Ireland’s top 20 tourist attractions are revealed – PHOTOS

Ireland’s national tourism development authority, Fáilte Ireland, has released a list of Ireland’s top visited tourist attractions.

Their lists are broken down into “Free” and “Paid” attractions and ranked by the number of visitors they had in 2011.

The tourism body recorded a growth of six percent in the rise of visitors visiting Ireland’s shores and they hope to improve this figure in 2012. They also said Queen Elizabeth and US President Barack Obama’s visits to the country had been a wonderful showcase for everything Ireland has to offer.

Here is the top ten from each category:

TOP FREE ATTRACTIONS IN IRELAND:

SEE PHOTO GALLERY HERE

1. National Gallery - 624,412 visitors
2. National Botanic Gardens - 501,000 visitors
3. National Museum of Archaeology - 402,582 visitors
4. Irish Museum of Modern Art - 362,000 visitors
5. Farmleigh - 315,464 visitors
6. National Museum of Decorative Arts (Collins Barracks) - 295,488 visitors
7. National Museum of Natural History - 289,172 visitors
8. Chester Beatty Library - 247,729 visitors
9. Science Gallery - 242,833 visitors
10. Holycross Abbey, Thurles - 240,000 visitors

TOP PAID ATTRACTIONS IN IRELAND:

SEE PHOTO GALLERY HERE

1. Guinness Storehouse - 1,025,677 visitors
2. Dublin Zoo - 1,000,000 visitors
3. National Aquatic Centre, Dublin - 825,049 visitors
4. Cliffs of Moher - 809,474 visitors
5. Book of Kells - 524,119 visitors
6. Fota Wildlife Park - 390,124 visitors
7. St Patrick's Cathedral - 362,000 visitors
8. Blarney Castle - 325,000 visitors
9. Kilmainham Gaol - 294,095 visitors
10. Bunratty Castle - 275,986 visitors

Read more: http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Irelands-top-20-tourist-attractions-are-revealed--PHOTOS--159544195.html#ixzz1yPT0U8Ma

Sourced: irishcentral