When you visit a new place, you probably go into it with an idea in your mind of what to expect. And there's nothing like traveling somewhere and having your expectations blown away. So I asked the BuzzFeed community to tell me about a destination they loved more than they expected. Here's what they had to say, along with some responses from travel-loving redditors.
1.
“Moab, Utah. We stayed for a week. Each day had a spectacular day road trip. The scenery in Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park was beyond anything we had ever seen. We saw petroglyphs, dinosaur footprints, and fossils. Not only are there long hikes with great views, but you can also see them from the side of the road. Take a four-wheel-drive tour or go rafting on the Colorado River. are just a few of the outdoor activities you can participate in.
2.
“Sintra, Portugal. When I travel, I like to avoid big cities. Instead, I often rent a car and see small towns. Sintra, a beautiful town 20 minutes from Lisbon, is one such place. One of the places. We had only planned to spend one day there but we could have spent 2-3 more days. Colorful castles, ancient forts and amazing scenery all around. We The hotel was a magical villa/hotel with a walled garden in the center of town. Spent the afternoon swimming and relaxing among the flowers.”
3.
“We recommend the Seto Inland Sea between Hiroshima, Beppu, and Kure. There are many islands of all sizes. It's a great destination for fishing, beaches, mountains, hot springs, hiking, food, and nature. Extremely unspoiled. .”
Four.
“Budapest. I've traveled 6 times so far. Many people visit Prague instead of Budapest, but that's wrong, IMO. Like Prague, this city is on both sides of the river, with one side being an old One thing, the other is new. But Budapest is much bigger and more interesting. There are castles, underground labyrinths, bunker-cum-hospitals built into the rocks, hot springs, beautiful parliament buildings, and plenty of art galleries. It has its own currency and it's very cheap. The weather is wonderful. It's summer, the food is delicious, what's not to like? ”
Five.
“Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This city feels like a fairy tale and is simply beautiful. And it is steeped in history, much of it shocking and surprisingly recent.”
6.
“Siem Reap, Cambodia. I wasn't expecting much, but it quickly became the highlight of my Asia trip. Great food options at affordable prices, lots of cultural experiences, and overall There was a really comfortable and safe environment. I really enjoyed Angkor Wat exploring the ancient ruins.”
7.
“Romania! We spent two weeks driving around. It's an amazing country with many UNESCO heritage sites, beautiful farmland, stunning mountains, and incredibly friendly people.”
8.
“The Hague. Similar to Amsterdam, but with a more relaxed atmosphere. I liked coffee shops in The Hague better than coffee shops anywhere else in the Netherlands. It's a really beautiful city with a nice main square. The Mauritshuis Museum there houses Vermeer's famous “Girl”. Along with pearl earrings. ”
9.
“Taipei, Taiwan. Although Taipei is already a very popular destination in Asia, it is less well-known than other international cities such as Tokyo, Shanghai, Bangkok, Osaka, Beijing, Seoul, and Singapore. I had already visited some of the major cities, but I had never been to Taipei. I didn't expect to be overly impressed. But to my (pleasant) surprise, Taipei and Taiwan became my favorite places in Asia. The food is nothing short of heavenly and surprisingly affordable. The famous night market is really worth promoting…”
Ten.
“Vietnam in general, but Hoi An in particular. I came with very high expectations and Hoi An still managed to disappoint. The locals are incredibly hospitable and friendly, the architecture and scenery is beautiful , the coffee and food were amazing (and surprisingly cheap) I spent 3 weeks in Vietnam about 2 years ago and I still think about this trip every day. ”
11.
“Salvador, Brazil. This city is well known in Brazil and to some extent in Latin America, but it is never mentioned by international travelers in the same way as Rio, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Medellin or Mexico City. No. Major cities in Europe.”
12.
“Aveiro, a small town in Portugal. On my way to Porto, I decided to stop in Coimbra and somehow ended up in Aveiro. It's a quaint little town with canals, and everything about it is so beautiful, from its fun design.” From the walkways to the colorful boats on the canals. I was mesmerized. I spent two days just walking around and soaking it all up.”
13.
“Rovinj, Croatia. I spent 3 nights in Rovinj and Istria, Croatia as part of a 3 week trip to Europe. In hindsight, I wish I had spent at least a week there. I couldn't have asked for a more romantic setting. I've never come across a place where I've never come across a place where I've never come across a place where I'm not sure what to expect, because of the food (fresh seafood and truffles), the scenery (amazing land and sea views), the fascinating history, the very hospitable people, and the fact that almost everyone speaks English fluently. Rovinj blew away our expectations.”
14.
“In Grenoble, France, I was blown away by the food and the scenery. I thought it would be beautiful because it's so close to the Alps, but the reality was I wasn't ready for it yet.”
15.
“Tallinn, Estonia. I went there last year because I wanted to take a vacation in Europe, but I didn't want to be surrounded by so many people. Tallinn is a lovely city with a wonderful historic old town village. Food It was very delicious, very kind, especially the bread was the best I've ever eaten. The entire city is easy to walk around and the locals are charming and welcoming. It takes her two hours to get to Helsinki by boat. I like it very much. I will go again this year. ”
16.
“Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France. Located in the Basque Country on France's west coast. Imagine the perfect beach town without the overwhelming crowds of Nice or Marseille. Plus, it's only a short drive from San Sebastian. Just a short walk away. Spain, another great destination. The food, architecture and culture were amazing. The French culture in the Basque Country is very different from other parts of France and the food is to die for. I highly recommend this place over other popular tourist destinations.”
17.
“Zermatt, Switzerland. I visited it on my first trip to Europe. I was shocked by everything about Europe, especially Zermatt. It's a small mountain town at the foot of the Matterhorn, and the scenery is breathtaking. We went on some amazing hikes. We went ziplining and rode gondolas and trains up into the Alps for even more amazing views. My favorite experience was walking in the middle of the road. We went on a mountain bike ride with a herd of adorable sheep. Zermatt itself was a great city. Expensive but very cute. Would recommend 10/10.”
18.
“Gdańsk, Poland. The old town was like a movie set. It has great architecture and history, and it's not as touristy as other European cities. I also met some of the nicest people in Gdańsk. ”
19.
“Ecuador is a place that really surprised me. I had a few weeks off before starting a new job and went on a last-minute adventure cruise around the Galapagos Islands with some friends. It was a last-minute decision, but the Galapagos is truly I was amazed. It was so pristine, pure, and stunning. And every day we woke up to explore a new island. It was an adventure of a lifetime. But what really surprised me It was in mainland Ecuador. I thought it was just a stop on the way to the Galapagos, but I was pleasantly surprised.”
20.
“Heidelberg, Germany. I visited much bigger cities on the same trip, but I didn't know much about Heidelberg before visiting. But it turned out to be a beautiful city with great architecture and great food. I… I spent two weeks in Europe, but some of the best food I ate was in Heidelberg. The hills, colorful buildings, and river were absolutely stunning, plus there was a stunning old castle surrounding it. The city itself… It had winding cobblestone streets and was very charming. It was just like any other big city we've visited, but it was smaller, cleaner, and cozier. .”
twenty one.
“Perugia, Italy. A city about 2 hours by train from Florence. It is a city surrounded by walls with a medieval townscape. All the food I ate there was delicious. If you are interested in archeology, you should definitely visit. Check it out.'' “Or are you just looking for a beautiful place?I was only planning on staying one night, but ended up staying two extra days.''
twenty two.
“Santiago, Chile. A city with great weather, great views of snow-capped mountains, good public transport, and a very cool Plaza de Armas. This city is one of the most livable cities in Latin. I think it's America. “
twenty three.
“Essaouira, Morocco. A really beautiful coastal town with lots of great views, very clean and easy to walk around. We stopped here on our trip from Marrakech to Rabat and really enjoyed it!”
twenty four.
“Bournemouth, England. We went in September and had sunny skies all day. This resort town, two and a half hours from London, has a beach and a gorgeous pier overlooking the ocean. There's so much to do there: The Russell-Coates Museum is a wonderful hidden gem, home to the tranquil memorial graves of Percy B. Shelley and Mary Shelley. The seaside cliffs are so idyllic that goats even hang out. It's easy to walk around and has lots of cute shops. “We collected seashells on the beach and ended the day with a glass of champagne by the sea. It was perfect and worth a day trip.”
twenty five.
“Dijon, France. A city in Burgundy with great wine, cheese, and a UNESCO-listed medieval old town.”
26.
“Laos. The trip down the Mekong River was amazing. The scenery was beautiful, the people were so hospitable, and the cities were magical.”
27.
“Kerala, India. The landscape is so beautiful and so green. The locals were all so friendly and treated us like family. Every place we visited was a perfect blend of tradition and modernity. I highly recommend visiting, but be sure to take photos.'' Ride the houseboat and visit the many historic castle forts and palaces. ”
28.
“Savannah, Georgia. I won a ticket to stay in a hotel there for free, so I went into the trip without any expectations. But I ended up falling in love with it. Savannah is a city with a lot of history and character. It's a very cute city, with great museums, restaurants, tours, etc. ”
29.
“Edinburgh really blew me away. In 2019 my best friend and I were on a trip across the UK. We had already seen London with its huge old buildings, but we were amazed by the amazing views of Edinburgh. Nothing could have prepared me for the moment I stepped in. “As we left the station, we stood in the middle of the road admiring the architecture. I felt like I stepped into the world. I would definitely visit this city again!”
30.
“Ottawa is a very underrated city in Canada. It's a beautiful city with lots of greenery. It's an interesting mix of English and French culture and language. When you walk into a restaurant and are greeted with 'Bonjour,' you know you're in the right place. You may forget where you are. All my acquaintances who have been there have come back impressed by its beauty. ”
What destinations would you like to add to this list? What place exceeds your expectations and makes you want to spend more time there? Let us know in the comments or this Google Form.
