Two Irish destinations among the world’s ‘must visit places’ for the decade

Two Irish destinations have been named among the 50 best places in the world to visit during the 2020s by a leading travel magazine.

Big 7 Travel conducted a survey among its readers in order to create their list of the ‘50 Best Places to Visit This Decade’.

The list features Northern Ireland’s capital, Belfast and the spectacular coastal route, the Wild Atlantic Way.

Belfast reached a highly impressive 7th place on the list – ahead of iconic cities such as New York, Tokyo and Venice.

The bustling city was praised by Big 7 for its nightlife, friendly locals and proximity to iconic attractions including the Giant’s Causeway.

Big 7’s entry for Belfast stated: “Historic sights, super-chatty locals, legendary pubs and a thriving restaurant scene ensure Belfast punches well above its weight on almost every count. The city might be small, but it is fast emerging as one of the UK’s most exciting destinations. In fact, the next 10 years will see the city really come into its own.

“Visit the Titanic Belfast museum with all manner of fab interactive, experiential exhibits on hand to bring the doomed ocean liner’s tragic tale to life. We also love Belfast for its proximity to some of Ireland’s most stunning scenery, such as the Giant’s Causeway.”

Click here for more about Belfast

The Wild Atlantic Way was number 20 on Big 7’s list – outranking places such as Machu Picchu, Havana, Paris, the Everglades National Park and many other fantastic destinations.

The majestic route along Ireland’s west coast stretches from the north to the south of Ireland and takes in towns and cities such as Galway, Killarney and Cork as well as several ancient monuments and attractions including the Cliffs of Moher, the Ring of Kerry, the Burren and the nearby Skellig Michael.

Big 7 wrote: “This route along Ireland’s western coast lets you visit the most spectacular places, from UNESCO World Heritage site Sceilg Mhicíl (Skellig Michael) and the largest karst landscape in the world, The Burren to the traditional Irish towns.

“The scenic coastal route winds its way from the Inishowen Peninsula in the north down to the picturesque town of Kinsale, County Cork, in the south.”

Click here for more about the Wild Atlantic Way

Top 25 places to visit in the 2020s

1 – Guadeloupe, Caribbean
2 – Kyiv, Ukraine
3 – Boston, Massachusetts, USA
4 – San Jose, Costa Rica
5 – New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
6 – Melbourne, Australia
7 – Belfast, Northern Ireland
8 – Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
9 – Kapiti Island, New Zealand
10 – Singapore
11 – Palawan, Philippines
12 – The City of Petra, Jordan
13 – Tokyo, Japan
14 – Iceland
15 – Amazon Rainforest, Brazil
16 – Venice, Italy
17 – New York, USA
18 – Rovaniemi, Finland
19 – Dubrovnik, Croatia
20 – Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland
21 – Portland, Oregon, USA
22 – Cape Town, South Africa
23 – Whistler, Canada
24 – Masai Mara, Kenya
25 – Nuuk, Greenland

Click here for the full Big 7 list

Top 25 places to visit in the 2020s

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