15 cities you thought were romantic but really aren’t

12. Istanbul, Turkey

The old world, classic beauty of Istanbul has come to be marred by the dark side of being a tourist hotspot. Many of the concerns evident in Lima are on display here, including the traffic headaches and the smog. There’s also the omnipresent cigarette smoke, which wafts through the air and leaves travelers’ hair and clothing reeking when they get back to their hotel.  If that doesn’t put you off, then being confronted by a swarm of aggressive, in-your-face street peddlers that surround many of the best-known tourist destinations and certainly take away from the charm of the old town.