Embarking on a journey often comes with preconceived notions, shaped by hearsay or travel advisories. However, the world is filled with hidden gems and unexpected delights that defy conventional wisdom. In this article, we explore 10 travel experiences that not only exceeded expectations but also shattered the misconceptions that surrounded them.
France
In the United States, especially, there’s a stereotype that French people are rude, but many visitors found the opposite to be true. One traveler said, “Waiters in Paris weren’t rude at all. People were friendly and helpful. I felt happy trying out my French and we all enjoyed laughing about my struggles.”
Naples, Italy
“Everyone says to skip Naples or to pretend that the city next to Vesuvius doesn’t exist. I absolutely loved the city, its vibe and culture, its food, and its severely underrated museum. Use common sense, and Naples is an absolute blast. Loved it,” says one happy visitor.
Romania
One user said, “I love Romania, spent a few months working in rural Transylvania. Bucharest itself wasn’t my favorite city in the world but it’s certainly not the post soviet hell hole like you sometimes hear. One of my best nights out was hitting the Pálinka with some pub proprietor in Bucharest”
Istanbul, Turkey
“Istanbul is my fav city in the entire world. I loved it more than Amsterdam, Barcelona, and London. Perfect mix of the East and West, clean, hospitable people, incredibly inexpensive (I live in San Francisco), and amazing food. I wasn’t expecting much but my word, it blew me away,” said an enthusiastic visitor.
New York
“Being from the west coast of the US, I’ve always heard that east coasters move at a quicker pace and aren’t as friendly/won’t have time to stop for strangers. My first time in NYC, I had several strangers approach me to start a conversation or give me a compliment while I was wandering around alone. There was even a rich older lady next to me on a bench that ended up walking me around Central Park to show me her favorite spots.”
Michoacán, Mexico
One commenter loved their time there. They said, “I went there last year during Día de muertos and was warned by so many people to avoid that state entirely. I felt completely safe in Morelia, and these other pueblos mágicos that I visited. The food was delicious and the people were so nice, I’m glad I didn’t listen to those people telling me I should stay away. The Día de muertos festivities were amazing there as well.”
Manila, Philippines
One visitor said, “Everyone on reddit ‘don’t go there…You will get stabbed. Traffic sucks.’ Experienced some of the loveliest people, some of the best food and great shopping. Yes there were some sketchy areas but no sketchier than Los Angeles that’s for sure. Great street food, awesome bars to watch sports in, and epic drinks and you’re a short flight away from paradise. Traffic wasn’t too bad either if you avoid peak hours.”
China
“The country is stereotyped as dirty, polluted, and industrial with not much worth seeing. The people get stereotyped as unfriendly, selfish, and rude…Parts of the country are indeed polluted and industrial, but other parts had some of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve seen in my time traveling the world (and I only saw a fraction of the country). But the people were what really blew me away,” said one commenter.
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
You may have never heard of this place, but a few Redditors agreed on its charm. One user said, “It’s the perfect blend of interesting historical places, great food and nightlife. We mostly went to Bulgaria because we were on a budget, but it turned out to be one of the best trips I’ve had in years. Also the nature in Bulgaria is mesmerizing.”
Portugal
“I didn’t expect it to be bad since they have Latin roots but damn was it lovely, people were so helpful with directions even if they didn’t speak any English, nobody tried to overcharge me and all the recommendations that were given to me were spot on! We did a bit of a tour of the entire country and I would recommend it to anyone who has doubts,” says one enchanted visitor.
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