Where is the most overrated holiday destination you’ve been?

[phoanymoany]

Where have you been on holiday and thought “wow, that was a waste of my time and money”.

Mine was travelling to a fairly remote tropical island where people were supposed to be so friendly. Unfortunately we found the people we interacted with in the hotels and restaurants to be anything but nice. It piddled down with rain and then we almost got scammed.

I was in Paris last week after years, and really enjoyed everything from the museums to the food. I don't speak French. Everyone seemed to be far politer than the last time I visited.

But then I also love Egypt, so ......

The McDonalds' in Paris can be useful in the summer because they're the only place that properly chills the bottled water. Also a good place if you need a taxi.

I agree on Dublin, somewhat of a weird vibe. Good for a day or two to see the sights though.

Cambodia for me, couldn't wait to get out of there.

We love Lanzarote 😂 not keen on Menorca, but tbf we went late Aug and it was unbelievable hot, no breeze, ants everywhere in our apartment, mosquito bites all over me, hated it, couldn’t wait to come home.

Positano, pretty but so crowded and expensive.
KL, so hot, dirty and busy and the sick smell of durian everywhere
Monaco, hella expensive high rise hell, no access to a beach, so pleased I only spent a afternoon there.

I’ve been to a lot of these places and loved them. I can’t think of anywhere I’ve been that didn’t have some redeeming qualities.

Rome is stunning, the parks are beautiful, great food markets, and a whole historical site in the middle of the city. We were only there for a week, but would have loved longer, so much to see.

I’m surprised at the hate for Venice, especially the comment there is nothing to do. I’ve been 7 times and have barely scratched the surface!! So much art and history. I’ve always gone on November and there aren’t crowds and the weather is so atmospheric. I’d not recommend the vaporetto, apart from to go to the islands you can’t walk to, everywhere else can be easily walked to and getting lost is part of the fun.

Yeah. Paris

Oh no I'm sorry, I'm sure you're lovely and living somewhere is going to be very different from visiting of course. I feel guilty now

I’ve been to a lot of these places and loved them. I can’t think of anywhere I’ve been that didn’t have some redeeming qualities.

I feel this way.

Florence is a victim of its own success. There are beautiful sights there, but it’s overrun. And the buildings are a bit taller than in some other Italian cities, I think, or perhaps the streets are a little narrower, so it always feels a bit oppressive to me. I’ve only ever stayed for a night at a time, then moved onto other cities and that’s always felt about right to me. Tbh, although Florence does have some of the big attractions, there are plenty of beautiful pieces of art and architecture all over Italy so you aren’t missing out by spending a short time there and then going elsewhere. You might not see the big famous pieces (David and so on), but you will see plenty of wonderful things. Lucca and Siena are both just as beautiful IMO, and much less crowded (mind you, I’ve never tried either in the height of summer).

But there are beaches in Monaco

@couiza see I have really good memories of visiting Florence and its the one city in Italy i’m keen to return to, although it was 25 years ago we visited. It might have been because we went to Rome first which was far, far busier.

Lol dont be daft! I think a lot of people who live & work in the centre just have tourist fatigue!!

from the sounds of it, tourists' main problem with a lot of places is too many tourists....

Venice. Pretty but packed full of tourists and men selling fake designer handbags. Everything was wildly overpriced and ‘set up’ to extract from you your last penny.

Very true! Although I appreciate that’s what helps the economy. I just avoid the centre at busy times!

Naples was horrendous, so much little, graffiti, sewage smells and homeless/people taking drugs.
Marrakesh was just hell on earth.
I'd rather be confined to the UK for the rest of my life than visit these two again.

I think hating a whole country when you’ve perhaps been stuck in one tourist resort area is a bit excessive. Bali, which has been hated on this thread, I spent a month travelling round different parts of the island, and there was some fantastic parts (and also some grim over touristy tacky parts). I visited Paris for the first time 2 years ago, had quite low expectations l, but thought it was great and really want to go back. Again I think I picked a good area, staying in an Airbnb, not touristy ate in local restaurants in the evening. Madira mentioned up thread, I visited recently, I wasn’t overwhelmed by Funchal, it was definitely overrated. But venturing out into the countryside there were some highlights). Marrakesh has been mentioned. I lived it, the person I travelled with didn’t. We are all different. Kula Lumpa has been mentioned again as a bad place, it was fine for a 38 stop over, any longer I’d be bored. Dubai people have mentioned, I couldn’t bring myself to visit, surely even before visiting you must understand what’s going on under the surface and the superficiality. I think often the resort/hotel you are in can squee your view. I think most places have potential, you have to open your eyes to possibilities and pick your accommodation/area well.

I am flying to Sri Lanka in a few weeks and staying 2 nights in Colombo. We were there 4 years ago and sadly the only thing I saw in Colombo was the airport hotel toilet as I was so poorly! We only have one full day there before heading south so sounds like we made the right decision.

I don’t like Paris either! I’ve been three times for various reasons and never really liked it

Why would you expect nice villages in the counryside in Western Australia? It's not the UK, so why on earth would you think it should look like it?

Honestly, after reading this thread I think most of you should just stay in the UK - nothing else is ever going to be good enough and your minds are too closed! As for those who find everything "boring" and whine that "there is nothing to do" - I despair.

I've never been but that is exactly how I imagine it and therefore do not fancy it at all. Btw I am not dead sophisticated, I love Las Vegas.

Interesting reading. Two of my favourite places are listed several times here. I loved Barbardos and I love Bangkok and have been multiple times! They both have such a great mix of cultures, interesting histories, mix of modern and old. Madeira I also enjoyed. Beautiful countryside, walking trails, quite varied culture for such a small island. Malta is great outside of the tourist stretch. I would recommend getting out around the island.

I don't regret visiting anywhere, but places I really could do without seeing again are Egypt and especially Cairo (traffic, hassle), although the area around Aswan was much nicer, Chang Mai (I know most people love it, it just didn't do it for me), and Abu Dhabi (it was okay, but not much to do and other places in the Middle East are more interesting).

The only place I really disliked was Pontins in Southport!
Southport it’s self was fine but Pontins was awful.
Having said that I haven’t been to The USA or Dubai and I doubt I ever will.
Definitely will be avoiding San Francisco after reading this thread.
Ive been to many Greek islands and mainland Greece mostly a long time ago. All of them were stunning.

Morocco. Constantly being hassled, scammed, inflated made up prices for everything from the trip from the airport to the souks, have to haggle for absolutely everything, relentless leering. The main square where they serve food has monkeys on chains and endangered birds in cages and is filthy. Not a comfortable place to be.

Monaco has Lavotto beach ??