Paris has hordes of tourists but once I was there in a heatwave in July/August and avoiding the tourist spots, the city was empty and dreamlike. A particularly memorable visit to Versailles, among several, was during January, when I bundled up and walked the empty gardens for hours. Hit Venice during the right moment and its perfect. I spent a month in London one summer when continental Europe was in a terrible heat wave. London was sublime, sunny, 70 degrees, sweater at night. Perfect. Lovely.
—Anonymous
reply 7308/20/2015
Bilbao wins for the rudest, coldest folks I've run across.
—Anonymous
reply 7408/20/2015
I lived in Berlin for months at a time, usually right on the Ku'damm, and must admit I never quite got it. Just felt cold and industrial somehow. And the bars indeed felt like what Bette Midler said about her concerts in Germany: "It was like performing in front of a chain link fence."
—Anonymous
reply 7508/20/2015
When did Majorca become a city, [R72]? BTW, please spell it MALLORCA, which is the Spanish/Catalan spelling, thanks.
—Anonymous
reply 7608/20/2015
I think Mallorca can stand on its own as a single destination, without getting all caught up in specific cities.
—Anonymous
reply 7708/20/2015
Sorry, but I lived in Mallorca for a few years and just like any major city, it has its bad places and good places. But in Mallorca the good outnumber the bad. Get away from the crap, like Magaluf and Santa Ponsa, and head inland and east and you'll find places that just ooze quality. I'd rather go to a, say, tapas bar or proper family-run Spanish or Mallorcan restaurant and eat good, proper Mallorcan food than deal with the slags of Magaluf and their chips-and-egg approach. Especially the ex-pat crowd. *shudder*
—Anonymous
reply 7808/21/2015
Great thread, I'll add Weimar to the underrated. It's really tiny but so pleasant. Plenty to do in at least two full days, which is amazing for a place so small.
And since this is DL, if you're in Lisbon go to Sintra! The mist, the castles up in the forest...
—Anonymous
reply 7908/21/2015
I have a friend who lives in London and I went to visit him quite a few times. I just don't get London, the ugly 80s architecture the snobby, rude people, the dirty busses, rubbish everywhere, the shitty weather. Give me Paris, Barcelona and Vienna every day.
—Anonymous
reply 8008/21/2015
Tons of these running around when you go there. Yum!
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—Anonymous
reply 8108/21/2015
Overrated: Copenhagen
Underrated: Glasgow
All of Switzerland is so boring and super expensive. But it's a clean place and I guess a good place to retire if you want to spend the rest of your life being bored.
—Anonymous
reply 8208/21/2015
I was just in Siracusa and it was beautiful, even the modern city was nice.
—Anonymous
reply 8308/21/2015
Overrated: Florence (a renaissance Disneyland with no nightlife or cafe scene)
Underrated: Siena
—Anonymous
reply 8408/21/2015
Because people go to Florence for the discos.....
—Anonymous
reply 8508/21/2015
Copenhagen is the most vapid metaphor for narcissism I've ever seen. City and citizens all well manicured and pretty enough but cold, lifeless, empty and dull. Down to every other store you walk past selling cosmetics for some reason.
—Anonymous
reply 8608/21/2015
Overrated: London
Underrated: Bruges
—Anonymous
reply 8708/21/2015
Someone mentions Bruges. Thread closed for lameness.
—Anonymous
reply 8808/21/2015
I'm a bit surprised by all the hate for Amsterdam. Sure, all those trashy tourists who go there only for pot and the hookers can be a bit annoying, but I thought the city itself (its architecture and unique layout) were spectacular. I really enjoyed exploring all those quiet side canals and feeding the swans while listening to the carillion from the nearby belltower (I know I know, MARY!). The city also has some gorgeous suburbs which are completely off the tourist radar. Nieuwendammerdijk (photo below) is especially nice.
I also liked nearby Brussels which everyone seems to hate, so perhaps my taste is a bit strange.
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