THREE of Ireland’s most welcoming cities feature in a list of the world's Top 20 friendliest and unfriendliest cities.
Readers of Condé Nast Traveler named Cork, Dublin and Kilkenny in the list.
Kilkenny was the only European city to make the top 10, landing itself in 9th place.
Edinburgh is the only British city to appear on the list and ranks two places higher than Cork, which is tied at number 20 with Asheville, North Carolina in the U.S.
Readers described their experience of Kilkenny, “the people [are] the most welcoming and hopeful folks we met. People were always greeting you.”
They also praised the “clean” air, “wonderful restaurants, historical venues and stores” and found the city “charming” with “proud folks who want you to sample their best”.
After proving to be a hit with these readers, the Marble City is fast becoming recognised worldwide for its touristic appeal.
The Chairman of Kilkenny tourism Colin Ahern said of the news, “it is the people that make the most difference to a visitor experience. We want every visitor to our area to feel valued, welcome and appreciated.”
Dublin was ranked 12th in the list with one visitor describing the Irish capital as a “big, bustling city with great museums,” and is “full of history and likeable people.”
Another referred to Dubliners as “the friendliest natives I have ever encountered” and that locals had “a smile in their voice and a joke at the ready.”
Cork was described as “very accommodating” and a “warm city – like a beautiful gem”.
Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Survey named the most welcoming city, Florianopolis in Brazil, the “Island of Magic”.
Clinching the top spot for the world’s most unfriendly city is Newark, New Jersey. A businessman said that he “would not recommend this city” and another reader added that she “ran into a lot of rude people there.”
Notably, Ireland and Britain did not feature in the list for the Top 20 Unfriendliest cities.
