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There’s nothing quite like packing a bag, hopping on a plane, and jetting off to a new destination full of culture, charm, and overpriced cappuccino. For most of us, traveling is the ultimate mood booster, a temporary escape from daily monotony.
But not every vacation ends with a glowing Instagram post and a heart full of memories. Sometimes, it ends with a half-eaten sandwich, a confused sense of direction, and a city so dull you wonder if joy took a detour.
One Redditor asked folks online, “What’s the most depressing European city you’ve ever visited?” And let’s just say netizens didn’t hold back.
More info: Reddit
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Lelystad, Netherlands
There's probably many worse, but first that comes to mind is Lelystad in the Netherlands. Visited it in around 2004 on a sailing trip, and it was just so ...lifeless? Afaik it was basically a pure "sleep city" for people working in Amsterdam. Everything was the same style, everything build out of red Klinker, walls and ground. No cafés, no shops outside of a supermarket.
edit: I did not expect this anecdote from a school trip twenty years ago to make top reply in the thread 🫣 sorry to all Dutchies.
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#2
Grimsby, United Kingdom
Grimsby.
Not just the name, the s**t buildings, the rubbish choked city centre that feels like an open air flat top pub but honestly the sheer sense of just hopelessness that permeates the whole place and makes f*****g Cleethorpes seem like the french riviera in comparison.
Serena Myers 1 week ago
There is a theory that Grimsby was named after a Danish fisherman named Grimm, and by, meaning town, true or not, I have no idea, but it was a miserable place even a couple of decades ago, sorry Grimsbyites!
#3
Blackpool, England
Definitely Blackpool
I went there to see double-decker trams but ended with the sight of a dead city and people without hope. The city looked like it was in a dying state and nothing or no one was able to help it.
A few days later I found an article about unfulfilled dreams from London who are moving to the English seaside. Pretty accurate.
Not-a-Clue (she/her) 1 week ago
Who on earth thought Blackpool was glamorous? It might have been several decades ago, but not for ages.
Before we start naming names (and plenty were named), let’s talk about why some cities can feel like they’ve had the life vacuumed out of them. Because here’s the thing – traveling isn’t just about ticking landmarks off a list. It’s about the vibe, the buzz, the feeling that the place you’re in is alive and pulsing with stories, even if it’s a sleepy village or a hidden alleyway café.
When that’s missing, it can hit hard, especially when you’ve just paid 200 euros for a hotel room that overlooks a parking lot and smells vaguely of mop water. Still, even the most “meh” destination has its silver lining. Traveling isn’t just about racking up passport stamps – it can actually rewire your brain in the best way possible.
#4
Narva, Estonia
Narva, Estonia.
Before WW2 it was the best preserved example of Nordic baroque architecture in Europe. The Soviets bombed it to rubble, bulldozed the remains, forbid Estonians from returning to the city and built commieblocks on the remains of the truly amazing Nordic baroque architecture from Swedish times.
If Narva would be intact then Estonia would have several cities with the most preserved Nordic architecture by time periods. Tallinn remained mainly intact and is a Nordic medieval fairy tale where the street networks in the old town are older than anything in the New World.
#5
Chișinău, Moldova
Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. It's an empty husk of a Soviet planned city. And it's their capital, the best, largest and most representative city they have.
Zhytomyr in Ukraine felt like that too, but I can let that slide, it's just a regional centre.
Rachel Pelz 1 week ago
With all the people working in Western countries, I imagine a country like Moldova including its capital must be missing quite some...life, energy, vibes?
Science backs up what our itchy feet have known all along: traveling is good for the soul. Research shows that experiences (like travel) bring more lasting happiness than material things. Why? Because they become part of who you are.
The pros say that exploring new places disrupts routine and boosts creativity. Plus, stepping out of your comfort zone reduces cortisol (the stress hormone). It’s like therapy but with better views and fewer couches.
It’s all about feeling alive again, reconnecting with the world, and realizing there’s life after microwaved office food. So, where does it all go wrong?
#6
Milton Keynes, England
Milton Keynes, England. I just couldn't get on with the layout of the city. To me it looked like it was designed for aliens by aliens.
Nicole Weymann 1 week ago
I loved Terry Pratchett's description: "Milton Keynes is a new city approximately halfway between London and Birmingham. It was built to be modern, efficient, healthy, and, all in all, a pleasant place to live. Many Britons find this amusing. [...] Neither (good's/the devil's side) claimed any responsibility for Milton Keynes, but both reported it as a success." GNU, Sir Pterry
#7
Almere, Netherlands
When I think of depressing cities I would think of other places, but going by your definition of
>lifeless city without anything noticeable
Almere in the Netherlands would be the closest match. It just appeared very soulless and bland, everything kind of looked the same without any flavor or character and the city was dead quiet in the evening, which felt even more noticeable and weird because I walked around the place tripping on ac*d my way back to my AirBnB from a concert when I visited.
Imagine the stereotypical drawing/mockup design of a new minimalist development that construction companies like to put on websites/posters for new flats being built, but come to life with exactly as much life, individuality and soul as you can see in the drawing and that's pretty much the vibe of the city.
#8
Naples, Italy
Neaples. Camorra criminals glorified, wall paintings of teenagers dead in gang fights, unfinished public works everywhere, concrete, stone, asphalt and almost devoid of green. And topping everything: rubbish and its corresponding smell.
Perhaps the most amazing thing is how high opinion locals have of themselves and the city. Self criticism is not popular over there, so it will stay as it is forever.
#9
Västerås, Sweden
Västerås in Sweden... Depressing and ugly city (apart from the river picture with the little wooden houses by the river, but it is literally just a picture). City is ugly as hell, it has zero life (even for Swedish standards on that) and the people have got to be the most NPC that I have ever encountered in my life.
Well, sometimes, instead of finding yourself, you just find a Lidl supermarket, a boarded-up bakery, and existential dread. Take Châteauroux in France, for example - the Redditor who posted this thread described their visit as “draining their will to live,” which, frankly, sounds more like a breakup than a weekend getaway.
Then there’s Kiruna in Sweden - cold, grey, lifeless. And Athens… oh, sweet Athens. One person described it as “Endless concrete and excessively drab architecture.” Yikes.
But before we judge too harshly, let’s get real - sometimes it’s not the city, it’s the timing. Visiting a quiet town on a rainy Sunday in February is like showing up at a nightclub at 10am - you’re not going to get the full experience. Plus, some towns just don’t cater to tourists, and that’s okay. Not every place has to be Paris.
#10
Kiruna, Sweden
Kiruna 100%
It's a lifeless mining city in the far north, it looks decent in pictures online, but in reality it's a sad existence
There's absolutely nothing to do in Kiruna, the buildings are all depressing, and the people are 'awkward'.
Auntriarch 1 week ago (edited)
At last, somewhere I've been. I went in the depths of winter to stay at the Icehotel. Did not meet any awkward people. Did all the fun tourist stuff. Obviously I have no idea what it's like to live in, but if you're only visiting, don't let OP put you off.
#11
Didcot, England
Wouldn't call it a city, but Didcot, a town between Oxford and Reading. It's basically a collection of run-down houses next to a power station.
The most depressing place I've *lived* in in Europe was probably Grenoble. The city centre isn't terrible (though nothing special) and obviously it's lovely once you get out into the mountains, but for the most part once you leave the centre it's just an ugly, polluted LA-style concrete sprawl.
Touhou Youyoumu 1 week ago
Oh boy this place. Had the joy living in Didcot as a teen in foster care for a year. About as exciting as jabbing yourself in the eye with a rusty spoon. Follow me for travel advice. 😂
#12
Duisburg, Germany
Duisburg. I was in the neighbourhood and thought, "why not?"
Turns out, there were plenty of reasons why not.
Here's the silver lining, though: even the most “depressing” destinations teach us something. Maybe it’s an appreciation for your own city, or perhaps it’s a funny story you’ll dine out on for years. Or maybe it’s a gentle reminder that not every place is meant to dazzle you, and that’s part of the magic of traveling.
And let’s not forget the accidental joy of “bad travel.” There’s a whole subculture of travelers who live for grim, offbeat experiences. Urban explorers love crumbling buildings and abandoned factories.
Some people actively seek out forgotten corners of Europe precisely because they feel like ghost towns. So, maybe there’s beauty even in the cities that feel like they were designed by someone who hates color.
#13
Ludwigshafen, Germany
Ludwigshafen in Germany. The whole city is just boring and ugly. Most of the city is occupied by the BASF factory plant, a big chemical company. And the rest where you can actually go as a civilian is just ugly blocks with absolutely zero personality. Unfortunately, the city is quite depressing, but not lifeless. But considering most of the people walking around there, you wish it were.
Adrian Nicolae Per 1 week ago (edited)
It looking like anoter City in Germany , in the former Democratic Germany site .Cotbus .is a mixing of Soviet plans and Germany.We stayed a day , it was not so interesant .
#14
Bratislava, Slovakia
I apologize to any Slovakian here, but Bratislava just didn't stick with me. It's as if I just couldn't make sense of it. There's a small, historical core with a lot of tourist traps, and just outside there seems only to be bland housing blocks. Maybe it's simply because I visited just after spending time in Vienna.
However, this pick is only a testimony to how lovely the cities I've visited have been. So depressing isn't really the right word, just my least favourite European city.
Edit: Also Brussels. I completely forgot I'd ever sat foot there, which kinda tells you how much of an impression that city left.
#15
Venice, Italy
Venice. Don’t get me wrong it’s beautiful but soulless. The tourism really did a number on the city. The historical center is more like an open-air museum. I really feel for locals who are still trying to live there.
At the end of the day, not every destination is going to be a postcard. Some are more like expired postcards found in a dusty thrift shop, but hey, they still count. So, whether you find yourself sipping espresso in Rome or trudging through a soulless concrete maze somewhere in the Netherlands, take heart.
Traveling isn’t always glamorous, but it’s always an adventure. And if all else fails, just do what one Redditor did and buy a car and drive away. But keep an open mind, as there’s always beauty in the bleak
#16
Luton, England
Luton. When I lived nearby I used to go for multicultural food- the population is quite diverse so I could find food from Eastern Europe (as it’s where my family is from).
I really enjoyed my food trips, but the city itself is a hole.
It always looks grey as it is heavily built-up and not in good colours, which is more noticeable when the sun isn’t out. There is litter everywhere. The large busy roads cut through the city core in an ugly way. The city core in general is not in any way beautiful, inspiring, creative or interesting. It’s just a bunch of extremely dull random buildings and complex road networks.
Luton has a unique and colourful history but it doesn’t do a good job of showing that AT ALL. There is just zero community pride.
The people are some of the most unhinged my family and I have ever experienced - aggressive drivers, one of whom tried to follow us home.
Google says Luton is considered a market town, but I think it could qualify as a city as the population is over 200,000.
#17
Saint Pölten, Austria
On the way to Italy circa 30 years ago we stopped in St Pölten, Austria, for a night. The whole place, the hotel, the „Restaurant“ - everything had an eery, spooky, kafkaesque 1950s air of repressive catholic smallmindedness. Being ogled by the locals over dinner (Würstchen mit Kartoffelsalat, the only option) was downright creepy.
STress (I/me) 1 week ago
If only you've read Bill Bryson's "Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe", you'd have been at least warned... And, trust my words - it's still not late to read it! Funny and educative. Also, timeless.
#18
Wuppertal, Germany
I went to Wuppertal, Germany, while driving to Hungary, because the name somehow raised the expectation of some kind of children tv show, a place with very green grass and colourful plushy creatures. So I took the exit and I wanted to see what the city really looked like. Quite a disappointment. 🤣.
#19
Birmingham, England
Birmingham.
Was sent there for work once and I’ve never felt such a strong sense of hopelessness and despair.
#20
Milan, Italy
Milan (outside of the Duomo di Milano) and tourist attractions was actually quite depressing, saw a lot of high rise buildings when driving from the airport and general homelessness in the area around the main train station (close to my hotel)
Still would absolutely visit again tho 100%.
Sven Horlemann 1 week ago
I visited with my wife some Italian friends while running the city marathon back in 2019. I dunno, was quite nice and ok for us.
#21
Ústí Nad Labem, Czech Republic
Usti nad Labem. It's one of the poorest areas of the Czech Republic and really has nothing of note to see.
My girlfriend says that Karvina is worse. I certainly don't want to find out if that's true though.
Becky Samuel 1 week ago
How old are these? The Czech Republic hasn't existed for a long time now.
#22
Glasgow, Scotland
Glasgow. When the bus drove in over the bridge I was like wtf? Where am I?? But then I kind of liked it. It was very sketchy but had a fun vibe.
Please don't take an offence to this, it's an exaggeration but 1/3 of people looke like they're ready to stab you, 1/3 were very oversized women in skimpy clothes and lots of make up and 1/3 were happy and celebrating pride day/week/month (?).
El Dee 1 week ago
I spent many years working in Glasgow. There are many depressing and rough parts of it - although a LOT less now than a few decades ago. But for the average visitor who won't venture outside the city centre it's a beautiful, cultured, multi-cultural and vibrant place to go. Much safer than most other UK cities - despite the BS that you might read..
#23
Klagenfurt Am Wörthersee, Austria
For me it is Klagenfurt. There was barely any trees or green on streets compared to the amount of concrete, the cars did not care if pedestrians live or die, it felt like everything is about the beach and the historical center. To be fair, it is not really depressing, but to me it was not pleasent compared with the other places I visited.
#24
Zaragoza, Spain
I visited Zaragoza in Spain. The one good thing about it was I was the only tourist there so it wasn’t very crowded.
#25
Geneva, Switzerland
Geneva.
Soulless, boring and incredibly expensive city. Not even as glamorous as I expected. Tons of weirdos and [call girls] roaming the streets at night. Totally would not visit again.
#26
Nicosia, Cyprus
Nicosia for its division
Birmingham because it's generally pretty meh as the UK's second city compared to the second city of other European countries.
#27
Dundee, Scotland
Dundee. If you’re not a student at the university, do not waste your time going there.
#28
Athens, Greece
The really depressing places were always smaller towns, but those probably don't count, so i am gonna say Athens.
Endless concrete, an ungodly amount of traffic, lack of public space, crawling public transport, excessively drab architecture, poverty.
I think its also a lively city with a lot going on, so it never felt too depressing and i had a decent time there, but the aggressive unpleasantness of the whole place really got to me after a while.
What do you think ?
Rick Murray 1 week ago
Surprised nobody mentioned Slough or Milton Keynes. If you haven't ever been there, consider yourself lucky.
Jakub Pytel 1 week ago
"Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough! It isn't fit for humans now, There isn't grass to graze a cow. Swarm over, Death!" (John Betjeman)
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Scott Rackley 1 week ago
Since I'm from the US, now let's do the US. I'm going with Baltimore, St. Louis, and Memphis.
Roland Nijveld 1 week ago
Every single one them. Rather live in any of these 28 cities above than anywhere in the USA
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Rick Murray 1 week ago
Surprised nobody mentioned Slough or Milton Keynes. If you haven't ever been there, consider yourself lucky.
Jakub Pytel 1 week ago
"Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough! It isn't fit for humans now, There isn't grass to graze a cow. Swarm over, Death!" (John Betjeman)
Load More Replies... Scott Rackley 1 week ago
Since I'm from the US, now let's do the US. I'm going with Baltimore, St. Louis, and Memphis.
Roland Nijveld 1 week ago
Every single one them. Rather live in any of these 28 cities above than anywhere in the USA
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