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Most boring places you've visited

snowstorm445

While we're all reminiscing about places we'd like to go back to after COVID subsides, is there anywhere you've been to that you found totally forgettable?

My own contender is Hannover in Germany - stopped there once out of curiosity on the way from Amsterdam to Berlin and I was pretty familiar with the name from history etc. Apart from an impressive city hall, and some nice palace gardens outside the city (pretty modest by German standards though), it was basically just filled with shopping streets. A few Germans I've talked to since told me it's a big hub for people travelling around Germany by train, but there's pretty much nothing there. And like a lot of German cities, it's historic parts were gutted by bombing in the war, and only some reconstructed facades remain.

Closer to home, I was in Sligo for the first time about two years ago. The county is lovely (Ben Bulben, Strandhill etc.) but Sligo town is pretty unremarkable tbh. Not shockingly boring, but not very memorable either. Plenty of Midland towns have a reputation for being fairly forgettable as well, but then that's fairly well known. :pac:

Any other nominations?

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Church on Tuesday

MaccaTacca wrote: »

Maynooth or Leixlip for me.

Two grey little villages/big housing estates plonked on the side of a motorway.

Don't forget Celbridge!

hahashake

MrMusician18 wrote: »

Strange thread. No place is boring really, it's about what you the traveller make of it. You could have the best holiday of your life at the bottom of an abandoned quarry with good people and the right attitude.

I see some places here described as boring, it makes me wonder what people were expecting on arrival. Athens was mentioned - a city dripping in history ffs.

Someone mentioned the pace of life in Fiji was slow! FFS what did you expect!

completedit

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

That picture is scary. So much land given to parked cars. I've never seen a better example of how not to plan a city.

But the sign of an economy in a post-war boom and a wealthy populace.

MrMusician18

Strange thread. No place is boring really, it's about what you the traveller make of it. You could have the best holiday of your life at the bottom of an abandoned quarry with good people and the right attitude.

I see some places here described as boring, it makes me wonder what people were expecting on arrival. Athens was mentioned - a city dripping in history ffs.

Thelonious Monk

That picture is scary. So much land given to parked cars. I've never seen a better example of how not to plan a city.

Fritzbox

Adhamh wrote: »

There was a time in the 1970's when Houston couldn't even have been called a city:

Honestly the population density was probably on par with Castlepollard

You shouldn't be able to walk several hundred meters through the center of a city without passing a single building ffs

Most of those car parks are still there, you know. Have a look down at Houston from above using Google Earth/Maps.

It makes you wonder why there is such a compelling need in US cities to build such tall, massive skyscrapers only to waste the remaining urban landscape between the big tower blocks with single level parking lots - possibly the greatest waste of useful urban real estate imaginable.

In fact one wonders how uber-tall tower blocks became ever so closely associated with the good ole' USA - it's the last country in the world that would ever need to build so high?

Mimon

MaccaTacca wrote: »

Maynooth or Leixlip for me.

Two grey little villages/big housing estates plonked on the side of a motorway.

Leixlip is quiet enough alright but Maynooth has plenty going for it. Good buzz around the town.

Das Reich

steamsey wrote: »

Spent a bit of time in Cairo, and around Egypt and I did like Cairo. This was about 10 years ago. The traffic is insane, almost no traffic lights so just a constant flow. Crossing the road is difficult. The pollution is terrible, they have this 'black fog' that can descend and you can barely see 100m beside of the pollution so I get it's not too attractive BUT - it did feel like no where else, very other worldly. Didn't feel like Africa, felt more Middle Eastern.

Loved the Egyptian museum, spent lots of weekends exploring around the city and never felt safer. Some decent food, although ended up eating cow brain hotdogs with locals after a night out - rank. I was never bored. Decent culture shock at the time, which is increasingly rare. Good exposure to Islamic culture which I found interesting. Not sure what it's like now though - but I do know the pollution is still a big problem. I'd go back for 2/3 nights no problem.

Very boring not seeing women. Went to a brothel and the prices were very expensive for a country were the wages are 150 € month or not even that. The women were from Sudan or Ethiopia and were asking this kind of money lol not even in Europe is this price. Then had a man that followed me for few blocks, I think was gay, there are a lot of them there and when they see a foreigner they try to be friends. The museum you can't even bring a camera inside. And is very boring people asking you if they can take a picture of you with your camera to then asking some money. And at the pyramids was like hell, more vendors than tourists, trying to scam you and sell sh*t stuff made in China and they would follow you for many minutes untill the tourist gives up and buys his sh*t. Also the men there would not respect couples, they look and say things to women in front of their husbands, and they know they can't do anything. Not a place to go with a woman. And the place is just UGLY, and I had been in many poor countries.

Mad_maxx

Melanchthon wrote: »

Whatever about the other places people have listed , Budapest has a cracking nightlife and it's on the list to go back too again (3rd/4th time). Start the evening in one of the wine bars, find a music or rock bar at midnight, drink till 3am. In the morning hit the Turkish baths to recover yourself.

pity Hungarians are so rude and unfriendly

MaccaTacca

Maynooth or Leixlip for me.

Two grey little villages/big housing estates plonked on the side of a motorway.

MyLove4Satan

Adhamh wrote: »

There was a time in the 1970's when Houston couldn't even have been called a city:

Honestly the population density was probably on par with Castlepollard

You shouldn't be able to walk several hundred meters through the center of a city without passing a single building ffs

Huston still looks a lot like this. Only bigger and more populated now. The heat is major issue.

MyLove4Satan

sugarman wrote: »

The only place I've found somewhat boring in Europe were the likes of Frankfurt,.

It is the same dynamic again as Hanover. Frankfurt/Darmstadt are boring places in terms of the urban elements but once more, the Hinterland of the Odenwald which is the last remnant of the once great European forests. You can get lost there for years if you want. Lovely small villages with great and cheap places to eat. I almost moved to Darmstadt at one point just because of the Odenwald on its doorstep.

I like cities that are close to nature - so you can have the best of both.

steamsey

Balmed Out wrote: »

I have only been in a handful of Brazilian cities but quite like Rio. Great surf and the city is set in an amazing location. Other cities like Sao Paulo may have better restraunts and more urban neighbourhoods but Rio is not somewhere id regret visiting.
Cairo, ok the pollution is awful and its over 20 years since i have been. We spent a few days between trips east, west and south but the bones of 2 weeka in cairo itself. I loved it. Ive travelled a fair bit and it was the first non western country ive been to but to this day always seems the most foriegn and interesting place I've visited, felt a little like some sort of alien world from a sci-fi. It was pre 9/11 and apparently visiting it is very different since but how anyone could describe it as boring is beyond me.

Spent a bit of time in Cairo, and around Egypt and I did like Cairo. This was about 10 years ago. The traffic is insane, almost no traffic lights so just a constant flow. Crossing the road is difficult. The pollution is terrible, they have this 'black fog' that can descend and you can barely see 100m beside of the pollution so I get it's not too attractive BUT - it did feel like no where else, very other worldly. Didn't feel like Africa, felt more Middle Eastern.

Loved the Egyptian museum, spent lots of weekends exploring around the city and never felt safer. Some decent food, although ended up eating cow brain hotdogs with locals after a night out - rank. I was never bored. Decent culture shock at the time, which is increasingly rare. Good exposure to Islamic culture which I found interesting. Not sure what it's like now though - but I do know the pollution is still a big problem. I'd go back for 2/3 nights no problem.

mayo londoner

Dortmund (First bar we went into there was an Irish traveller wedding, just our luck), Los Angeles, Warsaw and Pisa were absolutely ****e too.

2lazytogetup

As one previous poster said, give me a wet day in Dublin that has things to do over any picturesque but boring town in ireland.

2lazytogetup

Milan is terrible. Went to see ac play. Wouldnt recommend.

Others:
Stonehenge,
the main temple site in Cambodia
Machu pichu itself, the 3 day hike is great
Midland towns in ireland
Galway city and dingle town,

hahashake

josip wrote: »

Spent 3 months travelling around from Cape Reinga to Bluff.
We found the South Island was strongly influenced by Scottish Presbyterian settlers, not known for their mad social life.
The North Island has more influence from the Islanders, but that brings an edginess in certain places, especially if there’s alcohol around.

The places where we had friends really helped to liven up somewhere that would otherwise be very boring.
Eg. Hamilton on a Wednesday night you wouldn’t expect much from, but if you knew which pub had the stripper from Auckland in that night playing strip pool for the evening, you’d have a fairly good laugh. Better than watching some Australian Rugby League on the pub TV anyway.
Also places where we stayed in hostels we had a more social time, both in the hostel itself and from recommendations.
Places we stayed in hotel/motel it was always harder to get in touch with local activity.

Lived in Queenstown for 6 months over autumn and winter and there were 3 social scenes there.
Tourists passing through for a few days hell bent on living to the max.
Transient workers like ourselves there for a few months/years who had a very good social life.
Long term locals whose highlight of the week would be a new product appearing on the shelf of the local supermarket or a shopping trip up the road to Cromwell.

If you are motivated to do proper outdoors stuff then NZ is a fantastic place. Not far from Queenstown you have the Routeburn Track, Milford Track, Kepler Track - all stunning and varied scenery. Great cycling tracks and vineyard tours too not far away. Surfing/skiing/fishing/hunting/diving etc. Plus if you are lucky with the weather, great beaches. Outside of Auckland and Wellington, not a whole lot of vibrancy in the cities however, and the small towns are even worse. So I get how certain people would find it dull.

[Deleted User]

afatbollix wrote:

And she replied the great city of Mullingar...

:pac: brilliant

Adhamh

There was a time in the 1970's when Houston couldn't even have been called a city:

Honestly the population density was probably on par with Castlepollard

You shouldn't be able to walk several hundred meters through the center of a city without passing a single building ffs

Lesalare

Somewhat boring, but overall just a rotten place for me: Hong Kong.
Didn't really find anything attractive about it at all. Mind you I had gone there after being in Tokyo for 8 nights so it was losing a battle in first place.

Thelonious Monk

Covid21 wrote: »

Australia = Completely Overrated

It's an entire continent packed full of amazing scenery, great weather, wildlife, wilderness, a place where you can get some of the most beautiful beaches in the world to yourself. If you like the outdoors there really isn't anywhere like it.

ShatterAlan

jmlad2020 wrote: »

Dortmund is up there.

I also found Howth to be incredibly underwhelming when I visited... I grew up on the west coast, beautiful scenery etc.. I just thought it didn't deserve the amount of Tourists it was getting in comparison to some other places in Ireland.

It's all personal preference.

Have to agree with you on Howth. Yot get off the Dart there and what is there to do and see? There's that pub, the Bloody Stream for a pint, look at a few effing trawlers and then get fish and chips only to have a seagull mug you for them.

Other places that I have found boring were Kansas City. Even the dive bars are sterile. Reston Virginia....stepford wives mecca. Nashua New Hampshire. Luxembourg City. Found Malta to be pretty lame as well. Was recommended to go on holiday with the gf to Ballyvaughn in Clare and how there's great seafood chowder in some place called Monks, I think. Fcuking most boring place I've ever been. Tried the chowder. It was ok, no better than anything I've had anywhere else. Should have stayed in Lisdoonvarna or Galway instead. At least there would have been a bit of craic.

Covid21

Agree with a lot of posters here:

Holyhead = Boring and a ****hole
Milan = Boring
Australia = Completely Overrated

Dufflecoat Fanny

Berlin was great for 2 weeks but had nothing to do after

afatbollix

I have family in Mullingar but it's a bit of a hole. But since I have family there I end up in it for family events

The last time we had a do we were down at reception having a few pints and got to talking to a few Scottish lads. Asked them why they were here.

They were over with a stag. They went into a travel agency and asked where should they go for an amazing stag.

And she replied the great city of Mullingar...

Poor fecken basterds.

[Deleted User]

Copenhagen. A snorefest of a city and extremely expensive.

I always roll my eyes when people compare it as some kind of utopia, compared to Dublin. Way more craic to he had here, for less.

[Deleted User]

Didst thou offendeth me? How dare thou. I challenge thee to a joust!

completedit

I think different cities can have different vibes and atmospheres. Like I'd imagine Toronto is way more diverse than Boston. Some people are just better at tapping into these differences whereas others will find them samey.

Gradius

The Nal wrote: »

I've never been in Starbucks. Easy to avoid.

If you cant find diversity and something interesting and different to do in "Most of the popular cities, and just about all American cities" (billions of people) I think - and no offence like - its you that may be the bore rather than the cities.

So distinguish Toronto from Boston then. What's so interesting about Boston, on a day to day basis, that toronto doesn't have?

Wandering into a village in some jungle, now that's cool stuff, worth travelling for, just to see all the differences. Cities like Rome stand out too because they look so different, actual history. Yeah, pubs, clubs, restaurants in addition.

In fact I'd turn your question on yourself, if someone is highly entertained by pubs, clubs, restaurants and throngs of people essentially doing the same things in the same ways among very similar looking places, then you're the one who sounds like a bore.

Lesalare

topnotch wrote: »

I was also very disappointed with Boston.

So was I. But I think it has a reputation of not being the most exciting place on earth.