What are your least favourite cities?

Sep 18, 2009 12:58:29 AM

Anna Welford
Lonely Planet Author

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We have started publishing your favourite places each week, but what about your least favourites? Which cities never get a look in? These are some of the most heavily populated or even capital cities around the world - and yet they are the least likely to be saved as favourites (look for the “save” button in the green bar next to the destination name) by Lonely Planet website readers:

Is this an accurate list? Are these really amongst the world’s worst cities, and if so why are they so bad? Or would you love to see one of these places in the good books? Add your comments!

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Comments

18 September 2009 1:46PM fijor Report this comment
I would add Detroit (Michigan) and Chetumal (Mexico) Best Jan
18 September 2009 3:17PM dusheti Report this comment
quebec is great.top destination.and also all australian cities as well.and the reasons why these cities are less vizited are...they are expansive, viza regime is a very hard problem,as if i ever get to quebec i will never return to hell(my country)
18 September 2009 3:48PM doofdoof Report this comment
I'm sorry but this is a really bad list that needs some urgent revising! Quebec?, Canberra? Honolulu? These can be great cities to visit. At leaste try to come up with some decent suggestions if there's going to be a top ten. e.g. Chennai, India even in the the more wealthy and touristy area's its still accurately described as an over crowded, dirty, smelly, city. Even ten kilometers out of the city there is a noticeable difference.
18 September 2009 6:30PM wordherd Report this comment
I have to say that Belgrade in 1989 was pretty terrible.
18 September 2009 11:25PM mburo Report this comment
Abu Dhabi is a great city. I lived there for 5 years. You'll meet people from all over the world. Great beaches, clean sea. Good food. And the famous Arab hospitality.
19 September 2009 12:08AM andythemighty Report this comment
Stick Arusha in Tanzania on there as well. Horrifying.
19 September 2009 1:05AM hakii Report this comment
Haha, I agree 100% with #1, Guatemala City..!
19 September 2009 4:07AM elakazal Report this comment
I'm very fond of Quebec City--I actually went there for my honeymoon. And Puerto Vallarta, which I kind of expected to be an annoying, tourist-clogged west coast Cancun was actually kind of charming (not that it'd be especially high on my list for a re-visit).
San Jose (both Costa Rica and California) is charmless but more or less functional--I wouldn't include it on a list of the worst, especially.
19 September 2009 5:39AM superzoom Report this comment
Have to agree with 1st comment (fijor); DETROIT should be included on that list!!!
19 September 2009 6:06AM vertagus Report this comment
Some of your list doesn't make sense. I think your criterion (least saved on LP) needs to be revised or at least the selection needs to be edited or explained somehow. Quebec City is rated as a three-star destination by Michelin and the old town is rated 4.5 out of 5 by TripAdvisor. If you're going to have a list like this, some kind of further explanation is needed.
19 September 2009 8:26AM oerkenflyver Report this comment
I'm shocked about the inclusion of Quebec. It's beautiful! Canberra? Why?
There're many worse cities than Guatemala.
I was in Chennai where I wasn't sick once -- but twice in a week. I was afraid to walk anywhere between the horrible traffic and the ubiquitous animal droppings.
Guatemala City might have its crime and grime. But at least there was a nice museum, a world-class Peruvian restaurant (among others) and a cafe with a barrista who made a top-notched cappucino as well as the best of them.
19 September 2009 9:19AM enriquef Report this comment
I have been in Honolulu once (42 years ago) and found it very nice. I also have been in Quebec City not so long ago three times and it is beautiful and lots of fun. These two cities should not be in this list.
19 September 2009 12:51PM wgonneau Report this comment
I lived in Chennai for 6 mths & loved it.I walked the streets, used local laundry, ate locally etc. I was sick once (mosquito) leave it to me to end up with the funkiest tropical ailment ever - Chikungunya! Chennai is much cleaner and less populated than other large Indian cities. It is not a very touristy spot so expect lots of attention if you are blonde like me! In the city there is so much to do from hanging out at Mocha's, Spencer Plaza, Satyam Theatre, Pondy Bazzar, temples or having custom suits made by hand. Leaving the city is cheap and easy. Some spots that can't be missed are Mamallapuram, The Croc Park (Amazing Race filmed here while in Chennai), Dizzy World, Fisherman's Cove, Pondicherry, Dune resort and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. I would definitely not classify Chennai as a "worst city". If you travel and immerse yourself in the local experience rather than being afraid to leave your hotel you will be amazed at what you see and experience.This is why I travel!
19 September 2009 3:15PM orangutan Report this comment
wow, you guys make me really want to go to chennai; i've not been to india yet, but it's on my travel list.
guatemala can't be that bad, right?
19 September 2009 6:16PM nomadicnotes Report this comment
I would replace Bangalore with Mangalore.
19 September 2009 7:40PM simonhare Report this comment
I feel an inexplicable but overwhelming desire to apologise before making my nomination. Las Vegas. Couldn't stand it!
19 September 2009 7:46PM eddsterone Report this comment
An incredibly bad list. Can't speak for the rest but Canberra, Darwin, Honolulu, Abu Dhabi and Quebec City are all great places to visit.
19 September 2009 10:51PM dremichelotti Report this comment
There're many worse cities than Guatemala.I agree!! Antigua is great and the view of the vulcan is great too! Have you ever been to San Salvador? Wow...That should be in the top 10! Porto Alegre, Brazil? São Paulo is a city that I love but no for tourists..
20 September 2009 12:21AM sotojo Report this comment
Quebec City? Who picked that one? That is one of the loveliest cities I have ever seen. Would have never thought Quebec City to be on any worst list. CRAZY!!!
20 September 2009 2:07AM melissarose01 Report this comment
Darwin, Bangalore, Abu Dhabi, Honolulu & Quebec City have always appealed to me. I'd love to visit each of them. The other five I understand though, totally lack an interest of any.
20 September 2009 4:58AM auntysusy Report this comment
Because a city is "least favourited" does not mean it belongs on a "worst" list. I'd go to Quebec City just for the food, not to mentions days of touring historic sites and great shopping. And their outdoor Winter Carnival is a blast.
Revise your criteria. Ask people to vote on their least favourite cities. You'd get a completely different list.
20 September 2009 6:39AM kbsnworld Report this comment
Honolulu?!?! For one... let's not confuse Waikiki with Honolulu which would be a similar limited view as if one said Fisherman's Wharf is San Francisco. Honolulu is a fierce mix - not a blend - of at 3 influences: Asia, Polynesia and USA. It's a matter of being willing to explore, open eyes and ears and go beyond a city block! One should explore an entire city prior to making such derogative rating. BTW Waikiki and Fisherman's Wharf have great local spots, it's all about being open minded and dropping some preconceptions & expectations at the airport before leaving for your destination!
20 September 2009 7:57AM kobejohn Report this comment
I haven't visited any of the ten cities on the list so I can't comment on them. But I can tell you that Wolverhampton in the UK is pretty awful, as is Accra, Ghana. I wasn't all that crazy about Seoul either, despite all the temples and so on.
20 September 2009 9:54AM fiona67 Report this comment
I would add Atlanta.
20 September 2009 1:22PM lostartist Report this comment
First off, the PHOTO they have up for Guatemala city,the one with the plaza/park scene is actually XELA ( Quetzaltenango), which I have to say is a great little city!!! I dunno if they realized that. As for Guate its not so bad. What is the deal with Quebec City, I haven't even been there, and can't imagine it being unlikable. How did it even make the list?
20 September 2009 1:43PM edgeworth Report this comment
kobejohn - agree about Seoul. It's an appallingly repetitive sprawl of freeways and Soviet-style concrete apartment buildings, horribly polluted, with no heart or spirit to it. So oppressively bland that the populace is driven to alcoholism.
20 September 2009 2:51PM jules5168 Report this comment
Definitely agree that Detroit should be on here! And how about some charmless Korean cities like Pohang?
20 September 2009 5:49PM zoe100 Report this comment
Can't believe that no one has mentioned Los Angeles. That city is a warning to the rest of the world with it's uncontrolled sprall and pollution. We were meant to stay for 4 days but left after two. Appalling traffic, ugly freeways and no real centre gave it zero appeal. Even Beverley Hills and Hollywood did not live up to tv-generated expectations. Driving back across the desert from Vegas to catch our flight we were appalled to see a flithy wall of grey-yellow pollution rear up a hundred miles outside LA. First prize;win one week in LA. Second prize? Make that two.
20 September 2009 11:23PM nowornever Report this comment
Hi all you guys, cannot agree with los angeles, and i really liked las vegas, and accra in ghana had very good vibes for me,
my three top worst cities are JAKARTA MEXICO CITY CAIRO
21 September 2009 2:28AM mirlie Report this comment
Maybe we have'nt seen the same things ! Quebec city is beautifull and has lots of small places to discover. It's a refreshing French-latin style city among English speaking country.
21 September 2009 3:01AM bzar Report this comment
The only one of these cities I've visited is Quebec and was surprised to see it. I thought it was nice. I myself have never enjoyed Boston, but that's just personal, as lots of people do.
21 September 2009 8:54AM mclenna5 Report this comment
I am from Detroit, I don't think it is the worst place to visit. There is a lot to do and the people are nice - just don't stay downtown...stay in the suburbs. And I agree I like Quebec.
21 September 2009 11:08AM overit2 Report this comment
I do not think this is a very good list. There are a lot worse places then Canberra, Darwin, Honolulu, Quebec and San Jose.
30 September 2009 8:42AM cartmanmacduff Report this comment
San Jose Ca, would be on my list too..One day was enough..but Honolulu? Quebec City? Detriot should be on the list too, along with L.A
30 September 2009 9:29AM aussietraveller09 Report this comment
Canberra is the worst! it definitely belongs on here!
14 October 2009 8:56PM koolmoedee Report this comment
How can Quebec City possibly be on the list? Click another page on Lonely Planet website,
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/canada/quebec-city
and it says: "It's hard not to be completely wowed by the place."
I've been to Quebec City and I loved it.
15 October 2009 12:41AM megsykins Report this comment
Darwin?? One of the fun-est cities in the world; beautiful harbour and beaches - sunset at Mindil - and stunning location next to Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks. Locals are mentalists though.
15 October 2009 4:21AM francesca09 Report this comment
I would add Marakesh(morroco)!!!!I wouldn't even think going there again!!!!!!!!!!!!!
15 October 2009 9:07AM avas Report this comment
You have to add: Addis Abeba Brussels Kolkata Jakarta and Mexico DF
9 November 2009 9:51PM spida_woman Report this comment
Hmmm... i dunno about Canberra. I think the place is pretty boring and who the hell knows why they made it Australias Capital when everyone thinks Sydney is the capital... that wouldve made more sense. But people are alright... good place for the more senior citizens
29 November 2009 11:42AM andreaharley Report this comment
I can not believe you put QUEBEC THERE? why? do you not get along with the french-Canadians? this is on my to Returnd and bring the family LIST of cities. I guess Oakland is a not up to the standard of uglynest for you (California) about LA? a lot to do, but can not bread! the air!!!
31 December 2009 2:20AM lynncarol Report this comment
I agree: Quebec City is beautiful and well worth a visit. How could it possibly get on this list? I also object to the inclusion of Nashville. My daughter was born there is it's got lots of neat places to see.
27 January 2010 1:53PM hfinchum Report this comment
I agree with many people who wrote above. The list makes little sense as a whole. Quebec City is absolutely gorgeous, Honolulu is much more than the beach-side tourist industry, and Nashville is fabulous. While the latter may have a downside such as a sprawling suburbia and uber-tacky tourist sights around downtown, summer dancing to big band music by the Cumberland River and Centennial Park are still among my favorite memories. Don't knock Nashville--great food, friendly people, and lots to see and hear; one of the best places to visit in the South. As to comments above on Seoul; yes, it can initially appear bland and depressing, but you can look beyond that and see the beauty of the historic sights and the Kwanghwamun area among other great sites.
19 December 2010 7:47AM thomaswamsteker Report this comment
What about Hanover, Germany?
23 February 2011 1:35AM missm06 Report this comment
I'm surprised to see Quebec City on here, too. I thought it was truly a beautiful city. LA is probably my least favorite.
29 April 2012 2:33AM thomaswamsteker Report this comment
Definitely: - Kilkenny, Ireland - Busan, South Korea - Nanjing, China - Bastogne, Belgium - Bremerhaven, Germany
And I personally don't like Washington, D.C., but that's my own opinion...