Whenever you visit a new place, you probably go into it with some idea in your head of what to expect. And there’s nothing better than traveling somewhere only to have your expectations blown away. So, I asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell me about a destination they loved even more than expected. Here’s what they said, plus a handful of responses from some travel-loving redditors.
1.
“Moab, Utah. We stayed a week. Every day there were spectacular day roadtrips to take. The scenery in Canyonlands and Arches National Parks was beyond anything we’d ever seen. We saw petroglyphs and dinosaur tracks and fossils. There are short and long hikes with amazing scenery, but you can also see it right from the side of the road. Four-wheel drive tours and rafting on the Colorado River are just a few of the outdoor activities you can take part in. And the fall colors in the nearby mountains were enchanting. Make sure to hit Monument Valley and Canyon de Chelly while you’re in the area!”
2.
“Sintra, Portugal. I like to stay away from the larger cities when I travel. Instead, I tend to rent a car and see the smaller towns. Sintra, a beautiful town 20 minutes outside of Lisbon, is one of those places. I planned just one day there but could’ve spent a couple more. There’s a colorful castle, an ancient fort, and gorgeous views all around. Our hotel was a magical villa/hotel-walled garden in the center of town. I would spend an afternoon swimming and lazing surrounded by flowers.”
3.
“I highly recommend the Seto Inland Sea between Hiroshima, Beppu, and Kure. There are lots of small and bigger islands. It’s a great destination for fishing, beaches, mountains, onsens, hiking, food, and nature. Many parts of it feel extremely untouched.”
4.
“Budapest. I have traveled there six times now. Many people visit Prague over Budapest, which is a mistake, IMO. Like Prague, the city spans both sides of a river, one old and one new. But Budapest is much bigger and more interesting. There’s a castle, an underground labyrinth, a bunker/hospital built into the rocks, thermal spas, a beautiful parliament building, and art galleries galore. It has its own currency, and it is very cheap. The weather is lovely in the summer, and the food is great. What’s not to love?”
5.
“Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city felt like a fairytale — just beautiful. And it’s steeped in history, most of which is shocking and stunningly recent.”
6.
“Siem Reap, Cambodia. I wasn’t expecting much, but it quickly became the highlight of my trip to Asia. There were amazing food options for a great price, tons of cultural experiences, and an overall really comfortable and safe environment. I really enjoyed Angkor Wat, exploring the archaeological temple from so long ago.”
7.
“Romania! I spent two weeks driving around. It’s a gorgeous country, with many UNESCO properties, beautiful farmland, gorgeous mountains, and incredibly friendly people.”
8.
“The Hague. It’s like Amsterdam but way more relaxed. I preferred the coffee shops in The Hague to those everywhere else in the Netherlands. It’s a really beautiful city with a lovely main square. And the Mauritshuis museum there houses Vermeer’s famous ‘The Girl with the Pearl Earring.'”
9.
“Taipei, Taiwan. While Taipei is already quite a popular destination in Asia, it’s not as well known as other international cities like Tokyo, Shanghai, Bangkok, Osaka, Beijing, Seoul, and Singapore. I had already visited a handful of these major cities, but never Taipei, and I didn’t expect to be overly impressed. But much to my (pleasant) surprise, Taipei and Taiwan became my favorite place in Asia. The food is nothing short of heavenly, and it’s surprisingly affordable. The famous night markets are truly worth the hype…”
10.
“Vietnam overall, but especially Hoi An. I went in with very high expectations, but Hoi An still blew them away. The locals are incredibly kind and friendly, the architecture and scenery were beautiful, and the coffee was excellent, as was the food (and it was surprisingly cheap). I spent three weeks in Vietnam about two years ago, but I still think about this trip every day.”
11.
“Salvador, Brazil. This city is well known in Brazil and somewhat well known in Latin America, but it never gets mentioned by international travelers in the same way as Río, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Medellín, or Mexico City, much less any major European cities.”
12.
“Aveiro, a little town in Portugal. On my way to Porto, I decided to stop in Coimbra and somehow ended up in Aveiro. It’s a quaint little town with a canal, and everything about it is so pretty, from the delightful designs on the pavement to the colorful boats on the canal. I was mesmerized. l spent two days just wandering around and taking it all in.”
13.
“Rovinj, Croatia. I spent three nights in Rovinj and Croatia’s Istrian peninsula as part of a three-week European roadtrip. In retrospect, I wish we spent at least a week there. I haven’t come across many more romantic settings. Between the food (fresh seafood and truffles), the scenery (gorgeous land and sea vistas), the fascinating history, the super nice people, and the fact that nearly everyone is fluent in English, Rovinj blew away our expectations.”
14.
“I was floored by the food and the views in Grenoble, France. I expected it to be beautiful as it is very close to the Alps, but I still wasn’t prepared for the reality of it.”
15.
“Tallinn, Estonia. I went last year because I wanted to take a European vacation, but I didn’t want to be surrounded by tons of crowds. Tallinn is a sweet city with an amazing and historic old town village. The food blew my mind, and the bread, in particular, was the best I’ve ever had. The whole city is easily walkable, and the locals are charming and welcoming. You can even take a two-hour boat ride to Helsinki. I loved it so much I’m going back again this year.”
16.
“Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France. It’s on the west coast of France in Basque Country. Imagine the perfect beach town, but without the overwhelming crowds of Nice or Marseille. Plus, you’re a quick drive from San Sebastián, Spain, another incredible destination. The food, architecture, and culture were amazing. Basque French culture is so different from the rest of France, and the food is to die for. I’d recommend this over Paris or other popular tourist sites in France.”
17.
“Zermatt, Switzerland. I visited on my first trip to Europe. Everything about Europe blew me away, especially Zermatt. It’s a small mountain town right at the base of the Matterhorn, and the views are breathtaking. We went on an amazing hike, went zip-lining, and took a gondola and train ride up into the Alps for more spectacular views. My favorite experience of all was a mountain bike ride that led to an adorable flock of sheep in the middle of the path. Zermatt itself was a super cute albeit expensive town. 10/10 would recommend.”
18.
“Gdansk, Poland. The Old Town looked straight out of a movie set. It has great architecture and history and is not as touristy as many other European cities. I also met some of the nicest people in Gdansk.”
19.
“Ecuador is a place that really blew me away. I had a few weeks off before starting a new job and joined some friends for a last-minute adventure cruise around the Galapagos Islands. It was a last-minute decision, but the Galapagos was absolutely mind-blowing. It was so untouched and pure and stunning, and we woke up to a new island to explore every day. It was the adventure of a lifetime. But mainland Ecuador is what really surprised me. I thought it would just be a pass-through stop on my way to Galapagos, but I was so pleasantly surprised.”
20.
“Heidelberg, Germany. We visited much bigger cities on the same trip, and I didn’t know much about Heidelberg before visiting. But it turned out to be a beautiful city with spectacular architecture and excellent food. I spent two weeks in Europe, but some of the best things I ate were in Heidelberg. The hills, colorful buildings, and river were just gorgeous, plus there were stunning ancient castles around. The city itself had winding, cobblestone streets that were just so charming. It was just as wonderful as other big cities we visited, but it was smaller, cleaner, and cozier.”
21.
“Perugia, Italy. This city is about two hours from Florence by train. It’s a fully walled city with a medieval city center. All of the food I ate there was so delicious. I’d highly recommend visiting if you are interested in archaeology or if you’re just searching for a beautiful place. I was only supposed to stay overnight but ended up staying two extra days.”
22.
“Santiago, Chile. The weather is nice, the city boasts amazing views of the snow-capped mountains, there’s good public transit, and the Plaza de las Armas is very cool. I think this city is one of the most livable cities in Latin America.”
23.
“Essaouira, Morocco. It’s an absolutely beautiful coastal town with lots of great views, plus it’s very clean and walkable. We stopped there while traveling from Marrakech to Rabat and really enjoyed it!”
24.
“Bournemouth, UK. I went in September and got beautiful, sunny weather the whole day. This resort town located two and a half hours from London has a beach and a gorgeous pier that overlooks the water. There’s plenty to do there: The Russell-Cotes museum is a brilliant, hidden gem, and there’s a serene memorial gravesite for Percy B. Shelley and Mary Shelley. It’s so peaceful that there are even goats hanging out on the seaside cliffs. The town is quite walkable with lots of cute shops. We collected seashells on the beach and ended our day with a glass of champagne seaside. It was total perfection and is well worthy of a day trip.”
25.
“Dijon, France. It’s a city in the Burgundy region, which is home to amazing wine, cheese, and a UNESCO medieval old town.”
26.
“Laos. Traveling down the Mekong River was incredible. The landscapes were beautiful, the people were so kind, and the towns were magical.”
27.
“Kerala, India. The landscape is so pretty and so lush. The locals were all so friendly and treated everyone like family. Everywhere we visited felt like the perfect mix of traditional and modern. I would definitely recommend visiting, but be sure to take a houseboat ride and visit some of the many historic castle forts and palaces.”
28.
“Savannah, Georgia. I won a free stay at a hotel there, so I went into the trip with no expectations. I ended up loving it, though. Savannah is such a cute city with so much history and character. There are excellent museums, restaurants, and tours.”
29.
“Edinburgh absolutely blew my mind. My best friend and I were taking a trip across the UK in 2019. We had already seen London with its massive old buildings, but nothing could have prepared us for the stunning views of Edinburgh. The moment we stepped out of the railway station, we stood in the middle of the road gazing at the architecture. The scenery made us feel like we had entered a real-life Harry Potter universe. I would absolutely visit the city again!”
30.
“Ottawa is very underrated in Canada. It’s a beautiful city with lots of greenery. It’s an interesting mix of English and French culture and language. You may forget where you are when you enter a restaurant and are greeted with ‘bonjour.’ Everyone I know that has been there has come back impressed by how beautiful it is.”
What’s a destination that you would add to this list — somewhere that exceeded your expectations and made you want to spend more time there? Tell us in the comments or in this Google form.