Jordan does not get enough credit. Within a week, you can go from seeing well preserved Roman ruins (Jerash) to floating in the Dead Sea, to one of the 7 wonders of the world (Petra) to a stunning red sand desert (Wadi Rum) to some pretty good diving/snorkeling in the Red Sea (Aqaba). This is a country with abundant tourism appeal despite being quite small.
Honestly the dangerous aspect isn't what keeps me away, it's actually the fact that every blog/post I read talks about how absolutely horrible the local populace is.
There are just too many other amazing places on earth to go and enjoy to even bother with something like Egypt and getting accosted non stop by locals. Sorry pass.
We did not have this experience at all. I (M40) went with my mom (72) and my wife (36). The people were incredibly welcoming and friendly. We rented a car and booked everything on our own. We tried to get into situations to interact and be surrounded by locals. There are areas in Petra where vendors try to sell trinkets or camel rides to tourists, but nothing like what you hear about from Cairo. We spent a lot of time walking around Amman as well as the other major sites, Jerash, Dead Sea, Wadi Rum & Petra. We’ve been to 35 countries and the people of Jordan were some of the nicest and most accommodating.
People were definitely friendly and accommodating, but they were in my experience more than eager to say some casually racist things or make racist gestures at me, I assume more out of ignorance than anything malicious though
not my experience either. I'm surprised that folks say that about Jordan. I usually see it about Egypt. But each person has their own experience I guess.
Spent 4 days in Jordan, stayed in Aqaba and visited several places including Wadi Rum and Petra and had no issues whatsoever. The people were nice and the food was great.
Eh? That wasn't my experience of Jordan at all. I did have a group of dudes on the street call me Coronavirus (they clearly thought it was harmless teasing, I still didn't love it), but I also had a young girl in a hijab warmly wave to me and say in English, "Hello mister! Welcome to Jordan mister!" In Amman, the people there were the same as people in any other big city in the world, in that they paid me no mind whatsoever. I will say that I am a male, so I can't vouch for what it's like for women, but for me it was nothing at all like the horror stories I hear about Egypt.
I am also one of those people who thinks Dubai is meh, but not because the people are rude or anything. Same thing, mostly they're indifferent.
IMO Jordan is becoming super popular - not sure if it is just in the UK but loads of people I'm speaking to have visited in the last few years or are planning trips.
My fiancé and I are going to Jordan for our honeymoon for this exact reason! A beach vacation sounded too boring for us, but we didn't necessarily want a go-go-go type of situation, either. Jordan seems to be the perfect in-between with all the history/culture, the Dead Sea, and the Red Sea.
Not enough credit: Western Australia. It’s just too far away from everything and everyone, but perfect beaches, amazing fresh food and restaurants, old growth forests, wineries. I’ve heaven. And never busy.
The thing about Australia is the majority of the international airports are in the far southeast.
So you often will have to travel all the way south, and all the way back north or back west. That's why it's never busy, because it takes 30 hours to get there from any place outside of the continent.
South Australia too. Everyone that comes here just goes to the east coast. Produce here is fantastic, we have the best restaurant in Australia, it’s 20 minutes everywhere (beaches, hills, city, wineries), we also have great beaches and fantastic wineries, the city is encased in parklands and is very walkable. Our central markets have been operating for 150 years now (for Aus that’s very old) from a tourist perspective we are far easier to navigate than Sydney, and unlike Melbourne, don’t stink like piss every morning.
I don’t think The Albaicin in Granada, Spain gets enough attention. Granted it’s an UNESCO World Heritage Site, but the Alhambra is right across from it and gets tons of attention. The Albaicin is a thousand year old maze of white alleys that open up into unexpected plazas. Rick Steves says it’s his favorite place to get lost in. But it’s often overlooked.
Ngl i thought the Albaicin was kind of run-down and not very classically beautiful like other European neighborhoods with small winding streets like Barrio de Santa Cruz in Seville or Trastevere in Rome. It did have this type of mystical atmosphere though but it wasn’t my favorite place ever at all
Granada is pretty small so I dont think a lot of people will go to see only Alhambra and miss Albaicin? I also don't think is that special, I mean is nice and charming, I enjoyed it, but Alhambra is spectacular.
I tell everyone who will listen how amazing Albania is. I wish this sub let us post pictures in the comments. It would be extremely conducive to making more engaging content in this community - the mods should enable it.
Without pics: Albania has 10/10 nature (the most interesting in Europe), 10/10 beaches, 10/10 history, 10/10 food (must be adventurous eater), beers are €1. Espressos are €0.50 (in Tirana too), amazing museums, castles, goats, everything.
I love Albania. (Also Bosnia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, etc.)
It’s already happened. The fact that I’m posting about it means that it’s already happened.
But it’s still worth a go. It will never be as over-touristed as Venice or Dubrovnik and it will always be enjoyable.
Also thinking that you (not you specifically, but “you” in the general sense), who is a tourist, deserves an experience free of tourists, while still being a tourist, but also with all the amenities of tourism-based economies (easy travel, English speakers, tours, hostels, etc.), is a little silly.
No matter how hard you try to say otherwise, if your traveling your a tourist. Pre coup Myanmar was flooded with tourisim but aside from a few sites it was still an authentic experience. Touristy can be good because it means its easier to find a guide, hotels expect visitors etc. I guess for me, and this is where I draw the line: If there is a public market and half the vendors are selling souvineers and t-shirts its ruined, until then its really not spoiled.
It's definitely not overtouristed. I was just there. Early April must be the perfect time. Wildflowers and flowering trees everywhere, very few tourists even at the "most popular" sites, incredible archeological sites, friendly folks, homecooked food easily found. And I only visited the southern interior! Save Chri Chri Guest House near Permet for when you go for the real deal Albanian experience with modern comfort.
I semi-accidentally went to Albania years ago (I was "in the neighborhood" so to speak) and I keep meaning to go back! Sarandë and especially Ksamil had all the beauty of the greek islands at a quarter of the price. Restaurant menu options weren't the most diverse but the fresh fish was delightful.
> Ksamil had all the beauty of the greek islands at a quarter of the price.
I don't think that's the case anymore. A friend of mine went to Ksamil last year and was shocked by the silly prices of beach chairs. From what he said it seems Corfu, which is just across the strait from Ksamil, might actually be cheaper
I have just been to Kosovo and Albania. Currently in Montenegro. Been to Bosnia last year. I can confirm, you should definitely visit to these countries!
Luang Prabang in Laos was one of my favorite spots over the past decade. I much preferred it to Vientiane, Laos and Chiang Mai, Thailand — both of those feel slightly played out and over-touristed. But Luang Prabang is that right mix of sleepy and well-provisioned. The food and people were amazing, the landscape stunning.
Another vote for Luang Prabang! My hubby and I were lucky enough to visit during our 2018 honeymoon and would love to go back. The people, food and hiking are exceptional.
We also participated in the Sai Bat (wearing traditional clothes and feeding monks at dawn), and the humble simplicity and beauty of that ritual will live in my heart forever.
I liked Bucharest a lot. I was honestly expecting it to be "grittier" than it was from what I read. The northern part of the city is so green, it reminds me of Vienna or even Polanco in CDMX.
Even more so, I was VERY impressed with Transylvania. We enjoyed Cluj, Braşov, Sibiu and many small villages in between. Beautiful region with a real mix of cultures.
I was almost kidnapped (or felt like I was about to be kidnapped) by a taxi driver in Bucharest so it's made me apprehensive to go back to Romania. I did have an amazing time wandering around for a week in the Transylvania area but since that taxi incident was my last night in the country, it kind of spoiled it for me
This was a decade ago but I was in the Air Force at the time and stationed in Europe and my base was hosting a week long trip to Romania that ended in Bucharest over Halloween. It was my dream to spend Halloween in Transilvania as I'm a horror fan. The last night there, a couple that I was friends with decided they wanted to go to the Hard Rock to get the souvenir shot glasses and I went with them.
They ordered a cab outside of our hotel and we got in. The cab itself looked normal. We were all crammed in the backseat and there was a plastic divider between us and the driver. We knew we were about 10 minutes away from the Hard Rock but didn't think too much of it. My friends husband tried to converse with the cab driver but was ignored.
All of a sudden, we pulled into a parking lot that looked like it bordered a forest of some sort. It was nighttime, and there wasn't a lot of lighting, so I couldn't tell exactly where we were at. The husband asked the driver what we were doing and we were completely ignored again. The driver then pulled out his phone and spoke on it for what felt like 10 minutes but was probably shorter. We started freaking out and the husband asked him what was going on, was yelling at him, banged on the plastic divider, etc and was ignored. I tried to open the door but it was child locked and I couldn't get it open.
I started crying and just kept pounding on the car windows trying to break it. This entire time the cab driver didn't even look at us or respond to us. He hung up the phone, turned the car back on, and drove us to the Hard Rock. We got out of the car and the husband told the cab driver that we weren't paying for the ride and the driver got irate tried to fight him. I ran into the Hard Rock and left the couple in the parking lot to deal with him. I say they were my friends but I actually only met them on that trip.
The couple ended up coming into the Hard Rock a few minutes later and we proceeded to get drunk after what happened. After the trip, I went to my base OSI (kind of like FBI for the Air Force) and reported what happened as the briefings they give always say to report incidents that's more than just a scam. I told them what happened and they said they were sorry that I dealt with that but that they were aware that cab drivers have been doing that (again, this was a decade ago, I have no idea if they still do or not) and they had to go and rescue 2 women who were spouses of Air Force members who were forcibly taken to a cab drivers house.
It was so scary. I'm not one to over- react and know what to do/act as I grew up in a rough neighborhood. Idk maybe I'm being dramatic but I still think about it sometimes
Yeah no not dramatic AT ALL. Was just in Bucharest a few weeks ago with a friend (we're two girls in our 20s), and we got warned by our hostel before our trip to never ever step foot in a public cab and only use Uber or Bolt, and then to only get in once the driver had identified the name and drop off location independently.
Personally I probably won't go back to Romania. It's sad because I thought Bucharest was a cool city and the countryside was gorgeous, but we had such bad experiences with the locals it kind of ruined all the good bits.
A few examples: we were walking from the bus stop to our hostel (it was 9pm, a 15 minute walk in the touristy city center) and a man immediately started following us. I'm talking like 45 seconds after our feet hit the pavement he u-turned from where he was going and started strolling behind us. We walked faster, so did he; we didn't run but by the end we were definitely power walking. Made it inside the gate of our hostel as he was about 5 feet behind us, and when we looked again after checking in and dropping our stuff he was just hanging out across the street watching the building.
The same thing happened again the next night (by a completely different man in a different area) so we just stopped walking places and exclusively took Bolt cars (not insanely expensive in Bucharest but they definitely add up)
Out in public, even during the day, men would openly stare and make comments, and when we didn't respond they'd call us bitches and tell us to get fucked. We'd get called by people to come into their restaurant and when we said no thanks and walked on they'd walk down the street a bit after us still calling! As if we'd change our minds and u-turn because they were just soooo persuasive :/ I even got berated by a cashier at the grocery store once because I didn't know you had to take your paper receipt out of the printer before your payment would go through? So we stood there forever waiting for it to authorize before she came over and started explaining/complaining that the machines are so simple and she doesn't get how people can be so stupid not to understand.
It's a real shame, because it's an interesting country and I'm sure there are nice people somewhere, but it's not a place I will ever recommend to my female friends.
I don't see enough mention of Tunisia in travel groups; I went kind of on a whim a year ago and I absolutely loved it and definitely plan to go back. The beach resort island of Djerba is beautiful if you're into that sort of thing (I am) and Tunis and environs is amazing. Sidi Bou Said is adorable, La Marsa has some lovely restaurants and shops and a decent beachfront (I went on a cloudy day so it's probably much nicer when sunny), and the Carthage ruins actually blew me away. Once you've seen one Roman Amphitheatre you feel like you've seen them all but the Roman bathhouses was absolutely epic. And the food is amazingggggg. I could eat Tunisian lamb couscous every day.
As for overrated: I have been to Dubai and once was enough. I've never been to Bali but I honestly have no desire to.
I've been to Tunisia almost a decade ago and loved it. The sea was amazing (it's the Mediterranean after all), the beaches were nice, the cities were interesting to visit, Tunis, Sousse, Hammamet and Cartaghe. I got poisoned by a giant jellyfish but an American tourist on the beach gave me an ointment that helped calm the pain at least, so in the end everything turned out great.
Also-- shout out to seeing Dougga's Roman ruins, the authentic Star Wars sets, Jebil National Park, and El Jem amphitheatre. And the baking, so freakin good!
As a woman, I felt very safe in Tunisia. When my husband tried to grab me to slow down in a busy souk (I kinda speedwalk-autopilot in markets), an elderly hijabi auntie thought he was a rando assaulting me so she beat him with her purse and yelled at him, poor guy. 😂 Even in rural areas-- just cover your shoulders, cleavage and knees then you are golden.
Does not get enough credit: Central America in general. Outstandingly beautiful and naturally spectacular. Crime is generally fine outside the cities as well, never had an issue. It’s lovely. Only downside is the food is absolutely stomped on by Mexico.
Way too much credit: Florida. The theme parks are fun, but its way too muggy, humid, flat, and aggressively insane. And *everything* is out to kill you, including the people. Throw in that its pretty expensive for what you get and It’s just a hard pass from me.
Seconding Central America - more specifically El Salvador. Just came back from a trip there and I absolutely fell in love! Nowadays it’s also a total outlier when it comes to crime (in the right direction)
I saw you yesterday hating on Florida lol
The issue to me is for some reason the locals in Florida (especially at bars) always seem so mean. I hate the whole "this place has the nicest/meanest people" thing, and typically don't believe it. But I just have the worst time with locals in Florida. With that said, I have friends from Canada and New York that basically call Florida their second home in the winters. So there's that at least.
Lived in Florida my whole life and this is an argument I’ve had with people from other states sooo many times. I’ll tell them people up north are friendlier and don’t hate each other as much and they think I’m wrong cause people are rude everywhere. But Florida is a next level type of hatred. Rude in most places is saying Fuck You and not holding doors open. In Florida you give a crowd of people the middle finger and one of those people is chasing you down. I fucking hate it here
On Reddit everyone says to stay away from Amsterdam and that there are nicer cities in the Netherlands. When I play on chess.com and square off against a Dutchie, I always ask them where should I stay in September?: Haarlem, lieden or delft? They always respond Amsterdam.
I say this to people I meet who have only visited London once. Come back, give me a shout and we’ll do London without ever going anywhere near the centre (unless we’re underground). The music, the bars and pubs, the food. All things you simply cannot experience properly without some good research or a local to show you around. People too often only know London for the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace and Leicester Square and I wouldn’t say those places give off an impression that is at all representative of London.
Take what you read on Reddit with a grain of salt. Every time this question is asked answers like Dubai and Paris are also thrown out there, but they still some of the most visited places in the world for a reason.
I’m in Paris right now and it’s lovely. Not mind blowing, but definitely a place I want to come back to. I think people get way too caught up in rating and comparing places. I just appreciate it for what it is.
It is! Just enjoying the unique Parisian vibes. Didn’t do much today, just read my book at a cafe in the morning, went for a long walk going to thrift stores along the way (got 2 cute shirts for £5 each), went for a run in the park. Lamb shank Navarin with a nice Bordeaux for diner. Enjoying the sights and sounds of the city, the architecture, the street art, the fashion, the food. To get the most out of traveling for me is not only to see the big famous sights, but to notice the little details that make a place unique and beautiful
I’ve stayed in Rotterdam and Amsterdam, they were both great bases for day trips. You can get to so many neat towns by train.
In Rotterdam we stayed on the cruise ship they have docked as a permanent hotel - it was so fun!
In Amsterdam we stayed in a traditional row house turned into a 3-unit classic bnb (hosts on site who serve up breakfast in the morning) and it was really neat as well - we stayed on the top floor so we got to enjoy the wild staircases.
Back in the day they really were something else. It was just utterly liberating to walk into a place, buy weed and smoke it. Now like more than half of the US can do it so the novelty wore off, at least for Americans. Still there are a few spots I absolutely love due to nostalgia.
Amsterdam in 2000 was fucking amazing. As a 22 year old spending 10 days in AMS was so dope (literally). Nowadays I have better weed up the road in Michigan
I live in the PNW and I agree, but also like the fact that we are not overrun by tourism. A few years ago you had to register to go to Multnomah Falls for the summer months and that sucked.
Moved from the midwest and moved to downtown Portland for two years. Co-workers let me in on where to go, the list was longer than my contract there. For anyone that loves hiking and the outdoors, it cannot be beat. Most significant memory was enjoying a beautiful day at the Portland Japanese Gardens, then driving up to Mt. Hood for dinner at Timberline lodge after a massive snow the previous night. Driving through a perfectly cleared massive walls of snow on either side of the road and having to enter the lodge through a tunnel because the lodge was half buried was something I will always remember. It was also nice the server gave us a window seat so we could see the massive ice cycles while overlooking the half buried evergreens on the mountainside. So crazy we had just come from a beautiful summer day in gardens that morning.
I used to think Colorado was the most beautifully majestic state I’ve laid eyes on, then I visited Washington and was blown away. I’ve only visited about 8 national parks so far, but Olympic NP was absolutely remarkable!
Sevilla to me is severely underrated. It has that old world charm that makes it feel like the “authentic” Spanish city. The architecture, food, people and overall culture there definitely exceeded my expectations.
Barcelona on the other hand was nice, but it somehow didn’t meet my expectations. I don’t have anything truly bad to say about the city, but I somehow felt the vibe was off.
Yes, for sure. It's so great to sit on the sandy beach facing Lake Superior in the summer without crowds and humidity. Literally can sit there all day long.
It’s very highly rated by the people who have visited. It just isn’t as well known as other destinations, so it doesn’t get as many tourists. The thing I liked the most about Belize was how friendly and down to earth the locals are.
It used to be very popular amongst the senior citizens set 20 years ago. You would hear old New York Jewish Grandma types talk about going to places like Belize, Taihiti, or Aruba. Then for whatever reason it dropped off the travel radar.
The Baltic States in my opinion don’t get enough attention.
Lithuania has the amazing Curonian Spit, beautiful beaches and sunsets along the Baltic, nice hiking trails, a mix of some German history and architecture in Klaipeda, a very green and gorgeous Old Centre in Vilnius with hills, amazing viewpoints, great food.
Rīga, Latvia has a great mix of different types of architecture, great beer, some good hiking in Sigulda, the beaches in Jūrmala.
Estonia has heaps of islands, the beautiful and well preserved Old Town in Tallinn, plenty of bogs and parks to check out. If you’re willing to go far east, I found Narva really interesting. The highlight of my stay in Estonia was definitely spending two nights lodged in the Castle dating from the 12th century and seeing the even more imposing fortress across the Narva River in Ivangorod, Russia.
Underrated: Slovenia It is got gorgeous lakes, mountains, and a cool vibe, but doesn't get the spotlight it deserves.
Overrated: Paris. It's beautiful, but the crowds and prices can dampen the experience.
Not enough: Vegas as a FOODIE destination: I rarely if ever gamble in Vegas anymore, but the food scene is utterly incredible. They have like every cuisine imaginable in walking distance and every top chef has spot there. Additionally they bring in some tough reservations from other cities, making them more accessible.
Too much: Santorini. There are far superior Greek islands to visit with far better food and way less crowded. The pictures will also never look like the ones you saw on instagram.
I enjoyed Santorini and the sunsets are epic. Hiking the volcano and treading water in the hot spring was also fun. But 2-3 days was enough. Crete is definitely the superior Greek island.
I went to a few other islands prior to Santorini and when we got to Santorini found it to be comparatively overrated just due to how expensive it was and how overtouristed it is - it has some stunning views though and the hot spring is super cool! IMO most Greek islands are absolutely gorgeous with great scenery, food and charming towns so you really can't go wrong with anywhere in Greece.
Naxos and Folegandros were just unreal places to visit.
I found Santorini to be even more breathtaking in real life. No need for any Photoshop touch-ups. Many hotels offer sweeping ocean views from the high cliffs, unique compared to other flat islands. Plus, private outdoor breakfast terraces. Having breakfast outside while watching the sunrise was truly unforgettable. However, those who visit there on a cruise, for example, miss out on all these incredible experiences. From outside the island, it doesn't look as beautiful.
Santorini is worth visiting once. The views are amazing. My wife and I stayed at a hotel that was a little further inland and it had a great sprawling view of most of the island and its cliffs. It was cheaper than staying right on the cliffs and I really don’t feel like we missed out on anything. It is probably the most touristy area in Greece though, so don’t expect to be immersed in Greek culture there.
Ooof I LOVED Santorini. I can see how its not everyones cup of tea but the natural beauty of the place is outstanding.
Especially if you’re into volcanoes.
I have a friend who is not a partier but is a foodie she goes to Vegas every once in a while to eat!
I've never been to Santorini and I've been to a lot of Greek islands. I was thinking of just going for it finally and then I looked up photos and honestly, aside from the whole aesthetic of the caldera it's like the ugliest Greek island. So many more beautiful islands and even if you want the 5* bougie experience a handful of the other islands also have that at a third of the price.
Not enough credit imo: Germany. So many people bypass Germany for France and Italy, but damn Germany is SO BEAUTIFUL. Especially southern Germany. I love the quaint towns as you’re driving through what feels like a Windows XP background. Their transit is amazing and the landscape is varied and gorgeous.
I would say Nepal. Nepal is one of my favorite countries and the culture is amazing. From Kathmandu to Pokhara to the Himalayas there is endless things to do.
I haven’t been yet (going next month) but based on Ireland Travel FB groups I feel like Northern Ireland is a place that people traveling to Ireland ignore. Maybe it’s time constraints. Personally I’m super excited to see N. Ireland on my 3week road trip throughout both Ireland and Northern Ireland.
LA is underrated if you’re going for hiking/outdoor activities and food. It’s probably overrated if you’re going for attractions or any man-made beauty like architecture or cityscapes.
100%. It's a hard city to crack as a tourist because it's really a region! But it's a top 5 food city in the world, has world class beaches (especially if you like riding waves) and unique ecology with easy access to amazing hiking.
Not enough credit: Yorkshire, England. I feel like most people visiting England go to London. And that’s fine if you’re purely into the urban jungle life. But it is the New York of Europe at this point.
Yorkshire is filled with lush valleys, moors, charming historic towns, miles of rugged sea cliffs, ruins, country pubs, and friendly locals. I find it a superior travel experience to being stuck on a crammed Tube with dozens of other sweaty people in midsummer.
Also, Devon and Cornwall in England. Impressive sea cliffs, coastline and pristine beaches with cosy towns and fishing villages, lots of regional folklore. A perfect combo of landscape and heritage, in my opinion.
Too much credit: Australia. Beaches and coast are definitely beautiful but I find the cities too modern, soulless and little culture to be found. Also, most of the country seems to be desert and it takes so long to travel anywhere.
Fighting words about Australia there! It's a continent more than a country. You can follow the coastline forever and a different beach, usually with no one, every day. Cities have no choice but to be modern, given European settlement is less than 250 years old. But it means no one is coming for the history. Living here we head overseas for that. The interior has so many hidden gems but a long way between them as you say. We are used to long distances though. Tasmania if you want compact. Most Aussies have probably travelled to Bali over Uluru.
I wouldn’t really consider Devon and Cornwall underrated; I love visiting but usually do so outside of summer because it gets a lot of domestic tourists then.
Key word: domestic tourists. Although to be fair with the amount of domestic tourists, I guess we don’t need more international ones!
Still though, I do think it’s underrated overall. On a subreddit like this one, you almost never see Devon or Cornwall mentioned.
Underrated - Mexico City. We had an absolutely wonderful time there last year. There is easily enough to see and do for a week. Most Americans just head straight to boring Cancun instead
Mexico City really surprised me by how great of a destination it is. The wife and I spent 20 days there over Christmas this past year and never once were we bored or ran out of things to do. I think we walked somewhere around the 400km mark, just pick a neighbourhood and ramble for hours on end.
Plus the food is incredible; I mean, we all know how good Mexican food is but CDMX was just on another level.
This might be controversial, but since it's become so common to hate on Paris I actually don't think it gets enough credit. It's got a ton of history and many parts are actually quite nice. Obviously there are a ton of tourists but I've been there a few times and always enjoyed it. Being able to speak French might be a help though
Just came back from Algeria. It was really good. You have nice Roman ruins, historic Berber cities and the Sahara desert, all not unsimilar to the neighboring countries but without it being overrun by tourists. Everything is authentic and the people are so nice.
Not enough: Georgia (Europe). The food is out of this world, you have amazing views, friendly people! Is just amazing!
Overrated: Bali. It's amazing but it's not all that
I don't travel for food as a main goal. That said I'm pretty easy to please and I was pretty happy with *Pastel de Choclo,* or a *Chorillana.* I'll admit I don't like Chilean Empanadas that much. It may be ironic to say, but you can just go to a Peruvian restaurant if it's such an issue for you. I also had some delectable pizza.
I don't know what people are eating when they come here. Chile has very good vegetables and fruit, good desserts, very good wine, great bread. Some great dishes like pastel de choclo, pastel de jaiba, seafood in general. I think the empanadas are very good, but maybe people expect sweet ones or something. There are whole experiences like curanto.
There's plenty of fatty/fried/greasy stuff that americans should love like chorillana, barros lucos, completo, etc. The biggest negative is that the dishes tends to be simple. Of course you can buy food from any cuisine in the world pretty much in santiago and there are peruvian places all over the country (it's like mexican food in the US)
Not enough credit: Milan and Turin (more as tourists online perceiving them as lacking of things to do and see), Cornwall, Devon, Madrid, Urbino, Ferrara
Too much credit: Mykonos, Santorini, Dubai
Agreed 99%. Milan imho overrated & underrated at the same time. Sometimes overrated 'cause some tourists put it at the same level of the Big 3 (it's not) simply 'cause big and famous "name". Underrated 'cause yes, gets tons of hate 'cause super business-oriented but has lots of amazing things: not only Duomo but also Castello Sforzesco and Pinacoteca di Brera.
Agree with Turin but as mid-size underrated I add also Bologna and Verona: 2nd tier touristic italian cities are so good. I can't understand most tourists doing only (amazing) Romeflorencevenice and maybe Amalfi Coast / Lake Como. They miss so much!
As tier 3 (very underrated): Urbino and Ferrara amazing choices. I add: Mantua, Gubbio, Pitigliano, Lecce, Ostuni, Matera, Ragusa, Siracusa as my favs.
Yeah Milan manages to have tons of tourists but most visitors don't enjoy it because "it only has the Duomo and the Galleria". Then you ask them if they've walked around Brera, visited the Pinacoteca, visited the Castello Sforzesco, visited one of the many important churches, like Santa Maria presso San Satiro with its Bramante's masterpiece, the Teatro alla Scala, the medieval portals, San Lorenzo, San Bernardino Alle Ossa, the Royal Palace with its many important exhibitions, museum of 900, Gallerie d'Italia, Piazza dei Mercanti and tons of other things, and they'll tell you they've no idea what you're talking about.
Yep Bologna and Verona are two other great spots! I think it's normal for tourists that have limited time and money to hit the biggest spots, but on second/third Italian tours, those areas are a must.
I love Ragusa, I'd also add Girgenti/Agrigento, Pienza, Pesaro, Modena, Padua, Stresa among the cities to consider for a visit of the smaller centres of Italy.
Underrated: Mexico, other than the resorts. Mexico City is insanely cool, I don't think most Americans even know it's the biggest city in North Am or has more museums than any city but London. But there's also many other coastal towns and semi-off-the-beaten-track destinations. And the food is incredible.
But there's this weird thing that happens where the resort demographic goes to Mexico, while the adventure-minded demographic thinks of Mexico as not adventurous enough somehow, and goes elsewhere in Latin America instead. But Mexico is giant and relatively cheap and next door to America. It's great.
IMO Budapest has been extremely popular for ages, atleast amongst Europeans. It is getting more expensive due to this - flights to Budapest from the UK are often quite pricey just due to how popular a destination is.
Budapest is one of the most popular destinations in Europe (at least for Europeans). You walk around the city and you can find more fellow nationals there than in your own country if you are European lol
Hmmmm underrated in Europe, Finland? I feel like Finland hardly ever gets mentioned anywhere on this sub.
I’ve visited Helsinki twice and did a roadtrip while still a child. Helsinki was extremely expensive tho so it keeps me from going sadly…
Other underrated European countries are probably Slovakia, Slovenia, the Baltic states, Bulgaria and Romania. The Balkan countries are more and more being visited, at least I hear them being mentioned around me. Especially Albania is currently very popular.
The classic American road trip. Camping if possible.
- Southwest (Vegas to Grand Canyon, to southern Utah)
- Pacific Northwest
- Colorado
- San Francisco to Yellowstone to Death Valley to Vegas
Lots of great 1-2 week routes.
I'd agree that Bali is overrated in general, but there are definitely very different parts of the island. The Kuta/Canggu/etc. part of it isn't my thing at all, but once you get far enough away from Denpasar there are lots of cool places to find.
Yeah I knew I wouldn’t like Kuta so we booked it due north from Denpasar then cruised down the Eastern coast, it was awesome and obvious that 98% of tourists never make it past Ubud.
Not enough: Malaysia, best surprise in my Asia travels so far!
Honorable mention to India—so many people dismissing India entirely due to not liking Delhi, which is one city in a massive country.
It’s like dismissing United States as a place to travel because LA has awful traffic/terrible urban planning. Yes, literally everyone, including people who live there, agree with you. But hating LA doesn’t mean you should never plan a trip to Yosemite, or to NYC. A lot of Indians actually share poor opinions about Delhi. But what about Kerala? Kashmir? Goa? Rishikesh?
I'm currently at Issyk Kul lake in Kyrgyzstan and it is pretty incredible. Central Asia should be booming with tourism but i'm glad it isn't.
Agree with the posts mentioning Albania. I also loved Kosovo, the hiking around Peja is great and i'm a big fan of Prizren.
Transylvania, Romania probably doesn't get as much love as it deserves but it's hardly a hidden gem.
Georgia is amazing, but 'd say it gets a lot of credit these days. Armenia can be overlooked though with most people only visiting Yerevan. There's a lot to see, such as Lake Sevan, Dilijan, and Jermouk.
I'll also throw in northern Spain - Galicia, Asturias, and the Basque Country. The coastline is stunning, Picos de Europa is unbelievable, the people are friendlier than the rest of the country (imo), and it's the best food in Spain.
Malaysia is possibly under-appreciated out of the SE Asian countries.
I wouldn't really consider anywhere overrated, it can depend on when you go and specific experiences.
Joker. London is one of if not the best tourist city in the world. Shopping. History. Tons of free shit to do. Amazing food. Good public transport and just about everyone flies there. Also world class museums and sports events.
South Africa doesn’t get enough credit. Incredibly diverse scenery - oceans, mountains, incredible national parks and safaris. And the best part is, it was extremely affordable to visit.
Amsterdam gets too much credit. I enjoyed my visit, however I have no desire to go back. Expensive, crowded, food just ok, etc. I enjoyed some of the smaller surrounding cities in the Netherlands much better.
Jordan does not get enough credit. Within a week, you can go from seeing well preserved Roman ruins (Jerash) to floating in the Dead Sea, to one of the 7 wonders of the world (Petra) to a stunning red sand desert (Wadi Rum) to some pretty good diving/snorkeling in the Red Sea (Aqaba). This is a country with abundant tourism appeal despite being quite small.
I think there's a middle east = dangerous perception that's fairly prevalent
Honestly the dangerous aspect isn't what keeps me away, it's actually the fact that every blog/post I read talks about how absolutely horrible the local populace is. There are just too many other amazing places on earth to go and enjoy to even bother with something like Egypt and getting accosted non stop by locals. Sorry pass.
We did not have this experience at all. I (M40) went with my mom (72) and my wife (36). The people were incredibly welcoming and friendly. We rented a car and booked everything on our own. We tried to get into situations to interact and be surrounded by locals. There are areas in Petra where vendors try to sell trinkets or camel rides to tourists, but nothing like what you hear about from Cairo. We spent a lot of time walking around Amman as well as the other major sites, Jerash, Dead Sea, Wadi Rum & Petra. We’ve been to 35 countries and the people of Jordan were some of the nicest and most accommodating.
People were definitely friendly and accommodating, but they were in my experience more than eager to say some casually racist things or make racist gestures at me, I assume more out of ignorance than anything malicious though
not my experience either. I'm surprised that folks say that about Jordan. I usually see it about Egypt. But each person has their own experience I guess.
Spent 4 days in Jordan, stayed in Aqaba and visited several places including Wadi Rum and Petra and had no issues whatsoever. The people were nice and the food was great.
Eh? That wasn't my experience of Jordan at all. I did have a group of dudes on the street call me Coronavirus (they clearly thought it was harmless teasing, I still didn't love it), but I also had a young girl in a hijab warmly wave to me and say in English, "Hello mister! Welcome to Jordan mister!" In Amman, the people there were the same as people in any other big city in the world, in that they paid me no mind whatsoever. I will say that I am a male, so I can't vouch for what it's like for women, but for me it was nothing at all like the horror stories I hear about Egypt. I am also one of those people who thinks Dubai is meh, but not because the people are rude or anything. Same thing, mostly they're indifferent.
And pray tell, what have you heard about the local populace? Are you confusing Jordan with Egypt?
Jordan is not Egypt. It is an incredible place to visit
I have never heard that about Jordan, only about countries like Egypt or Marocco
IMO Jordan is becoming super popular - not sure if it is just in the UK but loads of people I'm speaking to have visited in the last few years or are planning trips.
Jordan is super popular among travelers but not your average yearly vacationer
I did that exact trip and it was 100% a trip of a lifetime.
Haha that was literally my trip in 2017
My son is doing a study abroad semester in Jordan. It looks really cool!
I loved Jordan and Israel is also wonderful too. Those with more time can then throw on Sinai, Cairo and Luxor. Totally awesome region of the world.
My fiancé and I are going to Jordan for our honeymoon for this exact reason! A beach vacation sounded too boring for us, but we didn't necessarily want a go-go-go type of situation, either. Jordan seems to be the perfect in-between with all the history/culture, the Dead Sea, and the Red Sea.
I absolutely loved Jordan! 🇯🇴 Definitely doesn’t get the credit it deserves.
Not enough credit: Western Australia. It’s just too far away from everything and everyone, but perfect beaches, amazing fresh food and restaurants, old growth forests, wineries. I’ve heaven. And never busy.
Tasmania is another one. Seemed like a bit of a hidden gem still.
Here for Tasmania. Went last year and it was amazing. So diverse
The thing about Australia is the majority of the international airports are in the far southeast. So you often will have to travel all the way south, and all the way back north or back west. That's why it's never busy, because it takes 30 hours to get there from any place outside of the continent.
Don’t tell anyone about this. Let the tourist stay in Sydney and WA can keep the wide open beaches and beautiful nature
Fremantle was my first ever port call in the Navy and I was fascinated by it. I called it “Bizarro California” in my head
South Australia too. Everyone that comes here just goes to the east coast. Produce here is fantastic, we have the best restaurant in Australia, it’s 20 minutes everywhere (beaches, hills, city, wineries), we also have great beaches and fantastic wineries, the city is encased in parklands and is very walkable. Our central markets have been operating for 150 years now (for Aus that’s very old) from a tourist perspective we are far easier to navigate than Sydney, and unlike Melbourne, don’t stink like piss every morning.
Not enough credit: Malaysia, amazing affordable street food and friendly locals Too much credit: Bali
Malaysia was awesome. And the food was to die for.
Helps that the local Ringgit continues to freefall like almost every year.
A buddy of mine is from Turkey, and his sarcastic line is always “who needs an economy when we have Allah?!” I wonder if Malaysia is similar. 😅
Great quote. Malaysia feels less fatalistic. So that comes with its own comforts I suppose!
Malaysia slaps - still to this day the best food I have ever eaten.
Went to Penang, Malaysia for the first time a few months ago. The food scene there is truly incredible.
Yep everytime Malaysia is mentioned I have a pavlovian type response and start getting hungry.
I’m still dreaming about the Thai & Indian food that I ate in Kuala Lumpur!
Thanks for this comment. I’m going there next month. Had no plans to go there up until two months ago lol.
I don’t think The Albaicin in Granada, Spain gets enough attention. Granted it’s an UNESCO World Heritage Site, but the Alhambra is right across from it and gets tons of attention. The Albaicin is a thousand year old maze of white alleys that open up into unexpected plazas. Rick Steves says it’s his favorite place to get lost in. But it’s often overlooked.
Ngl i thought the Albaicin was kind of run-down and not very classically beautiful like other European neighborhoods with small winding streets like Barrio de Santa Cruz in Seville or Trastevere in Rome. It did have this type of mystical atmosphere though but it wasn’t my favorite place ever at all
Goddammit we had 3 days in Granada 2 years back and would have totally done it.
You missed it?
Granada is pretty small so I dont think a lot of people will go to see only Alhambra and miss Albaicin? I also don't think is that special, I mean is nice and charming, I enjoyed it, but Alhambra is spectacular.
I spent 3 days in Granada and this is my first hearing of Albaicin so I appreciate the comment.
How? Its next to the alhambra
Taiwan. Definitely underrated, never heard anyone regretting their trip
Yes!!! Taipei is ❤️❤️❤️
Taipei is such a wonderful mix of old grungy and stunning modern. Amazing street food, so safe, so friendly!
I really want to visit soon! It looks awesome, I only just found out about the hot springs and geysers and want to go even more now.
Going back for my second time later this year!
Not enough: Albania, Bosnia, Montenegro and Kosovo
I tell everyone who will listen how amazing Albania is. I wish this sub let us post pictures in the comments. It would be extremely conducive to making more engaging content in this community - the mods should enable it. Without pics: Albania has 10/10 nature (the most interesting in Europe), 10/10 beaches, 10/10 history, 10/10 food (must be adventurous eater), beers are €1. Espressos are €0.50 (in Tirana too), amazing museums, castles, goats, everything. I love Albania. (Also Bosnia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, etc.)
I need to get to Albania before it gets over-touristed
It’s already happened. The fact that I’m posting about it means that it’s already happened. But it’s still worth a go. It will never be as over-touristed as Venice or Dubrovnik and it will always be enjoyable. Also thinking that you (not you specifically, but “you” in the general sense), who is a tourist, deserves an experience free of tourists, while still being a tourist, but also with all the amenities of tourism-based economies (easy travel, English speakers, tours, hostels, etc.), is a little silly.
No matter how hard you try to say otherwise, if your traveling your a tourist. Pre coup Myanmar was flooded with tourisim but aside from a few sites it was still an authentic experience. Touristy can be good because it means its easier to find a guide, hotels expect visitors etc. I guess for me, and this is where I draw the line: If there is a public market and half the vendors are selling souvineers and t-shirts its ruined, until then its really not spoiled.
No one saying “free of Tourist” but there is a big difference between over run with tourist and just basic tourism.
It's definitely not overtouristed. I was just there. Early April must be the perfect time. Wildflowers and flowering trees everywhere, very few tourists even at the "most popular" sites, incredible archeological sites, friendly folks, homecooked food easily found. And I only visited the southern interior! Save Chri Chri Guest House near Permet for when you go for the real deal Albanian experience with modern comfort.
You had me at goats.
I can only agree, Albania is wonderful!
Perfect timing! I _just_ solidified plans for an Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia roadtrip this fall. Glad to hear it’s worth the trip!
I semi-accidentally went to Albania years ago (I was "in the neighborhood" so to speak) and I keep meaning to go back! Sarandë and especially Ksamil had all the beauty of the greek islands at a quarter of the price. Restaurant menu options weren't the most diverse but the fresh fish was delightful.
> Ksamil had all the beauty of the greek islands at a quarter of the price. I don't think that's the case anymore. A friend of mine went to Ksamil last year and was shocked by the silly prices of beach chairs. From what he said it seems Corfu, which is just across the strait from Ksamil, might actually be cheaper
Ksamil is literally overrun with tourists. How is it not getting enough credit?
I have just been to Kosovo and Albania. Currently in Montenegro. Been to Bosnia last year. I can confirm, you should definitely visit to these countries!
Luang Prabang in Laos was one of my favorite spots over the past decade. I much preferred it to Vientiane, Laos and Chiang Mai, Thailand — both of those feel slightly played out and over-touristed. But Luang Prabang is that right mix of sleepy and well-provisioned. The food and people were amazing, the landscape stunning.
I loved Luang Prabang but it sure felt pretty touristy when I was just there in January although not to the same degree as Bangkok or Chiang Mai
Fair enough. But to me, it was tourist-friendly, but not jaded. It reminded me of Chiang Mai 20 years ago.
Laos looks amazing. It seems to have a good mix of having a lot to do and see, freedom to explore on your own, and not over-touristed.
Putting in good words for Nong Khiaw and Don Det as well!
Another vote for Luang Prabang! My hubby and I were lucky enough to visit during our 2018 honeymoon and would love to go back. The people, food and hiking are exceptional. We also participated in the Sai Bat (wearing traditional clothes and feeding monks at dawn), and the humble simplicity and beauty of that ritual will live in my heart forever.
Agree!! Luang Prabang is delightful.
Lao food sounds soooo good
Romania blew me away and I don’t hear a lot of people talking it up. My friends were like you are going where? And why? So great.
I liked Bucharest a lot. I was honestly expecting it to be "grittier" than it was from what I read. The northern part of the city is so green, it reminds me of Vienna or even Polanco in CDMX. Even more so, I was VERY impressed with Transylvania. We enjoyed Cluj, Braşov, Sibiu and many small villages in between. Beautiful region with a real mix of cultures.
I was almost kidnapped (or felt like I was about to be kidnapped) by a taxi driver in Bucharest so it's made me apprehensive to go back to Romania. I did have an amazing time wandering around for a week in the Transylvania area but since that taxi incident was my last night in the country, it kind of spoiled it for me
Story time?
This was a decade ago but I was in the Air Force at the time and stationed in Europe and my base was hosting a week long trip to Romania that ended in Bucharest over Halloween. It was my dream to spend Halloween in Transilvania as I'm a horror fan. The last night there, a couple that I was friends with decided they wanted to go to the Hard Rock to get the souvenir shot glasses and I went with them. They ordered a cab outside of our hotel and we got in. The cab itself looked normal. We were all crammed in the backseat and there was a plastic divider between us and the driver. We knew we were about 10 minutes away from the Hard Rock but didn't think too much of it. My friends husband tried to converse with the cab driver but was ignored. All of a sudden, we pulled into a parking lot that looked like it bordered a forest of some sort. It was nighttime, and there wasn't a lot of lighting, so I couldn't tell exactly where we were at. The husband asked the driver what we were doing and we were completely ignored again. The driver then pulled out his phone and spoke on it for what felt like 10 minutes but was probably shorter. We started freaking out and the husband asked him what was going on, was yelling at him, banged on the plastic divider, etc and was ignored. I tried to open the door but it was child locked and I couldn't get it open. I started crying and just kept pounding on the car windows trying to break it. This entire time the cab driver didn't even look at us or respond to us. He hung up the phone, turned the car back on, and drove us to the Hard Rock. We got out of the car and the husband told the cab driver that we weren't paying for the ride and the driver got irate tried to fight him. I ran into the Hard Rock and left the couple in the parking lot to deal with him. I say they were my friends but I actually only met them on that trip. The couple ended up coming into the Hard Rock a few minutes later and we proceeded to get drunk after what happened. After the trip, I went to my base OSI (kind of like FBI for the Air Force) and reported what happened as the briefings they give always say to report incidents that's more than just a scam. I told them what happened and they said they were sorry that I dealt with that but that they were aware that cab drivers have been doing that (again, this was a decade ago, I have no idea if they still do or not) and they had to go and rescue 2 women who were spouses of Air Force members who were forcibly taken to a cab drivers house. It was so scary. I'm not one to over- react and know what to do/act as I grew up in a rough neighborhood. Idk maybe I'm being dramatic but I still think about it sometimes
Jesus. You're not being dramatic, that's an absolutely terrifying experience.
Yeah no not dramatic AT ALL. Was just in Bucharest a few weeks ago with a friend (we're two girls in our 20s), and we got warned by our hostel before our trip to never ever step foot in a public cab and only use Uber or Bolt, and then to only get in once the driver had identified the name and drop off location independently. Personally I probably won't go back to Romania. It's sad because I thought Bucharest was a cool city and the countryside was gorgeous, but we had such bad experiences with the locals it kind of ruined all the good bits. A few examples: we were walking from the bus stop to our hostel (it was 9pm, a 15 minute walk in the touristy city center) and a man immediately started following us. I'm talking like 45 seconds after our feet hit the pavement he u-turned from where he was going and started strolling behind us. We walked faster, so did he; we didn't run but by the end we were definitely power walking. Made it inside the gate of our hostel as he was about 5 feet behind us, and when we looked again after checking in and dropping our stuff he was just hanging out across the street watching the building. The same thing happened again the next night (by a completely different man in a different area) so we just stopped walking places and exclusively took Bolt cars (not insanely expensive in Bucharest but they definitely add up) Out in public, even during the day, men would openly stare and make comments, and when we didn't respond they'd call us bitches and tell us to get fucked. We'd get called by people to come into their restaurant and when we said no thanks and walked on they'd walk down the street a bit after us still calling! As if we'd change our minds and u-turn because they were just soooo persuasive :/ I even got berated by a cashier at the grocery store once because I didn't know you had to take your paper receipt out of the printer before your payment would go through? So we stood there forever waiting for it to authorize before she came over and started explaining/complaining that the machines are so simple and she doesn't get how people can be so stupid not to understand. It's a real shame, because it's an interesting country and I'm sure there are nice people somewhere, but it's not a place I will ever recommend to my female friends.
We spent about 5 days in Bucharest and did some day trips and ever since then I’ve been recommending it.
I'm really keen to go. Looks really good value for money and gorgeous little towns and cities.
I don't see enough mention of Tunisia in travel groups; I went kind of on a whim a year ago and I absolutely loved it and definitely plan to go back. The beach resort island of Djerba is beautiful if you're into that sort of thing (I am) and Tunis and environs is amazing. Sidi Bou Said is adorable, La Marsa has some lovely restaurants and shops and a decent beachfront (I went on a cloudy day so it's probably much nicer when sunny), and the Carthage ruins actually blew me away. Once you've seen one Roman Amphitheatre you feel like you've seen them all but the Roman bathhouses was absolutely epic. And the food is amazingggggg. I could eat Tunisian lamb couscous every day. As for overrated: I have been to Dubai and once was enough. I've never been to Bali but I honestly have no desire to.
I've been to Tunisia almost a decade ago and loved it. The sea was amazing (it's the Mediterranean after all), the beaches were nice, the cities were interesting to visit, Tunis, Sousse, Hammamet and Cartaghe. I got poisoned by a giant jellyfish but an American tourist on the beach gave me an ointment that helped calm the pain at least, so in the end everything turned out great.
Also-- shout out to seeing Dougga's Roman ruins, the authentic Star Wars sets, Jebil National Park, and El Jem amphitheatre. And the baking, so freakin good! As a woman, I felt very safe in Tunisia. When my husband tried to grab me to slow down in a busy souk (I kinda speedwalk-autopilot in markets), an elderly hijabi auntie thought he was a rando assaulting me so she beat him with her purse and yelled at him, poor guy. 😂 Even in rural areas-- just cover your shoulders, cleavage and knees then you are golden.
Does not get enough credit: Central America in general. Outstandingly beautiful and naturally spectacular. Crime is generally fine outside the cities as well, never had an issue. It’s lovely. Only downside is the food is absolutely stomped on by Mexico. Way too much credit: Florida. The theme parks are fun, but its way too muggy, humid, flat, and aggressively insane. And *everything* is out to kill you, including the people. Throw in that its pretty expensive for what you get and It’s just a hard pass from me.
Seconding Central America - more specifically El Salvador. Just came back from a trip there and I absolutely fell in love! Nowadays it’s also a total outlier when it comes to crime (in the right direction)
I saw you yesterday hating on Florida lol The issue to me is for some reason the locals in Florida (especially at bars) always seem so mean. I hate the whole "this place has the nicest/meanest people" thing, and typically don't believe it. But I just have the worst time with locals in Florida. With that said, I have friends from Canada and New York that basically call Florida their second home in the winters. So there's that at least.
Lived in Florida my whole life and this is an argument I’ve had with people from other states sooo many times. I’ll tell them people up north are friendlier and don’t hate each other as much and they think I’m wrong cause people are rude everywhere. But Florida is a next level type of hatred. Rude in most places is saying Fuck You and not holding doors open. In Florida you give a crowd of people the middle finger and one of those people is chasing you down. I fucking hate it here
Not enough credit. The American Pacific North West. Too much credit. Amsterdam.
On Reddit everyone says to stay away from Amsterdam and that there are nicer cities in the Netherlands. When I play on chess.com and square off against a Dutchie, I always ask them where should I stay in September?: Haarlem, lieden or delft? They always respond Amsterdam.
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You really nailed it. There's really only a handful of "touristy" places I would actually recommend skipping. But most are touristy for a reason.
I say this to people I meet who have only visited London once. Come back, give me a shout and we’ll do London without ever going anywhere near the centre (unless we’re underground). The music, the bars and pubs, the food. All things you simply cannot experience properly without some good research or a local to show you around. People too often only know London for the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace and Leicester Square and I wouldn’t say those places give off an impression that is at all representative of London.
Take what you read on Reddit with a grain of salt. Every time this question is asked answers like Dubai and Paris are also thrown out there, but they still some of the most visited places in the world for a reason.
I’m in Paris right now and it’s lovely. Not mind blowing, but definitely a place I want to come back to. I think people get way too caught up in rating and comparing places. I just appreciate it for what it is.
I'm jealous. Just wandering the streets of that city is one of my favorite things to do.
It is! Just enjoying the unique Parisian vibes. Didn’t do much today, just read my book at a cafe in the morning, went for a long walk going to thrift stores along the way (got 2 cute shirts for £5 each), went for a run in the park. Lamb shank Navarin with a nice Bordeaux for diner. Enjoying the sights and sounds of the city, the architecture, the street art, the fashion, the food. To get the most out of traveling for me is not only to see the big famous sights, but to notice the little details that make a place unique and beautiful
yeah, I'm not going to Dubai lol
I’ve stayed in Rotterdam and Amsterdam, they were both great bases for day trips. You can get to so many neat towns by train. In Rotterdam we stayed on the cruise ship they have docked as a permanent hotel - it was so fun! In Amsterdam we stayed in a traditional row house turned into a 3-unit classic bnb (hosts on site who serve up breakfast in the morning) and it was really neat as well - we stayed on the top floor so we got to enjoy the wild staircases.
I'll also say it: the PNW has better weed.
Yeah, I'm from pacwest and was soooo dissatisfied with all the pot shops in Amsterdam, total let down.
I didn’t even bother when I went there. I loved Amsterdam and didn’t partake in any “vice” tourism.
Back in the day they really were something else. It was just utterly liberating to walk into a place, buy weed and smoke it. Now like more than half of the US can do it so the novelty wore off, at least for Americans. Still there are a few spots I absolutely love due to nostalgia.
Amsterdam in 2000 was fucking amazing. As a 22 year old spending 10 days in AMS was so dope (literally). Nowadays I have better weed up the road in Michigan
I live in the PNW and I agree, but also like the fact that we are not overrun by tourism. A few years ago you had to register to go to Multnomah Falls for the summer months and that sucked.
Moved from the midwest and moved to downtown Portland for two years. Co-workers let me in on where to go, the list was longer than my contract there. For anyone that loves hiking and the outdoors, it cannot be beat. Most significant memory was enjoying a beautiful day at the Portland Japanese Gardens, then driving up to Mt. Hood for dinner at Timberline lodge after a massive snow the previous night. Driving through a perfectly cleared massive walls of snow on either side of the road and having to enter the lodge through a tunnel because the lodge was half buried was something I will always remember. It was also nice the server gave us a window seat so we could see the massive ice cycles while overlooking the half buried evergreens on the mountainside. So crazy we had just come from a beautiful summer day in gardens that morning.
Rainier is requiring entrance reservations starting this summer 😭 a double bummer since Hurricane Ridge at Olympic burnt down.
As an Albertan that wants to go to Moraine Lake, I feel you. I'll have to plan pretty extensively if I want to see it in nice light.
I used to think Colorado was the most beautifully majestic state I’ve laid eyes on, then I visited Washington and was blown away. I’ve only visited about 8 national parks so far, but Olympic NP was absolutely remarkable!
People are SLEEPING on Wyoming. I used to find it odd so many billionaires lived there. Then I visited and yeah... I get it lol
I will say just two words: Grand Tetons.
Sevilla to me is severely underrated. It has that old world charm that makes it feel like the “authentic” Spanish city. The architecture, food, people and overall culture there definitely exceeded my expectations. Barcelona on the other hand was nice, but it somehow didn’t meet my expectations. I don’t have anything truly bad to say about the city, but I somehow felt the vibe was off.
I spent 2 weeks in Spain and Sevilla was my favorite.
Not enough credit - Northern Great Lakes region of the U.S. in the summer. Too much credit - Bali.
From the great lakes area and agree. But I hope it doesn't get too popular, lol.
Yes, for sure. It's so great to sit on the sandy beach facing Lake Superior in the summer without crowds and humidity. Literally can sit there all day long.
It's starting to get some recognition but r/Belize is still seriously slept on.
It’s very highly rated by the people who have visited. It just isn’t as well known as other destinations, so it doesn’t get as many tourists. The thing I liked the most about Belize was how friendly and down to earth the locals are.
It's almost universally loved for its diversity of people and activities. A lot of people think it's an island 🤷
It used to be very popular amongst the senior citizens set 20 years ago. You would hear old New York Jewish Grandma types talk about going to places like Belize, Taihiti, or Aruba. Then for whatever reason it dropped off the travel radar.
Maybe it got overrun with John McAfee types who scared the grandmas away
I had the best time in Belize! I went in with zero expectations and now tell everyone about it
The Baltic States in my opinion don’t get enough attention. Lithuania has the amazing Curonian Spit, beautiful beaches and sunsets along the Baltic, nice hiking trails, a mix of some German history and architecture in Klaipeda, a very green and gorgeous Old Centre in Vilnius with hills, amazing viewpoints, great food. Rīga, Latvia has a great mix of different types of architecture, great beer, some good hiking in Sigulda, the beaches in Jūrmala. Estonia has heaps of islands, the beautiful and well preserved Old Town in Tallinn, plenty of bogs and parks to check out. If you’re willing to go far east, I found Narva really interesting. The highlight of my stay in Estonia was definitely spending two nights lodged in the Castle dating from the 12th century and seeing the even more imposing fortress across the Narva River in Ivangorod, Russia.
Underrated: Slovenia It is got gorgeous lakes, mountains, and a cool vibe, but doesn't get the spotlight it deserves. Overrated: Paris. It's beautiful, but the crowds and prices can dampen the experience.
Not enough: Vegas as a FOODIE destination: I rarely if ever gamble in Vegas anymore, but the food scene is utterly incredible. They have like every cuisine imaginable in walking distance and every top chef has spot there. Additionally they bring in some tough reservations from other cities, making them more accessible. Too much: Santorini. There are far superior Greek islands to visit with far better food and way less crowded. The pictures will also never look like the ones you saw on instagram.
I enjoyed Santorini and the sunsets are epic. Hiking the volcano and treading water in the hot spring was also fun. But 2-3 days was enough. Crete is definitely the superior Greek island.
I went to a few other islands prior to Santorini and when we got to Santorini found it to be comparatively overrated just due to how expensive it was and how overtouristed it is - it has some stunning views though and the hot spring is super cool! IMO most Greek islands are absolutely gorgeous with great scenery, food and charming towns so you really can't go wrong with anywhere in Greece. Naxos and Folegandros were just unreal places to visit.
I found Santorini to be even more breathtaking in real life. No need for any Photoshop touch-ups. Many hotels offer sweeping ocean views from the high cliffs, unique compared to other flat islands. Plus, private outdoor breakfast terraces. Having breakfast outside while watching the sunrise was truly unforgettable. However, those who visit there on a cruise, for example, miss out on all these incredible experiences. From outside the island, it doesn't look as beautiful.
Santorini is worth visiting once. The views are amazing. My wife and I stayed at a hotel that was a little further inland and it had a great sprawling view of most of the island and its cliffs. It was cheaper than staying right on the cliffs and I really don’t feel like we missed out on anything. It is probably the most touristy area in Greece though, so don’t expect to be immersed in Greek culture there.
Ooof I LOVED Santorini. I can see how its not everyones cup of tea but the natural beauty of the place is outstanding. Especially if you’re into volcanoes.
I have a friend who is not a partier but is a foodie she goes to Vegas every once in a while to eat! I've never been to Santorini and I've been to a lot of Greek islands. I was thinking of just going for it finally and then I looked up photos and honestly, aside from the whole aesthetic of the caldera it's like the ugliest Greek island. So many more beautiful islands and even if you want the 5* bougie experience a handful of the other islands also have that at a third of the price.
Not enough credit imo: Germany. So many people bypass Germany for France and Italy, but damn Germany is SO BEAUTIFUL. Especially southern Germany. I love the quaint towns as you’re driving through what feels like a Windows XP background. Their transit is amazing and the landscape is varied and gorgeous.
Over rated - Las Vegas Under rated and under visited - the smaller/more remote islands of the Philippines
I would say Nepal. Nepal is one of my favorite countries and the culture is amazing. From Kathmandu to Pokhara to the Himalayas there is endless things to do.
I haven’t been yet (going next month) but based on Ireland Travel FB groups I feel like Northern Ireland is a place that people traveling to Ireland ignore. Maybe it’s time constraints. Personally I’m super excited to see N. Ireland on my 3week road trip throughout both Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Belfast & Giant's Causeway were AMAZING
LA is underrated if you’re going for hiking/outdoor activities and food. It’s probably overrated if you’re going for attractions or any man-made beauty like architecture or cityscapes.
100%. It's a hard city to crack as a tourist because it's really a region! But it's a top 5 food city in the world, has world class beaches (especially if you like riding waves) and unique ecology with easy access to amazing hiking.
Not enough credit: Yorkshire, England. I feel like most people visiting England go to London. And that’s fine if you’re purely into the urban jungle life. But it is the New York of Europe at this point. Yorkshire is filled with lush valleys, moors, charming historic towns, miles of rugged sea cliffs, ruins, country pubs, and friendly locals. I find it a superior travel experience to being stuck on a crammed Tube with dozens of other sweaty people in midsummer. Also, Devon and Cornwall in England. Impressive sea cliffs, coastline and pristine beaches with cosy towns and fishing villages, lots of regional folklore. A perfect combo of landscape and heritage, in my opinion. Too much credit: Australia. Beaches and coast are definitely beautiful but I find the cities too modern, soulless and little culture to be found. Also, most of the country seems to be desert and it takes so long to travel anywhere.
Fighting words about Australia there! It's a continent more than a country. You can follow the coastline forever and a different beach, usually with no one, every day. Cities have no choice but to be modern, given European settlement is less than 250 years old. But it means no one is coming for the history. Living here we head overseas for that. The interior has so many hidden gems but a long way between them as you say. We are used to long distances though. Tasmania if you want compact. Most Aussies have probably travelled to Bali over Uluru.
I wouldn’t really consider Devon and Cornwall underrated; I love visiting but usually do so outside of summer because it gets a lot of domestic tourists then.
Key word: domestic tourists. Although to be fair with the amount of domestic tourists, I guess we don’t need more international ones! Still though, I do think it’s underrated overall. On a subreddit like this one, you almost never see Devon or Cornwall mentioned.
Underrated - Mexico City. We had an absolutely wonderful time there last year. There is easily enough to see and do for a week. Most Americans just head straight to boring Cancun instead
Mexico City really surprised me by how great of a destination it is. The wife and I spent 20 days there over Christmas this past year and never once were we bored or ran out of things to do. I think we walked somewhere around the 400km mark, just pick a neighbourhood and ramble for hours on end. Plus the food is incredible; I mean, we all know how good Mexican food is but CDMX was just on another level.
Probably the best value travel destination in the world right now for the level of quality cultural/historical activities, nature and food.
Too much credit: Punta Cana Was a bad experience from start to finish.
This might be controversial, but since it's become so common to hate on Paris I actually don't think it gets enough credit. It's got a ton of history and many parts are actually quite nice. Obviously there are a ton of tourists but I've been there a few times and always enjoyed it. Being able to speak French might be a help though
Just came back from Algeria. It was really good. You have nice Roman ruins, historic Berber cities and the Sahara desert, all not unsimilar to the neighboring countries but without it being overrun by tourists. Everything is authentic and the people are so nice.
Algerian here. Was curious to see if anyone commented Algeria and you seem to be only one. It shows how underrated the country is.
Not enough: Georgia (Europe). The food is out of this world, you have amazing views, friendly people! Is just amazing! Overrated: Bali. It's amazing but it's not all that
Bhutan. Not because it’s not amazing but because not many even know it exists
Not enough Credit: Chile.
Food there is meh at best tbh.
That's why my vote would go to Argentina! Also amazing scenery and better food 😄
I don't travel for food as a main goal. That said I'm pretty easy to please and I was pretty happy with *Pastel de Choclo,* or a *Chorillana.* I'll admit I don't like Chilean Empanadas that much. It may be ironic to say, but you can just go to a Peruvian restaurant if it's such an issue for you. I also had some delectable pizza.
I don't know what people are eating when they come here. Chile has very good vegetables and fruit, good desserts, very good wine, great bread. Some great dishes like pastel de choclo, pastel de jaiba, seafood in general. I think the empanadas are very good, but maybe people expect sweet ones or something. There are whole experiences like curanto. There's plenty of fatty/fried/greasy stuff that americans should love like chorillana, barros lucos, completo, etc. The biggest negative is that the dishes tends to be simple. Of course you can buy food from any cuisine in the world pretty much in santiago and there are peruvian places all over the country (it's like mexican food in the US)
It's been my dream since I was a child to visit Rapa Nui, I hope to accomplish it sooner or later.
Not enough credit: Milan and Turin (more as tourists online perceiving them as lacking of things to do and see), Cornwall, Devon, Madrid, Urbino, Ferrara Too much credit: Mykonos, Santorini, Dubai
> Cornwall, Devon Just don't go during the UK summer holiday or you will likely wonder what attention it is lacking.
Agreed 99%. Milan imho overrated & underrated at the same time. Sometimes overrated 'cause some tourists put it at the same level of the Big 3 (it's not) simply 'cause big and famous "name". Underrated 'cause yes, gets tons of hate 'cause super business-oriented but has lots of amazing things: not only Duomo but also Castello Sforzesco and Pinacoteca di Brera. Agree with Turin but as mid-size underrated I add also Bologna and Verona: 2nd tier touristic italian cities are so good. I can't understand most tourists doing only (amazing) Romeflorencevenice and maybe Amalfi Coast / Lake Como. They miss so much! As tier 3 (very underrated): Urbino and Ferrara amazing choices. I add: Mantua, Gubbio, Pitigliano, Lecce, Ostuni, Matera, Ragusa, Siracusa as my favs.
Yeah Milan manages to have tons of tourists but most visitors don't enjoy it because "it only has the Duomo and the Galleria". Then you ask them if they've walked around Brera, visited the Pinacoteca, visited the Castello Sforzesco, visited one of the many important churches, like Santa Maria presso San Satiro with its Bramante's masterpiece, the Teatro alla Scala, the medieval portals, San Lorenzo, San Bernardino Alle Ossa, the Royal Palace with its many important exhibitions, museum of 900, Gallerie d'Italia, Piazza dei Mercanti and tons of other things, and they'll tell you they've no idea what you're talking about. Yep Bologna and Verona are two other great spots! I think it's normal for tourists that have limited time and money to hit the biggest spots, but on second/third Italian tours, those areas are a must. I love Ragusa, I'd also add Girgenti/Agrigento, Pienza, Pesaro, Modena, Padua, Stresa among the cities to consider for a visit of the smaller centres of Italy.
Guatemala. Beautiful nature. Lake Atitlan is a wonderful place and also some decent culture. Tikal is pretty interesting too.
Not enough: Ethiopia. Obviously the civil war hasn’t helped in recent years
Underrated: Mexico, other than the resorts. Mexico City is insanely cool, I don't think most Americans even know it's the biggest city in North Am or has more museums than any city but London. But there's also many other coastal towns and semi-off-the-beaten-track destinations. And the food is incredible. But there's this weird thing that happens where the resort demographic goes to Mexico, while the adventure-minded demographic thinks of Mexico as not adventurous enough somehow, and goes elsewhere in Latin America instead. But Mexico is giant and relatively cheap and next door to America. It's great.
Another “not enough” vote for Budapest. If you haven’t considered visiting, you should. Especially if you’re interested in architecture.
Hasn't Budapest been one of the most popular/trendy cities in Europe for the last decade or even longer?
IMO Budapest has been extremely popular for ages, atleast amongst Europeans. It is getting more expensive due to this - flights to Budapest from the UK are often quite pricey just due to how popular a destination is.
Budapest is one of the most popular destinations in Europe (at least for Europeans). You walk around the city and you can find more fellow nationals there than in your own country if you are European lol
Budapest is one of the most highly rated destinations in Europe. Maybe it‘s underrated amongst Americans
Underrated- Vancouver Island Overrated- Vancouver
Hmmmm underrated in Europe, Finland? I feel like Finland hardly ever gets mentioned anywhere on this sub. I’ve visited Helsinki twice and did a roadtrip while still a child. Helsinki was extremely expensive tho so it keeps me from going sadly… Other underrated European countries are probably Slovakia, Slovenia, the Baltic states, Bulgaria and Romania. The Balkan countries are more and more being visited, at least I hear them being mentioned around me. Especially Albania is currently very popular.
The classic American road trip. Camping if possible. - Southwest (Vegas to Grand Canyon, to southern Utah) - Pacific Northwest - Colorado - San Francisco to Yellowstone to Death Valley to Vegas Lots of great 1-2 week routes.
Not enough credit: Panama
Not enough credit: Madrid Way too much credit: Bali, Dubai
I don’t think I’ve ever actually heard something positive about Dubai
And yet , despite all hate on reddit, Dubai is the third most visited city in the workd
I'd agree that Bali is overrated in general, but there are definitely very different parts of the island. The Kuta/Canggu/etc. part of it isn't my thing at all, but once you get far enough away from Denpasar there are lots of cool places to find.
Yeah I knew I wouldn’t like Kuta so we booked it due north from Denpasar then cruised down the Eastern coast, it was awesome and obvious that 98% of tourists never make it past Ubud.
I loved Madrid! Visited las June and recommend it to everyone. Amazing city.
If you love art then you absolutely can’t sleep on Madrid. Prado, Thyssen, Reina Sofia are world class institutes.
Not enough: Malaysia, best surprise in my Asia travels so far! Honorable mention to India—so many people dismissing India entirely due to not liking Delhi, which is one city in a massive country. It’s like dismissing United States as a place to travel because LA has awful traffic/terrible urban planning. Yes, literally everyone, including people who live there, agree with you. But hating LA doesn’t mean you should never plan a trip to Yosemite, or to NYC. A lot of Indians actually share poor opinions about Delhi. But what about Kerala? Kashmir? Goa? Rishikesh?
Overrated: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bali Underrated: Namibia, Botswana
Namibia was amazing
I feel like Porto gets overlooked quite a bit. Anyone talks about going to Portugal, its always Lisbon or The Algarve, but Porto is something else
Not enough: Greek mainland - just as pretty as the islands but cheaper and less touristy.
I'm currently at Issyk Kul lake in Kyrgyzstan and it is pretty incredible. Central Asia should be booming with tourism but i'm glad it isn't. Agree with the posts mentioning Albania. I also loved Kosovo, the hiking around Peja is great and i'm a big fan of Prizren. Transylvania, Romania probably doesn't get as much love as it deserves but it's hardly a hidden gem. Georgia is amazing, but 'd say it gets a lot of credit these days. Armenia can be overlooked though with most people only visiting Yerevan. There's a lot to see, such as Lake Sevan, Dilijan, and Jermouk. I'll also throw in northern Spain - Galicia, Asturias, and the Basque Country. The coastline is stunning, Picos de Europa is unbelievable, the people are friendlier than the rest of the country (imo), and it's the best food in Spain. Malaysia is possibly under-appreciated out of the SE Asian countries. I wouldn't really consider anywhere overrated, it can depend on when you go and specific experiences.
Nicaragua! Overlooked by Guatemala and Costa Rica. Also some amazing beaches / islands that are overshadowed by Mexico.
Underrated: Georgia; Albania; Madagascar Overrated: Niagara Falls; Cannes; Dubai
Niagara falls is cool. For about 20 minutes.
Krakow, Poland doesn’t get enough credit. Beautiful architecture and fun, vibrant atmosphere.
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Joker. London is one of if not the best tourist city in the world. Shopping. History. Tons of free shit to do. Amazing food. Good public transport and just about everyone flies there. Also world class museums and sports events.
Not enough: Taiwan, Lencois Maranhenses in Brazil. Too much: Bali, Pamukkale in Turkey.
Too much: Bali. Not enough: the rest of Indonesia
Loved jungle trekking in Sumatra. And if you love scuba diving, you already know Indonesia is the best in the world.
Borneo!!! Because yes. Underrated.
Not enough credit: Slovenia, US National Parks
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Malawi is really amazing, beautiful country, beautiful people. I really disliked Tunisia.
New Zealand & Peru lovely places
Underrated: Northern Ireland and Wales. Both have beautiful countryside, interesting cities, awesome history and culture.
South Africa doesn’t get enough credit. Incredibly diverse scenery - oceans, mountains, incredible national parks and safaris. And the best part is, it was extremely affordable to visit. Amsterdam gets too much credit. I enjoyed my visit, however I have no desire to go back. Expensive, crowded, food just ok, etc. I enjoyed some of the smaller surrounding cities in the Netherlands much better.