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.

I loved Barcelona! We spent a month there a few years ago and it was amazing.

I really didn't enjoy Marrakech though. To be fair I was early pregnant and terrified of getting food poisoning, and my husband had a nasty wound on his leg (from falling out of a tree a few weeks previous to our trip) so neither of us were in the best position to enjoy it. But it was hassly, dirty, felt dangerous, I found the people rude, the supermarkets were gross (we usually love a foreign supermarket!) and we couldn't wait to get home. The saving grace was that we had a lovely riad to retreat to.

Miami

Food and atmosphere in the Hispanic quarter was fab, but the rest of it? Fake, crap and utterly uninspiring

Paris. I think I would only go back if I could afford luxury everything (which I can't) - it smelt and was dirty last time I was there

Barcelona is overrated. I’ve been several times. Only really enjoyed the last time when we booked a fabulous hotel which we barely left.

Paris is great but everyone needs tips from a local to truly enjoy as its miserable if you end up having all your meals in tourist traps - this is probably true for every city but even more so for Paris I think

Wasn't keen on Lille, Dublin or Brussels

Agree with whoever said rotterdam is better than Amsterdam. We went to Amsterdam on a cruise ship stop off so had a nosey round, did a boat trip, museum etx but wouldn't have wanted to stay longer tbh

Barcelona. Beautiful city but never felt so unsafe in my entire life.

Prague. Again, beautiful city but horribly decimated by tourism. We were hassled everywhere we walked, from segue tours to shop owners trying to drag you in.

Paris.

Didn’t like Edinburgh (cut our stay short), Rome, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Miami.

liked Paris, Amsterdam, York, Bristol, Liverpool, New York, Las Vegas!, Boston, Florence, Barcelona.

Brussels. An app I used had a deal on, ridiculously cheap flights to Brussels secondary airport (Charleroi, an hour south of Brussels) and it was so bloody cheap I mindlessly booked it. I thought “Ooh, Belgian chocolate” and from that figured it’d be lovely. My own fault, I know. Took teen DD.

God it was vile. When we got off the airport coach at the bus terminal in Brussels we were in a horrible, horrible area. It stank and we were being leered at and jeered by men. Hotel in a supposedly ‘nice’ area was horrid and seedy. Bugger all to do. Was so glad we only went for one nignt. Could have gone to Coventry for the same experience.

Lyon is amazing. I lived there for 6 months on my uni year abroad. I did Barcelona for the other half and loved it!

I didn't like LA. The absolute weirdest place I've ever been to and fascinating in a bad way. I liked Boston and San Fran but yep, both freezing in spring.

Otherwise - Edinburgh - went for a weekend and a day would have sufficed, Madrid - never felt so unsafe, and Gibraltar.

I loved Bruges, Vienna, Amsterdam, Belfast, Dublin, and Prague.

Oh yes, I second Bruges, gorgeous little place! __

Lived and worked in some far out places, but the only place I haven’t liked so far is Belgrade. Went in the middle of covid tho…

Paris. Don't get it at all.

Going against the grain, I wasn't keen on Rotterdam, not a patch on Amsterdam (where I've never felt unsafe).

I love Amsterdam.Totally safe.
Bored in Venice

So many other great places.
Sydney
Melbourne
Copenhagen
Salzburg
Sienna
New York
Santa Barbara
Lisbon
Porto
Oxford

Paris, Rome.

Loved: Rome, Budapest, Vienna, Dijon, Zaragoza, Warsaw, Berlin
Okay: Prague, Krakow (although Krakow is on the higher end of okay, Prague on the lower)
Bleurgh: Paris (I just don't get the appeal)

Florence - The Duomo exterior is spectacular but otherwise it's dull. Dirty gutter of a river trickling under that ugly bridge with its criminally overpriced jewellery shops. Shit chunks of crap beef for "food". Queuing for ages to see a woman in a scallop shell. Best thing is the station, it's how you get out.

Cairo.

Filthy and constant hassle. No fun at all.

I was so excited to go and thought I’d love it, but it was too manic for me and so expensive! Glad I’ve been though.

Amsterdam. Cold, wet, not at all how it looks in the tourism snaps. The Van Gough (my reason for visiting) wasnt at the museum as it was out on loan, the cafes were full of young pot-heads and the train was over crowded. To me, it felt like Birmingham in January.

Cyprus. Went to the East, South, West and a little North. Nothing but bare rocks and goats, bar the tourist strips. We stayed in The Coral Bay Hotel which was nice I have to admit.

Rome here too ! Too hot and so busy to see everything in a short space of time. We went at peak tourist time which was crazy. I would go again and take my time over four or five days.

Didn't like New York, love Munich and Edinburgh. Amsterdam is OK, but nearby Leiden is much nicer and easier - like Amsterdam in miniature without all the horrible bits.

Loved- Verona, Florence, Brugge, Rome

Meh - Amsterdam. Fantastic for culture but full of pissheads on stag do's

Depends on time of year and number of nights away. In winter and only for 2 or 3 nights, Seville is great. Any longer and you will never want to hear the word tapas again, but it is an amazing winter break. Get the train to Córdoba for the day. Oranges growing everywhere at this time of year.

There are only 3 cities I've visited and really disliked - Cologne, Gibtaltar and Bucharest.

Basically all three were ugly, dirty and dull. Bucharest gets extra minus points for having so many obvious strip clubs/brothels in the 'historic centre'.