Galway the 4th best city in the world according to Lonely Planet

derrymcorry

Galway has been ranked the 4th best city in the world by Lonely Planet who described it as 'brilliantly bohemian' and 'Ireland's most engaging city'.

I don't know what's particularly 'bohemian' about awful buskers and foreign tourists but it's going to be designated European Capital of Culture next year.

It's a nice city with Gaelic roots and it feels very Irish, but I wouldn't rank it amongst the best in the world. Think about it, Galway has 80000 people and the top three are Salzburg, DC and Cairo. No comparison really.

It has produced some good songs such as Galway Girl:

Thelonious Monk

Two streets a few pubs and traffic jams. Oh and rain. It's nice and all but jasus.

McDermotX

Kip

Cienciano

****ing Galway Girl? Is everyone not sick of that shít?

4068ac1elhodqr

Galway with 1/3 more rain than the East coast.
Also on the list is WashDC, which is in the upper 20% for the highest homicide city rate in the US, double that of Boston or LA.
Cairo? Likely would have load of travel advisories to consider, before heading out for a walkabout.

MrAbyss

Cultural wasteland with nothing to do except get ****faced. Serious. Worked there for three years and (believing the hype) thought I had moved to paradise. When I got there and in no time discovered it is a pretty bleak place if you don't plan to live in a pub.

Oh and the Spanish Arch is an arch just like the one Phil Mitchell used to fix cars under in Eastenders and not The Colosseum or Parthenon like the way some there go on about it.

ChikiChiki

Jolene Strong Virtuoso wrote: »

Galway with 1/3 more rain than the East coast.
Also on the list is WashDC, which is in the upper 20% for the highest homicide city rate in the US, double that of Boston or LA.
Cairo? Likely would have load of travel advisories to consider, before heading out for a walkabout.

Have to agree. Some charlatan came up with the list! I love Galway. Cairo and DC, what the actual f**k?

kiki_the_third

Galway gets a lot of these awards because it's a really lovely place to visit for a night or two. Spend 10 days there on your holidays and you'd be bored ****less.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Galway. Traffic jams, rain, Supermac's and ****.

MrAbyss

kiki_the_third wrote: »

Galway gets a lot of these awards because it's a really lovely place to visit for a night or two. Spend 10 days there on your holidays and you'd be bored ****less.

Two hours is enough. You have seen and done everything. I'm serious.

Ubbquittious

ChikiChiki wrote: »

Have to agree. Some charlatan came up with the list! I love Galway. Cairo and DC, what the actual f**k?

It is a merry go round. Every now and then blah city will get an award for best city starting with the letter b and next year it will be some other place. Blah city doesn't mind it had only one year in the sun because next year or the year after it will be capital of culture and not too long after that the world sheephagging championship will be held there. Even if a city is truly a kip it can always claim the title of "gateway to (lovely scenic place nearby)"

Arghus

The best thing about it is how much it'll annoy people on here.

Lirange

Biko probably has it ranked 3 places higher

Ficheall

Galway's great. Article/list is a load of shite though.

Andrew00

I'm from galway.

You could basically see or "tour" the whole city in 2 hours. There's absolutely nothing to see in other words.

Its just all pubs really. Nice people though

Arghus

We had this thread here back in early August, it ended as a score draw back then.

I'm from Galway. Is Galway overrated, yes, absolutely. But is it a pretty nice place, yes, absolutely.

Will there be people on here posting complete scutter about a version of the place that only exists in their heads? Sure, they're at it already.

Melania Frump

I think Galway is a great city. One of the nicest in Ireland even. 4th in the world probably not though. Dont think much of those lists anyway.

Pherekydes

Come on, Galway isn't in the top four in Ireland.

derrymcorry

Galway is the fifth best city in Ireland.

1. Dublin
2. The real part of Belfast (the parts where there isn't a British person in sight)
3. Cork
4. Limerick
5. Galway

kiki_the_third

derrymcorry wrote: »

Galway is the fifth best city in Ireland.

1. Dublin
2. The real part of Belfast (the parts where there isn't a British person in sight)
3. Cork
4. Limerick
5. Galway

Limerick above Galway is controversial.

hynesie08

derrymcorry wrote: »

Galway is the fifth best city in Ireland.

1. Dublin
2. The real part of Belfast (the parts where there isn't a British person in sight)
3. Cork
4. Limerick
5. Galway

I'd stick kilkenny above Galway, maybe even waterford if I really wanted a blaa.....

derrymcorry

kiki_the_third wrote: »

Limerick above Galway is controversial.

I'll take Limerick scumbags over American tourists leprechaun-hunting in pubs any day.

derrymcorry

hynesie08 wrote: »

I'd stick kilkenny above Galway, maybe even waterford if I really wanted a blaa.....

6. Derry
7. Waterford
8. Kilkenny

That's being generous.

JupiterKid

Galway has its charms but they are hugely over-rated and the studenty/new age hippy/arty image this very small city got back in the 90s has become very jaded and almost a parody of itself.

The weather is awful - rains 2 days out of every 3, the suburbs and hinterland are atrociously planned - thanks to a free for all of one-off McMansions around the city - and as a result the traffic is appalling for a place of its small size. It is also rather expensive and hoteliers and restaurateurs there fleece the tourists.

Best thing about Galway is nearby Connemara and the Burren - both of which are stunning (esp the former) but the city is coasting on a reputation from a quarter of a century ago and really needs to up its game.

hynesie08

derrymcorry wrote: »

6. Derry
7. Waterford
8. Kilkenny

That's being generous.

Forgot about Derry, absolutely cracking city when they're not..... Y'know....

Zaph

hynesie08 wrote: »

I'd stick kilkenny above Galway, maybe even waterford if I really wanted a blaa.....

That would mean accepting that Kilkenny is a city, and not just a moderately sized town with notions. :pac:

SharpshooterTom

Where would Sligo be ranked?

MOH

Thank for the heads up, OP. Do you actually have a point or are you just shilling for / whinging about an irrelevant puff piece?

unkel

Zaph wrote: »

That would mean accepting that Kilkenny is a city, and not just a moderately sized town with notions. :pac:

I live in Lucan. It has twice the population size Kilkenny has. Both are small villages in my book. Kilkenny a city, or even a town? My arse.

whisky_galore

It's fine for visiting for a weekend or a few days but by God would I hate to live there. Would run out of stuff to do or see by day 2.
You'd get trench foot from the rain and damp there and lose your reason with the traffic sh1tshow. Tbh I'd say Cairo rush hour traffic wouldn't be as bad.

Glorified waterlogged tourist town. Galway Girl isn't a particularly good song either.

blueshade

There really isn't anything to do in Galway city. Walk from Eyre Square to the bottom of Shop Street and you're done. I visit maybe 6 times a year and that's really just to go to M&S. The ban on busking is shooting themselves in the foot though, that's a really unique feature of Galway city and it's going to cost businesses, there's feck all reason to go down Shop Street. Uncomfortable pubs, too many people advertising local cafes and most of the shops seem to sell overpriced tourist tat.

The traffic is appalling, the weather is dreadful, a lovely place to spend 2 hours on a sunny day, but certainly not a place to feature in the top 10 cities in the world. Possibly pushing the 2020 Capital of Culture angle, is the ban on busking meant to coincide with the COC? Do the powers that be think it's too low brow and plan to replace it with the God awful dreary poetry of the likes of Miggledy or the pretentious and dull local drama? There's a real buzz on Shop Street and it'll be sad to see it go.

Mad_maxx

derrymcorry wrote: »

Galway has been ranked the 4th best city in the world by Lonely Planet who described it as 'brilliantly bohemian' and 'Ireland's most engaging city'.

I don't know what's particularly 'bohemian' about awful buskers and foreign tourists but it's going to be designated European Capital of Culture next year.

It's a nice city with Gaelic roots and it feels very Irish, but I wouldn't rank it amongst the best in the world. Think about it, Galway has 80000 people and the top three are Salzburg, DC and Cairo. No comparison really.

It has produced some good songs such as Galway Girl:

It's not even the fourth best city in Ireland

Mad_maxx

Jolene Strong Virtuoso wrote: »

Galway with 1/3 more rain than the East coast.
Also on the list is WashDC, which is in the upper 20% for the highest homicide city rate in the US, double that of Boston or LA.
Cairo? Likely would have load of travel advisories to consider, before heading out for a walkabout.

Galway gets twice as much rain as Dublin

Edgware

Lonely Planet! Some gob****e paid to come up wih this ****e every few months. Two streets, a square and everywhere full of pissheads

biko

Salzburg, Austria
Washington DC, US
Cairo, Egypt
Galway
Bonn, Germany
La Paz, Bolivia
Kochi, India
Vancouver, Canada
Dubai, UAE
Denver, USA

nkl12xtw5goz70

Very misleading thread title there, OP.

The Lonely Planet didn't rank Galway the "4th best city in the world." It ranked it one of its top tourist destinations for next year because it will be the 2020 European Capital of Culture.

Similarly, Washington DC makes the list because next year marks the centenary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. The city will host celebrations and events to mark that milestone. Similarly, Bonn makes the list due to events organized to mark 250 years since Beethoven's birth.

There's a big difference between recommending visiting a city in 2020 due to specific events taking place there, and ranking it the "Xth best city in the world."

begsbyOnaTrain

Isn't the whole 2020 European Capital of Culture mired in sh!te and controversy? I spent a fair whack of my life there, it's grand like but the absolute number one thing I don't miss is the rain. It definitely physiologicaly affected my mood. Number one thing I miss is walking the prom.

ben.schlomo

blueshade wrote: »

There really isn't anything to do in Galway city. Walk from Eyre Square to the bottom of Shop Street and you're done. I visit maybe 6 times a year and that's really just to go to M&S. The ban on busking is shooting themselves in the foot though, that's a really unique feature of Galway city and it's going to cost businesses, there's feck all reason to go down Shop Street. Uncomfortable pubs, too many people advertising local cafes and most of the shops seem to sell overpriced tourist tat.

The traffic is appalling, the weather is dreadful, a lovely place to spend 2 hours on a sunny day, but certainly not a place to feature in the top 10 cities in the world. Possibly pushing the 2020 Capital of Culture angle, is the ban on busking meant to coincide with the COC? Do the powers that be think it's too low brow and plan to replace it with the God awful dreary poetry of the likes of Miggledy or the pretentious and dull local drama? There's a real buzz on Shop Street and it'll be sad to see it go.

Wonderful generalisations and misinformation. There's no ban on busking, read up on it and not just what a FB headline/post told you.

the.red.baron

Jolene Strong Virtuoso wrote: »

Galway with 1/3 more rain than the East coast.
Also on the list is WashDC, which is in the upper 20% for the highest homicide city rate in the US, double that of Boston or LA.
Cairo? Likely would have load of travel advisories to consider, before heading out for a walkabout.

DC actually is class


When people visit Dublin do you reckon its to go out to see Darndale or Ballyer

the.red.baron

Stefan CoolS Ramrod wrote: »

Very misleading thread title there, OP.

The Lonely Planet didn't rank Galway the "4th best city in the world." It ranked it one of its top tourist destinations for next year because it will be the 2020 European Capital of Culture.

Similarly, Washington DC makes the list because next year marks the centenary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. The city will host celebrations and events to mark that milestone. Similarly, Bonn makes the list due to events organized to mark 250 years since Beethoven's birth.

There's a big difference between recommending visiting a city in 2020 due to specific events taking place there, and ranking it the "Xth best city in the world."

Well the lonely planet is a tourist guide after all, id say everyone knows that at this stage, hardly need to qualify that

Mad_maxx

begsbyOnaTrain wrote: »

Isn't the whole 2020 European Capital of Culture mired in sh!te and controversy? I spent a fair whack of my life there, it's grand like but the absolute number one thing I don't miss is the rain. It definitely physiologicaly affected my mood. Number one thing I miss is walking the prom.

The prom is also overrated

begsbyOnaTrain

Mad_maxx wrote: »

The prom is also overrated

Saturday morning, doing the full thing and even venturing out to Mutton Island. Hoping the winds were in your favour. Ah the best start to a weekend imo.

Necro

Arghus wrote:

The best thing about it is how much it'll annoy people on here.

Yep. The Dubs thinking Dublin is some sort of cultural mecca because they've become immune to the junkies lining the streets and the general filth.


Not from Galway but it's a far nicer place to go than Dublin.

Cheaper too.

MrAbyss

Necro wrote: »

Yep. The Dubs thinking Dublin is some sort of cultural mecca because they've become immune to the junkies lining the streets and the general filth.


Not from Galway but it's a far nicer place to go than Dublin.

Cheaper too.

Your comment reeks of classic Irish insecurity "Jaysus what will the Yank tousrist think of us!!!"


"Nice" does not equal culture or interesting. In fact, the best cultural cities in the world are the ones rough about the edges.

Sorry, but there is more going on in Capel Street in Dublin than the entire city of Galway. Get real.

Necro

MrAbyss wrote:

Sorry, but there is more going on in Capal Street in Dublin than the entire city of Galway. Get real.

Sounds like a person who has never ventured outside the M50

Dublin has some nice features but is overshadowed by filthy streets and creatures on said streets.

London has the same problem.

Both are massively overpriced and expensive to stay in too, give me Galway any day of the week

bcklschaps

Fair play Galway.

and to hell with the boards begrudgers


Spent plenty of time in Galway ... my favourite Irish city without a doubt. Plenty to do ... check out the top 10 on tripadvisor.

https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attractions-g186609-Activities-Galway_County_Galway_Western_Ireland.html



PS.

Weather in Galway no worse or better than anywhere else in Ireland ... FFS some of the posters on here must live in that sun drenched part of Ireland the "Island for Ireland" that that wanker in the Lottery ad buys ?

John_Rambo

I was wondering when this thread would turn in to a thread about Dublin. Obsessed!!!

Such a shame people can't talk about the merits of Galway without having to resort to putting Dublin down to make Galway look better.

I'll have a go.

Great city, very much a party city, but a gateway to the West and Connemara, the Burren etc... Literally at the cities doorstep if you need a bit of peace and quiet. Lots of really good restaurants have popped up in the last few years, a good foodie scene from casual to fine dining.

begsbyOnaTrain

bcklschaps wrote: »

Spent plenty of time in Galway ... my favourite Irish city without a doubt. Plenty to do ... check out the top 10 on tripadvisor.

https://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attractions-g186609-Activities-Galway_County_Galway_Western_Ireland.html

Ah here.

Number 3: Quay Street

Number 5: Galway's Latin Quarter

:pac:

realdanbreen

MrAbyss wrote: »

Two hours is enough. You have seen and done everything. I'm serious.

Hear Hear. It's not like Dublin where it takes a whole day to see everything! (and then 2 hours to get back on the Naas road)

Edgware

Stefan CoolS Ramrod wrote: »

Very misleading thread title there, OP.

The Lonely Planet didn't rank Galway the "4th best city in the world." It ranked it one of its top tourist destinations for next year because it will be the 2020 European Capital of Culture.

Similarly, Washington DC makes the list because next year marks the centenary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. The city will host celebrations and events to mark that milestone. Similarly, Bonn makes the list due to events organized to mark 250 years since Beethoven's birth.

There's a big difference between recommending visiting a city in 2020 due to specific events taking place there, and ranking it the "Xth best city in the world."

Capital of Culture 2020. The only culture they know about is agriculture

topper75

The trick with being a tourist in ANY Irish urban area is to keep your expectations low. That way, when they show you the 'Spanish' arch, you can ooh and aah and enjoy your trip.

Most genuine Galwegians are A1 and quite grounded I've found in my 4 years living there, however a few eejits among them seem to have their hands on the city's steering wheel. It is they who have brought us the 'morketing' gems such as The Latin Quarter and cultural capital. Liars and morketer types live everywhere I suppose.