Kate

Madrid, just big wide streets with big blah palacey buildings and lots of traffic.

Palermo, glad I've been but the traffic was murder and, let's face it. it's a dump. A romantic, evocative dump. But still a dump.

Barry Island, Wales. I went for a laugh, thinking it would be fun in a kitsch way. It wasn't even that. The most depressing town I've ever visited. The town council has even banned alcohol, so I couldn't even drown my sorrows in a pub.

Blaise22

I get why so many don't care for Madrid, it's not one of my favorite cities either. However, the Prado is my favorite museum I have ever visited and I would love to return to Madrid just to spend more time there. I also loved Retiro Park.

I am a little surprised to see so many that don't like Rome. I had pretty low expectations when I first went there based on having not found it to be very beautiful in the pictures I had seen. There were dozens of other places in Italy I was more interested in. But of the places I have been in Italy, it's the first one I will return to. I absolutely loved the character of neighborhoods like Prati and Trastavere. I think if I had stayed in the center near the major monuments I probably would not have liked it so much.

Like many of you, I didn't care for the Vatican Museums because of crowds. However, I had a friend who got a private tour with a tour guide a few months after I went, and he had a completely different experience, getting to see the Sistine Chapel with only a few people in the room. It was the highlight of his trip. I loved the Borghese Gallery though, where I was able to get close to the art with very few patrons to contend with.

Vienna was the first place I went in Europe, which may cause me to hold it in higher esteem than I would otherwise. I loved the architecture, the music, and how pristine everything was. I also loved the extensive pedestrian only areas. I would definitely go back.

LouisaH

I'm sure I can think of other places but here's my short list:

Vienna (left me cold; not appealing to me)
Pienza (ruined for me by bus loads of tourists)
Pisa (I went to Italy five times before I finally went)

tjhome1

Fascinating thread
Luxembourg - the city, couldn't find anything appealing about it.
Inverness - found it ugly and boring

Surprised to see Colmar and Vienna coming up so often - loved them both.

SamanthaCanyon

Madrid - dirty / not appealing - hate the graffiti

Gothenburg Sweden - dreary and boring - horrible food

Leely2

I thought of another one. London. Have been three times. I don't hate it, but I have absolutely no desire to return. I sort of never want to go to England again. It just doesn't hold any interest for me.

//Running for cover.

kleeblatt

The only place I've hated is Acapulco but that's not in Europe.

annhig

I sort of never want to go to England again. It just doesn't hold any interest for me.

//Running for cover.>>

this isn't meant to sound patronising, Leely, but I wonder where, apart from London, you've been? we drove home to Cornwall from London last week down the A30 - we went through lovely little villages, past historic cities like Salisbury, and passed through gorgeous towns like Wilton.

several times I just wanted to stop and explore for a week or more.

I feel a "staycation" coming on.

Leely2

annhig, good point. I should admit that I haven't been even to London in over a decade. Other than that, just Cambridge (or Oxford? I can't remember!) and Bath in England more than 15 years ago. I didn't dislike any of it, I just don't feel drawn to return. Also, I am more of a city person, so little towns and bucolic scenes are charming only up to a point for me. I need a city I love to want to return.

[I guess a major exception is African safari countries. I love those vacations even if I don't love, say, Dar es Salaam or Nairobi.]

StCirq

Leely2, I hear you. London doesn't do much for me, though I've been back and back and back (which says something about how much it DOES do for me), and the English countryside is beautiful...but I harbor no major desires to go back there and wouldn't feel deprived if I never went back. I think I prefer countries where the language is foreign, for one thing (and countries where the food is inspiring...which, forgive me, but I don't find England to be one of). I need some sort of exotic edge or at least a challenge, and I don't get that in England.

StCirq

BTW, I loved Nairobi. Dirty, chaotic, unpredictable, dichotomous, bordering on insane, horrible slum in the middle of the city that gave rise to the horrid massacres a few years ago during the elections, yet insanely lovely people, always a surprise, but heart-warming in the extreme. I would go back there in a heartbeat.

Leely2

StCirq, I think Nairobi is great--in its own way. However, it has by far has the worst traffic I have ever experienced. And it seems to get worse each time I visit. I was there again June 2012. I was taking a car from Wilson to Karen during rush hour. Not an exaggeration to say I could have walked faster.

I feel terrible for the Kenyans who have to go to and from work in that, often in a crowded matatu.

StCirq

That's very true, Leely2. Though I think Delhi and Mumbai are even worse...maybe because instead of herding cattle through town, as we saw in Nairobi quite a number of times, the Indians just let the cows wander as they wish through the traffic (and plonk themselves down in the middle of the road if they wish).

kenav

Loved Vienna. And Venice, though beautiful, left me cold. And let's not even go into the crowds that made me want to turn around and leave.

Andrew

If I had visited Venice only during the day, I would have hated it. In fact, my third visit was like that - a stop off the train for a few hours on the way to somewhere else - and it was miserable. But I always tell people that they must stay overnight and stay ON Venice not in Mestre to appreciate the place. Because I think Venice is magical at night and in the morning before the crowds come.

kenav

I stayed in Venice for 5 days and nights. Didn't change my perception.

kovsie

Interesting how one memory or experience colour your perception of a place. When I think of Venice (was there in July) I remember the heat and the crowds and the distinct aroma of urine mixed with fish. Will I go again? Perhaps in winter, will definitely never stay near Piazza San Marco again.
Milan: spent precious travel euros on tickets for Swan Lake in La Scala. Had seats where we could literally not see the stage, even when standing.I just hated La Scala for knowingly selling those seats. I hated the hotel for saying they are '20 minute walk' from La Scala - it was more like a 45 minute boring slog. Maybe the rest of Milan is wonderful. I will probably not return.

eliztravels2

Now that Billoburger has mentioned it: Troon. Miserably cold wind and rain in August. The postcards showing people frolicking on the beach were obviously from 20 years previous, probably the last time they had sunshine. Cranky, racist landlady at the BnB, dreary city all round.

Come to think of it, I'd be willing to give all of Scotland a miss.

eliztravels2

Also, San Jose, Costa Rica. Horrendous traffic, one or two colonial buildings, a small museum: that's it. The rest of the country is so magnificent, why go into the city at all?

MaisonPlague

Cuba...nice beaches but didn't really get the rest of it. Hard to meet the locals too.