Underrated places to visit

wolfyboy555

Iran. Fabulous place to visit with so much history and beautiful architecture. A real culture shock. Hands down the friendliest people I've come across.

Also Georgia (The country). Cheap as chips with plenty to see and do especially if you are into nature and hikes as there are plenty of mountains. Tblisi is a great mix of old and new.

Archeron

Navan. Even though the town centre isn't the most appealing visually, there's lots of history around the town. The Ramparts walk to stackallen is beautiful, lots of history and wildlife, Donaghmore Tower, Ardmulchan Castle and church, the history in the Old ruined mills, tis lovely. And then just a few km to slane, Trim, and loads of other ancient places.
You might want to like ruins though.

Citroen2cv

The mountain villages of andalusia, Spain. Any time your in a coastal resort, you need to head inland to see the real Spain.

bigar

The "Bachten de Kupe" region in Belgium. It is an unofficial name for the region near the coast roughly between Nieuwpoort, Ypres and the French border (although the same landscape continues to Dunkirk in France and when included it is called "Westhoek").

It is a region of large fields interspersed with small villages consisting of a church and a clutter of houses. There are also some Abbeys, like West-Vleteren where one of the best beers in the world is brewed. This regions is where most of the hopfields can be found so no surprise that some of the better breweries can be found (and visited) there.

The landscape is ridiculously flat as far as the eye can see although it becomes hilly the closer you get to Ypres.

This is also where the Western Front was during the First World War so historically significant with many Monuments and War Cemeteries.

HBC08

Hamachi wrote: »

Don’t know if it’s underrated, but I enjoyed Montreal in Canada. Felt like it had a lot more character than Toronto and Vancouver.

Parts of the city are quite beautiful, contrasting with the typical North American skyline. The nightlife is very lively, particularly in summer. It’s also interesting to see how much they value their French identity, without being obnoxious about it.

On a related note, the old town in Quebec City is also very appealing.

Was going to post the exact same thing!
Montreal (dont know if its underrated) but its a class city

lc180

GetWithIt wrote: »

The Hague (Den Haag)

Hear me out. Loads of historic buildings and squares. Restaurants, bars, markets, antiques, an awesome beach. Train from Schipol only 20 mins.

Because it’s a business town there are tons of hotels but there’s no demand at the weekend so it’s cheaper to spend Friday, Saturday, Sunday, than weekdays.

Totally agree. Went there a couple years ago for a concert with quite low expectations but found it a really nice small city. Especially liked the food. The train network from Amsterdam Schipol is great, I'm planning to go back to the Netherlands again and try another small Dutch city.

Swaine

Limerick City, fantastic city with massive sporting pedigree. Walking around it late at night was surprisingly relaxing, could almost see the locals making an effort not to mistakenly intimidate.

Carlow Town. A little gem of a town that rarely gets a mention. It's even better now that the college has closed but even when it was open there was never much trouble with the students, the college comes down very hard on misbehaving students. Great place to shop and very safe.

Kilburn a suburb town in London, had a great time here, very friendly people. The early closing of the pubs is the only downside.

HBC08

Tel Aviv.
Has everything,on the beach,great nightlife,friendly locals.
You can do day trips to the dead sea,Bethlehem.

Living Off The Splash

Colmar in France....beautiful. Hop on bus or train for daytrips.

Fly in to Basel and get train.

also

Tavira in Portugal.

Fly to Faro and get train. Visit nearby towns and hop across border on Ferry to Spain. (Aayamonte)

notsoyoungwan

notsoyoungwan wrote: »

It’s easy to ignore it and keep walking if you’re in a market or bazaar, much less so if you’re in the back of a taxi which you assume is bringing you where you asked to go

I never use a taxi, so I'm sure that does happen!
The trains are great, buy a card, like a leapcard, very cheap to get around.

appledrop

The One Doctor wrote: »

Lake Garda, specifically Malcesine and Limione. Glorious weather, food and drink.

Trust me it's not underrated, going there for years and place is always packed!

Now in fairness maybe underrated by Irish people as certainly when we are there more Europeans then Irish compared say if you go to Spain or Portugal.

wolfyboy555

wolfyboy555 wrote: »

Also Georgia (The country). Cheap as chips with plenty to see and do especially if you are into nature and hikes as there are plenty of mountains. Tblisi is a great mix of old and new.

Georgia is high in my list. Can't wait to get travelling again!

alchemist33

Graces7 wrote: »

My dream is the wildest part of Alaska. And were I younger I would not leave it! I fear I am too old for such jaunts now...

But hey! I longed for a small, isolated island and I am here.

Anywhere desolate and deserted ie per se underrated.

I listened to a podcast recently on driving up the Dalton Highway and now I really really want to go there.

iffandonlyif

The One Doctor wrote: »

Lake Garda, specifically Malcesine and Limione. Glorious weather, food and drink.

As others have said, Lake Garda hardly underrated! But my sense is that the western side is less popular. When I was last there ten years ago, Limone felt noticeably less crowded.

I don't think Lake Como is underrated either, but I found it to be glorious.

mikemac2 wrote: »

Cambridge

Under an hour from Kings Cross station and 45 minutes or less from Stanstead so easy to get to. Locals grumble the train station is far from town but it's a walkable distance for sure, never bothered me

It's very pretty. You can do a walking tour and be brought around the colleges and be told stories. A thing to do one time is the punting boats, the workers hang around the main square, do their sale and walk you to the boat Was 10 pounds or so

I found Cambridge pretty and relaxed and have returned a few times

Have visited both Oxford and Cambridge. I found Cambridge much the prettier (although the consensus seems to be that it's better to live in Oxford). I think my expectation of Oxford (quaint university town) more closely resembled the reality of Cambridge. Oxford's streetscape is much more planned, with wide boulevards and the ceremonial Radcliffe Square. But I prefer the narrow, brick-wall lanes of Cambridge, and nothing at Oxford beats the magnificent Backs.

Jimbob1977

I had a great three-day trip to Porto.

Just a two-hour flight from Dublin.

Great architecture, friendly locals, affordable meals and drink. Plenty of accommodation.

While the city is very walkable, there is a very modern metro that also serves the airport.

You can take boat trips down the River Douro, sample the port wine in Gaia, attend an FC Porto match, climb the church towers, saunter across the spectacular Luis I bridge and visit the bookstore that inspired JK Rowling for Harry Potter. I think she worked there.

FintanMcluskey

Baltimore in west Cork, Ireland’s Monte Carlo

Wexford, one of Ireland’s driest sunniest counties is a beautiful place

Mad_maxx

sabat wrote: »

Romania is well worth a visit.

gorgeous women and friendly people , never been there though

Mad_maxx

humberklog wrote: »

Palma in Majorca.
I'd say a lot of holiday makers don't bother making it into the city but it's a really lovely, interesting and friendly with great restaurants and bars.

Palma is amazing for such a small city feels a lot bigger than half a million people ?, spent half a day there in 2017 having spent a week in pollensa on the North of the island

Mad_maxx

FintanMcluskey wrote: »

Baltimore in west Cork, Ireland’s Monte Carlo

Wexford, one of Ireland’s driest sunniest counties is a beautiful place

agree on Baltimore

FrankN1

Gran Canaria

Iceland is amazing country and beatuifuly bleak.....would visit again for more hiking 100%

It gets like 18 hour days during the summer too,serious value for your time

BanditLuke

Venezuela is an amazing country. I did a lot of travelling years ago on a motorbike in south and central America and the landscape, food, friendship of the people was second to none and that's before you even mention the women who are in my eyes the most beautiful in the world. Dirt cheap for absolutely everything also.

Sad to see what's become of it in recent times and hopefully they can get back on their feet.

notsoyoungwan

notsoyoungwan wrote: »

Istanbul was the worst holiday I ever had. It was an awful place for a woman. Constant harassment on the streets, mostly verbal but also men following you, quite openly grabbing and groping, trying to pull you into cars/down streets with them. Taxi drivers taking detours to their friend’s/brother’s/uncle’s shop and making you go in, then the doors were shut and there was the hard sell until you purchased something, then you’d get driven to your destination. It was awful. I felt a constant sense of threat and fear. We actually cut the holiday short, left a few days early and came home, stayed in a lovely hotel for a few nights instead.

My sister's said the same. Sounds like a horrible country.

bradolf pittler

Not so much a destination but i travelled across the Rocky Mountains by train a few years back from Chicago to San Fran and it was unreal,The train was virtually empty the whole trip so i guess the yanks underrate the trip too.
Stopped off in Reno for a weekend along the way. A less in your face then Vegas city in Nevada and enjoyed it

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

My sister's said the same. Sounds like a horrible country.

It's really not, it's a fabulous country, very interesting and historical.
Cheap, good food and lots to do.

bubblypop

bubblypop wrote: »

It's really not, it's a fabulous country, very interesting and historical.
Cheap, good food and lots to do.

I'd trust my sister's opinion over an internet randomer.

I shan't be visiting.

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I'd trust my sister's opinion over an internet randomer.

I shan't be visiting.

You shouldn't
I wouldn't ever take any one persons opinion as fact tbf, I like to get a varied overview and reviews and then make my own mind up.

bubblypop

bubblypop wrote: »

You shouldn't
I wouldn't ever take any one persons opinion as fact tbf, I like to get a varied overview and reviews and then make my own mind up.

I don't know who you are therefore I don't trust you.

Goodbye.

Oranage2

A small whimsical city called Prague. Amazing. There's a small castle in the center and it's lined with danty cobble stoned streets.

Weepsie

Dick phelan wrote: »

Inspired by the "most boring place you visited" thread, how about the opposite, somewhere you've visited that's not a major tourist destination but you'd recommend. For me I don't know how underrated it really is but I really liked Busan in Korea.

I also liked busan, but in general I just loved korea. 2 weeks was not remotely enough time there.

Porto also mentioned above is great. All doable on foot too really and a bit less busy than lisbon.

The whole of west cork is underrated. It's everything that kerry is but without the vast number of americans and I hope it stays that way. Roads are in rag order though.