The 10 overrated cities I just don’t get, no matter how many times I visit

July 1, 2026 — 5:00am

This isn’t a decision I’ve made lightly. I have spent a good amount of time in each of the cities below, giving them a fair go to reveal to me the attraction that everyone else seems to understand instantly.

I’ve been to Bangkok probably 10 times or more; the same with Osaka. Santiago is a frequent stopover. Dubrovnik has featured heavily in past travels.

So you may disagree with the below entries, and you probably will. These are some of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, cities loved by the masses, places that don’t even need to try to attract visitors because they’ll keep pouring in on reputation alone.

But I have put a lot of work into loving them, and still, they have never made sense.

In this column recently I have listed the cities I loved immediately and wholeheartedly, and the places that took me a while to warm up to. The following, however? I’m still trying to get there.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

This isn’t an overtourism thing. Obviously Dubrovnik gets extremely busy in peak season, but so does Rome, and I love Rome. I just don’t understand what everyone is doing in Dubrovnik. Yes, it’s a pretty city with plenty of medieval charm, but does anyone actually have a great time in Dubrovnik? Do you ever feel truly inspired or overjoyed? And what are the locals like? Because I’m not sure I’ve ever met one.

Osaka, Japan

Again, it’s not as if I don’t like Osaka. I like it just fine. But do I love it? Do I understand why this city forms part of the triumvirate of destinations – with powerhouses Kyoto and Tokyo – that every visitor to Japan seems to go to? I do not. Osaka is supposed to have the best food in the country, but I’ve never found anything better than Tokyo or even Kanazawa. It’s not visually spectacular, and its most popular area, Dotonbori, tends to feel very tourist-heavy in ways much of Japan doesn’t.

Los Angeles, US

I have found parts of LA that I enjoy spending time in. I love the Sunset Strip, for all its tackiness and glam. I love Santa Monica for that iconic Californian flavour. Los Feliz is an enjoyable place to hang out. But LA as a whole is still a puzzle to me, with its vast expanses of endless suburbia, its awful traffic and high prices.

Bangkok, Thailand

It’s always stinking hot in Bangkok, an oppressive heat that my Nordic genetics just do not cope with. Traffic is a nightmare in the Thai capital, plus I’ve been scammed – sometimes successfully, sometimes not – on multiple occasions, and also hit with food poisoning (don’t eat the street-food oysters, friends). Aside from that though, great place.

Santiago, Chile

I feel like I’m not alone here. Almost every Australian visitor to South America arrives via Santiago, but how many take the time to explore while they’re there? Chile has vast riches for tourists, incredible attractions from mountains to deserts to sparkling lakes amid emerald hills. But Santiago is just a city to me, with a couple of cool neighbourhoods but for the most part somewhere you would always skip in favour of Buenos Aires or Rio or even Lima.

Shanghai, China

There are plenty of cities in China that I love: Beijing, Lijiang and Chengdu come to mind. But Shanghai for me is out of kilter, there’s no balance there between the preservation of the old and the charge of the new. I haven’t spent enough time in the city to find the places I love, so instead it’s just huge buildings and bustle with no pay-off.

Florence, Italy

Like Osaka, Florence forms part of its home country’s “golden triangle” – in this case with Rome and Venice – and again like Osaka I’ve never understood Florence’s inclusion. Clearly, it’s a beautiful city with incredible history. But it’s also so rammed with tourists and American college students that I’ve never been able to feel that history, or have the space to appreciate Florence’s charms.

Marrakesh, Morocco

I love Fes, and Tangier, and definitely Essaouira. So it’s not as if Morocco doesn’t make sense to me. But still, Marrakesh’s charms have remained elusive. It feels too tourist-oriented, too big and busy, too much hassle with insufficient reward. I don’t mind Marrakech, but I’ve never understood why it’s such a popular destination when the alternatives are so much better.

Havana, Cuba

Western tourists love to fetishise the vintage American cars and the crumbling facades, but where they see charm in Havana I see decay and struggle, a sad tale of what could have been, rather than faded glory. I’ve also never found Havana’s locals particularly friendly towards foreigners, though given Cuba’s treatment by the world that’s not all that surprising.

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Mexico is the best – I love it. But Cabo is not the Mexico of my dreams. It’s a resort town filled with spring-break tourists and luxury superyachts bobbing in the marina. It feels like a Disney-fied version of Mexico. Give me Mexico City or Oaxaca any day of the week.

Agree or disagree? Which cities have you never been able to understand the appeal of? Leave your comments below.