Bucketlist Expectations

I'll think about this a little more when I have some time but we visited Carcassonne as well - I had no expectations but we were there in early Oct and there was no crowd at all - what looked like a couple of school groups but time of year was a big advantage. I also got some really nice souvenirs there - there was a shop that sold locally produced items - got a few ornaments and some lovely botanical prints that grace the wall of my dining room.

Off the top of my head - I thought I'd love Amsterdam - it has canals, just like my fav place Venice - arrival day was great - mild and sunny (it was April) - then it turned cool and windy. I cursed not bringing light gloves. I wore a t-shirt, hoodie and spring jacket. Of our 4 full days (5 nights) on three of them we did day trips, leaving us not much time to really explore Ams. The smoke everywhere did not help. I think I had a touch of food poisoning and ended up throwing up one night, then I had the worst sore throat I ever rem having - to the point eating food was a chore (v hard to swallow). Once we left Ams and went to Dordrecht my throat improved and I was a much happier camper. I'm willing to give it another chance, but this time we will spend 3-4 nights and stay put and see if that helps.

Honfleur and Mont St Michel were huge disappointments. Filled with tacky tourist shops and little else.
Budapest totally wowed me!! I was expecting to fall in love with Prague and only went to Budapest because of convenience. I am in love with Budapest totally. Going back next year.
Prague, maybe because I expected so much, left me cold.
Edinburg is another WOW!! I knew I was going to like it but totally love it!!! And love the rest of Scotland. Planning on doing the new RS tour. Can’t wait to
Go back.
York and all of Norway are on my bucket list.

We stayed overnight at Carcassonne. It was fine but not one of the highlights of that trip to France.

Bucket list places that exceeded our expectations:
In France - Normandy Beach WWII history and the museum at Caen, Chartres cathedral, Nice and nearby Menton, the fortress at Angers

In Spain - Sevilla, Ronda, Frigiliana

In Italy - Montepulciano!, the Dolomites, Venice - ahh!, Ravenna, Stresa’s islands, the Cinque Terre back 20 years

In Austria - Salzburg & Vienna (I play classical piano)

Switzerland- Wengen and the Lauterbrunnen area

Disappointments:
In France, Colmar - too touristy with predictable shops, but we loved the nearby smaller villages

In Italy, Bologna was our least favorite of about twenty locations we’ve stayed.

Norway totally exceeded my expectations. We went there because it was on my husband’s bucket list, I was very meh ( don’t like the fact they hunt whales), but it was so beautiful! It helped that we had amazing weather.

Ireland-the landscapes, people, pubs & music! I loved it so much it’s the only European country I have been to twice ( so far) and still want a third trip ( still need to get to the north).

Sicily was my wife's bucket list trip. I grudgingly agreed to go to score points, but found I loved every minute of the trip. Everything was better and more interesting than my stereotype-based expectation. Giverny was a disappointment on my wife's list. Surprisingly, I liked Milan as well, more than Rome. I think Rome needs a longer, focused visit. Maybe that's true of most places.

Venice and Halstatt were two on my list, and I loved both, despite the crowds of people complaining about the crowds.

Interesting point about Mont St Michel (also a bucket list stop): we were told by our local guide that ever since the site became a major pilgrimage destination (12th century?), the winding paths up the Mont have been lined with tacky tourist shops and food stands, servicing/fleecing the pilgrims on their way. So, in some respects, even that is authentic.

Places that I figured I'd like and ended up exceeding that, becoming favorites - Granada, Iceland, Siracusa, Nafplio
Places I wasn't sure about but ended up enjoying more than I thought - Salzburg, Hydra, Munich,
Places that I was a little disappointed in - Naples, Vienna, Toledo

Side note for Venice. I went once for a short visit and disliked it, so wasn't too excited for visit #2, years later. However, it well exceeded my expectations, and I went back - still loved it. I think the trick was to avoid the famous sights at peak hours and spend more time in the back streets during the day. It's really amazing how San Marco can be a total zoo, but walk 5 minutes to something like Santa Maria Formosa and it's normal-busy, pleasant, not crowded, and 5 minutes down a random street and it's fully quiet. It's like people just don't leave a tiny bubble. Very strange.

Exceeded Expectations: Romania, Bulgaria, Spain, Portugal

Disappointments: Having to leave the above stated destinations.

The European city that (greatly) exceeded expectations is Budapest, but I cannot add Hungary to the list as Budapest (and Szentendre) is the only part I've visited.

Exceeded expectations: Florence, Sistine Chapel, Chartres, Sainte Chapelle, British Museum, Santorini, York

Disappointments: Venice, Paris, Asissi, Cotswolds, Canterbury

Mira, we first saw Venice during the RS Best of Italy tour. The next time we were in Italy on our own, I reserved a tiny hotel at Santa Maria Formosa - great memories! That hotel closed shortly after we stayed there, so we’ve stayed in other neighborhoods when visiting Venice. I whole-heartedly agree with your comment of exploring the various less-crowded but equally enchanting locations in Venice.

Too many places to mention that exceeded my expectations, but among them are Santiago, Chile; Quito, Ecuador; Machu Picchu and Cusco, Peru; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Lugo, Spain. A couple I was disappointed in include, Antwerp, Brussels, and the Island of Ortigia, Sicily.

Disappointments: Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museum. Crowded, noisy, hot. I love, museums but this was a major let down. They should take lessons from the Borghese Gallery in crowd control. Australia, I enjoyed my visit but have no great desire to return. Same with South Africa.
Abu Simbel. Only disappointment on my 2 visits to Egypt. Incredible engineering feat to move the temples to save them from being flooded, but it all felt a bit Disneylandish to see the fake cliffs that surround the temples.

Worth the trip. Crete, my love affair with that Island continues though from afar for now.
Queen Hapsetshut’s temple at Del al Bahri. Magnificent funerary temple of Egypt’s only female pharaoh.
Paestum, Greek walled town and three magnificent Greek temples in Italy, south of Pompeii. A lovely little museum as well and close to a buffalo farm where they make wonderful cheese!

On the list but not yet visited. Petra and Jeresh in Jordan, have a feeling it may not happen due to aging body!

I was excited to visit Spain the first time, but it wasn't a bucket list destination. I wasn't expecting to fall in love with it, but I did. I hope to go back someday, even though I've been back four or five times since my first visit three years ago.

Amsterdam exceeded my expectations. I was there for only two nights before a cruise, so didn't have much of a chance to see everything I wanted. I had a trip planned for this past spring to go back but, well, Covid happened.

Sydney and the area around it stole my heart and I have been fortunate to visit twice.

Prague disappointed me. I really wanted to love it, but didn't. Part of the problem was that part of my visit spanned a weekend last September and it was so very crowded. I wouldn't mind going back because I feel like I must have missed something since it is a favorite of so many.

Bucket list is too long to list.

Interesting point about Mont St Michel (also a bucket list stop): we
were told by our local guide that ever since the site became a major
pilgrimage destination (12th century?), the winding paths up the Mont
have been lined with tacky tourist shops and food stands,
servicing/fleecing the pilgrims on their way. So, in some respects,
even that is authentic.

I love facts like this. It reminds me of my tour of the Colosseum in Rome. It was pointed out to me that there were Roman numerals above each gate and people were given tickets designating entry gate, row and seat. Modern stadiums are copying the Roman way.

Ok, so actual trips on my bucket list inclu NL at tulip time and Provence at lavender time. I mentioned above about my Amsterdam disappointment but our visit to Keukenhof and the bike around to the tulip fields was everything I’d hoped it would be (2017). I was also utterly charmed by Madurodam (someone on here suggested it to me)

As for the lavender (2018)...it actually exceeded expectations...but my expectations were...tempered. I was assuming the little villages would be crawling with people and driving would be awful. Most of the towns we stopped in were sleepy...a few I thought we’d just missed a zombie apocalypse they were so quiet. The cities like Aix a little more busy but even there we were walking almost deserted streets only a few blocks away from the center. Having the car helped because temps were high so we could just go back to the car and cool off while heading for the next town. Our Airbnb hosts gave us some great advice on what to see, incl a huge market in Forcalquier that we didn’t even know about and believe me, I was looking into markets. Other than the odd hiccup I loved that trip.

And I’ve let it be known about my love for Venice many times. Instantly in love and I had no expectations at all the first time we went. I’d say last year our 5th visit was the most enjoyable yet. We’d seen all the big stuff so we wandered far from the crowd (other than one ill-timed walk across SMS). We popped into empty churches. Walked the empty alleys behind Arsenal area. Walked the (what I’ll call) back way from San Toma to the train station, coming across beautiful stores with locally made items. Stumbled upon the last minutes of a concert. Early morning jaunts to SMS to watch the sun come up. This is why I love revisiting favourite spots.

Exceeded my expectations: Tallinn, Graz, Ljubljana, Gdansk, Cambridge, Rotterdam, Pienza, Naantali. Also three museums: Kumu (Tallinn), Boijmans van Beuningen (Rotterdam), and Vasa (Stockholm).

Disappointed: Bruges, San Gimignano. Both seemed like they were posing for tourist photos. Pretty but it all seemed like a facade. And three museums: Pergamon (Berlin), Kon-Tiki (Oslo), and Skansen (Stockholm).

“ On the flip-side, the Cotswolds didn't meet expectations. It was pretty, but I was underwhelmed. I'll take part of the blame as it was one part of that particular trip that I didn't do much advance research and so while I looked at buildings, I really didn't see them. ”

Allan, I’ve been thinking deeper about your question this morning, and I think your above comment is key. The places on independent trips that I’ve tended to enjoy the most are the ones that I’ve spent a lot of time researching, which naturally builds up the anticipation. And there’s an even greater degree of anticipation if it’s a town I found from looking at maps, on-line info and not from a guidebook. Those tend to hardly have any American (or Canadian) tourists so the experience is even more exciting and feels more authentic when I’m actually there in person.

Cities that exceeded my expectations were Split, Gdansk, and Guernsey, Channel Islands. Cities that disappointed were Helsinki and Copenhagen.

Places that have exceeded our expectations and have become favorite memories are:
Southern France - the French Riviera - flying into Nice, staying in Villefranche sur mer, day trips to Eze and Monaco
The Amalfi Coast - basing in Positano and taking the ferry to Amalfi town and Ravello, also basing in Sorrento and taking day trips to Capri and Pompeii
Santorini - Oia, the hike from Oia to Fira, Akrotiri. Aegean Airlines was great!
Athens Walks tour of the Acropolis

We were disappointed by the panhandlers in Naples and Rome.

I have lived overseas for 9 years, 5 in Saudi Arabia and 4 in Germany. Been to 78 foreign countries and probably done about 3/4 of my bucket list.

Every place that I have visited has been great, wait, that stop in Nassau on our TA back from Europe was not so wonderful, but it wasn't on my bucket list.

People mentioned a few places. We loved the British countryside and the Cotswolds, but we also loved Winchester, Bath, York, Durham, the Lake District, Wales and of course London. Also, Scotland was great, especially Edinburgh and Inverness.

Stratford Upon Avon was great, since we love Shakespeare.

Santorini was great, but many other Greek islands were as well. Wanted to spend more time on Crete. Mykonos was fun.

China, Russia, India, Australia, NZ, Egypt, Israel were wonderful. No disappointments there. Many countries on the European mainland were super. Italy is our favorite. Norway was the most scenic in Europe.

South America is special and inexpensive. Favorite countries were Peru, Argentina and Chile. Alaska, Japan, Tiawan, Thailand, Singapore also, wonderful.

Perhaps we were not spellbound by Hawaii, since we didn't go there until a few years ago, after we had visited many great places. I thought the Azores were just as scenic. Still, we loved Hawaii.

I didn't mention my own country and many great places there. We lived near Washington, DC for five years and love that city, except for the traffic. So many scenic places out west like the Grand Canyon.

One place that I could do without was Las Vegas. It was seedy, with people walking around with kids at midnight while street hustlers were selling prostitutes. Still, we did enjoy a great show there.

We love history, art and culture, but scenic places like Norway, Alaska and Machu Picchu are amazing.

The places on independent trips that I’ve tended to enjoy the most are
the ones that I’ve spent a lot of time researching, which naturally
builds up the anticipation.

I'm so glad I'm a planner. It's never been enough for me to show up somewhere and expect to be amazed. I'm curious about the people that have posted on this topic on the places they didn't like. A common comment about the Vatican is that it was too crowded. That's fair, but I'd love to mine their thoughts a bit deeper to find out if they knew that going in. When you finally get to a bucket list location, do you just expect to be amazed, or did you put in the work ahead of time to do everything you could to enhance the experience?

Alan, I was just re-reading this thread and agree with your last comment about planning and expectations. About 10 years ago we were invited on a Baltic cruise for a cousin’s 60 birthday. We were 5 couples. The birthday boy took care of all the planning. Most ports we took excursions from the ship which in hindsight wasn’t the best idea. But in St. Petersburg he hired private tour guides for the two days we were there. What a difference in the use of our time, places we visited, and learning about life in the city. Our guide was friendly, easy going, spur of the moment (when we passed by wedding photos in the local park, he stopped so we could Watch for a few minutes), and knowlgeable. For lunch we went to a small restaurant where all the tour guides hung out. We spent 2 days before and after the cruise in Copenhagen. There was no pre-planning, so even though we had fun all being together, there was a lot of just walking around. Down time just wandering is always great, but having one or two places to see or eat is always better.

I agree with the comments that research and planning can enhance enjoyment of where you are. I read all I can when planning a trip so I will know what I’m seeing when I’m there. My husband doesn’t want to know anything in advance. He wants to be surprised. Although he loves to travel and enjoys himself, I doubt he gets as much out of it as I do. I didn’t enjoy Rome and Amsterdam as much as I thought I would, but I think other factors played into that. A city can’t be blamed for weather conditions or who your travel companions are. I would give them both a do over. I would say the only place that really disappointed me was Mont Saint-Michel. I was prepared for crowds, etc., but to me it was just endless souvenir shops and overpriced restaurants. I preferred the view of it from off the island.

Finally getting around to this post. For decades, my #1 bucket list destination was Egypt. But whenever we had the time and money, things were too iffy in Egypt and the Middle East. When things were calm there, we hadn't the time or money, or the kids were too young. Finally, it all came together in February of 2019, and we decided Egypt would be a good way to celebrate my 75th birthday. I was still in good enough shape to get around all the sites and not in need of a walker or cane, and in good overall health. We are SO glad we went! The trip surpassed all my expectations! We didn't go independently, as we do in Europe or South America. We went with Trafalgar Tours and, in spite of many people denigrating tours with 35-40 people, the on-the-ground staff, accomodations, internal travel, sightseeing, VERY knowledgable guide, and seven day Nile cruise were fun and relaxing. The pace was just right, we saw everything on my wish list, and out of all the fellow tourists, there was only one couple whom most of us found annoying. Everyone else got along well and added to our enjoyment of my dream vacation. The only fly in the ointment was the not-as-good-as-it-used-to-be travel via Lufthansa. The price was right, but comfort and service have fallen down. Thediscomfort of the flights was worth it all, however. Now, when we can travel again, I hope to find time to visit Sicily. There, as in Turkey, you have centuries of so many different cultures there, it must be a rich place to visit! Several other places come to mind to visit or revisit, but having cruised the Nile and having seen Abu Simbel and the Pyramids, if I don't get to go anyplace else, internationally, I will be happy. (P.S. I forgot about New Zealand and Vietnam being on my list!)
I do hope everyone gets to have their dream come true! I feel blessed and lucky mine did!

On rereading upthread posts again, I just want to add to some of them. I, too, read up a lot on the places I will visit. I read the history of Ireland, Chile and Kenya (especially since independence), and I believe it made the trips more enjoyable and satisfying. Having majored in history, with an emphasis on Europe, I haven't reread a history of France, Spain or the major European countries, as they seem embedded in my head after all my college classes. Needless to say, I don't read 1000 page tomes either!
Also, just a note. I have been to Carcassone twice and I love it. We stayed overnight both times in the same hotel close by to the fortress, with a view of it from our window. It is peaceful there at night, as the OP stated. And I had the best cassoulet in my life at a small cafe within the fortress.
Another bucket list which exceeded my expectations was Easter Island. The Moai are as impressive as one could imagine. We were there for three days and explored the island thoroughly, while still finding lots of down time to sit and enjoy the scenery. That same trip (to Chile) included a 4 days small boat educational cruise around Tierra del Fuego, with Zodiac boat visits to Penguin Island, glaciers, and forested islands. My husband and I were very impressed with the knowledgeble staff and the quality of the food and cabins. The boat held about 150 passengers, so it was small and intimate.
Lastly, we lucked out with Simon, our guide for a week's tour of Kenya. He was the guide other guides came for advice on spotting the game we came to see. He was older and we had interesting conversations about Kenya, its founding after independence, Jomo Kenyatta, the different tribes that live in Kenya, and of course, all the animals we saw! A Canadian company, Lion Tours, arranged the trip, and I forget the name of the ground tour company, but they were great. All three of the preserves we stayed at were top-notch!

I guess most of my expectations have been met! I can't recall any disappointments, except for twice being the victims of thieves. In 2004, in Prague, my wallet was stolen. In 2012 in Santiago a camera was stolen and we lost our pictures from Easter Island and Santiago. We are always careful and think we have taken all the right precautions and are experienced enough, but sometimes we do forget to be watchful and the bad guys get us. I guess, having been to 24 foreign countries and 4 Caribbean islands, plus 29 states, we can be thankful we have only been victimized twice in almost 50 years of travel. (My husband began traveling a few years before we met, so he has more miles on his luggage wheels than I do!)
Lastly, in my case at least, I find that I get out of a trip what I look for. The thrill and excitement of someplace new, with the sights and people one encounters, and the different food, colors, music, and cultural attitudes, are easy to find if one is open to it. I sure hope we all get to fill our buckets!

One place that I could do without was Las Vegas. It was seedy, with
people walking around with kids at midnight while street hustlers were
selling prostitutes. Still, we did enjoy a great show there.

I can't disagree with anything you said. I'm not sure if Vegas was ever on my bucket list, but I knew it was somewhere I wanted to see, probably because it's one of those places that you should see at least once. But even the seedier sides can have a story. My wife and I still laugh at how many times we were given flyers offering the services of a 3rd for a threesome.

And crowds, I try to find the lighter side and tell stories about people watching at Disney World or navigating crowds at St. Marks Square in Venice or the London Underground during rush hour. It can be a matter of perspective that takes a disappointment into a positive story.