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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Which city break did you NOT enjoy?

466 replies

pinkfishbluefish · 05/12/2022 19:56

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.

OP posts:
MrsMigginsCat · 05/12/2022 22:00

Sydney. Thought I'd love it, but it was gritty, dull and just a bit meh once you'd seen the harbour and bridge. Loved Melbourne though. Also love Berlin.

Octopusmittens · 05/12/2022 22:00

Bruges. Went in the winter, but the smell was terrible, it smelt like drains.

ZenNudist · 05/12/2022 22:01

Dubrovnik (not a city break just a visit with DH whilst on holiday left dc with grandparents and got a day and night there). It was only OK. Just one giant tourist restaurant/ gift shop. It was hot so we couldn't walk the walls and the new town is probably way more interesting.

Bruges. Didn't hate but it did suffer from being overpriced and a tourist trap. It's beautiful and I liked the windmills and I preferred the outskirts to the centre. Like Dubrovnik its had all vestiges of being a real place stripped from it. Its like one big chocolate shop. Quite enjoyed the brewery tour. Been to Brussels on the same trip and that was a much better city. Fab food, great art museum, fun to wander.

As for places I've loved, most of the things mentioned here I enjoyed. I loved Prague, Amsterdam is an amazing city, San Francisco is wonderful. I enjoy something about most places.

ICriedAllTheWayToTheChipShop · 05/12/2022 22:03

The good thing about Amsterdam is that all the tacky tourist shops, seedy bars (I think there was a Hooters last time I was there) and pissed up louts are almost exclusively on one street, the Damrak. If you just avoid that, it's a very safe, chilled out and interesting place, with lots to do.

Liked: New York, Dublin, Rome, Florence, Sorrento, Beziers.

Didn't like: Venice. It absolutely reeks in the summer and the shop and restaurant owners treat visitors with open contempt, while still being happy to take their money. I do sort of get it, as I live in York and we're in the same position of relying on the tourist dollar to keep large place going. But at least we can bring ourselves to smile while we're ripping people off 😂

DillDanding · 05/12/2022 22:04

Loved city breaks in New York and Boston. Also Barcelona, Seville, Paris, Nice and Rome. Rome was my absolute favourite.

Only one I have hated was Dublin. Just dull and expensive.

NOACF · 05/12/2022 22:05

I hated Barcelona. Had bag stolen which didn't help but also found everything very spread out and far apart and it all felt like a bit overrated.

Loved Bruges, Amsterdam (lots to do and didn't go near red light district) and Prague.

EastLondonObserver · 05/12/2022 22:06

Every one of these cities people are moaning about are awesome!

I get the impression most of the posters live in Surrey or whatnot and just aren’t city people at heart.

User135644 · 05/12/2022 22:08

Paris is a total cesspit. 20 years ago it might have been worth visiting. It's a third world experience now.

RosesAndHellebores · 05/12/2022 22:09

Loved
Paris
Rome
Washington
Lugano
The Hague
Belfast
Boston
Nice
Gerona
Bologna

OK
NY
Munich
San Francisco
Oporto
Barcelona
Geneva

Never Again
Los Angeles
Naples
Marseilles
Athens

EastLondonObserver · 05/12/2022 22:10

WhoopItUp · 05/12/2022 21:44

Wasn’t fussed on:
Dublin
Warsaw
New York

Loved:
Stockholm
Vienna
Prague
Vancouver
Toronto
Rome
Venice
Florence
Paris
Boston

You prefer Boston to New York 😝

BuggersMuddle · 05/12/2022 22:10

IMO a lot depends on the time of year esp with popular destinations:

  • Barcelona at the height of summer I would not fancy due to both crowds and smells, but IMO is absolutely fantastic in late autumn
  • Similarly, Venice stinks in the summer & I"d only consider Rom or Florence off season
  • Been to Amsterdam a few times. Much better in pleasant weather.
  • Loved Prague, but that was before it became a stag / hen destination
  • I wouldn't go back to Salzburg - crowded, twee and rather boring
  • I enjoyed New York, but some bits very marmite. TBH I found it like heading back in time - old fashioned food, crappy subways and yes, people were often quite rude. OTOH the breakfasts, broadway shows, Central Park were all fantastic.
Bathtubbathing · 05/12/2022 22:11

Hated Cairo.

Flipping letchy men.

ErrolTheDragon · 05/12/2022 22:12

JohnBetjeman · 05/12/2022 20:59

Slough.

Come friendly bombs....Grin

AliceAbsolum · 05/12/2022 22:12

Barcelona. Didn't like it.

Alicante. Bit boring.

Every city in Croatia.

Best city ever - Salamanca! 100% recommended. So interesting, old, great vibe, really interesting tours and architecture. We went in early January and it was brilliant.

Tripsabroad · 05/12/2022 22:13

LiftyLift · 05/12/2022 20:05

Barcelona. Felt very unsafe.

I loved Amsterdam and felt very safe there.

This is also my experience

GreenLunchBox · 05/12/2022 22:14

Can we have a spreadsheet please? This thread is too long.

For me:

Hate Rome and London

Love Paris and Munich

Been to loads others but those are my faves

Shopgirl1 · 05/12/2022 22:15

London - grey, cold, crowded.
Edinburgh - bleak and freezing, but I did go in January, would like to go in summer, some of the buildings looked lovely.
Paris was overpriced and a let down

Loved Barcelona, Vienna, Berlin, Hamburg, New York.

Neverknowinglysensible · 05/12/2022 22:15

Absolutely hated Las Vegas. I’d prefer to holiday in Hell than ever have to go there again.

NooNakedJacuzziness · 05/12/2022 22:15

I found Vienna really dull, but DP liked it. I just remember walking for ages trying to find somewhere good/authentic to eat and not having much luck. Loved New York, Rome, Prague, Paris and Copenhagen

ItsOverUnder · 05/12/2022 22:15

Disliked Boston, Amsterdam, New York and Vienna
Loved Seville, Washington DC, Rome, Hong Kong, Salzburg and Prague.

Tripsabroad · 05/12/2022 22:15

User135644 · 05/12/2022 22:08

Paris is a total cesspit. 20 years ago it might have been worth visiting. It's a third world experience now.

Having been to Paris recently and many third world countries, it really really isn't.

SicParvisMagna · 05/12/2022 22:16

My least favourite city so far has been Prague but I think we went for too long(6 days) I was bored by the end of it. It was pretty, but I found the people sullen, moody and trying to rip you off every five minutes (especially at the Xmas markets). It wasn't what I imagined.

I adore Paris but it is a total shit hole 😂 We always stay in the 18th which is my fave area, but it is hit and miss. Last time we visited a guy tried to yank hubbies laptop back off his shoulder as we walked to the metro to get back to Gare du Nord. Luckily he was hanging on to it but it was so brazen. You are constantly batting people away trying to sell you tat, restaurants can be hit and miss but I'd also move there in a heartbeat if I won the lottery.

We came back from Vienna last Friday and that's now my second fave city. It felt like Paris a lot, in its charm but spotlessly clean, found locals charming and kind, walkable but great public transport to and plenty to see and do. Bloody expensive though!

Berlin surprised me, I never expected to like it and we only visited for the Christmas markets but we both really liked it. For many of the same reasons as Vienna. You also don't get the same sneery feeling when you mispronounce a word with the Germans as you do the French 😅

Rome is stunning and as a Classics student, an absolute must-see.
Amsterdam was pretty and I liked it but it absolutely stunk of weed everywhere we went and I spent the few days we were there with a headache 😅
Athens was also a surprise hit, we loved it. Amazing food, a surprisingly clean and efficient metro, friendly people, incredible sights and amazing weather. We went at the end of Sept and it was still in the mid-'30s (definitely sightsee in the cooler later hours if poss, I got heatstroke the first day,)
Venice is lovely but expensive and crowded. If you can get out of the beaten tourist trap areas its better but the main part is like ants in a nest scurrying to and fro. We was there in June this year and it was so hot. We had to dress in long trousers and covered shoulders to get in the basilica and I could feel the sweat pouring down my back into my bum crack 😂😂I was buying a painting from an artist along the main canal when that was happening trying to keep a straight face while I literally melted into my own arse. I have to say though so many people say it stinks. I've visited in late June three times and never noticed a smell. I usually have a nose like a bloodhound too. They have also banned cruise ships from visiting now so they will no longer dock there which I was told has had a massive effect on tourism, especially post covid. It seemed pretty swamped while we were there but I'm not a local or a tour guide to see it on a day-to-day level.

DillDanding · 05/12/2022 22:16

Neverknowinglysensible · 05/12/2022 22:15

Absolutely hated Las Vegas. I’d prefer to holiday in Hell than ever have to go there again.

God, yes. Las Vegas is the most awful place we have ever been to. I would never go anywhere near it again.

goldenshoe · 05/12/2022 22:16

I disliked Paris the first 2 times I went, but had a week there a few months ago and absolutely loved it. I think a lot of that was down to the area I was staying which meant I could do a lot of exploring on foot, and also it was hot and sunny.

I disliked the very busy touristy areas, and I left Versailles, despite booking in advance the queueing was utterly disorganised and I didn't fancy standing for an hour in blazing 30+ degree sunshine. Awful.

New York is alright, but worth going for the museums alone. I'm sure it has the best art collection of any city. (Or maybe that would be an Italian city).

AngelaChasesBestLife · 05/12/2022 22:16

Rome 100%

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