14 Famous Landmarks That Are Major Disappointments
Many of us want to visit the famed landmarks that we watch in motion pictures, read in books, or appear on our feeds on social media platforms. We are filled with joy at the thought of experiencing what we expect to be the view of a lifetime or to be greatly moved after visiting these famous places. Sadly, they are oftentimes underwhelming and not as exciting as advertised.
So, before you go packing for those ‘must-visit’ spots, you should be prepared for these major disappointments.
The Mona Lisa (Louvre, Paris)
The Mona Lisa is one of those ‘when in Paris’ activities. But when you get to the Louvre, the size of the crowd is going to impress you much more than the painting itself. It is a surprisingly small painting protected by a thick layer of glass, and there are tons of people taking pictures at the same time, so you can not truly enjoy it. Good luck getting close enough to study the art itself.
The Stonehenge (Wiltshire, England)
Stonehenge might look brooding and mysterious in the pictures but it is just a pile of rocks. There is undoubtedly interesting history behind it but you can’t get close enough and the location is not very picturesque. Secondly, because all the tourists take pictures, it is not as mysterious as it once was.
The Little Mermaid Statue (Copenhagen, Denmark)
This is one of Copenhagen’s most famous landmarks, but this statue can easily go unnoticed because of its size. It is located by the harbor and looks somewhat forlorn and tiny. You’ll spend more time fighting for a picture than admiring the sculpture itself and after admiring it you won’t be able to help but wonder why it is so famous.
Hollywood Walk of Fame (Los Angeles, USA)
Ah, Hollywood! Where stars, glitz, and glamour live. The famed Walk of Fame is the dream of every traveler to visit but in reality, it is just a pavement of stars with names engraved into them and lined with souvenir shops and street performers and unfortunately litter. This is far from a glitzy, glamorous, walk-through of the lives of Hollywood stars.
Manneken Pis (Brussels, Belgium)
This famous statue of a little boy peeing is one of the most visited spots in Brussels, but it is just that… a statue of a little boy peeing. Nothing more. It is also hidden so you would not notice it easily and for all the fuss around it, there isn’t much else to it. Most tourists spend more time searching for this statue than enjoying the experience.
Plymouth Rock (Plymouth, USA)
Plymouth Rock is believed to be the landing area of the Pilgrims; however, when you get to see it, you may be slightly surprised. It’s just a rock, which can be found sitting in a pit and that’s not very inspiring to say the least. Again there is not much to do other than to take a picture and ask yourself why you drove so many hours to see… a rock in a pit.
Pisa’s Leaning Tower (Italy)
Yes the Leaning Tower does lean, but besides taking the famous ‘holding up the Tower’ photo, there really isn’t much to do. There are usually a lot of people there attempting to capture the same photo and the tower does not seem nearly as large as one might expect. Also, the city around Pisa doesn’t offer much more to do so you are not likely to linger around.
Times Square (New York)
Times Square is a city of flashing lights and endless crowds. Its popularity makes for a crowded and often times uncomfortable experience as tourists flock to it hoping to experience New York City vibrance. It is loud and heavily commercialized. If you don’t enjoy listening to the sound of traffic and people and seeing countless advertisements, then you might not be too impressed with Times Square.
The Spanish Steps (Rome, Italy)
The Spanish steps in Rome are also another famous attraction. Although quite beautiful, they are still just steps. The influx of tourists has taken away the majestic and beautiful atmosphere of this location. Now it might as well be an overcrowded park where everyone seems more fixated on capturing the moment than experiencing it.
Mount Rushmore State (South Dakota, USA)
When you visit Mount Rushmore, you might not be able to help but think it looks better in the pictures. The carvings are undoubtedly skilled and unique but there isn’t much to see especially since you can’t get very close.
The Shard (London, England)
The Shard is one of the tallest buildings in Europe. The viewing platform is incredibly expensive to visit and the view is honestly underwhelming especially when the sky is overcast, which is most of the time in London. The same can be viewed from other parts of the city free of charge.
The Pyramids of Giza (Giza, Egypt)
The Pyramids are an amazing archeological architectural wonder but when you get to visit them, you might be a little disappointed. The Pyramids are swarming with aggressive salespeople and a never-ending stream of visitors. The city of Giza is also much closer than you would think.
White House (Washington D.C.,USA)
The White House is a well-known location with a big reputation. You might expect a visit to it to be much more exciting, but because of security measures, you are not allowed to approach it closely and you can’t really make out much from a distance. You’ll probably spend more time straining your neck to get a good look at the U.S. president’s residence.
Niagara Falls (Canada/USA)
Niagara Falls is gorgeous, but the environment is a typical tourist trap. Overpriced shops, neon signs, and fast food outlets take away from the fascinating beauty of the falls. It is easy to be carried away by the rowdy environment instead of enjoying the natural beauty of the falls.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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Even if you’ve been on a safari in the past, an African photo safari is something you want to experience or at the very list add to the top of your bucket list.
But first, what is a photo safari? The phrase “photo safari” is not a common sentence structure but its meaning can be deduced easily. An African photo safari in general context means going on an adventure with the sole purpose of taking high-quality pictures.
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