Overrated Tourist Traps to Avoid at All Costs.

[bindeweede]

All a matter of opinion, of course. Of the 15, I think I've visited 4, but not in the last 30 years. Just click on the "Start Slideshow" link.

https://www.farandwide.com/s/overrated- ... 6ae93848d5

[Tony.Williams]

I've visited six but, like you, some of them a long time ago.

[chaggle]

I've only done a couple of those.

I'm not very good with tourist destinations. Although we lived within a couple of hours drive of both for 14 years, we never visited Sevilla nor Cordoba - both of which are tourist hotspots (well we went to Sevilla twice but only to go to Ikea ).

I prefer to 'go native' (so far as that's possible) on holiday - rural France or small village in Spain.

[Tony.Williams]

I visited Sevilla, Cordoba and Granada, in three consecutive days! Being on a brief holiday focuses the mind. I lived within easy reach of London for many years but never visited the Tower of London, or many other tourist attractions. If you live close to something, there's always the feeling that you can visit it anytime, there's no rush.... until you move away from the area!

[Croydon13013]

I saw the Manneken Pis a few years ago and couldn't believe how small and boring it was. The chocolate shop just around the corner was selling chocolate replicas that were larger than the original. When I said this to my parents my dad said that my Uncle Frank had visited it during the second world war and had reported that it was the most pathetic underwhelming statue he had ever seen.
Here it is with some fat bloke standing in front of it:
http://photobucket.com/gallery/user/Rob ... uanBn?ref=

[bindeweede]

I wonder if you saw the similarly underwhelming statue in Ghent? It was pointed out to us on a short river trip.

http://www.belgiumview.com/belgiumview/ ... 05722.php4

[Tony.Williams]

I've been trying to think of sights I've seen which were disappointing. One of them is on the list: Times Square in New York. Not a square at all in the London sense: just an elongated road junction with lots of advertising displays. Another is also in New York: Wall Street. This is a short, narrow back-alley about as unimpressive as you can get (although admittedly it's not touted as a tourist attraction).

[Croydon13013]

Times Square in New York. Not a square at all in the London sense: just an elongated road junction with lots of advertising displays.

If you found that disappointing, you must have really felt let down by Piccadilly Circus.

[Croydon13013]

I wonder if you saw the similarly underwhelming statue in Ghent? It was pointed out to us on a short river trip.

http://www.belgiumview.com/belgiumview/ ... 05722.php4

I've been to Gent but didn't see it. I don't remember it being publicised. Millions of homes have small underwhelming features. The thing about the Manneken Pis in Brussels is that it is touted worldwide as something to go and look at. It is surrounded by tourist shops selling replicas made of plastic, cotton, chocolate, etc. But it's just a crappy little statue on a wall in a backstreet of a fairly scummy suburb of Brussels.

I have a small statue of a dragon in my back garden. I'd only expect mockery if I was promoting it as a tourist destination.

[Tony.Williams]

Times Square in New York. Not a square at all in the London sense: just an elongated road junction with lots of advertising displays.

If you found that disappointing, you must have really felt let down by Piccadilly Circus.

It's such a long time since I first went there, I don't recall my initial reaction. It isn't much to look at, but then London's main square, the place where everyone automatically gathers for celebrations etc, is Trafalgar Square, and that's far more impressive than Times Square.

[Croydon13013]

It's such a long time since I first went there, I don't recall my initial reaction.

Disappointment at lack of clowns?

[Tony.Williams]

Disappointment at lack of clowns?

I think it was probably explained to me that all the clowns were in this big building by the river...

My favourites were the flying trapeze artists, although the double-decker buses must have been a real hazard for them.