I knew I'd love Italy, and I did. I knew I'd love Paris, and I adored it. Switzerland's scenery was even more breathtaking than I'd imagined. However, I NEVER wanted to go to London, looked on it as a man's city, for some odd reason, and only planned our trip there last year to please my husband. SURPRISE! I loved it. Beautiful parks, flowers, architecture, history, and the friendliest people anywhere. I can't believe I had been so prejudiced against it. Just goes to show you to travel with an open mind, and you'll be surprised at the treasures that await you!

I just returned from Ireland. I knew I would love it, from the pictures I had seen and other peoples posts. My maiden name is Irish and my mother's maiden name is Irish so I have ties. But I can say Ireland and it's people touched my heart so deeply.

I also love Paris. I have been there 3 times in 4 years and I can't wait to go back. The Orsey and Monet's paintings also make me cry. Last summer my daughter and I stood before them and just cryed our eyes out. We both have seen them a couple of times before. But they still move my soul.

The next place is the drive into the valley of my home town on my way home from my trips. I believe I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth. That would be Wenatchee, Washington (state). Everytime, I get that first peek of the rivers and mountains my heart skips a beat. There's no place like home.

Five that totally surprised me because I had a viseral "AHHH!" when I saw them despite having researched diligently and thought I knew what to expect. Reality just is so much better than reading, looking at pictures and virtual tours. Here they are: I've tried to find some links anyway, just because words fail me.

Santiago de Compostela

http://www.virtourist.com/europe/santiago/index.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94O9X0dClkM
The cathedral of Santiago's incense burner

Tallin,Estonia
http://www.tallinn.info/flash/

The war Memorial, Caen, France
http://www.unicaen.fr/collectivite/m.../indexgb.shtml

Fireworks behind the Eiffel Tower during Bastille Day celebrations, Paris
http://www.phototravels.net/paris/N0...-tower-30.html

Trevi Fountain and the other fountains at night
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel...tain-BR-1.html

I've limited myself to five, but lucky me, I have so many more!

I haven't been to as many places as SOME of the travellers on this board, but the places that surprised me were:

1) MADRID (Spain): I had so much fun in this city. I hadn't heard anything positive about it. But I found the people very friendly and fun. Discovered a wonderful bakery there. And just enjoyed walking around the city, discovering the beautiful town squares where people gather to just talk and catch up. Plus, I have a great memory of dancing until dawn in a nightclub, then walking next door to get a hot chocolate and churros (their version of a donut) at around 5 am! That Latin music is damn contagious, I tell ya!

2) SIENA (Italy): Siena, I DID read nice things about. It's not a very big town, but I find it breathtaking. The light from the setting sun hitting the stone buildings...sigh! Plus, my husband and I went to the same trattoria every night because we enjoyed it so much -- TRATTORIA PAPEI. The owner is friendly and such a character. Boy, do I love Tuscan food: the wild boar stew, duck ragu with pappardelle, wonderful sausage with cannellini beans, Tuscan red wine...VIVA! Food to warm your heart and soul.

I have to add Chile to the list. I just got back. What a trip!

It was a tour through elderhostel. The itinerary was Santiago-Temuco-Puerto Montt-6 day cruise to Glacier San Rafael on the Skorpios II-Santiago. We did a trip to the lakes and the Orsono volcano from Puerto Montt and to Valparaiso from Santiago.

While I know this is heresy on the Europe board, I liked Chile every bit as much as Europe. It has a European feel to it with a Spanish bent.

Fantastic trip. I took, I think, about 500 photos. I need to deal with those. It will be a huge project.

London -- cooler than I expected. More than I expected. I have new respect for my English roots.

Paris -- just blew me away -- I thought I'd go, see it, like it, and not be back. I was wrong -- it was the first place I returned.

Turkey -- In Izmir, I was stared at like I was Julia Roberts walking down the street. The friendliness, interest in us and hospitality shown to me made this tops on my list. It just made me want to go further East. Istanbul, for its age, its Blue Mosque, and the understanding the Muslims are a peaceful, caring people who are so much more than just the freak show we are presented with through the media. It changed my outlook on the world forever, and all I can say to people is "Go see it, then judge."

Jules

Krakow - small but beautiful even in winter.

Prague- Simply fantastic city to walk around

Berlin - dynamic and great night life. My favourite city walk starting at the Jewish Musuem strolling up to checkpoint charlie, then past the wall, DOWN Unter Den Linden past all the famous sites of Nazi Germany and earlier history onto the Brandenberg gate and the Riechstag.

All of eastern Europe supprassed my expectations.
Biggest disappointment - Vienna - for somereason i was bored (Im only 21) but i have no desire to go back. Nightlife seemed lacking and it didnt have the sites of other cities but i had just come from amazing Prague.

Cyprus. It was simply amazing.

I have to add Paris to my earlier list. In a word AMAZING!!!!!

Tom

JAPAN- what a great country. Accompanied my husband on a business trip to Hiroshima and Kyoto and was blown away. Lovely people and everything works perfectly! Then we went to Tokyo- WOW! Where does one start? If that's the 21st century bring it on.
STOCKHOLM A lovely city,with its historic heart Gamla Stan,surrounded by blue sparkling water.
FATEPHUR SIKRI- I was jet lagged but its atmosphere and beauty were amazing.
MELBOURNE A stop over for a couple of nights but its outdoor gutsy personality really impressed me.

Rome! It became my favourite city.
Also Russia and St. Petersbug in particular.
Goa, loved it!

Costa Rica - I expected it to be beautiful, but I wasn't prepared for the care for the environment - every place we went. I was also surprised at the Ticos - what a welcoming country!

Kyoto - Just amazing. So ancient and yet so modern all at the same time. Wow!

Now that I just got back, I will have to add Montenegro to my list above. Kotor was such a great time, and the Bay of Kotor was just beautiful. I wasn't sure what to expect from Montenegro, but the towns we visited were wonderful, the people nice and friendly, and the views incredible.

Tracy

Paris first -
and now that I've been to St. Tropez - what a beautiful fun little town (off season...bet I wouldn't feel that way during the summertime...but I cannot wait to go back in October again...)

Hamburg. All I read about before visiting there was seediness and the Reeperbahn - and those are very much a part of the city - but Hamburg was quite a fun, interesting and progressive city to visit. The contrast between the seediness of the area around the Hauptbahnhof, the commercial sleaze of the Reeperbahn, the lively and beautiful downtown, and the fabulously wealthy areas around the Alster was fascinating. It's an under-appreciated Euro urban getaway spot.

Dunkeld, Scotland.
Very charming indeed.

Karlove Vary in Czech Rep, July film festival, a lot of people but what a great little town, and all the women are at least 10.
Krakow, great party town, not as crowded as Prague and a lot of young people.
Casa De Campo, DR. Golf!!!

Serengeti, Amboseli..game parks and Kenya in general

Togo and Mali, West Africa

Scottish Highlands

FauxSteMarie,

Will you be posting more about your Chile trip? I'm sure the country is beautiful but how was the Elderhostel part? How many people? Trip leader, hotels, etc?

Thanks.

Countries that exceeded my expectations:

Scotland, Czech Republic, Croatia

That is not to say that we have not loved each and every single trip we have gone on. I always have very high expectations and the above were way above and beyond.