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The thousands upon thousands of fanatical members of the Red Army make the larger of Munster's two homes an unforgettable experience for any away side, many of whom later admit to being beaten long before kick off.
Quins will understandably arrive in Ireland as heavy under dogs for their Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final with the former Heineken Cup winners, especially as the Londoners will be dwarfed by their opponents in terms of experience.
But Lions and England wing Ugo Monye insists he and his team-mates will not travel with trepidation. Instead, the focus will be on relishing the experience rather than on running from it.
"Thomond Park is one of those iconic stadiums in European rugby," Monye told the Irish Independent.
"Many of us haven't played there before, but we know all about Munster's record there, which is second to none.
"But we're a young side and we're excited about these kinds of challenges. If you go to Thomond Park with fear, or even anxiety, then you might as well not even bother showing up."
Monye's assessment of the attitude needed to enter the Lion's Den in Limerick is clearly the right one, but it doesn't detract from the significance of Saturday's European encounter.
Quins have fought hard to reach the last four of a tournament they have won twice before so losing at the semi-final stage would obviously be a bitter disappointment. Not only would the chance of silverware be gone for another year, there'd be no big day out in Cardiff, no chance for the Quins supporters to enjoy a day in the sun, and, perhaps even more importantly given that they are outside the top six in their domestic league, maybe no return to the Heineken Cup next season.
"It's a one-off game for both sides. Munster will be hurting that they are out of the Heineken Cup, and we're delighted to be in the semi-final," added Monye.
"In many ways it will be like a final, because there will be no tomorrow for the losers."
Monye's experience with the Lions two summers ago brought him into close contact with a whole host of Munster stars, many of whom will be on display this weekend and some who will not.
But while the likes of veteran play maker Ronan O'Gara, back-row battler David Wallace and second-row duo Donncha O'Callaghan and Paul O'Connell may regularly receive the headlines, Monye says it was one of the younger brigade who made the biggest impression on him in South Africa.
"For me, Keith Earls was the one guy who developed most on that Lions tour, not just as a rugby player but also as a person.
"He was one of the youngest guys in the squad and didn't have that much international experience. It can be quite daunting going into that sort of tour environment, but the confidence that he was exuding by the end of the tour was really quite remarkable.
"Everyone knew he was talented, but he showed a side to his personality which, perhaps, people weren't aware of. He's a tremendous character, very tough mentally, and he plays the game with exactly that attitude.
"He is a very talented player, and a top bloke, and stopping him will be uppermost in our thoughts."
