

Places change though. Fall in and out of fashion. Venice was fabulous for the Victorians, New York in the early 90’s once it got cleaned up, Barcelona was amazing early 2000 before it became the new Prague.
But travel is cheaper than ever and people get more leave than ever and so everywhere is over run and touristy.

I tend to be easily pleased what it comes to holidays and trips abroad but here are my few - wasn't so keen destinations;

Milan - not particularly pretty and I got swindled by a taxi driver. I admit that I didn't really do any research though and we were there only 2 days.

Sorrento - Brits on abroad, beautiful scenery and some nice pockets there though but have no desire to go back.

@Hellohah I loved Naples too, been twice and hoping to go again with DC one day. I loved the vibe and the people!

I also loved Venice. We were the 2nd time last October (half term) and whilst it was busy, it didn't feel oppressively overcrowded. We often had entire squares and courtyards to ourselves, you only need to walk few minutes to get away from the crowds.

Ibiza - nothing special, Menorca and Mallorca are much nicer. My dislike may have something to do with our hotel though (The Grand Poo Palladium). I did like the Old Town and Dalt Vila tho.