Cities you'd never return to

anto9

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 .

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

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

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

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

Riga. A cold post soviet paranoid unwelcoming kip

bear1

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

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

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

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

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

Nedbroy wrote: »

Bangkok = hell on earth

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

bear1

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cee-Jay-Cee

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

changepartners

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

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

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

bear1

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

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

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

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

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

Dublin.

Utter shithole.

Nedbroy

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

BNMC wrote: »

Dublin.

Utter shithole.

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