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Wales Online
24-05-2025
- Wales Online
One the UK's 'most entertaining' getaways is in North Wales
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info It's Bill Bryson's favourite seaside town, so it must being doing something right. While many of Britain's coastal resorts are in genteel decline, Llandudno is doing its best to buck the trend. Being shoehorned between two headlands, with a great crescent of a promenade backed by handsome pastel-coloured hotels, and a stately pier stretching out into the bay, it will always have the bones of a classic seaside destination. Even without shops, restaurants and attractions (and North Shore sand), the resort still has a natural beauty guaranteed to appeal. While its core demographic of visitors may be the wrong side of 50, Llandudno has enough going on to generate traditional seaside buzz. As an entertainment venue, it's not quite Blackpool, not does it wish to be. But if you care to look for it, there's plenty of ways to keep busy besides promenading with chips and ice cream. This week, a survey named Llandudno the UK's 10th most 'entertaining resort' - it was second in Wales behind Swansea (5th). Inevitably, the list was headed by a glitzy Lancashire seaside town with an iconic tower and gaudy promenade lights. Blackpool topped the pile – compiled by SuomiCasino from a shortlist of 26 – by virtue of its 12 water/amusement parks and, appropriately, 13 casinos. Swansea's ranking was boosted by its 529 bars and restaurants – more than three times the number attributed to Llandudno (148). The survey was perhaps overly generous when it credited the Conwy town with four beaches – residents may wonder where half of them are. As the compilers used Tripadvisor's AI assistant, beaches at Penrhyn Bay and Deganwy might have been thrown in for good measure. At the same time, Llandudno was credited with 58 'landmarks', the most in the top 10 other than Blackpool (67). It fared less well for music venues (two), casinos (one, apparently?) and escape rooms (one). But the town has plenty more besides donkey rides, boat trips, and Punch and Judy. Sign up now for the latest news on the North Wales Live Whatsapp community (Image: SuomiCasino) For the energetic, there a dry ski slope and a climbing centre. For families, the freshly renovated Craig-y-don paddling pool is always popular. The Great Orme has San Franciscan-style trams, alpine cable cars and simply spectacular views, including those from a road carved into the sea-cliff. And does Blackpool have a 3,000-year-old prehistoric copper mines you can wander around? Or a network of Victorian tunnels dug out beneath its streets? In the resort, tourists can visit chocolate and Home Front museums, and browse canopied shopping streets behind the seafront. Young and old can enjoy a blast of Wonderland whimsy by following the Alice Trail and its sculptures. Venue Cymru is huge, offering events, music and big touring productions. Sure, some elements are naff and parts of the town need sprucing up, particularly the iconic Grand Hotel. Phone signals are dire and the seagulls vicious. But this is a place that trades on its dramatic location and that will never change. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox Find out what's happening near you
North Wales Live
24-05-2025
- North Wales Live
One the UK's 'most entertaining' getaways is in North Wales
It's Bill Bryson's favourite seaside town, so it must being doing something right. While many of Britain's coastal resorts are in genteel decline, Llandudno is doing its best to buck the trend. Being shoehorned between two headlands, with a great crescent of a promenade backed by handsome pastel-coloured hotels, and a stately pier stretching out into the bay, it will always have the bones of a classic seaside destination. Even without shops, restaurants and attractions (and North Shore sand), the resort still has a natural beauty guaranteed to appeal. While its core demographic of visitors may be the wrong side of 50, Llandudno has enough going on to generate traditional seaside buzz. As an entertainment venue, it's not quite Blackpool, not does it wish to be. But if you care to look for it, there's plenty of ways to keep busy besides promenading with chips and ice cream. This week, a survey named Llandudno the UK's 10th most 'entertaining resort' - it was second in Wales behind Swansea (5th). Inevitably, the list was headed by a glitzy Lancashire seaside town with an iconic tower and gaudy promenade lights. Blackpool topped the pile – compiled by SuomiCasino from a shortlist of 26 – by virtue of its 12 water/amusement parks and, appropriately, 13 casinos. Swansea's ranking was boosted by its 529 bars and restaurants – more than three times the number attributed to Llandudno (148). The survey was perhaps overly generous when it credited the Conwy town with four beaches – residents may wonder where half of them are. As the compilers used Tripadvisor's AI assistant, beaches at Penrhyn Bay and Deganwy might have been thrown in for good measure. At the same time, Llandudno was credited with 58 'landmarks', the most in the top 10 other than Blackpool (67). It fared less well for music venues (two), casinos (one, apparently?) and escape rooms (one). But the town has plenty more besides donkey rides, boat trips, and Punch and Judy. For the energetic, there a dry ski slope and a climbing centre. For families, the freshly renovated Craig-y-don paddling pool is always popular. The Great Orme has San Franciscan-style trams, alpine cable cars and simply spectacular views, including those from a road carved into the sea-cliff. And does Blackpool have a 3,000-year-old prehistoric copper mines you can wander around? Or a network of Victorian tunnels dug out beneath its streets? In the resort, tourists can visit chocolate and Home Front museums, and browse canopied shopping streets behind the seafront. Young and old can enjoy a blast of Wonderland whimsy by following the Alice Trail and its sculptures. Venue Cymru is huge, offering events, music and big touring productions. Sure, some elements are naff and parts of the town need sprucing up, particularly the iconic Grand Hotel. Phone signals are dire and the seagulls vicious. But this is a place that trades on its dramatic location and that will never change.
Daily Record
13-05-2025
- Daily Record
Iconic Scottish monument named among the luckiest tourist landmarks in Europe
The statue and its story have generated over over 4,000 monthly searches and 39,200 Instagram posts. An iconic Scottish monument has been named as one of Europe's most lucky landmarks. This recognition comes as a new study explores the centuries old human fascination with rituals aimed at boosting fortunes. These common rituals range from tossing coins into famous waters to touching historical objects. Now, a new study has sought to quantify this phenomenon, ranking Europe's most popular lucky landmarks based on their digital footprint. Analysing data from Instagram, TikTok, and Google search trends, the team at SuomiCasino set out to determine which iconic sites believed to bring good luck capture the most public attention online. The results highlight a mix of grand historical sites and more humble, yet beloved, figures. Standing proudly among them is Edinburgh's very own Greyfriars Bobby, who ranks as the eighth most iconic lucky landmark in Europe. Known across the world for giving good luck if you rub his nose, the statue and his story have generated 39,200 Instagram posts and are searched over 4,000 times a month. Council officials have repeatedly urged visitors not to rub Bobby's nose, or at least do so gently, as the luck-bringing ritual can cause degradation and damage to the statue. Topping the list as Europe's most iconic lucky landmark is the famed Trevi Fountain in Rome, a predictable favourite for coin tossers worldwide. It boasts an impressive 745,000 Instagram posts, 43,900 TikTok videos, and a staggering 823,000 monthly Google searches. Coming in second place is the magnificent Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, with 636,000 Instagram posts, 42,200 TikTok videos, and an impressive 550,000 average monthly Google searches. The romantic Pont des Arts in Paris rounds out the top three most popular sites. While these landmarks dominate the charts, the study also identified a 'hidden gem' among Europe's lucky spots: the Heidelberg Bridge Monkey in Germany. Despite its charm, it shows significantly lower digital numbers, with just 432 Instagram posts, 7 TikTok mentions, and a modest 140 average monthly Google searches, making it a treasure perhaps best known to locals and dedicated visitors. Returning to our very own lucky landmark, Bobby was a long haired Skye terrier who belonged to John Gray, an Edinburgh policeman. Grey and Bobby were best friends until the officer passed away from tuberculosis in 1858. A tale of remarkable loyalty unfolded when Bobby's master was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard and the devoted dog decided this wouldn't be the end of their tale. Bobby accompanied his friend and famously lived for the following 14 years within the cemetery grounds, steadfastly remaining next to his owner's grave. This unwavering vigil is the origin of his name, Greyfriars Bobby. During this time, Bobby's unwavering loyalty to his master became notorious throughout Edinburgh, drawing people to the cemetery specifically to feed him and give him water. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. He soon became a local and national legend. In 1872, Bobby died himself and was fittingly buried not far from John Gray's grave, finally reuniting them in rest. Since his death, Bobby has become a local hero and his story is still remembered to this day. A statue honouring Bobby was placed on the south side of George IV Bridge, a spot where locals and visitors alike continue to gather. His grave within Greyfriars Kirkyard is also a place of pilgrimage. Bobby's dish and collar are preserved and shown at the Museum of Edinburgh, and his touching life story has inspired numerous books and films.
Daily Record
13-05-2025
- Daily Record
Scotland's 'most boring' seaside towns named as dull beach destinations ranked
Scotland is blessed with thousands of miles of beautiful beaches, but some of them are less exciting than others. With warmer weather encouraging thoughts of seaside getaways, many Scots will be looking forward to a day at the beach. But for those still considering where to go, a new study has named Scotland's two "least exciting" coastal towns. Scotland boasts a stunning 11,602 miles of coastline, dotted with hundreds of towns and villages offering diverse experiences, from quiet hidden gems to lively resorts. However, according to the team at SuomiCasino, some notable spots fall short on traditional entertainment metrics. The boring beach list analysed 26 UK seaside towns based on factors including amusement parks, live music venues, bars and restaurants, casinos, landmarks, beaches, and escape rooms. And the study branded Dunbar as the "most boring beach town" in Scotland and the fourth most boring in the entire UK. Their analysis highlighted Dunbar's lack of amusement parks, live music venues, and casinos as reasons for its low ranking, along with counting just 27 bars and restaurants in the town. Yet, this statistical assessment appears to overlook the considerable appeal of Dunbar, a town located a mere 50 minutes by car from Edinburgh city centre. Far from being dull, it is celebrated as one of the finest destinations on Scotland's attractive east coast, proudly known as the sunniest town in Scotland due to its high levels of sunshine. Visit Scotland describes Dunbar as "a pleasant town on the North Sea coast of East Lothian, about 30 miles east of Edinburgh," praising its "renowned... high sunshine record, rugged coastline and attractive countryside." The town's deep history is also a draw. It was "one of the most important Scottish Fortresses in the middle ages," and its ruined castle, which "stands guard over the town's twinned harbours," famously "once sheltered Mary Queen of Scots when she fled Edinburgh after the murder of Rizzio." Beyond history and scenery, Dunbar provides significant recreational opportunities. Visit Scotland points to family attractions like East Links Family Park, a farm based activity park suitable for all ages with numerous activities including a tree level fortress. For water based thrills, Foxlake Adventures is Scotland's first wakeboard cable tow and offers a unique ropes challenge over water. The town also features a leisure pool with a wave machine and flume, plus a health suite and gym. Meanwhile, St Andrews, famous globally as The Home of Golf and site of Scotland's oldest university, placed tenth in the study's UK-wide ranking, which would make it the second-most boring seaside town north of the border. It scored better than Dunbar due to having 9 music venues and 103 bars and restaurants. Also, its 42 landmarks dwarf any other towns on the list. Rank Location No. of water /amusement parks No. of live music venues No. of bars/ restaurants No. of casinos No. of landmarks No. of beaches No. of escape rooms 1 Morecambe 0 3 51 0 8 3 0 2 Southwold 0 3 28 0 6 4 0 3 Filey 1 2 58 0 7 3 0 4 Dunbar 0 0 27 0 9 5 1 5 Whitstable 0 10 91 0 9 3 1 6 Whitby 0 10 140 0 21 3 2 7 Swanage 1 10 63 2 18 4 0 8 Aberystwyth 0 1 78 0 25 8 1 9 St Ives 0 9 100 1 22 5 2 10 St Andrews 0 9 103 0 42 3 0 Given its iconic status within the world of golf and its historical significance, it is no surprise that it scores well for landmarks. The main surprise is that the legendary town, whose beaches are world-renowned, features on the list at all. Welcome to Fife notes that the constant stream of visitors contributes to St Andrews' "lively, cosmopolitan atmosphere with a large dash of history." St Andrews offers rich historical experiences at the ruins of its Castle and Cathedral, and the ancient Dunino Den. Golf enthusiasts flock to The Old Course, the world's oldest and a regular Open venue, and the award winning World Golf Museum. The coast provides active options like paddle boarding and surfing at Blown Away on St Andrews West Sands, where Beach Wheelchairs ensure accessibility. Family fun awaits at nearby Craigtoun Country Park with its miniature railway and adventure playground, complemented by St Andrews' excellent shops and wide choice of places to eat and drink. Family fun awaits at nearby Craigtoun Country Park with its "miniature railway, glorious gardens, adventure playground and the magical Fairy Glen," complemented by St Andrews' "lots of great shops, along with an outstanding choice of places to eat and drink." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Irish Daily Star
23-04-2025
- Irish Daily Star
Treasured Irish tourist attraction joins list of luckiest landmarks in the world
For centuries, people all around the world have sought to boost their fortunes by visiting special sites that are believed to bring good luck. Sometimes it involves tossing coins into fountains or touching statues, and other times, simply being in the presence of a certain location is said to bring good fortune. These sites are dotted around the world, and according to SuomiCasino, there are some that are so popular, people travel from all corners of the earth to test their powers. SuomiCasino analysed the popularity of some of the most iconic sites, drawing on data from Instagram, TikTok, and Google search trends to determine the most popular lucky landmarks throughout Europe. One Irish landmark made the list. Read More Related Articles Donald Trump branded 'dumbest President ever' after six-word comment about Congo Read More Related Articles White House branded 'narcissistic' after brief 5-word tribute to Pope Ranking in fourth place among Europe's top lucky landmarks, is the Blarney Stone in Co Cork. The popular tourist attraction has been tagged in 76,900 Instagram posts and is searched 110,000 times a month. The iconic site has been there for centuries, and for several hundred years, there has been a tradition associated with the stone that is said to bring luck. Visitors are encouraged to kiss the stone, in order to obtain the gift of eloquence and persuasiveness - or as the Irish call it, the 'gift of the gab.' A tourist bends back to kiss the Blarney Stone in 1977 (Image: Michael SERRAILLIER/GAMMA-RAPHO/Getty Images) While it might not be the most hygienic practice, kissing the stone is still incredibly popular for tourists. It's estimated that around 400,000 people give the stone a smooch every year. There are plenty of varying versions of how the Blarney stone came to be, many of which are rooted in Irish mythology. Some believe that it had a religious connotation, while others say it was a gift given to chieftain Cormac Laidir MacCarthy by King of Scots Robert the Bruce in the early 1300s for his support to Scotland in the Battle of Bannockburn. However it came to be known as the luckiest stone in Ireland, the Blarney Stone entices tourists to the area in Co Cork . And it is not the only site in Ireland that is believed to bring good luck. The Stone of Destiny at the Hill of Tara overlooks the fields of Co Meath (Image: Getty Images) The Hill of Tara was also named on SuomiCasino's list, at number 7. The ancient site in Co Meath has been a significant part of Ireland's history since between 600 BC and 400 AD. It was once the inauguration place and seat of the High Kings of Ireland. Now, visitors visit the site to hug the stone of destiny, which according to legend is supposed to bring you good luck. The stone was said to roar when a true king stood upon it, signifying their legitimacy. Other lucky landmarks on the list include Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, which is believed to grant wishes, and the Pont des Arts in Paris, which is said to bring eternal love. The Trevi Fountain in Rome is number one on the list and is believed to make one wish come true for a visitor who tosses a coin in. For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here .
