Which city break did you NOT enjoy?

[pinkfishbluefish]

Where’s overrated, and why? Looking at making a 2023 travel itinerary and curious.

I wasn’t fond on Rome.

I would love to try Amsterdam but worried about safety: wouldn’t be interested in any of the ‘popular’ activities that folk do there, or the red light district. I more like the look of the food, culture, boat trips and museums.

Yes to all of this. Although I’ve not met Bono in Finnegans yet! Have had the edge slow his jag to let me cross the road though 🙂

@greenhousegal I'm with you on Dublin. If you stick round the centre/temple bar- it's like saying you don't like London but have only hung around Piccadilly/Leicester Square. I thought it was a very liveable city with some nice suburbs, great food and bars and fun and a really lovely coastline ! Not that much in way of conventional sights I admit . I think your view can be affected if you get 3 days of gloom and rain too- which is way more likely than say Barcelona

We lived in Copenhagen for20 months and the experience in a gloomy , dull February is very different from a sunny June and the nicest places to visit (with exception of Tivoli) simply aren't central either -

Did you visit any part of NY apart from Manhattan?

Reading through these comments I’m taken aback by how many people seem to dislike some of the world’s most vibrant and fascinating cities. My advice:

If you don’t live in a big city already, remind yourself before you go that almost all large cities are dirtier/have more homeless and mentally ill on the streets/more crime than provincial towns. Perhaps think of witnessing these things are part of the experience of travelling.

Don’t carry visible markers of wealth: cameras, expensive handbags and watches etc. in higher crime cities.

Go to neighbourhoods where locals live. I suspect those moaning about New York stuck to mid-town Manhattan and never set foot in Brooklyn or Queens.

Have a strategy worked out in advance for dealing with aggressive touts and ‘guides’ (eg in Cairo).

There always is on MN. I liked it. I don't know what expectations people have but they are obviously sky high. I guess if you go when the weather is rubbish it will colour your view, and it does rain a lot.

That said, I think Belfast is better [ducks]

(but it rains a lot there, too)

Dublin. I didn’t dislike it, but I was expecting a mini-London with tons of interesting stuff to see & do. Instead, I found it reminded me of boring provincial British cities like Leeds. Ridiculously expensive, too

Leeds isn't boring, it was actually a bit of a revelation. It doesn't compare well with York, as York is just so pretty, but it has a charm of its own.

Venice - smelly and full of pickpockets. New York... a loud, crowded city with a horrid undercurrent.

I spent a day in Dundee last year to visit a friend and quite liked the V&A and the revamped riverside.

But one afternoon was plenty. It was nice enough but other than my friend there's nothing special that would draw me back there.

I've been to Brussels several times and struggle to warm to it.
Likewise Vienna which has lovely architecture and was very clean.
Some parts of Amsterdam made me feel really uncomfortable and I wouldn't visit the city again because I don't want to spend my money there.

Apparently Gibraltar was made a city at the Diamond Jubilee earlier this year but when we lived there 40 years ago it was always referred to as a city, it seems it was made a city in 1842 by Queen Victoria but someone had forgotten!

I can't think of a city I didn't like - there is always something to enjoy.
I absolutely love Rome, tho, and am about to go for my 8th or 9th visit.
Amsterdam is completely safe, and the galleries are marvellous.

So many negative comments. Honestly, do your homework, use some common sense and be realistic about what you want to do/can afford. A bit of preparation will help to avoid disappointment. I have loved New York, plus all of the following in Europe:
Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan, Lucca, Siena, Padua, Verona, Bologna.
Vienna.
Paris, Avignon, Reims, Lyon, Metz, Nancy.
Berlin, Munich, Konstanz, Heidelberg, Freiburg.
Basel, Geneva, Zurich.
Barcelona, Palma, Seville, Madrid.
Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp.
Amsterdam, Utrecht, The Hague.
Dubrovnik, Split.
Athens.
Dublin.
Stockholm.
Copenhagen.
Prague.
Marrakesh, Cape Town (I know they're in Africa!).

How patronising. You're on a thread which is specifically about which cities people found disappointing, telling everyone it's their own fault for not being prepared. Guess what, sometimes you can do lots of planning and prep, and go with an open mind, and STILL not like a place. Shocking, I know!

Oh it's there all right but you won't see it as a tourist on a quick city break.

I'm a semiregular visitor and stay with friends so get to see places off the stereotypical tourist trail. Of all the US cities I've visited it's the one I like best.

I found Florence to be meh too and I’ve been 3 times. So crowded and busy! Much preferred nearby Siena.

I was surprised Siena didn't come up before, a lovely city. We've been to Florence 2 or 3 times and loved it every time, it's well worth a few extra euros to pre book the Uffizi though.

Barcelona - I was mugged and saw it happening to other tourists all around me
Dublin - meh. Not much to do except bars. Also got very sick from oysters in the Temple bar!

Most people will find something to hate about most cities they’ve visited.

The last time I went to Paris was after the terrorist bombings and the restaurant and cafe owners were probably desperate for tourists to return so were noticeably friendly to me and my American friends (I’m British) but when I’ve visited before I never noticed that much rudeness, or just expected it. Same with New York, you get attitude from the natives and my New York friends give attitude back.

I don’t see the downsides of negative comments though, I love Barcelona but I dislike eg Las Ramblas as very touristy and prone to pickpockets, but then most cities have pickpockets.

I found you can do all the homework you like but until you actually visit a city you won’t know it properly.

Istanbul, disliked on this thread by PP, I actually liked, so did my DB and SIL and friends visited a couple of weeks ago and loved it too so likes and dislikes are subjective.

I disagree about Dublin, didn’t you go to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells, Dublin Castle, St Stephens Green, Phoenix Park and the museums and art galleries.

I'm on the train back from there just now. Its like Las Vegas in terms of the weird n the wonderful types of people you see!

Liverpool that is (original post didn't show).

I found Dublin very overrated and overpriced the first couple of times I went. It’s grown on me since but I prefer Belfast.

Barcelona - full of pickpockets so completely ruined our very short break.

I really liked Belfast too. Gritty and friendly.

Found Prague, Brussels and Dublin quite meh. Yes, there was good points about them all, but they just didn't really click with me.

Absolutely loved Paris and Marrakech and Amsterdam has grown on me. Certainly haven't felt unsafe there.