Cities you'd never return to

anto9 · 19-04-2014 11:39am

Il Trap wrote: »

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.

Dusseldorf has great pubs and entertainment in the Alt Stath section of town .

19-04-2014 11:39am

Geneva. Boring and expensive. The very centre of the city is nice but a few hours is enough there. I was also surprised how run down the place is outside the very centre of the city.

I was there for a conference for work so luckily didn't actually cost me too much out or my own pocket. The few free hours in the evening and an extra day was more than enough to see everything and the night life was useless. No craic around the bars at all, even on a Friday night. No wonder though at 8 euro a pint.

SpaceTime · 19-04-2014 11:39am

I can put up with slightly dangerous, a bit messy, graffiti etc etc but what gets to me is boring cities lacking in personality.

For me its Zurich. I can't even remember anything about it! It was pretty but sooooo boring.

anto9 · 19-04-2014 11:41am

KilOit wrote: »

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

I do remember the coldness still of one staff member in a restaurant I visited there so you may have a point .

Bacchus · 19-04-2014 11:41am

JRant wrote: »

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

Gotta disagree with that. The Khmer people have to be some of the friendliest, most welcoming people I've ever come across. They're just so smiley and happy. There is a lot of sadness in the city (and the country) due to it's history (and current events) but the people made it for me. Great city, great people, great food. Pity about the men in charge.

SEPT 23 1989 · 19-04-2014 11:41am

Riga. A cold post soviet paranoid unwelcoming kip

bear1 · 19-04-2014 11:41am

Bacchus wrote: »

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).

Well, there is Mount Etna

I actually didn't mind Catania, I preferred Agrigento though.

3rdDegree · 19-04-2014 11:42am

Cantremember wrote: »

Glasgow. An air of madness just under the surface. Never felt safe there. Drove through it on the way to the Highlands and took a detour through Edinburgh on the way back! Have to agree that Paris is a close second: vastly overrated city.

Have to agree. We had a customer there so visited lots of different parts of it many times - from the city centre to some of the crazy suburbs - where you just expect to be accosted by a Rab C Mean it type at every turn.

Bacchus · 19-04-2014 11:43am

bear1 wrote: »

Well, there is Mount Etna
I actually didn't mind Catania, I preferred Agrigento though.

Won't disagree with that but I can go see Mt. Etna while staying somewhere on the island

Sicily is a gem. Catania is a hole.

lufties · 19-04-2014 11:43am

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 worked in malta for a few weeks and stayed in valetta, you are exactly right, its like nothing has been done to the place since the brits left it. Its also overpriced, food is terrible and boring(apart from the diving).

Balmed Out · 19-04-2014 11:43am

Bacchus wrote: »

Gotta disagree with that. The Khmer people have to be some of the friendliest, most welcoming people I've ever come across. They're just so smiley and happy. There is a lot of sadness in the city (and the country) due to it's history (and current events) but the people made it for me. Great city, great people, great food. Pity about the men in charge.

You can see how someone can find Cambodia unsettling though knowing its recent history

anto9 · 19-04-2014 11:45am

Nedbroy wrote: »

Bangkok = hell on earth

Why ? ...to me its a great city with friendly people .

bear1 · 19-04-2014 11:45am

Madeline Nice Fairy wrote: »

Geneva. Boring and expensive. The very centre of the city is nice but a few hours is enough there. I was also surprised how run down the place is outside the very centre of the city.

I was there for a conference for work so luckily didn't actually cost me too much out or my own pocket. The few free hours in the evening and an extra day was more than enough to see everything and the night life was useless. No craic around the bars at all, even on a Friday night. No wonder though at 8 euro a pint.

The one thing I remember about Geneva was the pure hassle of trying to find an ATM!!
In Switzerland of all place.
Venture out towards Italy and the place is spectacular.

Bacchus · 19-04-2014 11:46am

Balmed Out wrote: »

You can see how someone can find Cambodia unsettling though knowing its recent history

I guess, I think that's all in the head though. Depends on the context of the visit too. A flash packing holiday through Asia doesn't allow people to get a feel for places properly and their preconceived ideas of bag snatchers, poverty and crime don't change. It took my girlfriend and I a couple of weeks travelling around Asia to get comfortable with the change of pace. Cambodia is an amazing, friendly place and far safer than the likes of Vietnam or Thailand (not that I felt they weren't safe either).

Dr Turk Turkelton · 19-04-2014 11:46am

The Backwards Man wrote: »

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

The one that us "upon Tyne".

Larianne · 19-04-2014 11:46am

Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Fukin awful city. So, so poor and feck all in it.
One beggar outside Prison 21 had half his face burnt(?) off.
Very disturbing and unpleasant.

Birneybau · 19-04-2014 11:47am

Yeah, Glasgow is pretty grim alright, even the city centre.

The winner for me is downtown Philadelphia. So many crack heads and aggressive homeless people, drugs being dealt openly, grey and dirty.

3rdDegree · 19-04-2014 11:48am

It's odd that people are complaining so much about Prague. It's looks lovely in Forza 5.

Cee-Jay-Cee · 19-04-2014 11:49am

Frankfurt...it's simply the most boring place I've ever been too, there's nothing of interest there.

changepartners · 19-04-2014 11:50am

anto9 wrote: »

Dusseldorf has great pubs and entertainment in the Alt Stath section of town .

Agree on this nice bars and restaurants, good for nights out but virtually nothing to do during the day.

I would also give Oslo the vote, probably worth a one day visit. Everyone working in hospitality there was comically rude.

I'm disappointed about all the Rome and Paris negativity. As they are high on my list to visit!

The Backwards Man · 19-04-2014 11:51am

Dr Turk Turkelton wrote: »

The one that us "upon Tyne".

Ah, stay out of the Bigg market and the rest of it is sound. I think we are all guilty of spending a night or two in a place and thinking we know it all, good or bad!

SpaceTime · 19-04-2014 11:51am

I'm not in a huge rush back to Atlantis.
Overrated, fish everywhere!

bear1 · 19-04-2014 11:53am

SpaceTime wrote: »

I'm not in a huge rush back to Atlantis.
Overrated, fish everywhere!

The amount of salt they put on their food too. Bleee

MonstaMash · 19-04-2014 11:54am

bear1 wrote: »

Well, there is Mount Etna
I actually didn't mind Catania, I preferred Agrigento though.

Agrigento...my father & all his side of the family come from there, have spent many summers there, my piece of heaven on earth :cool:

BQQ · 19-04-2014 11:55am

I'm not a fussy person.
I've been to several of the places mentioned and would have no problem going back to any of them.

However, there is one place I've been to on a number of occasions and it has never failed to be an unpleasant experience.
I will never go back if i can help it.
I nominate London.

Nedbroy · 19-04-2014 11:55am

anto9 wrote: »

Why ? ...to me its a great city with friendly people .

Smelly, sleazy, dangerous, poor accommodation, bad food, full of drunken louts/old men taking advantage of the rife prostitution, people constantly offering you a massage/suit in 40 degree heat, being treated like a walking talking cash machine by the locals. Just wasn't for me, each to their own and all that!

roro1990 · 19-04-2014 11:56am

Nedbroy wrote: »

Bangkok = hell on earth

I know it's a matter of opinion but I'm shocked you say this about BKK. Probably the most diverse, interesting an exhilarating city on the planet in my view. Beautiful architecture, magnificent skyline, brilliant food and a great night life. If I could go there tomorrow I would.

BNMC · 19-04-2014 11:56am

Dublin.

Utter shithole.

Nedbroy · 19-04-2014 11:59am

roro1990 wrote: »

I know it's a matter of opinion but I'm shocked you say this about BKK. Probably the most diverse, interesting an exhilarating city on the planet in my view. Beautiful architecture, magnificent skyline, brilliant food and a great night life. If I could go there tomorrow I would.

Isn't it crazy how people can have such different views in the same place? It's what makes life interesting I guess.

fonecrusher1 · 19-04-2014 12:00pm

BNMC wrote: »

Dublin.

Utter shithole.

Gettin chased by hundreds of heroin crazed zombies does lose its appeal after a while.

roro1990 · 19-04-2014 12:00pm

Larianne wrote: »

Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Fukin awful city. So, so poor and feck all in it.
One beggar outside Prison 21 had half his face burnt(?) off.
Very disturbing and unpleasant.

What's wrong with a city being poor? And feck all in it? The Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng prison are two of the most interesting and potentially life changing sites you could ever visit. I've enormous respect for the citizens of Phnom Penh. The amount of **** they have went through and yet they all still smile way more than your average person in Dublin or any other first world city. Puts things in perspective and gives you a new outlook on life. well it certainly did for me anyway.

JRant · 19-04-2014 12:01pm

Bacchus wrote: »

Gotta disagree with that. The Khmer people have to be some of the friendliest, most welcoming people I've ever come across. They're just so smiley and happy. There is a lot of sadness in the city (and the country) due to it's history (and current events) but the people made it for me. Great city, great people, great food. Pity about the men in charge.

It's not a great city or anything of the sort. It's one of the most unsettling and sadiest cities I've been to. No amount of good food can make up for the amount of child prostitution that goes on there.

Spent 4 months travelling around SEA and it's the only place I wouldn't go back to.

KilOit · 19-04-2014 12:01pm

anto9 wrote: »

I do remember the coldness still of one staff member in a restaurant I visited there so you may have a point .

I actually had a staff member turn her back to me in a huff while waiting for the supervisor to fix the register.
Gorgeous city with lots to do but the people are just totally uninterested in you, it kinda made me feel uneasy

weldoninhio · 19-04-2014 12:02pm

CJC999 wrote: »

Frankfurt...it's simply the most boring place I've ever been too, there's nothing of interest there.

I had friends living there that I visited. Had a brilliant weekend. Cheap beer, friendly locals, great food, great city to cycle around and brilliant nightlife. One of the cleanest city's I've been to too.

notnumber · 19-04-2014 12:03pm

Atlantis- Bugger to find the place,very damp.

drunkmonkey · 19-04-2014 12:11pm

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.

Oh sweet Jesus, it's like a joint KFC with cocaine sprinkled on top. Worst place in the carribean.
Bridgetown should be in the Guinness world record book for fat asses, and they think we've a problem with fast food.

Jonny Blaze · 19-04-2014 12:12pm

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

Johannesburg - wouldn't go back to anywhere that 90% of the city is a no go area.

Hong Kong - very little to actually do here as a tourist.

Nairobi - nobody else has said this yet and I wanted everyone to know I've been here.

Yeah I really didn't like it over there either.

Every single street corner and set of traffic lights is manned by poverty stricken amputees (the homeless frequently don't have shoes etc, they get cut feet, it gets infected and the only treatment they can get is amputation) begging.

Whats worse is that you'll see no shortage of brand new mercedes SUV's and luxury goods stores full of whites in the middle of it all.

Walking downtown one day and happened to make eye contact with a guy in a van..

I have never seen such hate in a mans eyes..

For no reason as well.

Felt ridden with white guilt over there.

Nasty place.

crockholm · 19-04-2014 12:13pm

Los Angeles,Luxembourg and Madrid,Birmingham too. Once is enough for those sheetholes

questionmark? · 19-04-2014 12:13pm

Copenhagen. Overpriced, dirty, noisy, hookers all around train station, run down hotels, people were rude etc... only thing that worked was public transport! First place I've gone too and couldnt wait to leave.

BQQ · 19-04-2014 12:13pm

notnumber wrote: »

Atlantis- Bugger to find the place,very damp.

That might have been funny if someone hadn't made the joke a page before you.

SpaceTime wrote: »

I'm not in a huge rush back to Atlantis.
Overrated, fish everywhere!

osarusan · 19-04-2014 12:16pm

Nagoya.

OnTheCouch · 19-04-2014 12:16pm

It would be false to state that I would never return to the below, so let's just say that I won't be going back in a hurry.

Amsterdam - if you don't smoke, hugely dull and overrated.
Las Vegas - similar, if you don't gamble, horrendously tacky, superficial place
San Francisco - beggars follow you everywhere.
Chicago - Just didn't do it for me at all, although I may have not been in the right areas
Johannesburg - As another poster said, you get so many warnings about how dangerous it is, you end up doing nothing.
Quito - The only city in the world where I felt a genuine air of menace about the place, for no apparent reason (was not in a particularly dodgy area, no one eyeing me up etc).
Canberra - Just Dullsville
Tijuana - Hell on earth, from every point of view
Hong Kong - Just too rushed or something, odd seeing as I like NYC but there you go
Jaco - Just sleazy
Tamarindo - Same, full of the worst kind of Americans also
Marmaris - again just sleazy place
Oslo - Nice city, just so expensive, I'd have to be earning a huge salary to have any sort of a good time there!

major bill · 19-04-2014 12:17pm

Barcelona,

Hated it, people are very rude, the place is full of thieves and La Rambla is a kip

Lou.m · 19-04-2014 12:20pm

Atlanta no culture and bad service.

Brussels..boring.

wilser · 19-04-2014 12:20pm

Moscow
Rome
New York

Taught Atlanta was alright tbh.

notnumber · 19-04-2014 12:20pm

BQQ wrote: »

That might have been funny if someone hadn't made the joke a page before you.

might still work for people who avoid reading even numbered thread pages though..

road_high · 19-04-2014 12:22pm

questionmark? wrote: »

Copenhagen. Overpriced, dirty, noisy, hookers all around train station, run down hotels, people were rude etc... only thing that worked was public transport! First place I've gone too and couldnt wait to leave.

Seriously? Never been but my image of Copenhagen was this utopian city where everything is perfectly clean and works.

Tin Foil Hat · 19-04-2014 12:29pm

Budapest. Grafitti, sirens, rudeness and all the food tasted the same.

Pompeii. Nothing happening there at all.

Renegade Mechanic · 19-04-2014 12:34pm

Tin Foil Hat wrote: »

Budapest. Grafitti, sirens, rudeness and all the food tasted the same.

Pompeii. Nothing happening there at all.

And thats exactly how they want it to stay!:D
I found Rome, and Barcelona to be quite full of pick pockets, group thieves and sh*t-vendors. I know yer stuck lads but if you buy one thing, twenty more surround you with their wares!:eek:

crockholm · 19-04-2014 12:34pm

What I will say about Naples,and while not really wishing to go back again,was that it was so bad it was actually good!!

Cities you'd never return to

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