# Are any parts of Europe considered "flyover country"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 10, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349 "2009-06-10T16:54:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/1 "2009-06-10T16:54:29Z")
If you live in Europe and don’t know what I mean, in the US, many people who live on the coasts view the middle of the country with disdain, only fit to be flown over on your way to more interesting destinations. What are the European “flyover” areas? Rural or urban, it doesn’t matter. Is there any location within Europe that most Europeans agree sucks and should be avoided? ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/2 "2009-06-10T17:16:04Z")
Germany 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/3 "2009-06-10T17:30:43Z")
**Superfluous Parentheses** beat me to the joke. I suppose much of Ukraine and Russia qualify. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/4 "2009-06-10T17:33:00Z")
I’ve had several people tell me they passed through Bulgaria traveling between Istanbul and someplace more interesting. So, the Balkans, I guess. I know that only one of my friends ( **ruadh** is awesome!) was brave enough to come visit when I lived there. The rest of them were like, “Oh, we’d rather go to Italy or France or someplace with _functioning infrastructure_.” Shows what they know. The Balkans are awesome! ---
**Author:** ![Teacake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Teacake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teacake)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/5 "2009-06-10T18:08:45Z")
I wouldn’t say any part of Europe is “flyover country”. It’s all too different and varied; there’s stuff to see everywhere, and new experiences to be had in new languages with new food. The middle of America is still America, is what I mean. The middle of Europe is a selection of countries which are all individual. And I love the Balkans! It’s one of the bits of Europe I really need to spend a lot more time in before it gets ruined by tourism. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/6 "2009-06-10T19:18:39Z")
While the USA if fairly homogenized in the sense that every large and small city has the same chain restaurants and chain stores and same food on the grocery aisles, Europe is a bit different. Every town and village has certain specialties, each place has some famous church or building or statue, etc. that makes it unique. The foods and traditions vary widely, even within a few miles. Sure, they also have chain restaurants and many similarities, but I think the main difference is that they also have several centuries of history, so no matter how tiny the town, or large the city, there is most likely something worth seeing, eating or doing that makes it worth stopping by. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/7 "2009-06-10T19:28:42Z")
My hometown is “drive through country.” Lots of things to do and visit (on summer weekends you almost hear more French than Spanish), but many people have heard of it only in the produce section or driving by in the way to someone else. Spain is a bit like a donut: most people go to Madrid or the coasts. Does that mean there isn’t anything in the rest? Not at all. Toledo or Segovia (both close to Madrid) are much more interesting than Madrid; Palencia is “the ass end of nowhere” as province capitals go, but a few years ago we stopped there in a road trip and were surprised by some gorgeous Art Deco architecture and a very primitive, very empty cathedral. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/8 "2009-06-11T06:36:29Z")
I vote for Wales. ps Thanks Kyla 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9f8e36/32.png) [@footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/footballisplayedwithyourfeet)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/9 "2009-06-11T08:59:56Z")
I guess you could say that every country has its fly-over bits - maybe drive-through is better given the size of the countries - but no country should be skipped all together. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/10 "2009-06-11T13:48:49Z")
I vote for the Vatican – on second thought, I suppose I’m voting against it. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/11 "2009-06-11T18:02:27Z")
After watching cycling coverage on television, I’d say it’s all flyover country. My wife (who doesn’t care all that much for cycling) watches with me just for the scenery from the helicopters. In fact, there are a few places in Spain that I will eventually go to just based on what I saw as the Vuelta rolled through them. Agree about the Vatican - the beaches suck. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/12 "2009-06-11T21:48:55Z")
Maybe not flyover, but drive-through - Luxembourg is on nobody’s must-see list, but their lower fuel duty means that many a long-distance coach trip (and I’ve been on plenty) results in a stop there. In pre-Euro days, I once saw a place with several cash registers in a line, just to cope with the numerous currencies they accepted. ---
**Author:** ![Wilson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@Wilson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wilson)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/13 "2009-06-11T22:14:25Z")
I’m pretty sure Belarus would qualify, from what my relatives that spent a couple of years there told me about it. ---
**Author:** ![Mississippienne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mississippienne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mississippienne)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/14 "2009-06-11T22:23:53Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Sure, they also have chain restaurants and many similarities, but I think the main difference is that they also have several centuries of history, so no matter how tiny the town, or large the city, there is most likely something worth seeing, eating or doing that makes it worth stopping by. History does not begin when the white people show up. The American continents have been inhabited for thousands of years, and have as much history as anyone. Whether you find the history, cultures, cuisines, etc. appealing is a matter of personal taste. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/15 "2009-06-12T04:21:58Z")
It depends who you ask- to hear some Frenchmen tell it, Parisians regard every other part of France as the equivalent of “flyover country.” ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/16 "2009-06-12T07:55:37Z")
> [@ruadh](#): > > I vote for Wales. When my US relatives came over for my wedding (which was in Wales) they were blown away by the place and can’t wait to visit again. Snowdonia has all kinds of awesomeness a’gwaan, well worth a visit. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/17 "2009-06-12T08:38:59Z")
> [@Mississippienne](#): > > History does not begin when the white people show up. The American continents have been inhabited for thousands of years, and have as much history as anyone. Whether you find the history, cultures, cuisines, etc. appealing is a matter of personal taste. Yes, but through much of the space there isn’t a lot of anything to see, in the Americas. Well, there is, but one corn field looks the same as another corn field. To someone who’s used to driving through 6 different climate (and therefore landscape) zones in one hour, it’s pretty boring as well as not of particular historic interest. When speaking to Americans, we politely express it as “it’s so big!”, which they like hearing. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/18 "2009-06-12T08:52:28Z")
I consider the midlands of Ireland to be “drive-through counties”. The arse-end of Slovakia ain’t got much going for it either, unless you get off on brutal Stalinist architecture and poverty. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/19 "2009-06-12T09:55:28Z")
Belgium is stereotyped as boring, but I wouldn’t mind visiting it myself. > [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > After watching cycling coverage on television, I’d say it’s all flyover country. My wife (who doesn’t care all that much for cycling) watches with me just for the scenery from the helicopters. In fact, there are a few places in Spain that I will eventually go to just based on what I saw as the Vuelta rolled through them. > > Agree about the Vatican - the beaches suck. It’s all flyover country? It’s all too boring to bother visiting? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Neverender](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/848f3c/32.png) [@Neverender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neverender)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349/20 "2009-06-12T10:28:40Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > Belgium is stereotyped as boring, but I wouldn’t mind visiting it myself. Visiting the trenches and trench museums is Very Interesting, but the rest of the landscape, when driving through, seemed to be very bland. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-any-parts-of-europe-considered-flyover-country/499349.md?page=2)