26. Dublin, Ireland

Dublin is Ireland’s capital as well as its largest city, sitting at the mouth of the River Liffey. Top destinations in Dublin include the Guinness Storehouse, St. Patrick’s and Christ Church Cathedrals, Trinity College’s Long Room Library and its Book of Kells.

Happiness: 9th

Historical Landmarks: 22nd

Sports: 43rd

Schools and Education: 10th

Governmental Stability: 20th

Crime: 47th

Healthcare: 36th

Affordability: 43rd

Food: 15th

Innovation: 15th

Pollution: 21st

Climate: 37th

Overall Average: 26.5

Happiness: According to the World Happiness Report, Ireland scores in the highest level of happiness.

Historical Landmarks: In the outskirts of Dublin, there is one UNESCO World Heritage known as the Brú na Bóinne Complex, encompassing the three main prehistoric sites of Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth that are located on the north bank of the River Boyne. The monuments had social, economic, religious and funerary functions and are significant as Europe's largest and most important concentration of prehistoric megalithic art.

Sports: Dublin is home to five football clubs in the Irish Premier Division—Bohemian F.C., St. Patrick’s Athletic, Shamrock Rovers F.C., Shelbourne F.C. and UCD.

Schools and Education: Dublin has three universities in the top 1000 worldwide—Trinity College Dublin at 215, University College Dublin at 236, and Dublin City University at 917.

Crime: In Dublin, crime is moderate in most categories, but drug dealing and use are high.

Affordability: Dublin has a cost of living index at 77.1, meaning it’s one of the more expensive cities in Europe.

Food: 5 restaurants in Dublin have at least 1 Michelin star, with 2 of them having 2 stars.

Pollution: A pollution index score of 41.1 means that Dublin has low air and water pollution, but there is moderate noise and light pollution along with dissatisfaction with garbage disposal.

Climate: Dublin reaches the mid to upper 60s (F) in summer months, while in the winter, it can be found in the upper 40s in Fahrenheit.

Personal Note: I’ve visited Dublin a couple of times in recent years, and I believe it has one of the most friendly atmospheres when walking around, which can make up for its lack of feeling like a typical European big city. Dublin differs from many of the cities I’ve visited considering there really isn’t very much in terms of conventional attractions, but this lack is emphasized in my perception of the city in the fact that I’ve spent much more time in Dublin than I have in other cities with a similar absence. In reality, this nature only helps Dublin as a very livable city, as its lively local atmosphere and incredible pub culture can be enjoyed by tourists and residents alike. The city feels much more urban and modern than much of mainland Europe, yet it still keeps the balance with historic buildings in a very pleasant way, so the new changes don’t overpower anything. This balance is also seen in the wonderful nature throughout the city, especially with the colossal Phoenix Park. Some of my favorite sights included the aforementioned Phoenix Park, the Long Room at Trinity College, and the Christ Church Cathedral. While Dublin isn’t amongst my favorite cities from a traveler perspective, I think of it as one of the best options for permanent residency in Europe, which is why I’m quite surprised at its ranking in this research. I would’ve expected it to be higher on a livability scale, despite being a mostly accurate reflection for where I’d put it amongst cities I’ve seen from a purely visitor perspective.