I think what surpassed my expectations was the region of Molise in Italy.

I first went there in the 1970's only because a dear friend who is like a sister to me was from one of the very small villages and wanted us to visit all of her family. I have always so enjoyed being in this beautiful, serene and nontouristy region of Italy. While driving there the first time I was overwhelmed with the beauty, and the feeling is still with me.

And like txeagle, I would have to add the Dolomites, beautiful beyond words.

Provence. It doesn't seem like it should be possible for such a place to exceed expectations ... but then it did!

The Azores - didn't know what to expect since I hadn't planned on going. Loved it and have returned 13X.

Ghent and Strasbourg - Thought they would be just OK - turned out to be terrific.

Grindelwald in the days before all of the tourists. Would you believe quiet and peaceful?

Venice - expected georgeous, was blown away.

Iceland - fantastic country.

St. Petersburg, Russia.

Berlin, Germany.

East Africa
Paris did it for me, too
In the Caucusus region of southern Russia, the area around Pyatigorsk (Пятиго́рск) was amazingly beautiful and the spas intriguing.

The Yorkshire countryside. In a sense, I think all of my previous trips have been attempts to find what I found there--nothing majestic, just a story book vision of rural life in all of its bucolic simplicity. For me, perfection.

Good thread.

Amsterdam--low expectations and maybe some hesitancy to go there, but I was pleasantly surprised.

St. Petersburg--always wanted to go, but I think I was hesitant based upon my perceptions. I loved it and can't wait to go back.

Calabria--even when I'm in Italy, I still long for Calabria.

Gosh, I left out Sicily. I haven't been to Calabria but want to. Sicily is drop dead gorgeous.

Venice. It is beyond me how anyone could conceive of such a city. I had always heard negative things about it, so wasn't prepared to be so knocked out. Maybe that is the secret-----to go anywhere with low expectations!

Firenze!! Some here say that they find it noisy and dirty. Not me!! I prefer the 7am bells from the Duomo to my alarm clock any day. LOL

Moscow, St Petersburg. Summer in Scandinavia.

1. Florence, i was expecting fine art, but never expected a beginning of a love afair with art. Since I've been, i have read every book i can find on the master, michelangelo. How I long to go back.

2. Assisi, after the tours leave in early evening, it is the most peaceful tranquell sight in europe I have seen. Very moving walking around in empty streets gazing at a hand painted madonna on every corner. Not to mention the sunsets.

3. Paris, awe the city of lights, didn't expect much but loved every minute there. I loved the fresh markets and walking the latin quater at night.

Tanzania. We had a chance to go with friends in a group and I poo poo'd it, thinking that all of Africa was a steamy hot Tarzan type of place. Boy was I dumb and uneducated. DH really wanted to go with the group, so I did a lot of research and it looked pretty civilized to me ;-) so I said yes.

That was the most rewarding trip we have ever taken, I can't begin to tell you how much that trip still means to us.

Plus .... it was the only trip that people actually asked to see our pictures!

Also Moscow and St. Petersburg. The art and palaces overwhelmed me and the beauty of St. Petersburg itself, made and the ease with which we got around, surprised both of us. We had several restaurant meals that rivaled SF or Paris.

Nina

Dubrovnik. Prague, Southern France and, especially, DUBAI. The latter is a fantastic experience in spite of the July heat. We stopped over for 5 days on our way back to Australia. Can't wait to go back and do all the things we missed.

Macedonia, Sicily, practically everywhere between Gilgit and Kashgar, but especially finding I'd checked into the Chini Bagh (British Consulate in the days of the Great Game) hotel without realising it, Angkor Wat, Gotland, driving round Jordan, Delhi, the Mojave desert.

And Mrs F adds Las Vegas.

Ellora, India.
It is Shiva's abode on this earth. Takes your breath away

Ten corners of hidden europe that surpassed all our expectations:

1. Görlitz in eastern Germany
2. Rural Estonia (esp. the Lake Peipsi region)
3. Bergamo in northern Italy
4. Grodno in Belarus
5. The lake country of NE Poland
6. The Faroe Islands
7. The Aland Islands
8. The estuaries of Merioneth (Wales)
9. Corvo in the Azores
10.Albania
http://www.hiddeneurope.co.uk

For me, nearly every place I go exceeds my expectations. We can do research and study maps and pictures, but once I are actually on site somewhere, that is when it comes alive for me. The sights, the sounds, the people, the food...though many places have astounded me.

We visited Jordan last November and I thought that Petra would be the most momentous thing about Jordan. Turned out everything about Jordan took my breath away. Petra was amazing. The Dead Sea. Jerash...what an amazing country. I'd go back in a minute.

I feel that way about every place I have been: Italy, England, France, Germany, Egypt, Jordan, China, the Caribbean, Canada, South America, Central America...the list is endless!

wow that is what I get for posting so early. I do know proper english. Please disregard the "I are" in the last posting.

Back for more coffee... :-)

Venice, Brugge, and Edinburgh.