Visit Waterford is excited to see Waterford rising the ranks of must-visit tourist destinations globally, having received a number of significant awards recently. The latest in this series of accolades was issued on January 9th. Waterford was the only Irish destination listed in the New York Times ‘52 places to go’ list for 2024.
Last month Waterford was voted European City of Christmas for 2024 in a prestigious award ceremony in Madrid. Mount Congreve Gardens was featured in the ‘Best Places To Go in 2024’ list by the renowned Conde Nast Traveler magazine. As well as earning international acclaim, closer to home Waterford holds the title of ‘Ireland's Best Place to Live,’ awarded by The Irish Times, and was most recently named as ’Ireland’s Cleanest City’ in the latest Irish Business Against Litter ranking.
On The New York Times list Waterford sits alongside Paris, France, Yamaguchi, Japan, Mustang, Nepal, Maui, Hawaii, and Morocco to name a few. Situated in the heart of Ireland’s Ancient East it is no surprise that Waterford’s rich tourism offering is now claiming its rightful place on the world's stage. Waterford’s world class tourism offering attracts hundreds of thousands of domestic and international visitors annually.
As Ireland’s oldest city, it is steeped in heritage and culture and hosts the only purpose-built museum quarter in Ireland comprising seven unique museum experiences. The Medieval City is also home to the House of Waterford, which welcomed 150,000 visitors in 2023. With a host of award-winning accommodations and renowned culinary offerings, this city is a hive of activity all year round and that is just the beginning. Waterford County offers the unrivalled scenery of breathtaking beaches, luscious woodlands, and spectacular mountains. The award-winning Greenway spans over 46km from Waterford City to Dungarvan. The county boasts an abundance of activities for all to enjoy, with over 111 walking and hiking trails throughout the county, over 40 beaches, and the UNESCO Copper Coast Geopark. The county is also home to several large estate houses and gardens including Curraghmore Estate, Dromana House and Gardens, Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens, and Lismore Castle Gardens which are popular with locals and tourists alike. Waterford is the ideal location to take part in a wide variety of water sports in the idyllic seaside towns of Dunmore East and Tramore.
Waterford hosts an abundance of award-winning and highly-rated restaurants and bars, providing visitors with an array of the freshest seasonal produce and local craft whiskey, beer and gin.
The city and county also offer a wide range of relaxing experiences such as seaweed baths at Solas Na Mara or The Cliff House Hotel in the scenic coastal town of Ardmore.
Waterford is also famed for its festivals including Spraoi, Ireland’s largest Street Festival, the newly established St. Patrick’s Day Festival, All Together Now, Winterval, along with several food festivals celebrating the fresh artisan cuisines offered throughout Waterford. It is no wonder that Waterford welcomed 819,000 visitors in 2019.
With the continued expansion of the travel market internationally and newly announced routes for both air and sea travel, there are positive expectations for an increase in North American visitors to Ireland in 2024. Waterford’s recent international acclaim highlights the county as a top destination for these visitors. With the addition of new European routes on Irish Ferries to Rosslare Europort and the revival of Waterford Airport, Waterford is now more connected than ever to international travellers.
