Top 5 Overrated Tourist Attractions! As seen by us. Because there are probably others.

I have traveled a lot. I have seen places I never imagined I would see. Some famous and others unknown. Today I want to tell you about the “famous” tourist attractions that are nothing like you see in pictures. The ones you see online, and when you get there, you’re in for a mini-shock. Disappointing and far from the beauty displayed online! I went and saw them with high expectations, and the disappointment was real.

1.The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen

When I arrived in the city, like everyone else, I put this little statue at the top of the “to-see” list. The journey to the seaside where the statue is located seemed to warn us that it’s not what we expect, but who pays attention to that? However, when we arrived and saw the line for “taking pictures with the statue,” it was clear that things were not at all as we imagined. The statue is placed by the sea, about 2 meters offshore, and you can jump on some stones to reach it. The downside is that only 2-3 people can fit on that pedestal at a time, and usually, everyone wants a solo photo with the mermaid. That means at least a 2-minute wait for each picture. With a line of 100 people, calculate the waiting time… And the statue itself is small, and its story is more interesting than the statue itself. Of course, we waited in line, but the city’s number 1 attraction is undeserved!

2.The Forbidden City in Beijing

Why was it forbidden? I can’t imagine because it’s extremely ordinary. You only have access to some huge courtyards, then you move to another courtyard, and another, until you reach the back gardens that somewhat alleviate your disappointment. I won’t say anything about the crowds – we are in China, and it’s natural – nor about entering with a passport in hand or the metal detector check. I admit these are security issues and are for our good. But the Forbidden City is only visited from the outside. You can’t enter any building, and even if you could, there’s not much to see. Empty halls, as I glimpsed through the cracks wherever I could… It’s huge, and you waste a lot of time, and when you reach the other end, you wonder, “Why did I come in here?”

3.The Jordan River

I have seen the Jordan River from both the Israeli and Jordanian sides. If you’re not a religious person or a passionate archaeologist, the baptism site on the Israeli side is complete kitsch, and on the Jordanian side, it’s a banal pond. Jordanians say the true baptism site is about 500 meters from the current water location, a place now dry but arranged to show how it was 2000 years ago. That’s why they decided to put only a wooden pontoon where the water is now. On the other hand, on the Israeli side, there is a well-arranged baptism site. Fully automated. But also with places to eat fast food or rent a white robe to enter the water. A thriving business. The water, which doesn’t flow much and is small, looks like a quiet little stream. About 7-8 meters wide, vegetation, and that’s about it. Nothing spectacular, nothing to impress you, nothing to justify its fame. Except, of course, the history of the place. If this is the place…

4.The Merry Cemetery in Romania

How can a cemetery be merry? Because it’s a cemetery! Anyone who enters here smiling, especially if they stay… The Merry Cemetery is the furthest tourist spot in Romania where if you’ve been once, you certainly won’t go a second time! The cross with the mother-in-law and another one with a funny message, the blue on the crosses. Those are the “merry” aspects. However, the outside fair is sad, the constant hustle of tourists is sad, and it’s even sadder that you imagined a cemetery could be cheerful. It’s not! It’s a cemetery. That’s it!

5.Juliet’s House in Verona

If you go to Verona and don’t visit Juliet’s house, it’s like being in Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower. You’ll go to polish Juliet’s breast, probably for good luck in love, I presume. A rectangular courtyard with Juliet’s statue at the end, an entrance through a corridor full of colorful inscriptions and chewing gum stuck to the walls, a “museum” where you find almost nothing interesting, and a lot of people. Plus the information that this house, in reality, has nothing to do with Juliet. But what does it matter? Even though it’s in the center, easy to find because all the signs show you where to go, it won’t impress you much. It’s simply a place you have to go. But if you ever go to the city again, you definitely won’t be interested anymore.