Underrated places to visit

silliussoddius

pauliebdub wrote: »

Great call. It's a fabulous city that doesn't get a huge number of visitors like Barcelona or Madrid but I think it's nicer than either. Malaga is another great underrated city, many people fly to Malaga and completely skip the town in favour of the resort's.

I’d always wanted to go as the La Tomatina festival is held nearby.

alias no.9

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

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.

It's about 15 years ago now but we really loved Porto, purely by chance we were there for Feasta Sao Joao, I'd recommend it.

Around the same time we travelled the coastline from Trieste in Italy as far as Pula in Croatia, some spectacular scenery, warm seas, quaint towns and amazing seafood.

uch

Was in Dar es salaam in 2008, have to say best place I ever visited, typical African city, business district really fancy, but move 10k outside this and you see real poverty but real africans, everybody is really friendly and wants to talk to you, in bars you are central of attention because you are white mzungu, never came across any hostility, nicest people I've ever met the Tanzanians

fryup

fryup wrote: »

Coral Bay in western australia on the ningaloo reef, stumbled upon it by chance many moons ago - gorgeous!

silliussoddius wrote: »

Went there to swim with Whale Sharks. Beautiful place in the middle of nowhere, I liked that it wasn’t over developed back then.

ya i wonder has it changed? i was there in the 90's

retalivity

silliussoddius wrote: »

I’d always wanted to go as the La Tomatina festival is held nearby.

I was at it 5-6 years ago, and spent a few days in valencia beforehand. La tomatina is great craic, and valencia is just a nice place to hang out

Sharpyshoot

The galtees, yes they do lick out their sisters before the dinner in the middle of the day.

gypsy79

The first place that comes to mind is nearly completely unknown BUT it isnt underrated by anyone that has heard of it is Ishafan

Damascus WAS one of the most amazing cities in the world

Not underrated but awesome for a night out is Addis

In Europe, boring but Brussels is GREAT if you let it be

chosen1

Did you smash it wrote: »

Salisbury for it’s cathedral

Cathedral is fantastic and it is a pretty city, very close to Stonehenge.

Don't expect much entertainment come night time though. Dead as a doornail after 11 o'clock.

lc180

gypsy79 wrote: »

In Europe, boring but Brussels is GREAT if you let it be

I think I've been to Brussels about 5 times. My go to city in Europe for a relaxed weekend away. Not the most exciting city in the world but great for concerts, food and nice beers. Can get great deals on hotels at the weekend after all the suits leave town.

Porklife

[Deleted User] wrote: »

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

Goodbye.

😅 I'm not even sure why but this comment made me laugh!

Belgrade is a cool city that wouldn't be listed as a hot spot. Really friendly people and they love the Irish. We were given free beers on a boat trip as soon as the guide heard we were Irish. He made an announcement that there were Irish people on board and everyone clapped.
We weren't expecting it at all but alot of bars play U2 or trad music and there are Irish flags on the walls.
A tour guide explained to us that Serbian people relate to the Irish because of our history and they're rooting for the underdog. They are passionate about music and love a good session and just love Ireland!
The food was amazing. There are alot of farms around the city and the produce is so fresh. It's cheap, cracking weather and there are parties on the boats along the canal in the evening.
A really fun city.

silliussoddius

fryup wrote: »

ya i wonder has it changed? i was there in the 90's

I was there in 2004 and I just remember there being a hostel, campground/caravan park and a small hotel. I was impressed that it wasn’t some sprawling tacky resort type development.

gypsy79

lc180 wrote: »

I think I've been to Brussels about 5 times. My go to city in Europe for a relaxed weekend away. Not the most exciting city in the world but great for concerts, food and nice beers. Can get great deals on hotels at the weekend after all the suits leave town.

Thats exactly what I was saying. But most people cant see what it has going

Porklife

Porklife wrote: »

😅 I'm not even sure why but this comment made me laugh!

Belgrade is a cool city that wouldn't be listed as a hot spot. Really friendly people and they love the Irish. We were given free beers on a boat trip as soon as the guide heard we were Irish. He made an announcement that there were Irish people on board and everyone clapped.
We weren't expecting it at all but alot of bars play U2 or trad music and there are Irish flags on the walls.
A tour guide explained to us that Serbian people relate to the Irish because of our history and they're rooting for the underdog. They are passionate about music and love a good session and just love Ireland!
The food was amazing. There are alot of farms around the city and the produce is so fresh. It's cheap, cracking weather and there are parties on the boats along the canal in the evening.
A really fun city.

That's gas because Serbia is basically England if you think about trying to compare our history!

gypsy79

bubblypop wrote: »

That's gas because Serbia is basically England if you think about trying to compare our history!

Belgrade has a nasty side to it.

Once ended up in Free Radovan Karadžić march there and met some of the lowest of the low

Muahahaha

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

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.

+1 on Porto, a really nice city with some good things to see. FC Porto werent playing at home the weekend we were there but another team called Braga 50kms up the road were playing at home so we got a train there for a game instead. Got some surprise to see their stadium is built at the side of a cliff face, pretty unique

whomadewho

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.

Budapest is great city, Kathmandu in Nepal, Sumatra and Java in Indonesia are great Island loads to see and do. I loved Korea when I was there, friends were teaching English in Chung Ju City, Had a brilliant night on the beer in Seoul one Saturday, 20 years ago now.

VG31

bubblypop wrote: »

That's gas because Serbia is basically England if you think about trying to compare our history!

I was thinking the same. It would make more sense in Bosnia or Kosovo.

humberklog

chosen1 wrote: »

Cathedral is fantastic and it is a pretty city, very close to Stonehenge.

Don't expect much entertainment come night time though. Dead as a doornail after 11 o'clock.

There used to be a nightclub called Churchill's in the town and it would be full of squaddies, it was rough as boots.

I met Ted Heath at a Bulgarian Folk concert in the cathedral back in the 90's. Nice man, knew lots about Co. Cork- more than me anyway.

A lot of England is a bit overlooked by Irish. Dorset, Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall are lovely fun places to holiday. London is a cracking city to visit- a major city on our doorstep and we speaky the lingo. You'd seldom hear an Irish person saying they were heading to London on a city break. I lived there but one thing I always thought brought London down a bit for weekend breaks was the hotels. A lot are surprisingly dingy, outdated and unfriendly.

VG31

VG31 wrote: »

I was thinking the same. It would make more sense in Bosnia or Kosovo.

The kosovars do indeed love the Irish, there have been many working there over the years and they have the affinity with them, kind of a shared experience. Although not quite the same

Porklife

bubblypop wrote: »

The kosovars do indeed love the Irish, there have been many working there over the years and they have the affinity with them, kind of a shared experience. Although not quite the same

I agree. We drove from Belgrade to Bosnia with a really cool tour guide but there was a level of aggression in the car the whole time. It was roasting hot and without asking he started smoking cigarettes. He kept spitting out the window too. He was telling us all about the history but at times it was scary how angry he was getting.
Crossing the border was a nightmare. He kept saying if this guy looks at me again, ill shoot him. I honestly think he had a gun under his seat or in the glovebox.
Definitely an edge to Belgrade and it is rough but i still enjoyed it and rate it highly.

L1011

Vigo in Spain. Used to be direct flights but obviously wasn't popular enough.

seenitall

alias no.9 wrote: »

Around the same time we travelled the coastline from Trieste in Italy as far as Pula in Croatia, some spectacular scenery, warm seas, quaint towns and amazing seafood.

Lol as far as

Sorry, I’m sure you had a fab time, it’s just that distance is about the same as Cork to Waterford, half a day’s drive max but more like a couple of hours, so that got me a bit but it sounds like you stopped off plenty to admire the scenery and eat well so good for you!

So yeah, on that note, that peninsula, Istria, is quite underrated in international tourism terms (if it’s Croatia, it has to be Dubrovnik, right?), it’s gorgeous with medieval little towns perched on hills and the standard beautiful coastline, and gastronomically blessed (especially if you like good wines, and truffles...). The Roman amphitheatre in Pula is one of the best preserved ones overall, and is good for concerts.

Charles Babbage

Muahahaha wrote: »

+1 on Porto, a really nice city with so

me good things to see.

Great festival in Porto 3rd week in June. Traditionally, everyone hits other people with vegetables, but nowadays they use plastic hammers.

we were there but another team called Braga 50kms up the road were playing at home so we got a train there for a game instead. Got some surprise to see their stadium is built at the side of a cliff face, pretty unique

like a fancy version of Clones.

fryup

silliussoddius wrote: »

I was there in 2004 and I just remember there being a hostel, campground/caravan park and a small hotel. I was impressed that it wasn’t some sprawling tacky resort type development.

sounds the same when i was there, hope they keep it that way

Mad_maxx

County Mayo

beautiful scenery ( Louisburgh is as good as anything neighbouring galway has to offer ) , friendly people , long drives between towns , interesting coastline

Westport is a cracking town for its size

Mad_maxx

Muahahaha wrote: »

+1 on Porto, a really nice city with some good things to see. FC Porto werent playing at home the weekend we were there but another team called Braga 50kms up the road were playing at home so we got a train there for a game instead. Got some surprise to see their stadium is built at the side of a cliff face, pretty unique

Porto is on my bucket list , my sister visited there circa 2018 and was very impressed , ive been to Lisbon myself and the surrounding area and loved it , i really like Portugal and the portugese people

Das Reich

bubblypop wrote: »

That's gas because Serbia is basically England if you think about trying to compare our history!

How is that? They were occupied for centuries by Ottoman Empire and manage to kick them off just last century. Before that they were pushed South by Habsburgs and North by Ottomans. They had no access to the Sea, colonized nothing, had no slave trade. If you think about, your loved Turks are and were much more similar to the English, think about all genocides the Turks did everywhere they could.

EDIT: Now that I remember, they arrived even in Ireland in County Cork and in Icelands to take slaves and sell them in Algeria.

Das Reich

Das Reich wrote: »

How is that? They were occupied for centuries by Ottoman Empire and manage to kick them off just last century. Before that they were pushed South by Habsburgs and North by Ottomans. They had no access to the Sea, colonized nothing, had no slave trade. If you think about, your loved Turks are and were much more similar to the English, think about all genocides the Turks did everywhere they could.

EDIT: Now that I remember, they arrived even in Ireland in County Cork and in Icelands to take slaves and sell them in Algeria.

Serbia committed genocide to their fellow former Yugoslavia neighbours.
They stopped Kosovan Albanians from speaking their language, closed Albanian schools, threw Kosovans out of all government and civil service positions, threw them out of the police. Did not allow the teaching of any Albanian history of culture.
That's how they are like the English.
What is 'your loved Turks ' about?

mariaalice

Wales, we have has fabulous holiday there if you are the type that likes country pubs, history, senary, castles, hiking and just pottering around its for you. For me personality, I would avoid a lot of the coast except for Portmeirion.

Caernarfon Castle, Bodnant gardens there is loads to do.

We stayed in a posh restaurant with rooms for one night on a dinner bnb package and in Airbnb and the rest of the time the Airbnb had a hot tub on a balcony overlooking a river, car hire is cheap as well. We flew into Manchester and did it that way.

Chester is fabulous as well.

mariaalice

The thing about the very touristy bits of the UK is Devon Cornwell, Dorset the lake district are very busy to the point of being jammed which is off-putting.

We went to Cambridge and had a great time but its a massive tourist attraction to the point that there can be no room on the pavements.