Do not trust photos on the internet: famous destinations that disappointed tourists

2 hours ago

When choosing a destination for travel, we often dream of seeing famous places such as mountains, museums, and cities. Unfortunately, in photos on the internet, such iconic destinations sometimes look even brighter and more interesting than in real life. Travelers decided to find out what famous tourist spots are actually like. Internet users shared their opinions about these places based on their personal experiences.

**Venice**

However, sometimes so many tourists come to the city at the same time that a simple walk turns not into a magical acquaintance with Venice, but into time spent exhausted amidst crowds of people. A gondola ride is also not always successful. The gondolier is not obliged to tell you about the sights; he may even choose a route that passes far away from these places.

**Santorini**

One is overcome by the desire to walk on Santorini's quiet, black sand beaches or stroll through its charming village streets. This place is famous worldwide for its beautiful sunset — where the colors of the sky blend like a kaleidoscope, creating an incredibly beautiful view.

But there is one drawback — there are too many people. This prevents one from fully enjoying the views and ruins the wonderful impression.

**Charles Bridge**

These are Gothic cathedrals and Baroque palaces, or more than 200 gardens scattered throughout the city. For lovers of architecture and history, there is no better place than this. You can enjoy the beauty of the city by walking through it from the Old Town Square to Prague Castle.

"Before traveling to Prague, I often came across enchanting photos of the Charles Bridge. It looked as if it was surrounded by fog, with lights flickering, and as if there was no one around. Undoubtedly, photographers take such pictures in the middle of the night. Because even when we were crossing the bridge at midnight, it was packed with tourists. Everyone wanted to take a picture of the illuminated castle visible from the Charles Bridge. This ruined the whole atmosphere; almost all the statues on the bridge looked gray and pitch black," said one of the tourists.

**Mongolia**

Often, scenes similar to the picture above are imagined: colorful national costumes and oriental architecture buildings. Mongolia is not a place to go unprepared, especially if you plan to travel to the country's interior rather than just traveling along paved roads.

Only about 20 percent of the roads in the country are paved. There are few cities here; the majority of the population consists of nomads and small village residents. In addition, mobile communication is almost non-existent in uninhabited areas. In the villages, you can find a pharmacy and one or two mini-markets, but you should not even hope for restaurants or hotels. However, such small grocery stores are usually much better stocked than expected.

**Antarctica**

Also, traveling through the Drake Passage is not an easy test for everyone. The Drake Passage is considered one of the stormiest sea regions on Earth. Here, wind speeds can exceed 100 km per hour, and wave heights sometimes reach up to 15 meters. In the 17th–19th centuries, about 800 ships sank in this area.

**Vinicunca Mountain**

It is famous for its bright colorful stripes, which were formed due to layers of various minerals in the mountain rocks. Vinicunca is a famous attraction that attracts many tourists, but acclimatization to high altitude is required here. Some advise bringing warm and waterproof clothing for active recreation. Climbing above 6,000 meters above sea level is very difficult for most people.

**Taj Mahal**

It is located in Agra, the ancient capital of India, on the banks of the Yamuna River. Perhaps the Taj Mahal is the monument most associated with India. But they say that very little attention is paid to this miraculous place itself. The water basins are not cleaned — there are rotting remains at the bottom. Many fountains do not work well: water comes out in only one or two drops. And the lawns are mowed with an old mechanical lawnmower.

**"Cat Island"**

They say that many cats live there and the scenery is very beautiful. Initially, fishermen brought cats to the island to fight mice, and they got used to this place and multiplied. The cats are fed through donations coming from different parts of Japan. The island itself is very small, and there is also a shrine dedicated to cats. But when you visit the island, you may see that the number of cats is not as large as you thought.