Londoners and Dubliners are the Friendliest in Europe

MrJoeSoap

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1215821,00.html

Dubliners and Londoners have been rated as the friendliest and most helpful locals in Europe.

The people of Athens and Moscow were considered among the least hospitable, a survey of world travellers found.

England fared less well in the culinary stakes, being rated only fifth in a competition for the best European country for food.

It took 3.7% of the vote, while Italy was the top choice with 54%, followed by France, Spain and Greece.

A similar survey last year found Eastern Europe was the preferred area of Europe for a holiday.

But this year's poll, of 1,800 travellers, showed more of a preference for Western Europe.

Rome was the most popular destination followed by Venice.

Of those questioned, 62% said they intended to visit Europe in 2006, with Italy the top destination.

A spokesman for survey organisers TripAdvisor said: "We are seeing a trend shift with travellers now favouring classic popular destinations...

"With all of the incredible variety Europe has to offer, it was surprising that the top two cities according to travellers were both in Italy."

What do people think? Dublin has some nice, friendly people but I don't think we deserve to be top of any list. I've only been to Liverpool twice but I've more positive stories to tell from there than Dublin (where I've lived for 20 years!).

Its gotta be Liverpool for me!

YeatsCounty

On my travels, I found the people of London, York and Edinburgh to be very friendly. Especially York.

As for Dublin, it isn't too bad of a city on a friendliness scale. I don't agree that it should be at the very top of the list but neither is it as horrifically bad as some people in this thread will undoubtedly make it out to be.

DonkeyStyle \o/

YeatsCounty wrote:

but neither is it as horrifically bad as some people in this thread will undoubtedly make it out to be.

Ok I'll start...
In Dublin, people give you directions to the hospital before they stab you.
You'll be mugged, but they'll let you keep enough for the bus fare home.
...so friendly tbh.
*applies for job with the tourist board*

koneko

I've travelled too, and I'm not Irish, and I can't say I've found Dubliners to be very friendly tbh. There are friendly people of course, in the tourism related industry they are most likely friendlier (never had a problem with people in hotels for instance, they have all been very nice).

YeatsCounty

DonkeyStyle \o/ wrote:

Ok I'll start...
In Dublin, people give you directions to the hospital before they stab you.
You'll be mugged, but they'll let you keep enough for the bus fare home.
...so friendly tbh.
*applies for job with the tourist board*

See what I mean!

Blisterman

I'm a dubliner living in London. I must be extremely friendly.

WhiteWashMan

i am also a dubliner living in london.
i am very friendly when you buy me beer.

Beruthiel

WhiteWashMan wrote:

i am very friendly when you buy me beer.

I can vouch for this

Necronomicon

I've been to Dublin loads but never really needed much help, can't really say one way or another. Never been to London either.
I've been to Wales a good few times, the locals there were always really nice.

Lump

Londoners! Helpful! Never!

WexCan

WhiteWashMan wrote:

i am also a dubliner living in london.
i am very friendly when you buy me beer.

Aren't we all?

I'll be anyone's best friend, if they pay.


Edit: Pay for alcamahol, that is.

Plastic Scouser

MrJoeSoap wrote:

I've only been to Liverpool twice but I've more positive stories to tell from there than Dublin (where I've lived for 20 years!).

Its gotta be Liverpool for me!

Yeay!!!:D

YeatsCounty

YeatsCounty wrote:

On my travels, I found the people of London, York and Edinburgh to be very friendly. Especially York.

York?

York?

Beautiful city, but it is the county town of Yorkshire, peopled by Yorkshiremen, famous for their dour personality. While I found Leeds to be fine, if ugly, I would not rate York highly. And certainly don't go to Richmond in Nth Yorkshire - it's like Twin Peaks.

If it's the North of England, gotta be Newcastle. Can't speak highly enough of the Geordies. Wife left her bag on a bus there and some kid came running off the bus and down the road after us to return it, and the bus pulled off.

But each to their own. Must say I have found French people extremely warm, and even Parisiens not as rude as I was led to believe, but when I say that most others tell me of bad experiences.

metrovelvet

Italians.

Gordon

MrJoeSoap wrote:

The people of Athens and Moscow were considered among the least hospitable, a survey of world travellers found.

Lol. I think Muscovites are just misunderstood. Athenians... well I can see why people think that but my pet peeve is Milton Keynsians. Though I feel sorry for them all living in a roundabout.

RuggieBear

tis all subjective twoddle.

I've met good and bad people everywhere i've travelled.

The friendliest people i've met are Israeli's. The most unfriendly arseholes i've ever met have been Israelis

biko

I agree with Londoners being really friendly and easy to talk to. Generally I always have a good there, being a tourist an all.

flogen

I think, while the whole "Irish people are the greatest and most thoughtful in the world" thing is rubbish, many Dubliners who don't spend much time out of the city don't realise how friendly most people in the place are.

I'm in wolverhampton at the moment and I have to say the people aren't very friendly. It's not that they're rude, they're just not friendly; eg. when you make contact with someone on the road it's good manners to give some reaction... a nod, a smile or whatever, just to kind of say "hello, don't worry, I'm not staring". In Wolves they just look at you... that's it.
Also the rate of mannerly people is much lower IMO, not everyone in Ireland holds a door for people coming in behind them, but very few do in Wolves in my experience. Birmingham is alright though (probably because there's so many Irish in it!)

lucernarian

Why would Athens be regarded as an unfriendly city? I know that Thessaloniki was a pretty nice place to stay for someone I know. Would there be a big difference between the two cities?

damnyanks

Dublin is far more friendlier then London. Live in London now, prefer Dublin by far

jonny68

Having lived in London this is absolute nonsense of the highest order,London is a rat race and Londoners are certainly not as remotely friendly as us Dubs not a chance

jrey1981

jonny68 wrote:

Having lived in London this is absolute nonsense of the highest order,London is a rat race and Londoners are certainly not as remotely friendly as us Dubs not a chance

I would probably have to agree with that, but I think Dublin is becoming less friendly as the city and its people change, and more like London.

jimmycrackcorm

I once commented to my sister who has being living in London for nigh on 20 years that from my experience I thought that the Londoners were very friendly indeed. She replied that they are incredibly polite and don't be getting that confused with friendliness. Now London drivers are another thing altogether.