Giant’s Causeway is the 'worst tourist attraction in the world,' claims survey

A survey by the Irish Times has ranked Northern Ireland’s UNESCO-listed site as the world’s most unpopular tourist attraction

Giant's Causeway is a Unesco World Heritage Site

Northern Ireland’s Giant’s Causeway is the most disappointing tourist attraction in the world, according to a survey conducted by the Irish Times.

Da Vinci's Mona Lisa and the Niagara Falls were also heavily criticised by respondents.

The newspaper asked on social media: “What is the most overrated and underwhelming tourist attraction you have ever visited?”

Giant’s Causeway, a National Trust property, elicited hundreds of responses. One said of the interlocking basalt columns, it is “a very long walk for a small gathering of rocks”.

A previous TripAdvisor review from Mary K said: “It's the biggest rip off I have ever seen, from entering the car park, what a disgrace.” Another respondent said: “The National Trust are using it as a cash cow.”

Of those disappointed by their visit to one of Ireland’s top attractions, the cost of entry was a major cause of their anger.

However, of 7,808 TripAdvisor reviews, 71 per cent rate it excellent and 21 per cent deem it very good, with relatively few rating it average, poor or terrible.

The Mona Lisa in the Musée du Louvre, Paris, also came under fire in the survey. Niamh MacSweeney said: “The Mona Lisa has to be up there? It’s tiny and boring.”

Another respondent said: “I walked by her umpteen times. Her sad face combined with its tiny size just didn't live up to the history books.” Despite this, 72 per cent of TripAdvisor entries rate the Musée du Louvre as excellent.

The Manneken Pis statue in Brussels was described as being “a bit of a joke” by one person responding in the survey. Leonie Khan said: “It’s teeny and hidden away on a dark corner.”

Other derided tourist attractions included the Empire State Building, The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Click here to find hotels near other UNESCO sites