Galway’s novel street entertainment has helped the city be named the fourth best city in the world to visit in 2020 by Lonely Planet – coming in ahead of cities like Vancouver and Denver. The accolade comes just two months before controversial busking bye-laws are introduced in the city. The leading travel media company unveiled the accolade on Monday night in the prestigious Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2020 – its collection of the world’s hottest trends, destinations and experiences for the coming year.
Tourism Ireland plans to take every opportunity to maximise this accolade for Galway over the coming weeks and months. Its promotional campaign will roll out in Britain, the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium.
Welcoming the news, Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said the inclusion of Galway as the Number Four City in the world in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2020 is wonderful news and will surely help to inspire travellers everywhere to put Galway and the Wild Atlantic Way on their holiday wish-list for next year.
“It is another well-deserved accolade, which provides Tourism Ireland with a great hook to continue to promote Galway and Ireland around the world as a ‘must visit’ destination,” he said.
Galway is described in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2020 as “brilliantly bohemian” and “arguable Ireland’s most engaging city”. It goes on to talk about Galway 2020 and says: “vivid and vibrant, brimful of imagination, Galway in 2020 is home to a year-long, city-wide, arty party”.
It says it is a place where “brightly painted pubs heave with live music” and “cafes offer front row seats to watch buskers perform.”
In 2020, all of that creative exuberance will be supercharged by events marking the Galway region’s role as a 2020 European Capital of Culture.
Visitors to Galway in 2020 can expect street spectacle, live and digital art as well as world-class music, theatre and dance.
Unmissable experiences in Galway recommended by Lonely Planet’s experts include:
Taking in live music at Tig Cóilí where the walls are decorated with photos of those who’ve played there, and two live traditional music sessions a day draw the crowds.
Feeling at home at the Tigh Neachtain pub, where timber walls frame a roaring fire and locals crack gentle jokes.
Enjoying the groundbreaking flavour combos at Loam, where Galway’s culinary heart beats strongest and home-grown, locally sourced and foraged ingredients rule.
Tom Hall, Lonely Planet’s VP of Experience, said, “Exuberant, vibrant and full of imagination, Galway in 2020 will be home to a year-long celebration and amplification of culture and creativity which travellers will love”.
CEO of Galway 2020 Patricia Philbin said it is official now that Galway is the place to be in 2020.
“Right across the city and county momentum is building and preparations are well underway. The Lonely Planet Best in Travel accolade is a fantastic endorsement of this incredible place on the western edge of Ireland and at the heart of Europe.
As 2020 approaches we are inviting people from right around the world to come and experience Galway in this special year,” she said
