Travellers who use the social networking site Reddit are roasting some of the world's most popular destinations, shattering the rose-tinted illusions many people hold.
The Redditors are responding to the question: What city disappointed you the most when visiting?
Paris was mentioned by many. Known as the City of Love and thought of by many as the world's capital of romance, that's not how these people felt after their visit.
"Paris was so dirty and I was not prepared for the disdain of the French towards a stupid American. I believed the American rom-com movie version of Paris," Idontknowthosewords posted.
User nabbitnabbitnabbit agreed.
"Every time I go to Paris, I learn how to say, 'I'm sorry I don't speak French, I am a stupid American' in French. Parisians love it. Without that phrase, I'd have a miserable time in Paris," they said.
It wasn't the clash of cultures that was the issue for another traveller heading to Brazil, but rather it was crime.
"Got shot five minutes after arriving in Rio," VerySpecialCognac posted.
"After a seven hour road trip from Sao Paulo with two friends, I nearly got carjacked at a gas station. Several shots fired, only one hit. My Brazilian friend got me to a 'backdoor doc' and I stayed there the whole night and drank pitu with him. Great guy and his stories are wild."
So it can't have been all that bad in the end?
Mondo114 pointed out another popular destination that's often misrepresented in the media: Hollywood.
"Am embarrassed for people who travel around the world to see it, what they imagine it to be vs reality. Sorry, it's not what you expected," Mondo114 said.
Newbaumturk69 said it wasn't the waterfalls that surprised him at Niagara Falls.
"I was amazed at the number of Indian restaurants," he said.
"Niagara Falls. I didn't know the falls would be in a city. I thought it would be a national park. The whole place just felt like a giant shopping mall."
What world city has most disappointed you? Let us know by commenting on Newshub Travel's Facebook group, or emailing travel@newshub.co.nz
