World’s 10 Most Disappointing Tourist Spots

Posted by Mike Richard on August 28, 2007
Filed under: Destinations, Odds + Ends, Sidelines

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Virgin Travel Insurance recent surveyed 1,000 British tourists and ranked the world’s 10 most disappointing tourist spots based on their reponses. Via Telegraph.co.uk:

  1. The Eiffel Tower
  2. The Louvre (Mona Lisa)
  3. Times Square
  4. Las Ramblas, Spain
  5. Statue of Liberty
  6. Spanish Steps, Rome
  7. The White House
  8. The Pyramids, Egypt
  9. The Brandenburg Gate, Germany
  10. The Leaning Tower of Pisa

I can only speak for myself, but I’ve visited Times Square and the Statue of Liberty and I was rather impressed by both.

Have you visited any of the above tourist spots? What were your impressions?

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Vagabondish editor Mike Richard lives in Rhode Island - a small patch of land in the northeastern U.S. He is a professional web designer and travel junkie with an unhealthy addiction to backpacking, camping, hiking and seeing the world. He enjoys knit hats and speaking in the third person.



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Comments

Travel Minx
August 28th, 2007 - 9:44 pm

I’m lucky enough to have been to 6 of them. The Eiffel Tower was very anti-climactic for me. I’d dreamed of seeing it for years, but I was there in winter and it was FREEZING, with long queues. Not so romantic. I loved the Louvre but got lost every time I went, and yes the Mona Lisa is tiny and surrounded by people. Times Square loses its thrill the more often you go, although it’s amazing the first time; Las Ramblas was very pretty, and I thought the Spanish Steps were nice. I used to live in Berlin so the Brandenburg Gate will always be special to me. I find it hard to imagine the pyramids being disappointing, but then I haven’t seen them.


Chris Mitchell
August 28th, 2007 - 10:45 pm

Most people bitch that the pyramids are “too small”. This list shows just how miserable my countrymen can be even when they’re on holiday. What do they expect? The Mona Lisa to be 10 feet high with a laser show?


Travel Minx
August 28th, 2007 - 11:48 pm

Well, a laser show would be a start… maybe some CGI as well.


Chris Mitchell
August 28th, 2007 - 11:53 pm

I think a lifesize 3D hologram would work best.


Preyanka
August 29th, 2007 - 1:45 am

la tour eiffel was pretty boring. Paris is a great city with so much to do and see, so I think this monument seems boring once people get it out of the way and move on to the good stuff. Speaking of laser shows, they ARE doing that with the pyramids:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tra......Show.html


Mike
August 30th, 2007 - 3:57 pm

How about Blue Man Group Present the Mona Lisa? Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

They have laser shows at the pyramids?!? With Pink Floyd playing in the background?


[…] spots in Italy made it onto this list of the world’s most disappointing tourist spots - Rome’s Spanish Steps and […]


Rachel Theriot
November 29th, 2007 - 8:30 pm

Add Venice to the list. I can’t believe how saddened I was to see all the graffiti. Also, the only people riding gondolas (through the polluted waterways) are American tourists with huge cameras. So disappointing, even though it’s probably beautiful when tourists aren’t flooding it.


Nick
November 29th, 2007 - 9:49 pm

As an airline employee (European), I’ve visited most of these tourist spots while working. With the exception of the statue of liberty, wich is still on my list. I’ve not been disappointed in any of these sights, although the lightshow at the pyramids is a bit tacky. I find that the best way to go to a famous building or place, is not to let your imagination run away with you beforehand. Read about the places you visit, try to set the touristspot in a timeframe (like the period it was build, or why it was build there) and find out more about that era. Don’t try to compare it with other places or buildings. Each has its own merit. And one question I always ask myself. Could I have build this at that time. The answer is always; No!


serrin
December 8th, 2007 - 10:33 pm

The Eiffel Tower
My friends and I made angels in the sand at the bottom. When we were in the lift, a friend said “ooohhh myyy goodddd, this is sooooo f***ing hiighhhhh” and we all laughed.

The Louvre (Mona Lisa)
Wandering around, dwarfed by the paintings, getting lost, squinting at the Mona Lisa and skipping past the line of tourists towards the cafe.

Las Ramblas, Spain
Purple gorilla chasing me down the street, angels telling him off and laughing, gorgeous earrings, my guy friend saying “ola” and wiggling his eyebrows at all the pretty girls.

Spanish Steps, Rome
Resting by the fountain and barely resisting the desire to dive in. Racing people to the top. Basking in the heat and wandering off to find gelato.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa
Taking a photo of five people taking that picture where it looks like they’re holding it up. Laughing at how touristey they were being and how funny they all looked out of the context of their photos.

My point: places are not obligated to be special or amazing - the things that you will remember about them are the things that you brought with you. The world is what you make it.

I’ve never been disappointed by a place I’ve visited.


Michael
December 17th, 2007 - 2:01 pm

Serrin, you put me in each of those places in the few words you wrote!

You are so right about the visit being what you make it.