quote:Originally posted by LondonCard2:quote:Originally posted by gert_vdm:quote:Brussels: Not much there except the Atomium and the War Museum. Theres a great car museum next to the War Museum.
There's actually quite a lot to see and do in Brussels. However, it's popular with tourists for all the wrong reasons, sort of a more "urban" version of Bruges. Not only is this medieval centre very small, it's surounded by endless streets of office buildings, with no (night)life whatsoever. There is a lot of action as well in the outskirts (Schaerbeek, St Gilles, Ixelles), but hardly a tourist will venture there. So try to hook up with a local on BnA before you go.
I would have to agree with you London, I lived there on a study abroad for just a couple months. I left feeling I had done NOTHING for those three months except get high and party! DOn't get me wrong it was an awesome experience, but yeah, there is a TON of things to see. I have a list of things I want to do when I return...and I can tell you it's not short! Anyway, I just wanted to add my 2 cents about London because I consider it my home away from home.
peace
The most overrated place imo is London. Sadly enough, you have to live there for a few years before you will realise this. There is a lot to see, don't get me wrong, but culturally it's not at all so cutting edge as it seems.
Ok...so maybe London does get rated highly but I dont think you can say there's isnt much to see there!!! Jeez...i lived there 6 years and barely felt I'd scratched the surface...there is sooo much to do, see and explore!!! The problem isnt having nothing to do...its having the money to do it all!!!
London has a huge amount going for it but it definately has its bad side!!!! Its madly expensive, the tubes never run on time...its very uinfriendly and it big!! It used to take me a 3 hour round trip to go and see friends!!!
If you're ina ny doubt about what London has to offer...tell me what you're interested in and I'll give you a few years worth of things to do!!!
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Overated places!
The Ward
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Ward
"I should like to spend the whole of my life in traveling abroad, if I could anywhere borrow another life to spend afterwards at home."
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"I should like to spend the whole of my life in traveling abroad, if I could anywhere borrow another life to spend afterwards at home."
-William Hazlett-
The Ward
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I guess out of all the places I have been I really was disappointed with Brussels and Naples.
I didn't like Brussels, wasn't much to do there, however, I did like the War Museum. I didn't like Naples at all.....but with underlying circumstances that I had it was no wonder. Our hostel reservation was screwed up while there was some huge convention in town so finding another hostel was near impossible, lost my girlfriend's camera. With that out of the way, I thought Naples was one of the dirtiest cities I have been to in Italy. I was literally walking on trash everywhere I went. Not to mention groups of shady people everywhere with street peddlers too..."No! I do not want to buy your stolen videocamera!"
I do HIGHLY recommend Brugge though. It was one of the most interesting places I went. Even though it was a shitty day, it kind of went with the vibe of the city because Brugge is very much architecturally gothic. I went by myself and it was amazing....HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.
Have fun for those who can't!
I didn't like Brussels, wasn't much to do there, however, I did like the War Museum. I didn't like Naples at all.....but with underlying circumstances that I had it was no wonder. Our hostel reservation was screwed up while there was some huge convention in town so finding another hostel was near impossible, lost my girlfriend's camera. With that out of the way, I thought Naples was one of the dirtiest cities I have been to in Italy. I was literally walking on trash everywhere I went. Not to mention groups of shady people everywhere with street peddlers too..."No! I do not want to buy your stolen videocamera!"
I do HIGHLY recommend Brugge though. It was one of the most interesting places I went. Even though it was a shitty day, it kind of went with the vibe of the city because Brugge is very much architecturally gothic. I went by myself and it was amazing....HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.
Have fun for those who can't!
Ward
"I should like to spend the whole of my life in traveling abroad, if I could anywhere borrow another life to spend afterwards at home."
-William Hazlett-
"I should like to spend the whole of my life in traveling abroad, if I could anywhere borrow another life to spend afterwards at home."
-William Hazlett-
Trentt
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Milan is no great shakes, I admit, but I had no great expectations so I can't say I was disappointed or thought it was overrated ... no one had really talked it up to me before.
In MY humble opinion, the answer is PARIS. It's not as beautiful as everyone says, the people are aloof, I've had better food elsewhere, the museums are heaving with people, it's polluted and overcrowded everywhere you go. I'm not through with it (I don't think) ... I'll give it another chance or two, but it has yet to impress me.
In MY humble opinion, the answer is PARIS. It's not as beautiful as everyone says, the people are aloof, I've had better food elsewhere, the museums are heaving with people, it's polluted and overcrowded everywhere you go. I'm not through with it (I don't think) ... I'll give it another chance or two, but it has yet to impress me.
LondonCard2
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quote:Originally posted by Trentt:
Milan is no great shakes, I admit, but I had no great expectations so I can't say I was disappointed or thought it was overrated ... no one had really talked it up to me before.
In MY humble opinion, the answer is PARIS. It's not as beautiful as everyone says, the people are aloof, I've had better food elsewhere, the museums are heaving with people, it's polluted and overcrowded everywhere you go. I'm not through with it (I don't think) ... I'll give it another chance or two, but it has yet to impress me.
Of all th eplaces I went on my last European trip, (and we've mentioned Monaco already), Paris was the one that I dislike the most...I'm not going to say its overrated because I think my judgement is clouded. Paris has a lot going for it, I just didnt feel it was my kind of city.....I felt uncomfortable, nervous and hassled constantly. Its not like I'm not sued to the big city either...user name is dead give away here! I guess it just didnt fit right with me at all....Barcelona on the other hand...now THERE is a City!!!!
meghanwithanh
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This is an interesting post in that it basically represents what travelling is all about. Obviously, each place is going to be completely different to each person who visits, and there are so many factors that come in to play when evaluating that visit. A three or four day visit can not possibly accurately represent all that a particular city has to offer, and so one's perceptions of the limited sampling end up being the only way to judge that city's visit-worthiness. I, for example, did not enjoy my time in Prague, but I know that that's only because there were literally no other people staying in my hostel (that I ever saw anyway), the weather was awful, and after searching for about an hour one day for a restaurant that a friend recommended, I discovered that it no longer existed. Instead of passing off Prague as over-rated, however, it's actually on the list places that I'd like to visit again, as I know that it has much more to offer than I experienced.
That said, you are never going to like all of the places you go. That's the beauty of the human experience. And I believe that that's part of why we all travel: to discover the places in this world that really do it for us by also discovering those places that don't, as a means of comparison.
Err, I didn't quite mean to wax philosophical all over this post, but ah well. My novel will be coming out soon...
That said, you are never going to like all of the places you go. That's the beauty of the human experience. And I believe that that's part of why we all travel: to discover the places in this world that really do it for us by also discovering those places that don't, as a means of comparison.
Err, I didn't quite mean to wax philosophical all over this post, but ah well. My novel will be coming out soon...
Meghan
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scoots
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Sure, Megan, but there ARE over-rated places in the world (and I had a similar assessment of Prague, by the way), which is why a post like this is actually GREAT, and gives another aspect of what this traveling site is all about- getting honest appraisals from people who have been there. Not some sugar-coated Conde Naste, Lonely Planet flowery prose. A lot of people, for instance, think Brussels, Monaco, Milan and Florence are over-rated. That says something. Ofcourse experiences are different for everyone, but sometimes we have limited time and budgets, and we want to go to places THAT DON'T SUCK. Its nice to have fellow travelers give an honest lowdown (which I don't ALWAYS listen to).
For instance, I am not going to Monaco now.
But I'll still make it to Paris one day.
For instance, I am not going to Monaco now.
But I'll still make it to Paris one day.
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mina olen
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its all irrelevant when it comes to europe
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mina olen
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irrelevnat
over-rated
over-rated
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The Ward
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I agree with you Meghan, but part of your experiences are sharing them with others. I don't think people are being are posting with the intentions of specifically hating on a place.
Ward
"I should like to spend the whole of my life in traveling abroad, if I could anywhere borrow another life to spend afterwards at home."
-William Hazlett-
"I should like to spend the whole of my life in traveling abroad, if I could anywhere borrow another life to spend afterwards at home."
-William Hazlett-
LondonCard2
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It wasnt intended that way....I was basically highlighting something that often gets forgotton about...those places that dont live upto expectations or just dissapoint. Like I said...Manaco was like that for me...It wasn't my least favourite place but I found it somewhat unispiring and given the millions people pay to live there, its bland nature took me a little by suprise.
It will always come down to personal experience...I dont tyhink anyone is saying they hate this or hate that....but its interesting to see which places people didnt maybe like as much as they thought they would.
Like I said about Paris..I wouldnt call it overrated yet I didnt particularly enjoy my time there...that though seems somewhat distant to calling it overrated.
It will always come down to personal experience...I dont tyhink anyone is saying they hate this or hate that....but its interesting to see which places people didnt maybe like as much as they thought they would.
Like I said about Paris..I wouldnt call it overrated yet I didnt particularly enjoy my time there...that though seems somewhat distant to calling it overrated.
Kas
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I agree that Florence was overrated. It was so strange, before our tour of Italy, about 90% of people we spoke to told my friend and me that Florence was their favorite Italian city.
I was so disappointed. Like some others, I can't explain all of what was wrong with Florence for me. But one major problem I had was that, as an American, the last thing I want to do abroad is to be surrounded by other Americans. Obviously, they were all over Italy in every city we went to. But until Florence, we were able to spend our time meeting and hanging out with Italians. In Florence, it seemed every person we came across was American. (Mostly exchange students.) We heard more American English walking the streets in Florence than we do walking around D.C. Of course, the huge American population is not Florence's fault. But--it really did change the vibe we felt when we were there. Even the one Italian we met took us to an American bar for drinks!--American people, American music, American drinks.
However, it was worth going to Florence to take the day trip to the Tuscan countryside.
I was so disappointed. Like some others, I can't explain all of what was wrong with Florence for me. But one major problem I had was that, as an American, the last thing I want to do abroad is to be surrounded by other Americans. Obviously, they were all over Italy in every city we went to. But until Florence, we were able to spend our time meeting and hanging out with Italians. In Florence, it seemed every person we came across was American. (Mostly exchange students.) We heard more American English walking the streets in Florence than we do walking around D.C. Of course, the huge American population is not Florence's fault. But--it really did change the vibe we felt when we were there. Even the one Italian we met took us to an American bar for drinks!--American people, American music, American drinks.
However, it was worth going to Florence to take the day trip to the Tuscan countryside.
Kathrin
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I'd call Firenze underrated. Yes, I mean it. Underrated, underestimated by people who seriously believe they can see, experience, understand and learn to love such a city during a stay of one or two days.
Doesn't work. No chance.
All in all I spent four months there. At first I didn't like it at all. It took me a couple of days to get accustomed, and it took me a couple of weeks to discover the hidden secrets beyond the crowded tourist attractions(at least some of them). It took me a lot of learning about art and history as well to understand what things are about.
I'll love Firenze forever.
Doesn't work. No chance.
All in all I spent four months there. At first I didn't like it at all. It took me a couple of days to get accustomed, and it took me a couple of weeks to discover the hidden secrets beyond the crowded tourist attractions(at least some of them). It took me a lot of learning about art and history as well to understand what things are about.
I'll love Firenze forever.
kit
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I liked Paris, but I can definitely see why it made the list. I was visiting a friend who'd been living there for a while, so she could give me a bit of a crash course in getting around and dealing with the people, but if my sister and I had been on our own without her, we would have been completely lost. As it was we were missing London by the end of the first day and it took us a few to get our bearings properly! By the time we left, though, we could navigate the Metro on our own, order coffee/baguettes/kir in French that didn't make people run screaming, and were thoroughly addicted to pain au chocolat...we really felt like we were getting the hang of it. (Also, we got through the whole thing for about a hundred bucks each, which was nice.) But the Metro stations smell like a toilet, there are con artists targeting tourists, and it's a bit unnerving to be not supposed to look people in the eye!
Kit
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spazza
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I second Florence and London but London does have a lot to do. I don´t think so much of Barcelona either. Basically big cities in general always chew up more time than they are worth imo.
Beunos Aires tops my list of overated places.
Beunos Aires tops my list of overated places.
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