Most over-rated? Under-rated?
 

What was the one place or thing in Europe that you found most over-rated? And what about under-rated? Just curious.

This will be consider heresy by some on this forum, but London is overrated. I lived a couple of hours from NYC (museums, shopping, restaurants, theatre...), and London didn't do much for me... <BR> <BR>Under-rated?...Spain. There is so much amazing architecture, history, culture, etc...specifics? Leon, Santiago, Salamanca, etc, etc...

Maira, I agree with you on London, but I think London is a lot like NYC, but better. <BR> <BR>I'm sure you can't consider Bruges to be under-rated, however it's not the most popular city in Europe. I loved it. I went in more of an off season time so I didn't have to deal with all the tourists. The people were nice, the architecture was amazing, and it was so romantic with the canals. If you love chocolate, beer, lace, and waffles, you'll be in heaven. I don't even like beer, but I found Belgian beer to be better than anything I've had in the states. I stayed in a crappy, moldy hostel, but we had such a great time anyway. I doubt I would like it as much if I went in July or August. I like to travel when there are less of my fellow compatriotes around. No offense, I just like to feel like I'm in a foreign country when I spend all that money to go there. <BR> <BR>When I first went to Paris, I though it was over-rated, but after going back a few more times, it started to grow on me. I could live there. It has all the amenitites of NYC and it's completely different at the same time.

For me, it always strikes me as odd when I hear or read about people enthusing wildly about Budapest, saying how great it is in comparison to somewhere like Vienna or Prague. Having been to all three (Budapest and Vienna more than once), Budapest is streets behind the other two in terms of aesthetics and ambience (though not prices, admittedly!). Sure, the Buda half is very nice, and I like the city as a whole (even though the area around Keleti station is a dump), but better than Vienna & Prague? No way. No doubt I'll have annoyed a few people saying that! <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Over-rated: Most of the historical sites in Rome. How many times has that Coliseum been rebuilt? <BR> <BR>Under-rated: the brown cafes of Amsterdam. These bars are quainter and cozier than the best pubs in London. <BR> <BR>

Maira, <BR> <BR>I too live near NYC in New Jersey. And having lived my entire life South of the Mason Dixon line I expected NYC to be a vast, unfriendly ripoff full of antagonistic people. <BR> <BR>Much to my delight I have been to the "City" about 10 times in the past three years and have had marvelous times and have yet to have one single person be rude to me. Perhaps it is my Southern accent that elicits these responses of concern and help. As in "poor lost bumpkin" perhaps we shouldn't be too hard on him. Now, if they could just figure out how to be so friendly in New Jersey! <BR> <BR>However, despite the Met, the Guggenheim, the Whitney, Little Italy, the theatres and the wonderful restaurants...I'll still take London. <BR> <BR>There's just something about the history, the charm of the little neighborhoods, the class of Chelsea and Belgravia, the subdued British atmosphere and the realization that when you go into the tower, the Beefeater starts the tour with, "In 1066..." <BR> <BR>PS Most under rated.....Scotland. The most beautiful places with the friendliest people in all my travels! <BR>Munich is a close second. <BR> <BR>Most over rated...Stonehenge...nice pile of rocks, particularly if you're a 20th century Druid!

I have to disagree with some of the answers here. London is terrific in my opinion as is Stonehenge, while I really disliked Amsterdam where I found NO redeeming qualities.

Well, I thought Stonehenge and Rome more than lived up to their billing -- I enjoyed them a lot. London, Nice, and Athens were overrated. London theater is underrated (New York theater is overrated, but I love it anyway). The changing of the guard and "high tea" are overrated. Cambridge is underrated. The British health care system is underrated (don't ask). Ordering, and actually receiving ice in your beverage is underrated, and so is air conditioning. "British reserve" is overstated. Amsterdam is underrated. The Rijksmuseum is overrated. The Van Gogh museum and Anne Frank house are underrated. Italian bread was overrated (never did have a decent piece of bread in Florence, Rome, or Venice and can't figure out why). Train travel is underrated. Rainy-day picnics of french bread and cheese and wine on the bed in your hotel room are underrated. The Latin Quarter is overrated; the Marais is underrated. The Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe are overrated. The Bateaux Mouches are underrated. The "Mona Lisa" is overrated. The Musees Picasso in Paris and Antibes are underrated. Greek food is underrated. German efficiency is overrated. Being in Europe with your boyfriend: overrated (obviously I was with the wrong guy). Being in Europe with your mom: underrated (especially when a couple of years later she gets really sick and almost dies, and you're so glad you went to Europe together when you had the chance). <BR>

Lisa, <BR>you're the first person I've heard say the Italian bread was overrated. And you're absolutely right. We rarely had really good bread. In one very good restaurant in Rome the bread was actually horrendously stale. <BR> <BR>I disagree about Athens, not because its great, but because I don't think anybody really says its great. The Acropolis is spectacular, the rest of the city well... <BR> <BR>I love London and the Roman Ruins, so disagree there. I think Venice is overrated. It was very nice, but I didn't find it as magical as others seem to. Too many tourists and associated tourist traps. <BR> <BR>Most underrated -- Greece outside of the Islands and Athens. The Peleponesse is beautiful, lots of great ruins, beaches, friendly people. Why does everyone do Athens and the islands and skip the rest of the country?

I love these things---it really points <BR>out the "mind of the beholder" thing. <BR>My humble opinion---most over-rated has <BR>to be Athens, and the under-rated is <BR>actually most of Portugal---the last <BR>place in southern Europe that is not yet <BR>somewhat spoiled by American TV culture.

After having just returned from Italy, I agree that Italian bread is overrated. They omit the salt - makes the bread last longer. But they make up for it with their wonderful pastas, sauces and young pecorino. <BR> <BR>One more thing that's overrated: pickpockets. They're just not as ubiquitous as some postings here would lead you to believe.

This Italian bread thing has touched a nerve. My wife and I loved eating everything we had in Italy (no we didnt gain 10 pounds)BUT hated the bread. If it is the salt as was suggested then maybe we all love the flavor of salt and not good bread...nevertheless, when eating great pasta ...you want bread that tastes great too. By the way...Thought Venice was great...so it is UNDERRATED

Briefly my opinions: <BR>Under-Rated: Turkey, Turkish people, Portugal, Spain, Spanish people, Munich, Brugge (what Venice promised but never was), French cuisine (I know its rated high, but I think its even better than that!), friendliness of (some) French people <BR>. <BR>Over-Rated: Greek Islands, Greek People, Italian Men (pigs), Venice (dirty, touristy, overpriced - no magic there for me), Eiffel Tower (very ugly), French Riviera <BR>

Lola, <BR>OVERRATED: London, the English countryside, Paris, the French wine country, European beaches, hotels in Venice (rip-offs, all) <BR>UNDERRATED: Spain, the Spanish countryside, Madrid (although Barcelona IS more beautiful), San Gimmignano in Tuscany, Milan <BR>Cheers, <BR>Bobby Ghosh <BR>Hong Kong

Another heresy: I was really disappointed by Florence. So many tourists, no cafe life, like being contained in some sort of museum amusement park. And it was the only place where I felt unsafe … and I've been alone in Naples! <BR> <BR>Underrated: Seville — beautiful city.

Sera- your're the first person I have ever read on this site that said Florence is overrated and I couldn't agree more. Very crowded, never really felt safe, and probably the only place in Italy that we were ripped off at several restaurants. However, the Duomo and the David are spectacular and I'm glad that I saw them. <BR>Underrated - Brugges. <BR>

The Cinque Terre (Rick Steves' fault?) is certainly overrated in this forum ... the Dolomiti, on the other hand, are just about all forgotten. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR>

Underrated: Turkey and Spain <BR> <BR>Overrated: Athens, Copenhagen

I don't want to get in the middle of some of the back and forth, but couldn't hold back a comment on Italian bread. <BR> <BR>Go to any decent neighborhood bakery in Italy and you'll get great, fresh, cheap bread. <BR> <BR>Yes, you can get bread which is 'tasteless.' This is typically 'Tuscan' style bread which is used for dunking, bread soups, etc.

Supposedly, Florentine bakers started making bread without salt because way back when there was a huge tax on salt. I don't think that's true everywhere in Italy; there's a line in Dante about learning how salty the bread of strangers is (or something like that). <BR> <BR>I didn't like Athens all that much, but I don't know that I'd say it's overrated: I've never read anything saying it's a city of much charm. And I loved Brugge, but it's pretty heavily touted. One frequent contributor to this forum is a Ghent booster--I suspect Ghent is overrated and would love to find out if I'm right. I think Belgium is generally underrated, or at least overlooked. <BR>I think Switzerland is overrated--if you want to hike in a beautiful setting, hit the French or Italian Alps so you can get some decent food at the end of the day, rather than a blob of melted cheese in one of too-few guises.