TOP 8 MOST DISAPPOINTING SIGHTS IN EUROPE

Dublin, Ireland

If you have seen the Prague Castle or Edinburgh Castle, this castle will most probably be a serious disappointment. When you pass through the main gate and see the chess-piece-looking Record Tower, you are likely to imagine you will see a cool dungeon and perhaps some historical halls where knights enjoyed their parties and fights. The disappointment comes when you realize that this tower is all that is left of the ancient castle, and that the rest of it is a simple government complex. The tour however is quite interesting because at the end you go to the underground and see the original walls. And of course, then there is the gift shop.

Copenhagen, Denmark

The Little Mermaid is a statue that has been dedicated to the famous fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen in 1837. The statue was unveiled in 1913 and since Copenhagen lacks super-famous sights every tourist is keen on visiting, this statue has become the biggest tourist attraction. It will take a long and out of the way walk along the harbor before you reach the bronze lady. What you will finally see is again a crowd of tourists and only 125 cm high statue. Most of the visitors are thus surprised by the small size of the city’s icon as well as the unappealing industrial harbor-front across the water in the background. What more, if you want to see the statue beware that from May to October 2010 you will have to travel to Shanghai for such an experience. The Copenhagen City Council is planning to move the Little Mermaid there for the duration of this year’s Expo 2010.

London, UK

Have you already seen the famous London Bridge? No? Don’t worry. Although it carries a catchy name, the London Bridge is the plainest bridge over the Thames imaginable. Tourists may be confused by the songs they used to hear in their childhood, but whenever you go somewhere please look it first up on the internet and don’t be disappointed. The close by Tower Bridge is on the other hand quite amazing as is the new Millennium Bridge.

Barcelona, Spain

Sagrada Familia is a famous cathedral and definitely a must see in Barcelona. It was designed by the famous architect Antonio Gaudí and has been under construction since 1886. For that reason it is better to walk around it only from the outside and admire the extraordinary shapes and details of the facade all around. The interior unfortunately is accessible for €11 but does not offer much to see except a bunch of construction workers and heavy equipment. The only compensation for your admission fee is the informative museum in the basement.

France

Nobody knows why but Saint-Tropez is considered to be the most awesome city on the French Riviera. It is maybe because a sunless aloe-vera tanning lotion was named after it. Or because everyone wants to have the famous Saint-Tropez tan. Who knows? The fact is that this city is so overcrowded with tourists that even the locals would prefer you to visit a nearby city instead. Although it is a very nice place, Saint-Tropez is like a dozen other cities on the Côte d’Azur, but if you like overcrowded places it is definitely a must see! If you don’t, it will be perhaps better for you to visit Saint-Maxime, Cap d’agde, Camargue, Cassis, or Sete.

Brussels, Belgium

Experienced travelers say that there really aren’t many sights in Brussels, unless you are an admirer of high rise administrative buildings. However, there is one attraction most visitors plan to see – the Manneken Pis. It is a small bronze statue of a boy, who is permanently urinating into a fountain. The biggest problem with the cute sculpture again is the big crowd standing in front of it. When you finally manage to find the statue, you will see that it looks the same as in the pictures, but it is even smaller.

Venice, Italy

Venice – the favorite city for romantic souls. Get ready that even in the off-season, Venice is more jammed with tourists than Times Square on the New Year’s Eve. If you wish to take the legendary Gondola ride, don’t be disappointed when you hear the price – a 40 minute ride costs around €80. Perhaps you think this is once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Well, yes but forget a romantic private ride with your sweetheart. You have a good chance that there will be tens of others in Gondolas around you ready to enjoy the famous City of Bridges.

Paris, France

In 16th century Leonardo da Vinci painted a picture of a shy-looking smiling woman. At that time he couldn’t know what sufferings people in the 21st century will undergo to see the painting. Nowadays Mona Lisa can be found in the magnificent Louvre in Paris. Louvre is a highlight of the city itself, and it is so big that if you wanted to see every picture for one minute, then it would take 500 years to see all of them. Every guide book thus recommends making a quick visit and see at least the Mona Lisa. Many travelers decide to do so and as a result the room where it is on show is usually totally crowded making it difficult to see even a small part of the famous painting.

Brought to you by Tourism-Review.com, the tourism news provider for the travel trade community worldwide. Visit www.tourism-review.com.