Tourists explain why they love the surprising capital cities that get a lot of hate, from London to Rome and the Canadian destination that ‘fun forgot’

They might be some of the world’s top destinations, but that doesn’t mean the globe’s capital cities are universally loved by tourists. 

But do they deserve the hate? 

A Reddit thread answers that question after ‘Lem_Mann7’ asked: ‘Which capital city gets a lot of hate that you loved visiting?’ 

Up for discussion? ‘Gritty’ Athens, an Italian city with ‘an abundance of s*** restaurants’, ‘unsafe’ London, the ‘Belgian Mogadishu’ and more. Read on for the cities travellers feel deserve more appreciation… 

Athens, Greece

The Greek capital can be divisive and Reddit user ‘KingMustardFist’ says they ‘avoided’ Athens for a long time ‘because all I heard was negativity about it’.

 However, when they ‘finally went’, they say they ‘loved it’ and ‘can’t wait to go back’. 

‘Lynxpoint’ says they actually ‘loved’ the city’s ‘gritty feel’ adding: ‘Incredible history at every turn, delicious affordable food, fun bars, cool music venues, neighbourhoods full of character and beautiful viewpoints.’

But ‘IPA_LOT’ was not impressed, and complains: ‘I did not like it. Other than the tourist areas, it felt as if I was in Atlanta 20 years after a nuclear blast.’ 

Oslo, Norway

The Norwegian capital is a rarity on bucket lists and the city’s tourism board even joked about its lack of popularity in a recent tourist ad, which features a man complaining that Oslo is ‘not even a city’. 

However, ‘WealthCultural8000’ says the city is ideal for a short visit, explaining: ‘I’m not advising anyone to go for a long time but for a weekend trip, it’s lovely. The seaside is great with lots of beautiful modern architecture, the old town is picturesque, lots of trendy new places to eat and drink, some old castles to walk to and in general a really nice vibe and very walkable.’

Meanwhile ‘EfficientActivity’ recommends visiting in June when you can ‘stop for beers at outdoor cafes’ and the city has a ‘chill’ atmosphere. 

Rome, Italy  

The Eternal City isn’t eternally loved according to ‘Donnermeat_and_chips’, who says: ‘Rome gets a lot of justifiable hate for scammers, abundance of s*** restaurants, petty crime, too many tourists like Barcelona and hotels that are generally overpriced and terrible quality.’ 

However, the tourist explains: ‘If you’re there for the history, it’s the best place in the world and none of the above matters.’

‘Mankytoes’ warns ‘you have to do your research’, adding that there are ‘so many amazing sites and restaurants off the main tourist trail’.

Washington D.C., USA

The U.S capital doesn’t make the country’s top five most-visited cities, but it’s worth a visit according to Reddit user ‘Hiijs’. 

They say: ‘It’s generally other Americans who hate it. 

‘We have great museums, food, way more nature than you’d expect for a city, and incredible music and dance scenes. It’s not just insufferable bureaucracy and politics.’

‘Microwavedinner95’ adds that they were ‘pleasantly impressed’ when they went to Washington D.C. for the ‘first time’, explaining that it’s ‘so much cleaner and less sketchy than I imagined’. 

Singapore

Singapore is ‘very different from other South Asian countries’, says Reddit user ‘Rowdy_Roddy_2022’, adding that they think that’s why people ‘hate it’. 

‘Crazy_Mosquito93’ is one traveller who doesn’t, explaining: ‘I find Singapore amazing. It’s a huge melting pot of cultures, religions, cuisines and architecture and it has an interesting story. It’s clean, safe and fun. And it’s worth even going to the zoo.’

Brussels, Belgium

The Belgian capital has its fair share of haters. An influencer who’s visited 190 countries previously told MailOnline Travel that Brussels ‘felt super unsafe’. 

But it’s not all bad for Brussels. 

‘Brickie78′ says: ‘Had a great week there last year, got about on buses, trams and the metro with no problem. Like any city, it has its dodgy bits but I don’t know why so many people seem to regard it as a sort of Belgian Mogadishu.’

‘Curiouspidge’ is also a fan, adding: ‘I loved Brussels, it’s beautiful in places, has amazing museums, great beer, the EU Parliament is really interesting and the Atomium is awesome.’

However, Brussels is still bottom of the list for ‘Derik4asomgwhodidtis’, who claims: ‘All I can say about Brussels is it’s the only place I’ve ever seen someone do crack in the open and it had the nastiest public toilet I’ve ever set foot in.’

Cairo, Egypt

Cairo can be controversial, with some travellers even claiming the Egyptian capital is the last place they’d go back to. 

However, ‘Diagonalannouncer’ says: ‘I actually loved it. It was chaotic, but I think I overhyped myself for the scammers and that made it seem tame in [real life].’

‘Varekai79’ is impressed too, adding: ‘I loved it. I stayed just off Tahrir Square amidst all the chaos and energy. I explored random neighbourhoods and it was so much fun.’

London, UK

While The Big Smoke is one of Europe’s leading tourist destinations – and Tripadvisor’s best destination in the world for 2025 – it’s not for everyone. 

‘Layendecker’ explains that the city ‘seems to get hate for crime and cost’. However, the tourist claims: ‘If you want unimaginable variety and a lot of free things to spend time doing, then London is crazy good.’ 

‘Zweiglehots’ adds that the city ‘can be overwhelming because it’s so big and it can take an hour to go 20 miles’. But encourages a visit, explaining: ‘It just requires some logistical Tetris to go places without ending up on the Tube or the train all day.’

Ottawa, Canada 

It’s bad news for Ottawa, which fails to impress many people at all. ‘SmoothOperator604’ jokes: ‘If you’re scrolling hoping to see Ottawa, keep dreaming. It really is the city fun forgot.’

Canadian user ‘Geo85’ admits: ‘You’re right. I tell visitors to Canada not to bother.’

Does anyone on the thread like it? ‘Dawghouse88’ does, revealing: ‘I’m that person who actually appreciated Ottawa. But I geek out on capitals and Government stuff and museums.’