Destinations that Don't Disappoint... and maybe those that Do?

London blew me away. It had never been a top destination on our list, and after reading about it in a couple of guidebooks, it dropped even lower. I can't remember why we felt this way. But even though we felt like this, we knew we were going someday. And when we did, I couldn't get enough. There is no singular reason for my love of it. I just bonded with London and felt like I belonged.

On the other hand, Paris underwhelmed. To be fair, we've only spent 2-half days there, at the beginning and end of another trip. To me, it just seemed grimy and unfriendly. But, it will get another chance when we stay longer and make it the primary focus. It's just not at the top of the list as there are too many other destinations in France that have priority.

I had to google "Paris syndrome." Good grief. The last time I was in Paris I did see a LOT of Japanese having very over-romanticized photo shoots. I was staying in an Air BnB about two blocks the Trocadero plaza and walked over early one morning to see a spectacular sunrise behind the Eiffel tower. There were three or four Japanese couples already there, each with an assistant of some kind, and a photographer. Their romantic aspirations may have been dashed by the amount of garbage and broken glass strewn across the plaza (lots of people were there the previous evening) or the race expo setting up tents below the plaza, complete with noisy, beeping delivery trucks.
The only time I can say I experienced a letdown is actually just recently, in London. I have been to London several times before. This last time I felt as if London were losing its Britishness and charm. I didn't feel the sense of history that I have felt there before. It felt like just another huge international city. So many generic skyscrapers going up. So many shops that we have here at home. Even the police sirens sound like they do at home instead of that distinctive European sound. I was only there for a long weekend, without time to get out of the city, so I suppose if I want british charm, I'll have to venture out into the country next time.
I think I've traveled enough to not have overly inflated expectations. Most instagrammers and travel articles and travel guides don't mention things like litter, cigarette butts, graffiti, dog poo on sidewalks, the smell of urine, the numerous tacky tourist shops, especially in the big European cities. I expect to see those things, so they don't dim the enjoyment of my visit.
@Allan, I felt the same way about Berlin that you describe about London. I just fell in love and felt at home there. I was there recently for a few days and just can't wait to go back again.

Exceeded expectation:
Amsterdam. It wasn't on my list but my travel companion at the time wanted to go and I wasn't prepared for how stunningly beautiful that city is. I was there in autumn with all the foliage. Gorgeous. Also Venice: There was a moment riding the water taxi at dusk all the way and it slowly got dark, lights turned on, all around me people were getting off the taxi after a day of work. It was magical.

Disappointed:
Athens. Although I literally had less than a day there as my flight from Paros was delayed a couple of days due to severe weather, and it was raining in Athens, and I was coming down with something. It was miserable overall.

Wow, the wiki page for "Paris Syndrome" is frightening. I hadn't heard of this.

Cinque Terre: disappointment
We were not staying there, so I always advise people to stay there to enjoy the morning and evenings without crowds, but I also recommend alternatives to people who are not interested in hiking. I cannot tell you how many miserable-looking people I passed, like they were just doing it because they had to. Trail etiquette was also lacking, a sign of people not used to hiking. I even overheard some people making fun of a couple of a different ethnicity. It was a disgusting display and really marred the day.

So much is dependent on attitude but also preparation--I think knowing about what you are seeing really adds to an experience.

I have a thing for mountains I guess.. Bernese Oberland and staying in Murren blew me away. Totally exceeded my high expectations.

I loved everything about our 3 trips to Italy except 1 little thing.. The gondola ride in Venice. I hated it and it was such a disappointment. Could be because we only wanted the short ride, and the gondolier wanted to do the longer ride. So he was angry right off the bat which, in turn, made me angry.

Italy. The food was underwhelming if compared to the hype often given to it.

My favorite line from the Wikipedia page about Paris Syndrome: "in reality neither Van Gogh nor models are on the street corners of Paris". The disappointment of a place not living up to its hype sums up my most recent visit to Dingle. I had been there 30+ years ago and really loved it. When I revisited in 2018 (after reading RS and this forum) I was extremely disappointed by the dog poop, the crowds, the tourist boat hawkers to see the dolphin and the smell of fried food. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. On the other hand, places that didn't disappoint include: Iceland, Norway and in the US, Monument Valley.

@Allan and @roubrat
I notice a theme around disappointing cities and countries and that theme seems to be too short a stay. We all thought Venice was stunning to the point of glee at times, but all three of us feel the least "connection" now that we're home. Unsurprisingly, it was the place we stayed the shortest.

Leaving Italy, we had a one day stopover in Paris and I assumed that would be the precursor to rushing back for a longer amount of time ASAP. Instead, we crossed it off our list entirely for now. We did not have tickets to any museums because we only had a day and planned to walk a good 5 or 6 miles over the course of a day, starting at the Pantheon, past Notre Dame, through Le Marais, past Palais Garnier and the Louvre, and take the metro to the tower for photos. We mapped a dozen little boulangeries and patisseries to stop at along the way.

The thing is, Paris did not actually underwhelm me. I live in Pittsburgh, our apartment buildings are hardly Haussmans, so every street was far more enthralling... but it was unexpectedly absolutely freezing. There was rain, there was snow, there was hail. That nixed the walking plans and forced a lot more public transportation, which was more frustration and money. Our hotel had some issues and we had an absolute disaster of a flight out (it took off, flew to the coast of Spain, malfunctioned, then returned to Paris. Then we stood for 7 hours in line with no chairs, no food and no service to get a taxi voucher and a rebooked flight. When we arrived for the rebooked flight, the airline had accidentally booked only my 13 year old.)

The Eiffel tower was admittedly "meh" with scaffolding and my knuckles cracking from the freezing wind, but the food was delicious, the shops charming, the souvenirs adorable, the airport luxurious by comparison.

Through no fault of its own, Paris left a bad taste in our mouths and we know it had nothing to do with the city itself, but that doesn't fix the fact that no one is eager to return.

If we had stayed 5 days and done all of the things we dreamed of, I imagine we'd be laughing about the bad 2 days of weather and the crazy flight (and the taxi driver who held us against our will). The good would have diluted the bad. The scale would have tipped. At least that's my theory!

@ kayla p.
So true about the articles and instagram... The weird thing for me was that the garbage bags of shrimp shells and the clanking metal plates covering potholes in Cinque Terre was grounding and not at all disappointing. I never fell in love with the excessive scaffolding on all the historical sites, but the "grittiness" of Rome (I don't think it's especially dirty or gritty and we went well outside the historical areas.) didn't bum me out at all. Ponte Sant'Angelo and the Castel look nothing like the ridiculous photographs and I didn't care a bit. Wandering around inside was fascinating. If anything, I felt like I was drowning in beauty and needed a breath at times. I didn't expect that.

@treemoss- Ok, you got me there! We ate on a budget and only sat down to dinner once (and it was heavenly) but the pizza was more often dry and bland than not. That was frustrating the first couple days, but daily gelato, amazing or not, was quite the salve, lol.

We would have preferred to eat away from the historical areas more, but had neither the time nor budget to go out to Trastevere and beyond every day. We had bookmarked lots of places, but in the end, we ate near where we were. I think a trip planned around the food would have resulted in more delicious food.

@valadelphia- I could not agree more on your last point. I felt like a tour guide with my daughters part of the time and that was ok, but a bit of a bummer. The difference in their interest when we went to Florence, because my daughter is into the Renaissance and the Medici, was monumental. Their eyes were sharp looking for symbols and recognizable things and my older daughter was in bliss seeing real Botticelli works in person.

In contrast, I took them to do something they didn't know anything about in advance- Sacro Bosco and it was their favorite thing of the entire trip.

I think the least enjoyable is as you describe... when we go somewhere we know nothing about because "everyone" says you should.

When I think of it, Cinque Terre probably would have been a letdown if we had day-tripped. We had a terrible time finding food (we especially wanted seafood) because it was the last days of March, which I'm told is too early in the shoulder season to make it profitable for many restaurants to be open on weekdays. We really went on a wild goose chase led by our host who was so sure that x, y and z were open that day and my daughter saved all her trip money for there having read about the lovely shops. I don't know what people are buying, but the shops were limited, overpriced, and the nice ones contained mainly foodstuffs. She was really bummed about finding nothing special to bring home, but in the end, a couple pebbles from the seashore made her the happiest anyhow.

Walking the streets at sunset with no rush to get anywhere, getting to fall asleep with the waves lapping by a window overlooking the water, sitting on the jetty eating gelato with my teenager... that was humbling to the point of tears. I couldn't believe I was there.

Most places have met or exceeded my expectations, but of note:

Paris. This was my first European destination and it blew me away! I was in awe the whole time, with wonders to be seen around every corner, and famous or historical sights to be experienced each day. I loved the architecture. I loved the apartment where we stayed on Isle Saint Louis. I loved the food. I loved the art. I loved the people. The weather was fairly unpleasant (chilly and frequently rainy), but even that didn't dampen my enthusiasm, until the last day, when it kind of all caught up with me, and I headed back to the apartment mid-day to warm up and dry off.

Budapest. This was almost the opposite of Paris, in that I knew very little about the city and its history beforehand. But it was such an amazing city, with such a diverse and interesting history--at the crossroads of so many major historical events. I loved the architecture. I loved the food. I loved the signs of national pride everywhere. I loved the apartment where we stayed. I really, really loved the baths. I loved the way the people had preserved their history, both positive and negative.

Hong Kong. This was my first destination outside of North America. It wasn't a place I had long dreamed of going or even ever expected to go, but an opportunity arose, and I took it. I expected it to be crowded and unpleasant, but I found it charming, interesting, and a fascinating mix of ancient and modern. The crowds didn't bother me as much as I'd expected, except at the ladies market in Mong Kok--thought to be the most densely populated neighbourhood in the world.

Namibia: spectacular. Isabela Island in the Galapagos: ditto. These were two of my best trips, ever.

The fjords in Norway (Naerosfjord). I expected to be underwhelmed, because I spend so much time in some of the most spectacular parts of the Rocky Mountains. I wasn't. I was blown away and amazed.

Letdowns:

London. This was my second European city, and I went there immediately following my visit to Paris. I found it terribly crowded, and the crowds were not considerate or polite. The fact that it was a bank holiday weekend might have contributed to this. The tube was horrible, and because of the holiday, some of the lines were closed for maintenance, which might also have contributed to the overcrowding. I had to leave Westminster Abbey partway through my visit, as the crowds were making me feel panicked, and I couldn't see anything over everyone else's heads, anyhow, because I'm short. Prices were outrageous. The food was expensive, and generally uninspired, although we did have a wonderful Indian meal in London. There were other parts I enjoyed, but I have no burning desire to return.

Barcelona. This is another victim of its own popularity. I'm sure I would have liked it more if it hadn't been so overcrowded. Again, it was difficult to see some of the sights because of the crowds, and walking around wasn't enjoyable, as I found people not to be very courteous on busy sidewalks. However, there were parts of my visit I enjoyed (most especially our day trip to Monsterrat), and I'm glad I saw Barcelona--once.

Overall, though, I enjoy almost everyplace I go.

I don't travel as often as I would like so there are rarely disappointments. Usually, I'm glad I went.

I will say that Brussels has been the one place that I've seen that I have no desire to go back. Part of it had to do with it being a cold, raw day but also that I was surprised at the graffiti, the closed off renovation of the Gran Plas and the coldness of the people. It probably didn't help that when I visited the famous church, a woman opened the door for me and when I didn't pay her she spit at me-nice. Having said that, the waffles, beer and mussels were great as was the chocolate and I enjoyed the Museum telling the history of Belgium and the Musical Instrument museum.

When I told a Belgian friend my observations, he said that I should have gone to Ghent or Antwerp to see the traditional Belgium.

Is "Paris Syndrome" and updated version of Stendahl Syndrome ?

I've been very lucky in the 25 years since I started travelling, very little has ever disappointed me. Maybe it's because I do a great deal of research beforehand, and weed out a lot.
(nothing is perfect - very early on I went to Malta and, probably unfairly, have never considered returning. Similarly, I went to Lecce, Puglia with high hopes and it was nice enough, but paled when compared to most of my Italian trips.)

If It hadn't been for their wonderful aquarium, I would have found Lisbon to be quite missable.

Costa Rica — the most amazing experience of biodiversity I have ever experienced. (Quetzals and coral snakes, oh my!)
Mongolia & India — the 2 trips I never stop talking about. Larger-than-life adventure, including the Gobi Desert. And I was surprised that India proved to be the most illuminating religious destination.

Croatia & Slovenia — my best overall surprise. These 2 countries had so much to offer in the way of historical ruins, food & wine, and natural beauty.

Venice — despite my husband not initially wanting to visit, my husband, son & I had the best restaurant experience of our lives in Venice. All thanks to an incredible waiter that we remain grateful to.

Greece — the prettiest sunsets, on Santorini & Crete. And Delphi… unexpectedly amazed us with its presence.

Switzerland — the most breathtaking valleys.

Ireland — the friendliest people and delicious beer.

Germany — the very best beer.

Basically two cities I found overwhelming, utterly fantastic , blew me away and on and on, the first and second visits there: Paris and Berlin, then westBerlin.

In both places I could not believe and imagine that I was actually there...period. Always go back to these two places, one or the other or both on every trip.

What do "they" say about Berlin? Berlin - Die dufte Stadt. And, Paris....C'est un endroit.

"Germany...the very best beer." How true !

Vienna. I spent 6 days there, went all over town, and did things. I'm generally good at connecting to places and people. Vienna only left me cold.

I also walked out of the opera there. In the middle of the performance.

@Aimee, the bland food was almost entirely in Rome and we only went to one popular tourist place... and it was really good, lol. (All'Antico Vinaio) I mean, just-baked focaccia loaded with cheese and meats being sliced right then and roasted veggies... how could it be bad? Though I hear the Florence location isn't as good due to being swamped with people.

We had some "meh" pizza al taglio and rubbery Neapolitan style. We also had some wonderful pinsa in Coppede, but it was at a newer shop. We went to Trapizzino because people raved and it was yummy, but not anything memorable or particularly flavorful.

We didn't have a single good breakfast in Rome. We stopped for croissants and other pastries at coffee shops that were mainly serving regulars and they were mostly kind of stale? I left feeling that maybe Italians don't want the same type of croissants as the French? Like kind of soft and very slightly soggy from filling is expected?

So now I'm curious about where you went to eat when you were there! We tried so hard!

The food in Italy comments are interesting. Italy ruined me for Italian food in the US. But you do have to get away from tourist spots and understand what makes good Italian food good. Taking time, not rushing, researching, are all key. Experiencing the cuisine is such a key part of our travel in any country. Sure, we all have to “stoke the boiler” now and again with a quick meal, but every trip should have some stellar meals and they do not have to be costly.

We were terribly disappointed in Paestum. Loved the temples but otherwise there is no reason to linger. But we had two nights! Luckily a terrific restaurant made all the difference in how we reflect on that sat. So good we ate there both nights.

Italian cornetti are a far cry from French croissants. They are particular and like anything, can be better in some places than others. I quickly tire of them but each trip I look forward to having a couple for old time’s sake. It is an experience.

Does anyone remember when somebody said they knew someone or overheard someone say the food in Italy wasn't as good as Olive Garden? I can't remember if it was someone on a tour or not.

Most underwhelming I've experienced ... the Mona Lisa.

I try not to have high expectations when I travel so I honestly can’t think of a destination that underwhelmed me. I have enjoyed every place I have been lucky enough to visit. Because of not really having any expectations, I found myself overwhelmed by my strong emotional response to two different cities, Mostar in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Guernika in Basque Spain. Both towns affected me more than I ever would have imagined and sparked an ongoing interest in the histories of those two regions than I would have dreamed possible. I also was surprised by how much I enjoyed Berlin. We stayed 10 days and had plenty of time to leisurely explore many facets of this interesting city. The varied cuisines were all wonderful, the beer excellent and I was fascinated by the architecture, so different from most of Europe. And yes….the beer was amazing. I will go back one day.

@roubrat What?! Ok, so when I say bland, I am being particular because with the food, we had high expectations and I am a professional cook, so if I'm eating food I can make at home, it doesn't thrill me. I didn't eat anything I'd trade for Olive Garden, lol...

@Laurel, I'm a huge boob about Italian pastry, other than the Americanized versions, although I have to say, you can get a mean sfogliatelle in Boston, and in Pittsburgh, we have a thriving Italian community, but it's pizzelle and biscotti and really, never cornetti! I honestly was 100% unfamiliar with cornetti, which is hilarious because I know a decent amount about Italian food (2nd gen immigrant, culinary certificate). Dear lord, I sound like the Olive Garden person! We really did research before traveling- maybe too much... I think it bit us in the butt with overwhelm. We had a couple dozen restaurants pinned onto mymaps for Rome. We didn't sit down at all and takeaway has it's limitations. However, I put zero effort into breakfast research because I don't really eat it at home and I had coffee or cappuccino for breakfast in Italy and let the girls pick pastries. I would have eaten cantucci to my heart's content, but they were underwhelmed with that idea.

I didn't know about Paris Syndrome either! But maybe that's what caused a Japanese woman slap me in the gift shop at Versailles!

I had some stupid souvenir in my hand and she yelled something then slapped it out of my hand.

No harm done, really, and she saved me wasting my money! Lol.

Exceeded expectations: England, Italy, the Netherlands, Iceland and Turkey. England was my first trip to Europe and it blew me away. I felt such an affinity with it (probably because of our shared history) but was enthralled with the sights, the country and scenery. Amsterdam and the Netherlands was the same - I could have stayed forever. Italy was everything that the OP discussed - food is the best in Europe (imo) and everything was just wonderful. I had some of the best meals of my life there, but I went out of my way to ask locals where to eat. Turkey was one of my favorites - the scenery was so diverse and beautiful and the locals were the friendliest people I have ever met while traveling. Same with Iceland - very friendly people and unique and beautiful scenery.

Disappointed (in varying degrees): France (including Paris), Vienna, and Greece. While France was beautiful and I'm glad I went, I never felt that joie de vivre that I've had in other destinations. Vienna was the same - I enjoyed it but it lacked the spirit I felt in my favorite destinations. And Greece disappointed me so much that I left a week early to head for my next country. I think part of that was due to the circumstances. I was there during Easter week and a lot of places were closed; plus it was very difficult to find public transportation in Crete where I was part of the time. And people were so unfriendly and unhelpful, although maybe things have changed now - this was back in 1997. Athens also seemed very dirty and polluted - hopefully that has changed.

In 2002 the plan was 5 days in and around Vienna and then 2 days in Budapest before our flight home.

Vienna was well planned (or so I thought), in Budapest I had a hotel reservation and I had found a guide, but the internet was new and I knew nothing about Budapest.

Day 3 we woke, looked at each other and we could tell we both had something to say, but neither of us wanted to be the first. Finally I said, "ready to leave this city?" She agreed immediately and I called the desk and said we were checking out early and headed to the train station to began looking for the next train to Budapest.

So Vienna was the underwhelming trip.

And Budapest? I have been back every year from 2002 until today (except 2020 --- COVID).

So Budapest was the unexpected pleasure

Over the years I have come to love places that did not delight on a first visit. I’ve changed, the places have changed.

For example, London in 1980 had its traditions and charm, but I love the celebration of diversity in food and culture today. And the football. I hadn’t become a member of a Premier League club til 1998.

But Barcelona still amazes me, as the Sagrada Familia continues to rise, and more of the Modernist architecture is restored.

St Petersburg in 1992 was already restored/preserved and extraordinary. In the same year Kyiv was unearthing, literally digging up its ancient art and restoring its culture. 10 years later the town was vibrant when I revisited.

Lviv surprised me, although I knew it was spared the devastation of many wars. While Vienna seemed cold to me, this preserved outpost of the Austro-Hungarian empire was warm and welcoming.

Other places that were first loves and remain so: Norway, Estonia, Brittany islands, Aland Islands, West Coast of Lewis and Harris, countryside around Mont Sainte-Victoire.

Lisbon greatly exceeded my expectations. I also went to smaller places (Évora, Coimbra, Sintra), and enjoyed them very much, but really loved Lisbon, which I hadn’t expected.

I can’t resist relating a tale of someone else’s disappointment. I think it was in the year 2000 that we visited the Cinque Terre. I was luke warm about it even back then.
A couple of years later, we were traveling with close family members, who insisted on a visit. The wife of the couple once described her mate as “indifferent to natural beauty.” No amount of dissuasion deterred them. I told them they wouldn’t like it. No art, no significant churches, etc. They wanted to “see what all the fuss was about.”

Beautiful sunny day in early June. We began walking the Via d’Amore, along with thousands of others. After a couple of minutes, the wife turned to me and said that if she had to spend much more time there, she would go out if her mind. We completed our walk; took a hellaciously crowded ferry ride to another town; and had an o.k. lunch, served by a just barely civil waiter. We finished the day by getting the train back to Rapallo.
I nobly resisted saying, “I told you so” until a few years later, when the male of that couple was referring to that trip and tried to say that it was I who insisted on seeing the CT. I let at him with both barrels. We have since revised our attitude towards traveling with them.

I'm enjoying these posts so much. Thanks for sharing your insights, which has resulted in personal reflection.

One of the places that unexpectantly surprised me was my first sight of St. Andrews -The Old Course. I'd watched golf on TV dozens of times, and was expecting the TV coverage scenery to be better than the actuality. I got off the bus from the train station, walked towards to course- and wow! I could see so much of the course, the ocean behind it- was all so much bigger in real life. I was completely caught off guard.

Locations which didn't disappoint, and that I need to return-
Edinburgh during The Fringe Festival
Esslingen Middle Ages-themed Christmas Markets
The Alps [and most of the rest of Switzerland]
Venice
Lake Como
Vienna
Mt. Titlus- I know, I already said the Alps, but we had such a spectacularly beautiful morning at the peak.
Rothenburg- I know the criticism, but I just love being there. On my third trip coming up soon, it will be our slow down point. I just love to wander, walk on the town wall, and talk to the shop keepers. It's my guilty pleasure.

Locations that I don't need to return-
Munich
Rome
The last two were at the end of the respective trips, [in the spring],and perhaps I was just too exhausted by then for city life. Rome seemed so busy, it was crazy just crossing streets safely, the vigilance needed regarding pickpockets, and I just couldn't find a comfort zone. And- HATED the hotel: hard bed, noisy all night, unfriendly staff.

Munich- I enjoyed the city, but have no desire to return.
Because of this, I'm reluctant to visit Paris- will I be overwhelmed once again with a big, bustling city???

But after reading your thoughtful posts, I'm putting Budapest on the near-future list.
Safe travels!

I’ve been to 52 countries. Mostly for work but always tried to fit in a little personal time. Plus vacations with spouse.

Love and return to multiple times: Switzerland, France, Czech Republic.

Despise and would never return: Russia, Brazil.

"Lviv...was spared the devastation of many wars."

Quite the contrary, Lviv in 1914, ie, during the "Guns of August" was known as Lemberg, and as such was the province capital of Galicia. The city was the strategic objective and the target of the Russian armies invading Austria-Hungary. The Russians captured the city in 1914, the area was fought over again in 1915 when the victorious Austro-German armies launched their counter-offensive driving out the Russians for good in WW1.

That area and distance between present day Lviv/Lemberg and the other place you see on CNN news now, Przemysl, became an absolute slaughter house between the Russians and Austrians in August-Sept of 1914, from which the Habsburg Monarchy never recovered.

After WW1 ended the city of Lviv was still being fought over, this time between the Poles and Ukrainians.

@Pat. I love your post so much.

I have an actual google doc of places I want to go and I have Rothenburg tucked away in there. I know the criticism too, but there is a reason places like it become so popular.

It's so funny how things affect people differently. Even though I'm a very sensitive person, the bustle in Rome hit me in the right way (and, to be fair, that could be because of the decreased crowds). It really did feel like hypervigilance was necessary to survive pedestrianism when we arrived. I mean, you can be walking down a narrow alley and feel that if you don't turn your toes in, they're going to be run over as a car (and maybe a motorbike) squeezes through. But we noticed the Italians paid absolutely no mind. Our last day there, I was walking across streets, through traffic when appropriate, weaving between things and my daughters exclaimed, "Mom, you're a real Italian now!"

When I think of the traffic there now, it reminds me of a Richard Scarry book... remember those? Very informal patterns and quite... zippy. My understanding is that while Italy is not a beacon of road safety, the highway fatality rate is about half that in the US?

Venice. Somehow, I was never interested in visiting Italy, probably due to a huge hole in my education. I wanted a European trip and friends recommended it. Years before, I'd seen a movie with Kathryn Hepburn set in Venice and it seemed soooo romantic. I was sure I'd be somewhat disappointed (the movies set you up for it) but I wasn't. The opposite happened, I loved it all. I've been back several times and each time I love it more. Last month I spent 4 wonderful days there which were the highlight of a 20 day trip.

Paris. I was expecting it to wow me. It didn't . . . at first. After 3 days, it hit me. I returned a few years later with a friend, her first time. The same thing happened to her, the first 3 days she couldn't understand why I was taking photos all the time. Then it hit her. Some people see the city's beauty immediately, for others it's the 3-day syndrome. I'm not sure why, I suspect it may be that Paris is gray.

Those are my two favorite cities in the world, with Barcelona pushing up there.

I went on my first RS tour just before Covid. It was the Venice-Florence-Rome tour of Italy.

I didn't really want to go to Venice but it was part of the tour. Venice depresses me because of what Global Warming has done, and will do, to the city. I was surprised because I liked (loved?) it a lot. Will go back if I can.

I went from that tour to the "Best of Paris" one. And Paris... did not agree with me.

I suspect it was something to do with "large City" in that I liked Venice better than Florence and Florence better than Rome. But then I liked Rome better than Paris so who knows?

Venice has to be on the top of our list for places that exceeded expectations. We’ve returned several times and are never disappointed. We are both great with directions, and we still get hopelessly lost for the fun of it! I will add that it has the worst food compared to every other Italian city we have visited, though.

Paris is another city that has exceeded expectations for the museums, the parks, architecture, pastries, and the whole atmosphere…..along with many smaller cities in France.

The Lauterbrunnen Valley in Switzerland exceeded expectations because of the breathtaking views. My husband grew up in Montana, and he didn’t want to leave this spot! We stayed up in Wengen the second time, and waking up to those views on our balcony was amazing each morning! Finding the bench on a hike where composer Mendelssohn liked to linger & sketch was icing on the cake.

The food of Italy was mentioned previously. After taking some cooking classes in Italy and learning how to order the regional food and avoid food items made for tourists, the food is fantastic! …mouth watering right now!

——-

The only places that didn’t meet expectations compared to everything else on RS tours were these two:

The agriturismo in Tuscany. Yes, we enjoyed Tuscany and the meal. We just didn’t like being stuck on a farm when all of the other locations gave us opportunity to walk around the cities in the evening and have more flexibility during our free time. It was a farm experience. (I grew up in a small Iowa town surrounded by farms.)

Baden Baden in Germany seemed like an odd choice. The tours at the time de-emphasized shopping, and we stayed at a town focused on the spa, a tour of a casino and shopping. We were glad to leave this one.

We’ve been to many cities and small towns in France, Spain, Austria, Germany & Italy on our own. Our only disappointment was Bologna. The food was delicious; otherwise, there were no memorable highlights. But, considering how many cities we have enjoyed SO much, overall this is insignificant.

I can't think of any places that have disappointed me. Some places I haven't particularly liked but it isn't disappointment but rather just not my cuppa tea. I haven't had the extensive travel experience of many of you though.
Zurich is one of those. We flew in and out of there in 2014. Nothing disappointing about it as I knew what to expect and it served it's purpose. Not a place I would choose to spend much time in though.
Some winners.
Gimmelwald, my 3rd visit returning after a 26 year absence. Enjoyed just as much as I did back in the 80s.

Sonogno. I went there based on a photo and some notes in an old hiking book. Just loved it and it's surrounds.

Gornergrat railway. As a young bloke I had done some great hikes around Zermatt, gone up to Hornlihutte on the Matterhorn also Schonbielhutte. But I didn't have the money to do Gornergrat. I did it in 2014 and it was amazing.

Verona. In 85 I saw a bit of it and wanted to go back. It took a long time but I did get back and spent several days. I don't usually like cities but I loved Verona.

Kathmandu. As above I don't usually like cities. Kathmandu is overcrowded, heavily polluted, pretty filthy, traffic is insane. After returning from a couple of weeks in the Himalayas I actually found myself getting very fond of Kathmandu. Hard to figure that one out.

Barr. A small Alsatian town. It was supposed to be a convenient overnight stop. Stretched to 4 nights.

Isle of Raasay. A volunteer working on the track at the Old Man of Storr pointed it out to us and said well worth a visit. We did and it was a highlight of our UK trip.

Fort William. Seems to not be rated as it should. A brilliant bit of Scotland with so much to see in the area and a nice town too.

Holyhead, known as a ferry terminal but the area around South Stack is brilliant.

Loches. I had expectations, it exceeded them.

Places that didn't disappoint:

• Venice - Away from Piazza San Marco, the most beautiful city I've ever visited.
• Paris - First place I traveled alone... will never forget the view from Sacre-Coeur the first evening. I don't understand people who are disappointed in it.
• Vienna - Especially my second visit, I adored it -- livable, the perfect place to walk and walk, even late into the night.
• Budapest - Fascinating, the gorgeous, grimy lovechild of Vienna and Barcelona...
• Trieste - Disconcerted my first day there, then in love with this strange city a century after the tide went out.
• Bologna - Wasn't sure what to expect but a city with a pulse, fantastic street art, wonderful place to get lost.
• Sevilla - Colorful and crisp, full of orange trees.
• Berlin - The first city I ever visited in Europe and so always close to my heart, especially the neighborhoods along der Spree and Charlottenburg.
• Lisbon - The most charming city I've ever visited.
• London - The city I dreamed about most as a child. Amazing museums, parks, atmosphere, signage even.

@Eliza

Are you a travel writer? Love that description of Budapest.

And Lisbon keeps sneaking higher up my list! I’m flying out of Barcelona in September and I wish Lisbon wasn’t an unrealistic stretch… although tickets are only 390 round trip from my area for the fall. Eek! Must not look.

So interesting that Piazza San Marco is a turnoff to so many. We weren’t trying to find it when we stumbled in at sunset right after arriving in Venice. It was breathtaking and the basilica is not your run of the mill church, if you ask me, even with scaffolding. Everything is so narrow in Venice, I never expected the piazza to feel so huge! Of course, we basically had it to ourselves… Really!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nfFjx3948JsKydsk-C2Iyv-Wbpr5Yzyq/view?usp=drivesdk

Not a travel writer but a writer!

Go to Lisbon, trust me.

I loved Piazza San Marco early in the morning when it was empty. But the rest of the city is what I fell in love with.

Interesting to read all of these responses. My colleague loves Rome and doesn't care for Paris. I was shocked by this; I couldn't imagine not loving Paris. And then I'm reading the comments here and coming to understand that perspective more fully. Good insight. But oh, I love Paris and have loved it on every visit. The sites, the food, the museums. I'll never forget wandering off the metro from the airport into the 7th arrondissement, looking for our hotel. I turned to look over my shoulder and there was the Eiffel Tower. That frisson of excitement is something I'll never forget.

Other places that did not disappoint:

Norway - my god that is the most beautiful country I've ever been to. I remember standing along the edge of the water near our cabin we'd rented for a few nights in the fjords and everything was so still, so crisp, and so serene.

Italy - from Lake Como to Tuscany to Rome, we were constantly wowed by Italy.

London - we've had such varied experiences in London, from the typical tourist things to listening to a jazz combo in a basement pub which very much had a speakeasy vibe.

Croatia - Dubrovnik was lovely, especially in the mornings before the arrival of the day-trippers. Driving up the coast of Croatia to Rovinj was a highlight.

France - this deserves its own entry separate from Paris. Loved nearly every place we visited, but Provence was a highlight.

Disappointed:

Venice - I need to go there sometime when it is not blazing hot.

Barcelona - hubby and I were mugged there, so yeah...not a favorite

This thread is such fascinating reading, and something I think a lot about. In my mind, this is the argument for research in the context that learning about the place, seeing walking tour video of it, spending time in Google maps looking about can give you a pretty good idea of what reality will look like visiting. So often when I hear disappointment - and by no means am I judging others- when we dig in we find that the place was not a good match for temperament or interests of the person, they made poorly researched choices (crap food, known bad hotels, wrong location to base out of; etc), or they had extremely bad luck such as weather, nasty experiences with tours/guides, etc that soured the place for them.

This is one reason I value and read this forum weekly. I learn things that either do NOT apply to me; or that definitely do and help me gauge my choices!

Most prepared for and exceeded underwhelm: food at Disneyland Paris. We were warned it’s inedible- it was beyond so.

Most overwhelmed: how much a simple pizza in an old joint in Naples we waited 3 hours for and argued about would become a memory and flavor I can still taste years later.

A lot of my favourite places and experiences have come off minimal research and planning.
I could bore you with all the stories but I will save you the suffering.
But many favourite places have been visited many great experiences had on a snippet of information or random chance. There have been some well researched well planned successes too.

When I first went to Budapest, (2010), it was a day trip; I didn't know what to expect, except for the salient historical events connected with its modern history, the 19th century, WW1 and WW2 and the Cold War. Both Budapest and Vienna have a statue honoring Prince Eugene, which did surprise me a bit in BP...initially. It should have been no surprise at all.

I found the city intriguing, fascinating, culturally, linguistically, and of course, historically given all the events having taken place there,
and certainly worth exploring. I knew I would be coming back. I did just that four years later, this time a museum had the priority.

Is another visit to Budapest , the 4th, in future plans? Of course, and this time staying at least a full week is necessary so that I won't come away with a mere overview.

I’m surprised no one has mentioned Poland. Unless I read too quickly. Besides Krakow and Wrocław, Gdańsk really surprised us. We loved it. Just big enough to spend a few days and keep you busy. We spent 4 nights there and. Ould have stayed longer. At first Warsaw was underwhelming but the city grew in use. By then it was time to leave could have spent a few more days there. As an added bonus, the food was delicious and the pople so friendly. We spent 18 nights in Poland and wishes we stayed longer.

@Fred

I love that. I think travelers do a good job of emphasizing not rushing and giving a city enough time. There's a lot of "You can't see a city in 3/5/7/10 days!" I think it's a little more rare to hear about how you really can't get a city in a single visit either. I don't think 14 days in a city is a substitute for two 7-day visits months or years apart. Or one could say vice versa, I suppose.

Cities are so different in different weather and in different seasons and political climates and I know I tend to notice and appreciate different things based on where I am in life and mood (and who I have with me!-- Don't get me started on that. A city can feel completely different based on who I'm with.).

Repeat visits anywhere, for us, take a cafe or park or beach from "I love that place!" to "Let's go to 'our' spot!"

@ Sleight.....Using your examples on the duration of a visit, only one place I've visited fits that 14 day consecutive stay...Berlin, when I did that in 2017 by staying in a Pension. Staying in an apt is not an option, let alone Air B&B . I've also stayed at that Pension on 7 day stays too. Both are fine if you just like being in a certain place. With whom? Almost always solo in Berlin.

Staying in Paris for two consecutive weeks? no , not yet. the longest being 5-6 nights in a small two star hotel.

The circumstances can very well affect the pleasure of one's stay, eg, having enough funds or afflicted with a health issue at the time, even the nuisance of a summer cold. I only go to Berlin in the summer, likewise with Paris, ie, ideal is anytime from mid-May to August.

During these longer stays time for relaxing / resting plus day trips is factored in, those day trips within a 30 to 120 minute radius by train , depending on how desperate I am to get to that place.

exceeded expectation .... Epernay (Champagne in general) , Nice, Venice, Bellagio, Amsterdam, St Petersburg. All the surprise on the upside was mostly from reading and hearing from others I expected to not like them but they all blew me away.

disappointed ... Cinque Terra, "Tuscany" , the Colosseum - well Rome in general, Eze - mostly the same but in the opposite - I was supposed to love them and did not

The place I was so-so my first visit but now love is Florence so much so that we are starting our May trip there.

Exceeded expectations:

• Turkey -- All of Turkey: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Gocek/Fetiye, Ankara .... I didn't have any preconceived notions before my first visit, and the food, the people, the history, the natural beauty, and the culture were way beyond anything I expected.

• Rome -- I spent my first day ever in Europe exploring Rome on my own on foot, and I fell in love. It wasn't just the sites I had planned to see, but rather the unexpected things: stopping in random churches, visiting the Doria Pamphilj on a whim, sampling my first gelato and roasted chestnuts, and generally just soaking up the vibe of the place.

• Naples -- We were supposed to go to the Amalfi coast that day, and several of us on tour decided on a whim to go to Naples instead. We spent the morning just wandering the city and then went to the Archaeological Museum in the afternoon. The very early Christian mosaics, still Roman in style and still including some pagan imagery, were an absolute revelation. We saw incredible street art, a funeral procession. There was this whole theater of life playing out in front of us.

• Venice -- The most magical of cities. We arrived in Venice late in the afternoon. My mom and I took a vaporetto from our hotel (close to the train station) to Musica a Palazzo (not too far from St. Marks) just as the sun was setting. It was so gorgeous that I had to pinch myself to know that it wasn't a dream. I have been back twice since then, happy just to wander and get lost in the narrow streets.

• Matera -- I was there in 2014, when it was less popular as a tourist destination. I loved getting lost in the Sassi. There were thermal baths and pools build into the caves in our hotel. The locals were incredibly nice, and kept asking us if we were enjoying our stay. The food was amazing. Actually, a lot of southern Italy -- including Lecce and Otranto -- exceeded my expectations.

• Abu Simbel -- So, yeah, I was expecting to be blown away by the the temples at Abu Simbel. What I was not expecting was how much I would enjoy our modest, Nubian hotel when we spent the night in the village of Abu Simbel. The hospitality and food as well as the unique Nubian architecture was way beyond what I was expecting. I am so glad we didn't just fly in to see the monuments and then fly out again a few hours later.

Actually, I have enjoyed every place I have visited. There are a few places, though, where I have been slightly disappointed, not because of the place itself, but because I felt like I didn't spend enough time to get to know the place. All of them, I think, were two night stays. Florence, Vienna, and Budapest come to mind. I would like to return someday and get to know those cities better.

The one place where I was singularly and pleasantly surprised was Poland. Going to Poland exceeded expectations, even though the itinerary only was Warsaw and Krakow, a modest itinerary. That was in 2001.

Thanks to the Mrs. her planning, and upbeat mood, this trip to Poland was not only enlightening but also set in motion plans for a second trip prioritizing the country on this next Europe trip two years later. On both trips we went by train, always departing from Berlin. Itinerary - wise one main place on this second trip, Gdansk with a day trip by train to Malbork. Both places were super enjoyable and an eye-opener.

The journey from Berlin to Gdansk involved two train changes, one in Germany, the other in Poland, once you crossed over the Oder; all in all the entire trip to Gdansk took ca. 10 hours., including waiting time.

I couldn't believe I was doing this, going along the Baltic, seeing the forests, the interesting landscape , and ending up in Gdansk and the mouths of the Vistula. Yes, I made it to the Vistula !

The only " negative" moment took place at check-out in the small hotel in Gdansk's Old Town. Two old women ran the place, speaking only Polish, Russian and German, obviously saw our US passports. The Mrs., a fluent German speaker, did all the check-in business. At check-out something amiss happened, they were charging more than we thought should be the case.

We said one thing, they objected. At first I thought maybe it's really a misunderstanding...nothing fishy. I did the talking this time (it did occur to me that they could be ripping us off), explaining to them in slow and clear German why we thought the bill was incorrect.

They agree, ...good, all settled. I came way with the feeling that the whole thing was a misunderstanding.