Ireland has always had a great reputation as a friendly and welcoming country and a recent survey has gone a long way to confirm that reputation.
Three Irish cities have been named in a list of the friendliest cities in the world which was compiled by American travel magazine ‘Travel + Leisure’.
Every year Travel + Leisure asks its readers to tell them about places that they have visited and how they enjoyed their holiday.
They put their findings together to produce their annual ‘World’s Best Awards’ – which reveal how their readers rated both destinations and travel providers.
Galway took the number one spot in the friendliest cities category, while Dublin and Cork were also in the top four.
The magazine said that Galway had taken the number one spot because of the lively atmosphere and abundance of live music.
It said: “Fiddlers and banjo players, flautists and whistlers bang out traditional Irish reels on pedestrian streets and in all the pubs.”
Meanwhile Dublin was praised for the locals who are ‘confident, cosmopolitan, and gregarious’.
The magazine said of Cork: “Verdant hills bloom with wildflowers, rivers run through ruins, and courteous locals welcome visitors with open arms.
“If, despite being surrounded by some of the friendliest people in the world, you still need a break from socialising, take to the new Wild Atlantic Way: a scenic driving route stretching 1,500 miles along the coast.”
Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said today: “Again and again, our research shows us that the friendliness of our people is one of our unique selling points.
“It is the warm welcome and the ‘craic’ here that resonates with our overseas visitors and makes our cities, and the island of Ireland, such a great choice for a short break or holiday.”
Galway also has the honour of being Ireland’s most romantic city, according to a vote by the Irish public.
The top ten friendliest cities in the world
1. Galway, Ireland
2. Charleston, South Carolina, USA
3. Dublin, Ireland
4. Cork, Ireland
5. Siem Reap, Cambodia
6. Auckland, New Zealand
7. Melbourne, Australia
8. Sydney, Australia
9. Edinburgh, Scotland
10. Savannagh, Georgia
More top attractions in Ireland
Galway named as one of the ‘best trips’ in the world by top American travel magazine
