The Blarney Stone revealed as world's germiest visitor attraction
The Blarney Stone revealed as world's germiest visitor attraction
Ireland's Blarney Stone has been named at the world's 'germiest' tourist attraction. The Blarney Stone was joined by attractions in the US, France and Italy in a survey by TripAdvisor.
Over 4,600 travellers participated in the TripAdvisor survey, voting the Blarney Stone as the world's most unhygienic attraction. The tourist spot, popular with those renting
cottages in Ireland, is kissed by more than 400,000 people per year in hope of getting 'the gift of the gab'. One traveller commented: "[You] have to bend over backwards and kiss the stone upside down - imagine the germs on the stone."
Two
US attractions were also included in the top five - Seattle's Wall of Gum (second place) and the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood (fifth place). People have been sticking their chewing gum on the wall at Seattle's Market Theatre for more than a decade and some visitors have moulded shapes and faces out of their used gum. Meanwhile, millions of visitors to the Hollywood theatre have placed their hands and feet in the prints of some of biggest stars in history.
Back in Europe, Oscar Wilde's tomb (third place) is often visited by tourists staying in
apartments in Paris. Wilde's resting place is covered in an ever increasing number of lipstick prints from book lovers wanting to pay their last respects.
Italy did not escape scrutiny either - St Mark's Square in
Venice came in at number four in the survey. Thousands of pigeons mingle with the visitors, many of whom try to touch and hold the birds. To try and curb the problem, vendors no longer sell feed for tourists to give the birds, but the pigeons show no sign of moving on.
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