Cities you'd never return to

JillyQ · 19-04-2014 11:09am

Hollywood was just rotten

Diane Selwyn · 19-04-2014 11:10am

Probably wouldn't bother returning to Cardiff or Singapore. Also, despite lovely people (and ice cream), there was not really much to do or see in Damascus a few years ago - sadly even less now I'd bet.

purplecow1977 · 19-04-2014 11:10am

david75 wrote: »

Las Vegas. Utterly pointless. You can feel your soul being sucked away. Never again.
Dallas. There is something so completely charmless about this town and its weird cos it should be lovely.
Little rock Arkansas. It's limerick. But in America. Nuff said.
Miami. Plastic hellhole full of plastic people. Though little Cuba was cool.
Birmingham. Truly the biggest sh!thole in Britain.. Oh wait
Manchester. Never ever ever again. Ever.
Rotterdam. Sad about this town. It was totally levelled in WWII and when rebuilt, it's just got no soul or center. It's like a deserted movie set of skyscrapers. Really strange.
Limerick. You know why.
Cork. Double dose of what's wrong with limerick.
Sligo. The worst town in Ireland?

Any places you DO like?!

thegreatgonzo · 19-04-2014 11:10am

lufties wrote: »

I lived there for a while, its actually ok in fairness..If you think KL is smelly try Hong Kong.

I liked Hong Kong. I didn't feel choked by pollution, the harbour is lovely and you can get out of the city really quickly and feel like you are in a seaside town. Those horrible drains in KL really stank.

bear1 · 19-04-2014 11:11am

david75 wrote: »

Las Vegas. Utterly pointless. You can feel your soul being sucked away. Never again.
Dallas. There is something so completely charmless about this town and its weird cos it should be lovely.
Little rock Arkansas. It's limerick. But in America. Nuff said.
Miami. Plastic hellhole full of plastic people. Though little Cuba was cool.
Birmingham. Truly the biggest sh!thole in Britain.. Oh wait
Manchester. Never ever ever again. Ever.
Rotterdam. Sad about this town. It was totally levelled in WWII and when rebuilt, it's just got no soul or center. It's like a deserted movie set of skyscrapers. Really strange.
Limerick. You know why.
Cork. Double dose of what's wrong with limerick.
Sligo. The worst town in Ireland?

Ever been to Ballaghaderreen in Co.Roscommon? Lived there in my teens... suicide would be more fun.
Thank my stars my parents moved to Galway, different world.

The Backwards Man · 19-04-2014 11:12am

deseil wrote: »

I loved Maastricht ive gone back 4 times the old part is beautiful, lots of great bars around the squares, and the best food ive had in Holland.

Maybe I'll give it another go so, all I can remember of it is just being one huge quarry.

C.K Dexter Haven · 19-04-2014 11:12am

Big Nasty wrote: »

Paris.

Dirty kip.

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Paris. I wasn't at all impressed. Granted it was a rugby trip and we saw no sights and drank a lot.

faceman wrote: »

Paris and Venice. Unless you speak French Paris feels unfriendly. I thought Venice was an overpriced kip.

Can't believe Paris is being mentioned so much and the posts thanked-I think it's a wonderful city and while I know it gets a bad rep for rudeness, I found the people there OK overall.

I'm going to say Valetta in Malta, in fact all of Malta except Gozo Island which is beautiful. While Valetta has a nice old city, modern Valetta is just full of badly made concrete monstrosities, the food is desperate, and it has absolutely nothing going for it.

david75 · 19-04-2014 11:15am

purplecow1977 wrote: »

Any places you DO like?!

You reminded me.

LA. totally soulless ugly place.

Loved San Francisco. San Diego. Chicago. New York. London(has its problems but I love it). Prague. Amsterdam. Madrid. Lincoln, Lawrence, council bluffs and Omaha,

Balmed Out · 19-04-2014 11:16am

Some brilliant cities being mentioned here. I wouldn't go discounting a whole city just because I had a bad weekend. Describing millions as unfriendly after a two day jaunt.....

There isn't anywhere I wouldn't return to though there would be a few of the more dangerous ones I would hope have improved if I was to go back

Paco Rodriguez · 19-04-2014 11:16am

Thought Budapest was a super friendly city. Was there alone.

The opposite case was Rome. Most rude people ever. Pushing my mother by wheelchair on the narrow footpaths oncoming pedestrians would stand for a second as if waiting for us to dismount the kerb around them.

When we got a poorly served dish at a restaurant the manager called us liars.

Understanding that it wasnt the waitors fault I tipped him....but he handed it back as it wasn't 10% of the bill.

Rest of Italy is lovely but Rome is aweful.

Il Trap · 19-04-2014 11:18am

anncoates wrote: »

Drunshambo.

You witnessed the massacre I take it? Sorry to hear.

Its a place in healing.

fyfe79 · 19-04-2014 11:19am

bear1 wrote: »

Barbados - Not a city but a country I wouldn't go back to. We were there last year for our honeymoon. The amount of stares we got as a white couple, people trying to sell you drugs at every street or beach you go to. Beautiful country though. Extremely expensive.

Agreed. Was there on my honeymoon in 2010. Once you leave the hotel compound, you start to realise your whiteness very quickly!
Although, we spent a day in Kingston, Jamaica and it was worse. A bad air of danger in that place - even the people employed by their tourist board weren't friendly.
The Cayman Islands though was a different story - it's a lovely place, very clean, and it has full employment allegedly which means there's nobody bothering you on the streets. Very expensive though, which is to be expected I guess.

david75 wrote:

Miami. Plastic hellhole full of plastic people. Though little Cuba was cool.

Agreed. Miami sucked. Overpriced and crazy.

purplecow1977 · 19-04-2014 11:19am

I haven't had a bad experience in any city I have visited. I found Guatemala City a little unnerving though. Luckily wasn't there for long.

19-04-2014 11:20am

Im jealous of all you lot and the places you have been to!

bear1 · 19-04-2014 11:21am

Forgot to add Helsinki to my list.
Just plain boring.

purplecow1977 · 19-04-2014 11:21am

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

Im jealous of all you lot and the places you have been to!

Travel while you can or else you'll be stuck until your potential children are adults and you are retired!

ringadingding · 19-04-2014 11:22am

Paris and Barcelona, though I'd like to try again now there are things like tripadvisor, travel forums, GPS and translate apps on phones instead of depending on a lonely planet guidebook.

The internet is a game changer when it comes to enhancing travelling experiences.

It's also raised the game of tourism, as good and bad experiences are spread easier and not dependent on word of mouth between friends

david75 · 19-04-2014 11:22am

Oslo was another one. Totally boring.

Copenhagen I'd move to in a heart beat. Great city.

furiousox · 19-04-2014 11:24am

Moscow.
Was there for the CL final in 2008.
Apart from the football, not a lot going for it.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 19-04-2014 11:24am

bear1 wrote: »

Ever been to Ballaghaderreen in Co.Roscommon? Lived there in my teens... suicide would be more fun.
Thank my stars my parents moved to Galway, different world.

I spent 5 years going to school there, if it burned down tomorrow I wouldn't care. Hellhole.

Daveysil15 · 19-04-2014 11:25am

I'm surprised Brussels has been mentioned a few times. I thought that was a lovely city with very friendly people and savage grub. Bloody expensive accommodation though.

physioman · 19-04-2014 11:25am

Paco Rodriguez wrote: »

Thought Budapest was a super friendly city. Was there alone.

The opposite case was Rome. Most rude people ever. Pushing my mother by wheelchair on the narrow footpaths oncoming pedestrians would stand for a second as if waiting for us to dismount the kerb around them.

When we got a poorly served dish at a restaurant the manager called us liars.

Understanding that it wasnt the waitors fault I tipped him....but he handed it back as it wasn't 10% of the bill.

Rest of Italy is lovely but Rome is aweful.

agree with you on rome. absolute kip. beautiful areas on the outskirts. worse than rome would be naples. we were suppose to stay in it but left and stayed on the coast.

Bassfish · 19-04-2014 11:25am

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

I agree with you.

But despite that..I still want to return there. I'm a sucker for architecture

Re: Dubai, the buildings are impressive but there's just no sole to the place. Twenty years ago the place was a strip of sand and when their oil deposits start to dwindle it will be again.

hermano · 19-04-2014 11:26am

I wouldn't go back to any of the cities I've been too. There's too many more places in the world to see.

19-04-2014 11:27am

purplecow1977 wrote: »

Travel while you can or else you'll be stuck until your potential children are adults and you are retired!

Had my kids when I was young so will do it the opposite way round!

I took my kids to Paris when they were both under 10. Just me and the two of them and we loved it. Well, they weren't too impressed with the museums but I was. Found the people I came across were lovely but I suppose I wasn't there for the nightlife.

JRant · 19-04-2014 11:28am

For me it is Phnom Penh in Cambodia. The place was very unsettling and we couldn't leave it quick enough.

bear1 · 19-04-2014 11:28am

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

I spent 5 years going to school there, if it burned down tomorrow I wouldn't care. Hellhole.

+1 err you didn't go to Nathys did ya?

darkdubh · 19-04-2014 11:29am

lufties wrote: »

Having been in a good few places around the world, I would have to say Budapest is a beautiful one with regard to history and architecture, but it is definately to most unfriendly place I've been, the people I encountered were rude and unhelpful consistantly, hence I will not be returning. Other than that I'd say stuttgart in germany(yawn), or varanassi in India, an interesting place but a nightmare to get around.

You hit the nail on the head about Budapest.Beautifull place but deffo the most unfriendly inhabitants I've ever encountered.Was there in 2007,even the staff in the tourist office had a coulden't be arsed attitude.A place I woulden't be rushing back to either would be Brussels.While its beautifull in parts theres an awfull lot of 60s and 70s eyesore developments in the city center. A lot of the people we encountered were rude and unhelpfull and the streets are full of gangs of tracksuit wearing scobes mostly of North African origin.

Edit:I forgot to mention Brussels is bloody expensive too as is Belgium in general.

SimonTemplar · 19-04-2014 11:30am

I can't understand why people are mentioning Paris here. The place is bursting with charm and history.

suicide_circus · 19-04-2014 11:30am

Marsailles, dodgy kip.
Phuket, kiddy fiddlers everywhere.

bear1 · 19-04-2014 11:31am

SimonTemplar wrote: »

I can't understand why people are mentioning Paris here. The place is bursting with charm and history.

Not to everyone's taste.
For example, I don't see why Rome could be mentioned but it is. Just a difference of opinions.

anto9 · 19-04-2014 11:32am

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Aachen in Germany would be the worst for me. Used to have to spend the odd Sunday in it for work years ago, you think places in Ireland are bleak on a Sunday?

Honorary mention for Maastricht as well, although I'm not sure it counts as a city.

I loved both places ,but maybe it helps that I speak German and understand Dutch .

thalia_13 · 19-04-2014 11:32am

Auckland, gorgeous countryside, boring city. Sydney left me feeling meh, even during NYE celebrations,
Washington DC has some great touristy attractions, Arlington etc, but I don't think I ever need see the city again.
European cities, I kinda dont mind seeing twice, I haven't been to a city I would not return to, YET! Looking at some people's comments on this thread so far , the cities I have yet try.might disappoint me!

The Backwards Man · 19-04-2014 11:33am

C.K Dexter Haven wrote: »

Can't believe Paris is being mentioned so much and the posts thanked-I think it's a wonderful city and while I know it gets a bad rep for rudeness, I found the people there OK overall.

I'm going to say Valetta in Malta, in fact all of Malta except Gozo Island which is beautiful. While Valetta has a nice old city, modern Valetta is just full of badly made concrete monstrosities, the food is desperate, and it has absolutely nothing going for it.

I've never actually been to the touristy parts of Paris, just places like Rungis market, but that was enough for me.

Just back from Malta last night and had completely the opposite experience, lovely old buildings, great food and incredibly friendly people.

Just goes to show, we are all different eh?:)

ancapailldorcha · 19-04-2014 11:33am

St. Petersburg: The main street is littered with stipclubs. There are 2 advertised on a map I got from the tourist information office. And by stripclubs, I mean brothels. I've never been anywhere so seedy.

Leeds: Awful, awful place.

david75 · 19-04-2014 11:33am

suicide_circus wrote: »

Marsailles, dodgy kip.
Phuket, kiddy fiddlers everywhere.

There's a seaside village outside Marseille called Cassis. It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen.

anto9 · 19-04-2014 11:34am

JRant wrote: »

For me it is Phnom Penh in Cambodia. The place was very unsettling and we couldn't leave it quick enough.

OK its a bit dodgy ,but I still enjoyed the friendly locals ,and cheap food and drink .

darkdubh · 19-04-2014 11:34am

MonstaMash wrote: »

Fantastic place, not so if you're a lady in all fairness.

The Moroccan's are very touchy-feely/lascivious towards the ladies...

I aggressively told more than a few to fook off away from my woman when we were there :mad:

I'd say if you did the same to their ladies you'd be lynched.

Il Trap · 19-04-2014 11:34am

Dusseldorf was pretty disappointing but I was only there for a short period so probably not a sound basis to say I'd never return.

Visited a port-town called Kawthaung in south Burma. Would have no desire to go back there. Poverty-stricken, drunken military goon-controlled hovel.

I've spent time on the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria which is totally catered for tourists. Venture into the mountains though and you'll get a sense of the absolute poverty of the underclass. The gypsy villages are simply grim.

Others have mentioned Brussels as being meh. I'd be inclined to agree.

In Ireland, an honorable mention for Drogheda also. Especially unattractive and soulless in its own way.

Dr Turk Turkelton · 19-04-2014 11:34am

I'm going to win this thread!
Newcastle-what a complete fourth world dump and I've had the misfortune of being there twice.

The Backwards Man · 19-04-2014 11:36am

Dr Turk Turkelton wrote: »

I'm going to win this thread!
Newcastle-what a complete fourth world dump and I've had the misfortune of being there twice.

Which one? There's about 200 of them in the world.:D Any I've been in have been lovely.

anto9 · 19-04-2014 11:37am

suicide_circus wrote: »

Marsailles, dodgy kip.
Phuket, kiddy fiddlers everywhere.

Marsailles was vibrant to me ,and I never saw a kiddy fiddler (at least in the open ) in Phuket ,as the Thai police come down hard on them .Try Cambodia or Vietnam for them with better luck .

donegal__road · 19-04-2014 11:37am

although I wasn't there for very long, I did not like the look of Naples.

Bacchus · 19-04-2014 11:38am

jameshayes wrote: »

marseille. Kip.

Seconded. Kip of a place. Not safe either.

Catania in Sicily. A mini Marseille. Sicily is beautiful and I would love to return there but I'd avoid Catania. Nothing to do. Nothing to see & I never felt comfortable there (too many eyes watching my camera & wallet).

nibtrix · 19-04-2014 11:38am

Buffalo, NY. Completely soulless city and met mostly unfriendly people.

Busan, South Korea. Dirty, nothing to do and most of the hotels are actually "love motels".

Cantremember · 19-04-2014 11:38am

Oops69 wrote: »

Only 75 posts in and I'm curled up in a corner afraid to go to my local spar for a litre of milk in case I get pickpocketed , raped , choked or die of fumes and the shop assistant and other customers will be really rude assholes

A true global citizen who lives in all the cities mentioned. Wow.

C.K Dexter Haven · 19-04-2014 11:38am

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I've never actually been to the touristy parts of Paris, just places like Rungis market, but that was enough for me.

Just back from Malta last night and had completely the opposite experience, lovely old buildings, great food and incredibly friendly people.

Just goes to show, we are all different eh?:)

Indeed it does, Malta obviously gets plenty of repeat visitors , as does Paris so both hold an attraction for someone out there.

Nedbroy · 19-04-2014 11:39am

Bangkok = hell on earth

suicide_circus · 19-04-2014 11:39am

anto9 wrote: »

Marsailles was vibrant to me ,and I never saw a kiddy fiddler (at least in the open ) in Phuket ,as the Thai police come down hard on them .Try Cambodia or Vietnam for them with better luck .

Thanks for setting me straight

KilOit · 19-04-2014 11:39am

Prague is great to visit once but wouldn't return solely on the people there, incredible rude, no joke i didn't meet 1 nice person there

Cities you'd never return to

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