Exceeded:
Turin - What a gorgeous, classy, delightful place.
SanRemo - It's dense and busy, but a feast for the senses.
Utrecht - A really pleasant place with cool touches everywhere.

Failed:
Well, yeah, Paris. Once you've seen the major sights, it's grey and monotonous and most anywhere else in France is nicer.

Funny, but I thought you were asking for cities that exceeded and failed expectations both at the same time -- to which I immediately thought: "Brussels!" The Grand Place was infinitely more beautiful than I had expected, and so much of rest of Brussels was a bummer for me.

But now that I get what you are saying:

Exceeded? Napoli and Porto

Failed? Venice and Edinburgh

As for destinations that are not cities:

Exceeded? The Dolomiti

Failed? Puglia

Exceeded: Paris! (I thought it was magical - don't know how I'll view it I return), Siena; Also regions like the Berner Oberland and Engadine (Switzerland), Rhine around Bacharach, Hallstatt, Austria (a knock-out).

Failed: Regensburg, Rome, Salzburg (way too crowded), Nice, Lucerne (too many American tour groups everywhere you turn).

After a half dozen trips, Venice exceeds my expectations every time.

Istanbul also exceeded expectations - beautiful.

London, in an odd way. I never think of London as exciting, but once I am there, I love it.

Aix - don't know what I expected, but found it totally charming.

Barcelona. In my head, I love Barcelona because of the architecture. Once there, not so much.

Oh -- I forgot Barcelona. I don't know what my expectations ever were, but I disliked it both times i was there. In fact, I went back to Barcelona after my first highly disappointing visit thinking maybe I should give it another try. But second time was just the same. Somebody else's party, not mine.

I go back to Venice not expecting to like it, because there is so much art there that I want to see. I suppose I could say it no longer disappoints me, because I don't expect to enjoy the scene there, and I don't.

I can't think of too many places that exceeded my expectations as I guess when you read and hear about some of these major European capitals, you expect them to be great.

However, I guess the ones that stick out more (which to me means I go back to them repeatedly whereas when I first went there I figured they would be nice to see on that one particular trip) are Prague and Krakow. I think both are just beautiful and the people are generally friendly and there is a lot to do and see, and they have reasonable costs. Barcelona also exceeded my expectations as I had read a lot of conflicting opinions about it but I just loved it. I thought it was also a beautiful city and there was so much to see there that I didn't know. Also really liked Leipzig, Germany.

The disappointments are kind of easier as they stick out more. I'd also put Lucerne in that category, although I don't really remember noticing a lot of American tour groups. I do remember the old town area near the lake/river was just packed with European tourists and I didn't think there was really that much to see there. It was okay, I didn't hate it but wouldn't go back. I didn't like Montreux very much, that was a real disappointment. It just seemed like some shabby run-down place in the main downtown area, crummy stores and not a lot of great places to eat and things were kind of expensive. The lake is nice, but that can't fulfill you that much.

I wasn't that crazy about Dresden, seemed kind of sterile to me. It seems like the kind of place that might be nicer to live than to visit.


In France, I really liked Montpellier, Toulouse and Narbonne a lot and didn't have a lot of expectations about them.

There are some smaller towns and cities that I don't think are that impressive and don't get their attraction (like St Remy and Gordes in Provence), but I never plan a vacation around a small town like that.

Exceeded:
Barcelona
Venice
Bologna
Berlin
Sydney


Failed:
Dublin

Exceeded: Porto, charming, historic, interesting riverfront, friendly residents.
Failed: Santorini, over run with tourists, unfriendly staff at hotel and other places. And Greece is still is one of my favorite places, just not that island.

I find my feelings sometimes evolve and change.

Paris has grown on me. The more I visit, the less tourist attractions I go to, the more I enjoy it (I was there for the 8th time this year). I also tend to only go in fall/winter now. I really don't like summer there, too hot and crowded for me.

Both times I went to Vienna and Brussels I enjoyed them more than I thought I would.

I've been to Amsterdam 3 times and still can't get too excited about it.

Sydney wowed me the first time. But the luster sort of wore off on the second visit. I don't know what happened.

I really have never been left wondering "what is the draw, here?" Every place we have been has pleased me. We try not to expect too much, so that we are always happy with the result. I think we know what kinds of places appeal to us, what kinds of accommodation, and what types of activities draw us.

We were able to laugh at all the tour groups in Capri, and still felt in awe of the natural beauty of the place. But I don't feel the need to return. While MOST of the people we met in Burgundy seemed a bit pompous in comparison to our MANY other experiences across France, we still found much to enjoy and charm in unexpected places.

Otherwise, I really don't think we've picked a "lemon" of a destination in any of our adventures.

I agree about "evolving" feelings.
The first couple of days in Berlin were underwhelming,
By the end of the visit, I knew I would be back....returned three more times.

Continuing visits to Barcelona, Paris and Madrid have never disappointed.
Although, Dublin was not great it was not a"lemon".....actually, the places along the Bay were charming

Often , one's visit is influenced by weather, hotel, company, crowds, etc.

.

Exceeded: Torino, Bologna, Bilbao, Budapest

Failed: Florence the second time, Lucerne for reasons mentioned above, and Amsterdam (though I would give that city a second chance. a few recent trip reports have made me curious to revisit. I was there in August, which likely had much to do with my negative impression)

Prague was in between: exceeded in beauty and beer but failed because my vision of what the city would be like was about 10 years outdated. maybe 15.

Almost everyplace I have been has exceeded my expectations. I have been disappointed only in a couple of places:

Madrid - too modern, looks a lot like Chicago - and way too hot (was almost 100 and humid the first week of May). Also felt we were not well treated in the hotel (Spanish-speaking guests received preferential treatment to Americans - the staff didn't realize how much Spanish we understood) and found the food overall to be disappointing.

I don't often travel with major expectations, but do with hope, and I'm fairly easy to please if I'm traveling, and do a LOT of research ahead of time, but cities (big ones...the small ones are too numerous to list) that have really captured me have been:

Paris, above all
Lyon
Montpellier
Venice
Prague
Copenhagen
Marrakesh
Nairobi
Jaipur

Disappointments:

Tunis
Casablanca
Madrid
Zürich (big time)
Geneva
Athens

I forgot to mention Stocholm
did't know what to expect... a stunning city!

I also enjoy Nairobi and don't find it to be nearly as bad as its "Nairobbery" reputation. The only thing is the traffic seems to get worse with each visit.

I wasn't entralled with Venice but I visited in August when it felt like I was shoulder to shoulder with tourists. I need to go back at a quieter time.

I thought Hobart was a cool, little city. I could even envision living there.

Harbin enchanted me I think because I was there for the ice festival but that was 20 years ago and who knows what I'd think of Harbin today.

I didn't like Manila but I think losing my passport and getting food poisoning colored my perception.

Exceeded:

-Prague
-Hong Kong
-Bali

Disappointed:

-Milan

Stockholm certainly exceeded my expectations - lovely city.

I love the cities of the Veneto -- Venice, Padua, Vicenza, Verona, etc -- but dislike the countryside.

Love Istria and Dalmatia, didn't find Zagreb very interesting.

Would go back to Spain to see the big tourist sites again, something I usually avoid, but they are very rich. I wasn't taken with the country as a whole, finding the monoculture in agriculture (twenty miles of olive groves followed by twenty miles of cork groves) tedious and economically and environmentally dangerous. I would go to Madrid in a minute for the museums, but I would go to Barcelona to walk around.

I like Southern Tuscany very much, Chianti not so much. Siena yes,tomorrow if you are paying, but Florence only for the art, though I need to spend at least two more weeks there to skim even the cream. Lucca is wonderful, but it is a long way off the tourist beaten path.

Exceeded: Rome, Berlin, Venice and the Dolomiti, Jordan
Failed: St. Emilion, Florence, Umbria

But, I am fairly easy to please. Good food, nice people and an interesting environment without hoardes of people will do it for me.

>>"Lucca is wonderful, but it is a long way off the tourist beaten path."<<

How long ago were you in Lucca? It is tour group central almost year round these days, plus a lot of other independent travelers too. It is actually Florence that is emptying out and becoming "off the beaten track" as everybody realizes they don't really like looking at Italian art and goes off to wander and get lost instead. Also, as the travel population ages, flat Lucca draws more tourists than the hilltowns. Helps that it is right on the train line.

I like the food in Lucca and the evidences of the Roman arena and watching people riding bicycles in the rain while holding umbrellas.

Perhaps it was quieter than usual because I have only ever been in autumn in the rain.

Exceeded:
LISBON
Nice
Amsterdam

I've pretty much enjoyed every place in Europe I've visited.

Hard to imagine being disappointed by Paris but everyone has different loves I suppose.

Even my husband who has been known to spend his extra time in any city on an exercise machine was pretty taken with Paris.

And I'm pretty sure those that did not like Zürich would be better convinced by my personal tour

I guess sometimes so much depends upon the weather...your mood...the neighborhood you choose.

I always try to pick a good location to stay in and I find it pays off for me.

Good points, gruezi. I totally agree. Stinky weather can ruin a trip. And finding the right lodging in the best location is crucial. I am never one who thinks the hotel is "just a place to sleep". It becomes your temporary home, and you will walk that neighborhood more than anyplace else. I love a hotel in a neighborhood that feels welcoming, safe, energetic and interesting.

Stinky weather can definitely cast a pall. Also, time of year. I don't go in the summer to Europe as I can't think of anything I'd rather LESS like doing than being a tourist in 90 degree heat. And the crowds.

Exceeded - First trip to Switzerland - even though I'd been dying to go there since I was a child. Bern and the Alps were overwhelming for me.

Paris (even the third time), Budapest

A Bit Disappointed: Venice - too many damn people and it was the middle of September.

Now I'm thinking - perhaps I should look at the above answers and if I see someone who was also feeling favorable or disappointed by similar cities as I was, I might follow other recommendations of theirs as it would seem we have the same tastes.

Oops - LOVED Moscow.

Rome. It's such an exciting city; the history, the buildings walking the paths of the ancient Romans. That was all good. Yet, I was so happy to leave that city and have no plans on returning. I didn't realize how much I didn't like it until we were outside of it and I felt a huge breath of relief wash over me.

The rest of Italy was great.

Failed: Rome.
Have been there 3 times
Hated it every time.
Crowded, awful public transport, hot and sticky, awful food, awful hotels, pushy people, dirty stations...I could go on.
Don't think I'm going to give it any more benefits of the doubt.
Plenty of wonderful places in Italy instead.

Exceeded:
1) Palermo
Great sights and setting, delicious food, very good shopping. What's not to like? OK, some poverty/grittiness...

2) Stockholm
Superb setting, that amazing salvaged ship and a general feeling that life is good here.


Failed:
1) Barcelona
Arrogant, provincial feel and touristy - a real shock compared to Madrid. Gaudi buildings were as amazing as expected though.

2) Prague
Totally overrun by tourists - felt sorry for the poor locals. Maybe I hit it at a bad time.

Lots of other cities basically met my expectations, the above stand out because they surprised me.

Exceed my expectation:

Lagos, Nigeria. I was expecting chaos and concern, but I got even more than I was expecting. Kids with machine guns on toll roads to Ibadan, being swarmed by "taxi drivers" at the airport wanting me "to come with them" (grabbing the available space on my luggage handle where my hand wasn't), insane drivers crossing into the exit ramp after it was blocked off by concrete, being hissed at (not an insult, that's what sellers do to get your attention), etc etc.

Failed to meet expectation:

Mexico City. I was expecting pollution, crime, feeling always hemmed in and general uneasiness. I actually had beautiful sunny days and felt remarkably comfortable walking around near the Zocalo, in the Alameda and along the Paseo de la Reforma. It took one trip for me to fall in *LOVE* with Mexico City.

Wait, is this not what this survey is about?

Exceeded:

1. Mexico City (dragged there kicking and screaming; fell in love with it, shocker!)
2. Trondheim, Norway (an accidental find in 1973 -- my ONLY expectation was to go somewhere about as close to the midnight sun as possible without going all the way up to Bodo)
3. Madrid (such personality and character!)

Failed:
1. Lisbon (now we have panhandlers in L.A., and you trip over 'em in Berkeley, but they've taken it to a new level in Lisbon and made it an art form!)
2. Las Vegas (except for some really expensive shows, has no more redeeming value for me than it had when I was under 21).

I also loved Trondheim, Norway. It wasn't described as much in the books I had, but I was sure glad I spent the night there as part of a trip up the coast.

Lovely and lively city...

many of us spend a couple days in the city.....mostly in touristy areas, often in the summer, and
come away with the impression
that the city is too touristy and/ or too hot.
Naturally , it is out of the question for short term visitors to see some of the beautiful ,leafy ,mostly residential areas of Prague
( Vinohrady) ,Zona Alta ( Barcelona), Parioli (Rome) etc.

Exceeded (in a good way)):
Verona (in love with it)
Lucca
Genoa (amazing heritage of an old sea power, Venice's main rival for centuries, the embarrassment of the riches well-preserved in the churches and the Duomo of the old town and port, the birds-eye view of the port from Righi.. As most Ligurian towns, it's completely vertical. Loved the elevators as the key public transport method, with lift cabins that turn into little rail-cars and move horizontally.. The city is virtually ignored by tourists.. Last but not least: focaccia Genovese - the original and the best, try the one on Pzza San Nicolo)

Toledo (Cathedral, the Synagogues, El Grecos, did I mention El Grecos?))
Prague
Stockholm
Bar Harbor, ME and surroundings

Of places/small towns:

hands down - Bellagio/Varenna/Tremezzo;
also, Dolomites, the road from Orisei to Cortina D'Ampezzo
Tuscany, the road from Volterra to San Gimignano
Positano and the coastline

Underwhelming relative to expectations:

Madrid (with the exception of the Prado - probably my favorite museum of all)
Lisbon (did like the Gulbenkian Museum very much though)
Rome (too noisy and too many cars)
Copenhagen, second time
Zurich
Nice (disdain for Americans in some places is just tiring. Though not if you speak French. That too is tiring. (I am a recovering francophile..))))

Utterly failed: Las Vegas .. no comment...

I had so little expectation of Las Vegas, that it was easy to surpass it with just the Hoover Dam.

Exceeded: Stockholm
Failed: Colmar

I fully expected to hate Vegas and my hatred exceeded my expectations.

Enjoyed Mexico City both times too!

<<I fully expected to hate Vegas and my hatred exceeded my expectations.>>

OMG, yes! What a nightmare.

I'm always baffled when I meet people who travel all the way to the US and want to go to Vegas.

I guess it's like a traffic accident; ya don't really want to look but ya end up peeking anyways.

I forgot these:

Exceeded
Bath - just so pretty, history, Roman ruins, food, etc.
Positano - stunning from the water.

Failed to excite
Santorini - prettier to look at than to be there
Verona - after the Colosseum, not so much

"I fully expected to hate Vegas and my hatred exceeded my expectations"

@Patty -- hahahahaha. Yep, that's a perfect way of putting it!

Patty - I know myself pretty well and when I think I'm not going to like someplace, I usually am right.

I stay away from both Disney and Vegas. And no one who knows me even tries to get me there.

Vegas did not fail to meet my expectations.

I thought I would dislike it and be bored - which was correct. But I have been only twice - both times to congresses - so I had no choice.

Same for Disney.

Exceeded:

Lisbon
Budapest
Toledo
Edinburgh
Wengen
Brugges

Failed:

Holyhead,Wales
Dublin
Oia, Santorini
Positano
San Gimingnano
Marseilles

Daniel_Wiliams - Gerat post. Yes, one can expect ugliness, etc., and then you're there and it's even worse than you expected! That definitely fits in the category of "exceeding expectations"!

Many more exceeded than failed.

Exceeded:

Seville - marvelous in every way imaginable.
Umbria - fabulous secnery, great food, nice people.
Provence - some the loveliest people we've met ... and they were French!!!
Rothenburg - touristy yes, but still beautiful.
Canterbury - gorgeous English country town, lively market area.
Piemonte - gorgeous countryside, great food and wine.
Vienna - unique and beautiful. Great music, surprisingly good food and very nice people.


Failed:

Budapest - lots of oppressive and depressing Communist era architecture, blase and indifferent locals, uninteresting food.
Ferrara - the town itself was ok, but the Estense Castle was a huge letdown - one empty room after another, absolutely nothing of interest in the interior.

Exceeded

Paris
Prague
Strassburg
Central Island group of The Azores
Most all of the Cotswolds
Bath
Stratford upon Avon (but then, I had low expectations)
Quebec
Verona
Bologna
Venice
San Marino
Tulum
Seville
Toledo
Brugges
Antwerp (mostly because of fellow fodorite tour guide)
Haarlem
Utrecht
Delft

Failed

Las Vegas
Naples
Miami
Cadiz
Tangier
Basingstoke (I had no positive expectations and they were met)

Phillyboy - Interesting that you wrote for "Failed:
Budapest - lots of oppressive and depressing Communist era architecture, blase and indifferent locals, uninteresting food."

I loved the Communist era architecture, as well as the 19th century architecture that was sometimes shabby and being restored. The history of the place intrigued me and you can see it (what it has gone though under Communism). No pristine buildings much here. THAT's what liked. Also liked the good, homey food.

Each to their own!

From my recent trip to Poland and Czech Republic:

Exceeded:
Torun, Poland - really charming smaller town in Poland between Gdansk and Warsaw. Not much to see but a really a great feel to the place!

Met:
Krakow - expected it to be wonderful (but touristy) and it was
Gdansk - didn't expect a warm vibe, didn't get one, but found it still charming and picturesque.
Wroclaw - amazing town square, beautiful bridges, but more of a "working city" than Krakow, about what I expected.
Prague - was here in 2005 and loved it then, it is overcrowded with mobs of tourists but still amazingly charming and beautiful.


Failed to meet:
Cesky Krumlov - maybe I came at the end of the season (last week), but it seemed pretty dead except for mobs of Asian and Russian tourist groups during the day. Charming windy streets but not much else. (It was also chilly by the time I arrived - maybe better in the summer)
Olomouc, Czech Republic - Wasn't as charming as I was led to believe. Almost zero tourists - which was great, except not even enough tourists to hold the daily walking tour when I was in town!

Speaking of communist architecture, I was surprised by the amount of it in Lhasa. That's not to say I was disappointed with Lhasa. I just had this fairy tale image in my head before I went.

gruezi,
I used to have to go to both Disney and Vegas annually for conventions!

Hi kenav,

I realize that I'm probably in the minority with my comments on Budapest, many people on Fodor's seem to love it. I enjoyed my time there, as I do whenever European travel is involved, but just didn't make a strong connection with the city for some reason.

I found the 1950's architecture interesting, but strangely depressing. And though I generally enjoy good "homey" food much more than overly fancy meals, it seemed to be lacking in variety. Maybe I didn't go to the right places.

As you said, each to their own.

phillyboy,

I would say of all the European cities I visited, Budapest would be one I would probably not return to and for the exact reasons you mentioned.

I did have some very good food there in some lovely and romantic restaurants, but otherwise it just wasn't for me. I found the large art museum there a bit tricky although I'm sure there was some fine art, little care was taken in how it was displayed and only one language to describe it which made me think it was not really trying to be accessible. (If I can at least find a good museum I'm usually happy but this was not the case in Budapest.)

I have heard there is a museum about Semmelweis there, and I guess I would go there if I "had" to go to Budapest again. Wish I had known about it the last time. He is a hero of mine and unfortunately had a very sad life.

Reading this post over again, I'm reminded that I actually prefer small towns to cities, but with either a small town or city I prefer the ones that do not exist purely for tourism (and that's why I've avoided Venice in recent years-- I was there years ago at age 17).

About Zurich: I can understand some posters' reactions to it, but once you get into the pedestrian old town, it can be quite charming. I had the best accommodations there on a recent trip and the best dinner anywhere at my favorite Italian place. Yes, it's pricey, but I do like it better than Lucerne -- many locals, and not many tourists.

Also -- to the poster who said you've given Rome three chances and won't be back. I've given it two. Unless some handsome gentleman sweeps me off my feet and wants to take me to Rome, I won't be going back.

Paris -- I long to visit again. I just can't imagine anyone not seeing it's charm, but if much of the time is spent waiting in lines to get to the top of the Eiffel tower, well that's not my idea of fun. The museums are first rate, but of course, one has to enjoy art. I just love all the narrow streets and charming cafes -- and just imagining all the famous writers and composers who lived there (Hemingway, Chopin, James Joyce, George Sand).

I would like to hear from more people regarding smaller towns (as well as cities). One exception to my thoughts about "existing just for tourists" would be Rothenburg. Yes, it exists purely for tourism, but It's utterly beautiful everywhere you turn.

I just came here to say that I found basingstoke2's post is funny

"...
Failed:
Basingstoke (I had no positive expectations and they were met)

..."

I feel very fortunate to be on the same page as uoho_busted - I haven't ever really been disappointed by a destination. Maybe its because I do a fair amount of "homework," and so know a bit of what to expect and what I hope to experience.

Quite in contrast, I have frequently been pleased to find that destinations exceed my expectations. Maybe its because I always expect at least some off moments. Maybe I'm just easily enthralled (although I think anyone who knows me would disagree!)

My guess is that it's because my goal when I travel is to see the places that I choose to visit -- or more accurately, to EXPERIENCE these places: to see and hear them, and to sample their smells and tastes, to touch their building stones and plants and towels or whatever, and to encounter and witness the people and their interactions. In other words, I travel to experience what is there for me to experience. And that is, I think, different than wanting to see one's image of a place. How can I be disappointed by the actual experience of seeing a place, even if it isn't quite what I expected, if my goal was simply to experience it for myself?

If I decide that I want to see and experience a place, visiting it will by definition "meet" my expectations. Visiting it might reveal things that I hadn't planned or expected to experience - I see that as part and parcel of the adventure that is travel. And that has, indeed been my experience. I'm so lucky to be able to travel!

Maybe that's a way of saying that the OP's question doesn't make much sense to me. Instead of asking whether a place "met" my expectations, I would ask why I adopted expectations that were not realistic for the destination.

Just my 2-cents worth! (or is it 1 cent these days?)

Exceeded
Washington DC, I stayed there for a few months and found lots of things to see and do.

Failed
Another vote for Rome, I dislike everything about it.

Exceeded (sometimes because we didn't expect that much but ended up being quite enjoyable): Budapest, Sibiu, Granada, London, Moscow, Lima, Phnom Pehn, Fez, Essaouira

Failed (to some degree): Dublin, Ronda, Timisoara, Marrakesh, Casablanca

I'm fascinated by what expectations you had of Timisoara it failed to live up to. Clifton is possibly the first person in history to have had ANY expectations of Timis.

But I'm even more fascinated by how it's possible simultaneously for any well-known city to fail to meet someone's expectations AND to "dislike everything about it". What possible expectations could you have had?

I sort of agree with kja.

Venice far exceeded my expectations because it's never occurred to me to envisage what an all-canal city would actually be like. Similarly, Edessa in NE Greece: the standard modern Greek horror of ugly box-shaped buildings transformed by miles of green channels.

I really did think Pisa was just a tourist cliche till I discovered what a Romanesque marvel the Piazza dei Miracoli is. If the incompetent architect had done his job properly, it'd be famous for its wonderfulness, and not for being a silly photo op.

And I was right to think Las Vegas is horrible: but till I went there I never realised how inspiring its designers' ruthless commitment to over the top, unrestrainedly absurd, exuberance can be.

Conversely: I thought San Francisco was a proper city till I discovered a dull provincial town with little more than an alright bridge. Bits of its hinterland are nice-ish, though. Goes to show how easy it is to be gulled by boosterish propaganda.

I assumed Disney World would be a masterclass in handling crowds till I realised its visitors actually LIKE the queues.

The point of this question is expectations (or lack thereof). Not the town itself.

Flanner - I get what you're saying, and didn't list any number of cities that matched low expectations with equally dreary results. Miskolc, anyone?

However, with Timisoara... pictures look lovely and the real life architecture around the main squares, IMO, stands up to them. Though of course, the buildings could use some attention. It really is a striking city center under the grit (which in and of itself is also kind of unique - Hapsburg and "grit" isn't a typical combination). And the cathedral is evocative of '89.

However, we didn't feel we really got to enjoy them because, unlike anywhere else we were in Romania, we were constantly dodging pickpocket attempts. Not good ones, mind you, but what they lacked in skill they made up for in relentless, inebriated optimism. That, and getting the stop-on-the-sidewalk-with-a-cold-hard-stare-at-the-foreigners evil eye. (Unlike the pet store type stare of curiosity in parts of Asia) Could have been situational, a full moon over Timisoara... (it almost was, but didn't get the maximum orb until Sighisoara) but we ended looking forward to leaving a city sooner than we'd planned and that's rare for us.

Exceeded:
Munich (and Germany as a whole) - Germany somehow isn't seen as a traditional tourist destination, at least where I come from in the UK, but I went there and I loved it. The people, language, food, transport, the orderliness
Rome - being at the Vatican was just so incredibly moving. So good I went back twice.
Madrid - everyone talks about Madrid as if its not as good as Barcelona but I've been to both and I found Madrid even more vibrant, hip, great food, great museums, everything really. One of my fav cities.
Boston - I just love it. After NYC, this is my favourite city in the USA. May also be affected because of fond memories I have of a perfect summer day where I took the ferry out to the Cape, and then spent the day cycling around Provincetown, eating fried clams, and drinking coke floats. We got intensely brown that day too!
Osaka - can still remember the roar of the city, the cutesy Japanese stuff at Dotonbori, the shopping at shinsaibashisuji which went on forever and the most incredible bowl of ramen

Failed:
Seattle - damp, and empty
Amsterdam - I didn't dislike it, just didn't get what all the fuss was about?
Kyoto - after the buzz of Osaka, Kyoto seemed a little... dull and touristy. Pretty for sure but unexciting.
Oxford - this just pales in comparison to Cambridge

Exceeded:

Penang
Dunedin
Cordoba (Arg)
Valletta

Failed:

Manchester
Portofino
Singapore
Darwin

Exceeded -

Tangier - expected it to be terrible but it wasn't, even thought it was raining. I guess I was so glad to be leaving Morocco that I was in a very good mood when I was there.

York - didn't expect much, but what a great town.

Mexico City - had heard so many conflicting opinions. Turned out to be the most vibrant and exciting city I have ever visited.

Monaco - despite my very low expectations, I actually liked the cathedral, the palace. Even liked the casino at night.

Ollantaytambo - wow.

Failed - really my failures rather that the failure of the places -

Fes and Marrakech - not exactly a failed expectation, because i had a reasonably good idea of what to expect. But absolutely hated the faux guides and the money grubbing in general, and the total indifference if you were not engaged in some sort of commercial transaction.

Positano - I failed to expect so many shops selling ladies' resort wear.

San Miguel de Allende - did not expect so many country club US expats in blue blazers. Ick.

Andrejeffery, provocative thread. Basically, I enjoyed so many cities, it’s hard to say. But I enjoy checking out the preferences of others.

Justin Wong wrote:

“Boston - I just love it. After NYC, this is my favourite city in the USA. May also be affected because of fond memories I have of a perfect summer day where I took the ferry out to the Cape, and then spent the day cycling around Provincetown, eating fried clams, and drinking coke floats.”

Glad you enjoyed my hometown. Boston, like any city, is at its best in good weather. You must come back in autumn some time and enjoy the foliage in New England. You might head north to Vermont and New Hampshire.

It’s a big business here and a great favorite of the Brits…

Exceeded: Nice, Venice,
Disapointed: Brussels, Barcelona, florence

Exceeded: Stockholm, Genoa, London, Bruges, Antwerp, Bologna, Paris

Underwhelmed but open to experience again: Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Brussels, Geneva

Exceeded expectations:
Cinque Terre
Barcelona
Dubrovnik

Fell short:
The town of Como, Italy
Aix en Provence
Vegas

Failed: Brussels ( just had a creepy vibe)
New Brunfels, TX
Siena (I know Iknow but I wasn't expecting it to be so big)
Rome (just not my city)

Exceeded: Vienna, Prague

I had low expectations of Brussels when I stopped off for a few hours changing trains between Paris and Amsterdam, but I was quite surprised how much I liked Brussels. I wished I'd spent a night there.

I wonder how much of our opinion of these places is based on expectations? Weather? How you feel when you arrive in a place?

Exceeded:
Fussen - I had such high hopes and expectations before going. I was super pleased that it turned out even better than I ever imagined. During our super early bus ride to the Hohenschwangau, the fog was just starting to clear up after a night of rain. This only enhanced the beauty and romanticism of the region. Of course, all the pretty water fountains never fail to charm me.
Paris - the first time it was cold rainy and miserable. The second time, it completely blew me away. Can't wait to return.
Cordoa & Seville - charming in every single way not to mention all the delicious and satisfying tapas.
Lisbon - the friendliest stop during our most recent trip. The locals were super helpful and genuinely happy to have tourists around.
Venice

Failed:
Barcelona - had such high expectations but somehow the actual experience didn't quite measure up
Prague
Budapest

I'm going to retype my list as after I posted the first one, it posted all jumbled up. LOL! I have asked for the first one to be deleted. Let me try it again.

Exceeded Expectations:

Bangkok,Thailand
Marrakesh,Morocco
Copenhagen,Denmark
Cannes,France
Treviso,Italy
Brugges,Belgium
Tielt,Belgium
Istanbul,Turkey
Singapore
Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia
Accra,Ghana
Elmina,Ghana
Dunedin,New Zealand
Adelaide,Australia
Melbourne,Australia

Failed Expectations:

Venice,Italy
Rome,Italy
Sousse,Tunisia
Auckland,New Zealand
Bali
Amsterdam,Holland
Helsinki,Finland
Lapeenranta,Finland (sp?)
Las Vegas,Nevada
Monte Carlo
Nice,France

Some of the places, in the failed expectation category, I have been to several times because I've had to meet friends there.

And there are also places that have neither exceeded or failed my expectations, like Paris, Oslo, Stockholm, Chiangmai,Thailand, and a list of others that I can't remember off the top of my head.

Happy Travels!

Correction: "Neither.....nor...." I wish we had an edit button.

Happy Travels!

Oh dear, Guenmai.....I am SO sorry you reminded me of Sousse

St.Cirq: LOL! I was there in the early 80s and didn't even plan to be there. I had bought a one-week, individual, package deal from Novelles Frontieres-Paris and the Tunisian hotel was located in Garmarth (sp?). Well, there was nothing in Garmarth. But, at least the hotel was a small one and right on the beach. It was a really traditional, desolate area.

The French travelers who had also bought that part of the package, although they had all been traveling in a group for their first two weeks, complained and said that the hotel wasn't what they had expected and demanded to be moved. Well, nobody told me this. Like, hello!

I was the only non-French person there and my surprise, assigned-roommate was French, but was an English teacher. So, that was the one French person that I could communicate with. But, she didn't even tell me that the whole group was moving. I came into our room and noticed all of her belongings gone. I happened to walk into the lobby and notice all of these people sitting there looking mad. I then asked what the heck was going on and was then told that we were moving! Huh?

I had to then pack, very quickly, and sit out in the lobby to wait for the landrover van to show up and move everyone all the way to Sousse, not exactly around the corner. LOL! Well, the first vehicle had broken down, so it was more waiting and then finally the a vehicle showed up and we all ended up stuffed into it like sardines in a can. Then the bumpy journey started and there was a very pregnant woman sitting next to me. She was near delivery. Yikes!

We finally arrived to Sousse and were put in a big hotel, right on the beach. The air conditioning wasn't working on the entire floor and it was hell hot, as it was the dead of summer.

When I arrived to my room, I found out that I had been assigned the same roommate as I had had in Garmarth. Scream! I was NOT a happy camper. When I had bought the individual package, I thought that I had made it clear that I wanted a room to myself and since I HAD bought the "individual" package and not the "group" package, it meant that Nouvelles Frontieres would pick me up at the airport and get me to my hotel and then I would be on my own. Then at the end of my stay, a week later, they would pick me up and get me back to the airport to get me back to Nice.

The entire time in Sousse, we had to sleep with the sliding class door open. Our room balcony was right above a roof top and one day tons of stray cats, that slept on the roof top below the balcony, ended up getting into the room. Scream! But, the sliding door couldn't be closed as there was no working air conditioning. It was just one of those trips, that I still remember quite vividly.

The one fun thing was that someone from the "group package"invited me to dine with the entire Nouvelles Frontieres group and right on the beach. I guess they felt a bit sorry for me as I was on my own and also stuck with a roommate that only talked about her recent divorce. She could talk about the divorce, non-stop and in English, and starting in Garmarth, but she couldn't inform me that the entire group was moving to Sousse? So, I ate with the group and had fun listening to them talk, but didn't understand a word. LOL! Although I spoke other languages then, French wasn't one of them.

I went around Sousse mostly on my own. Almost everyday I would see a Spies guide with her umbrella open so that people in her group could find her. Spies was the largest travel agency in Denmark at the time. Since I spoke Danish, and not French, I'd follow the Spies umbrella around and get bits and pieces of history while she was explaining to her group. No one suspected that I understood a word of Danish as I looked nothing like a typical Dane back then. They probably thought that I was a local. And what was funny was that I was living up in Copenhagen, the entire summer, as I had been doing since the early 70s.

I had taken the train down to Paris to buy my Tunisian trip package through Nouvelles Frontieres as it was much cheaper than going to Tunisia from Denmark. And since I had a 3-month Eurail pass anyhow, I didn't have to pay for a train ticket to and from Paris and then later from Nice.

One great thing that happened on that nightmare trip was that the pregnant woman,her husband, and I really hit it off. We were in the same age range then; late 20s. They didn't speak a word of English and I didn't speak a word of French, but we all had had German in school so we spoke German to each other. LOL! They were both medical doctors and expecting their first child. We hung out the whole time together. And then when we got back to France, they invited me to visit them in Cannes.

The young couple had a condo right on the water and were in the process of buying the one next door to it and knocking the walls down to expand into one big condo. The husband's parents lived in the condo next door and we all got together and had meals on the terrace, overlooking the boats. They also had a boat. I visited them some other times and then unfortunately lost contact. I still think about them to this day.

The wife's parents lived in a huge villa, on top of a hill in Nice, and invited a friend and me there for dinner a year or so later. It was spectacular. Her parents were in the flower business and had lots of land to grow flowers on. We sat outside, looking at the gorgeous view of Nice below, as they had an entire outside kitchen and dining area across from their front door area. The food was prepared in the outdoor kitchen and we sat outside, under the stars, and ate great food and drank apricot wine that her father had made. It was beyond magical.

So, out of something bad, came something good. It's about making lemonade out of some very sour lemons. LOL! And I bet that that roommate of mine, is somewhere in the world still talking about her divorce!

Happy Travels!

What a fun read, Guenmai!

We were there too in the very early 80s, on our own, though, not on a tour. We had those damn feral cats everywhere, too, all over the hotel and masses of them around the garbage piles that were in every corner of the city...and a would-be "guide" with a single, leaky eye who followed us everywhere for days begging for me to take his picture (yeah! I want to pay Kodak for that?)...and a bunch of young hoodlums who'd appear every time we left our disgusting hotel and shake their fists and yell "Go home, filthy American cowboys!!"...and a horrible duststorm which left me blinded in some alleyway while a strange man tried to grope me...and the guy who, when I was trying on a djellaba, spat all over my bare feet...and huge dung beetles in the bathroom...and clumps of loud, beer-swilling, naked Germans on the beach...oh dear, I could go on and on...and nothing good ever came out of it for us.

But then there was Gafsa, which made Sousse seem like paradise.

Exceeded:
- Florence
- Venice
- Amsterdam
- Vienna

Failed:
- Athens
- Vegas
- Miami
- Los Angeles
- Seattle
- Zurich
- Toronto

"StCirq on Sep 27, 12 at 3:06pm
What a fun read, Guenmai!

We were there too in the very early 80s, on our own, though, not on a tour. We had those damn feral cats everywhere, too,"

LOL! I've gotten my laugh for a week. And what WAS up with all of those feral cats everywhere?

It's too bad you had to experience the anti-American stuff. I don't remember having that experience. Folks were quite cool with me. I think that most people took me for being from somewhere else. I get that a lot around the world. Plus, I was hanging with the Nouvelees Frontieres travelers part of the time.

At the first hotel, in Gamarth, I got up early one morning and walked past the pool, as it was right across from my window. The dining tables were in the pool area. Well, there were bread baskets on the table and cats walking all over the tables and having pre-breakfast before the real guests got up to eat. I was the only one up that early that morning, but after witnessing that scene, I knew what not to eat. LOL!

The other weird thing was that there was a grate-style window, in the open-style closet in the room that I had been assigned to. And on the other side of the grate window was the kitchen and I could see and hear the cooks. And the smells that were coming into my room weren't the most pleasant. I thought to myself, "This is going to be instant weight-loss week". And I didn't want to lose weight as I was only 55 kilos and right under five-foot six. But, I did lose weight that week. When I got back to Nice, I couldn't stop eating. I mean I REALLY couldn't stop eating, And I ate all the way through Cannes and Beausoleil, where my best friend's uncle lived, and where I stayed before heading back to Denmark.

Thank goodness the summer after that one, in Marrakesh on Nouvelees Frontieres, went better although my hotel floor and room had no electricity for a week. But, at least on the Morocco trip, the individual plan was individual. I didn't have to deal with anyone as I was totally on my own. And the food was delicious at my hotel in Marrakesh and the staff was absolutely wonderful.

Happy Travels!

Failed:
Paris (the first time)
Paris (the second time)

Exceeded:
Paris (the third time)

It took me awhile to fall in love with the city but when I did, I fell hard.

Exceeded (the first time):
Berlin
Krakow
Rio

Exceeded:
Amsterdam. More fun than I expected
Paris. Friendlier than I expected
London: More interesting and vibrant than I expected
Venice. More beautiful than I expected

Failed:
Rome. Found it crowded, rude and pushy.

Exceeded:
Paris - fell in love with "her"
Istanbul - amazing
Barcelona - beautiful

Failed:
West Ireland - everything seemed very depressing to me, despite some beautiful scenery.

re Las Vegas (notably "The Strip"):
What a bizarre experience! We ended our road trip through the Southwest parks there yesterday, and I was just now trying to describe it to my daughter on the phone. Indeed, it felt like happening upon a multi-car traffic pile-up in progress...you know you shouldn't keep watching, but you just can't turn your eyes away from it! Best people watching ever! Not certain of the redeeming social value. There can't be a sharper, more shocking contrast with the majesty and natural beauty and serenity of the Southwestern landscape.

That said, I'd go back...lol.

Exceeeded:
Rome - absolutely dreaded the thought of it - loved it!
Paris
Cannes
Prague
Amsterdam
Venice
New York

Failed:
London
Dublin
Sorrento

Exceeded:

San Sebastian
Bad Wimpfen
Luarca
Trondheim
Den Haag
Kharlovy Vary
Normandy in general

Fell short:

Madrid
Nice
Berlin

Exceeded:

• Munich
• London - particularly the surrounding villages (Greenwich, Dulwich, Hampstead et al)
• Lucerne
• Toledo, Spain
• Chicago
• The Twin Cities
• Washington, DC

Fell short:

• Salzburg. It's a charming city, but we found it very touristy (Sound of Music, etc). One day was plenty. Hohensalzburg Fortress was really cool, though.
• Madrid
• Juneau
• Vancouver, BC

Exceeded:

Singapore
Hong Kong
Istanbul
San Diego
St. Petersburg, Russia
Chicago
Rio de Janerio
Perth
Melbourne
Amman
Varanasi
Taipei
Seoul
Tokyo
New York
Montreal
Quebec City
New Orleans
Honolulu

Failed:

Brasilia
Jakarta
Eliat
Shanghai
Buenos Aires
Moscow
Bali

Wow, what an interesting post.
Just a few comments:
Exceeds or fails to exceed is a very personal observation, and as many have said, depends often on weather, experiences, etc. My husband and I have been traveling abroad on our own since 1972 - yeah, we are OLD! We have truly never disliked a place we have visited, although some were definitely worth more and have been revisited. Our all-time fav is Paris - have been to France about 8 times and are always ready to go back.
Also would put Seville, Barcelona, Aix, Vienna, and Quebec City on our revisit list. We were in Budapest the year before the "iron curtain" came down and it was gray and dreary despite the great architecture and food. Would not exactly put Cairo on my favorites list, but it was a fascinating city to visit a few years back.
For us, we have found we look for different things than we did 35-40 years ago, and that changes your perceptions as well.
To each his own - it is just so much fun to travel! (Just returned from Rome last night and already thinking of where next!)

Loved:
Amsterdam
Turin
Krakow
Bergamo
Barcelona
Budapest
Munich

Not so much:
Paris
Rome
Madrid
Vienna

what a coincidence, I bumped into this article from a couple years back saying exactly what I think, Paris is the most overrated city in the world, Venice is the most romantic

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/europes-most-boring-dirty-and-overrated-cities-20090505-at9g.html