FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Most overrated tourist attractions in the world
Old Feb 14, 2011, 7:54 am
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travellingblade
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver, Marriott Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 567
Most overrated tourist attractions in the world

I was having a debate with a few well travelled friends a couple of days ago about which tourist sites we had visited had turned out to be the biggest disappointment. I therefore thought I would ask the question here to see what FTers think and why. Apologies if there is already a thread on this but I couldn't find one.

I'm not talking about which cities or countries we really disliked or thought were overrated, but which famous tourist attractions you have visited for the first time and were so underwhelmed that you think "oh, is that it?" because you expected so much more.

Many well known tourist attractions have a justified reputation - the Grand Canyon really is awesome, the Pyramids really are huge and the Taj Mahal really is staggeringly beautiful - but others seem to be inexplicably famous as the reality doesn't live up to the hype. These are the ones I am talking about - the ones that really make you question why you bothered making the effort to go and see it.

I'll start with a couple:

1. The Astronomical Clock in Prague - I'm not denying that the clock itself is a true work of art but all the locals told us we must go and see the 'spectacle' of it chiming on the hour. So we duly queued up with hundreds of other tourists to see....... a couple of tiny figures high up move around in a jerky fashion. And that was it - a spectacle it isn't.

2. The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen - It is really tiny, miles from anywhere and set against the backdrop of rusting naval ships and factories. There are so many more worthwhile things to see in CPH but bizarrely that still remains the one thing everyone wants to see.

3. The Semmering Railway in Austria - I was so looking forward to my train journey along this UNESCO world heritage stretch of railway but was quickly disappointed. The view is just rolling hills and the odd building. The really impressive parts such the viaducts and bridges are hidden from view from within the train. You'd need to be on a helicopter to really appreciate it.

So what others do people have to add?
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