Larne, Lisburn, Bangor and Strabane also score poorly for things to see and do
Ballymena is the worst city or town to visit on the island of Ireland, according to a travel guide.
Half of the places in the top 10 are in Northern Ireland, with Bangor, Strabane, Lisburn and Larne also making appearances.
The recent race riots in Ballymena do not appear to have affected the rankings.
In the ‘stay away’ category in the Republic are Portlaoise, Waterford, Limerick, Navan and Longford.
The list appeared on the Ireland Before You Die, which describes itself as the island’s biggest travel site.
It was written by Stevie Haughey, from Belfast, who warns that while Ireland is “full of charm and beauty”, not everywhere lives up to the hype.
“Some places are ideal to live in or pass through but offer very little for a tourist or holidaymaker,” he adds. “Whether due to neglect, lack of amenities or sheer underinvestment, a few towns fall flat compared to the magic elsewhere.”
Bangor is number 10 in Haughey’s ‘worst’ list.
He writes: “This is frustrating. Bangor has all the ingredients of a top destination: a marina, beautiful views, seaside cafes and potential in spades. But decades of underinvestment have left it feeling tired and neglected.
“Regeneration plans are under way, and locals are hopeful, but it remains a place that saddens you more than it excites you. I hope it gets better.”
The website, which also offers tourists advice on what to do, has Strabane at number nine on its list of the worst places to visit.
Haughey writes: “Strabane is a border town with a strong community spirit, but it hasn’t seen the investment needed to make it a tourist draw.
“Heavily impacted during the Troubles, the town still feels like it’s recovering.
“While the people are warm and welcoming, there’s little in the way of attractions or atmosphere for visitors, and most tend to pass through rather than stay.”
Moving on to Lisburn (seventh worst), he continues: “(The city) is often seen as a commuter base for Belfast.
“While it’s tidy and family-friendly, there’s not a huge amount for visitors. The main attractions are shopping centres, and while the Linen Museum is fascinating, it’s not enough to make it a destination.
“It is a great place to live in (I actually live very close), but it’s not one to add to your itinerary.”
Of Larne (second worst), Haughey says it’s a gateway port to Scotland which has “long been criticised for its bleak townscape and lack of visitor appeal”.
He continues: “The coast nearby is one of the most scenic routes in Europe, but Larne feels more like a stopping point than a place to experience. It’s crying out for a facelift.”
Turning to Ballymena, he says: “It has long been seen as a busy market town, but in recent years, it has felt like it has lost its way. The main street has seen better days, with many empty shopfronts and little to attract tourists.
“While the surrounding countryside is lovely, the town itself offers very little for visitors.”
For more information, visit www.irelandbeforeyoudie.com
by BoogersHere1690
20 comments
If Ballymena has pronouns they’d be shite/hole.
Let’s all do a test, ask your nan if she’d like to go to Ballymena for lunch….
Lost its way in recent years ” Like 5 or 6 years?”
It is certainly a depressing nothing-town, but there are ten worse places than Ballymena within half a day’s walk of Ballymena.
I wouldn’t say Lisburn or Bangor are deserving of a place in this list. Not amazing tourism hotspots but hardly to be avoided.
“tidy and family friendly” as long as your family isn’t from somewhere else or the locals will start kristallnacht
I’m surprised Limerick and Waterford are on the list bc they have good medieval sites to see, though that’s about it
Before the riots? No wonder.
All the tourists were saying the same thing. Just have to ignore it and watch your pockets.
No mention of Coleraine? The train station for the north coast and one end of the causeway rambler bus route? – total wasteland.
As someone who went to school there it’s funny how basically nobody in that town admits it’s one if not the worst places on the island. It has an atmosphere of despair
Very harsh on Waterford, i’d say. Beautiful coastline to the county (though I’m guessing this is about the town itself).
Idk, last time I was in Waterford I thought it was perfectly though we were staying in was really good so that helps.
I didn’t think a ton of Limerick in the brief time I spent there.
A lot of these towns in the north aren’t helped by the genius idea to run wide roads right through the middle of them, killing the town centres and any sense of walkability. Town planners of decades past ought to have been horsewhipped for going so heavy on catering to cars.
Went there when coming back from the galgorm. Empty shithole. Left within an hour. Only good shop was Poundland.
Having Ballymena on a tourist guide in itself is weird. While it is indeed shite, I can think of plenty of other towns on par for tourists. I.e. nothing of note in them
Waterford and Limerick and their surrounding areas both have a lot to offer for tourists. Seems a bit unfair to pop them on a list with Ballymena!
What about the big shopping centre hi?
No surprise considering Ballymena’s history and the recent race riots/pogroms.
My only surprise is that it is considered worse than Larne (which is second worse).
Should be slightly better without the jobless Romanian and Bulgarian gypsies, but still major room for improvement. Anyone who cries about them being forced to leave has never been to Ballymena.
The wide road blasted through the centre of the town really damaged a lot of the cohesion, the old town centre is pretty much a ghost town with just a few cafes or money laundering barbershops. The actual shopping activity is located in the retail parks.
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