The Best Places to Visit in Ireland
Ireland is a place in Europe home to some of the most stunning coastal landscapes in the continent. It is so beautifully green here, and the people are some of the friendliest you'll meet anywhere. Of course, drinking and pub culture is booming as always, and the development for tourists is really good so you have great opportunities to travel across this gorgeous country. It is often best explored with a car, but for backpackers there is still ways to get around and see the best of it.
Capital: Dublin
Currency: Euro
Language: English, Irish Gaelic
When to visit: June to August
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1) Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Ireland, sitting on the east coast with a population of around 1.4 million. It’s a classic cultural Irish city when it comes to people, music, and pubs so you should spend a few days here immersing into the character, especially if it is your first stop in Ireland.
Things to do:
The best place to get your bearings in Dublin is Trinity College, right in the heart of the city. The campus is beautiful and open to visitors, and the main draw is the Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript created by Celtic monks around 800 AD, and one of the most remarkable surviving artefacts of early medieval Europe. The library that houses it, the Long Room, is itself one of the most stunning interiors in Ireland too. From Trinity, Grafton Street runs south and is Dublin's main pedestrianized shopping street, so it’s always busy. Of course, do a tour in the Guinness Storehouse and Gravity Bar, as well as walking not far to see St. Patricks Cathedral and Dublin Castle. Up on the Northside, you can walk further up O’Connell Street, see the Dublin Portal, and the Dublin Writers Museum too. Dublin has a lot to see in my opinion, and while a lot of people don’t really tend to fall in love with it, I think you should spend a few days walking through it all. Even if you wanna get out of the city, take a bus out and do the beautiful walk/hike around Baily Lighthouse on the cliffs round Howth.
How to get there:
Dublin Airport (DUB) is a busy airport with lots of international flights coming in all the time.
You can also take a ferry connecting it to the UK or France, otherwise get a bus or train from other Irish major cities like Cork or Galway.
2) Galway
Galway is a small city on the west coast of Ireland, but it’s the top spot amongst backpackers and has this sort of charm everyone loves. It feels deeply Irish and it is one of the most walkable main destinations in the country. You cannot beat Galway in the summer.
Things to do:
The Latin Quarter is the heart of Galway and the place to start. The streets around Shop Street, Quay Street, and High Street are narrow, colorful, and almost always busy with the buskers on the corners adding some character. You’ll be able to see Lynch's Castle on Shop Street which is a very bold piece of architecture. From the Latin Quarter head down to the Spanish Arch and the waterfront, where the River Corrib meets Galway Bay. The arch is one of the last remaining sections of the medieval city walls and the area around it on a sunny day is genuinely peak life. You can spend a few days just getting into the culture and into the pubs, with Tigh Coilí and The Crane Bar on Sea Road are being of the finest traditional music pubs in the city. It’s also a good base to explore nearby landscapes which I’ll get to next.
How to get there:
NOC and SNN airports are both about an hour way from Galway, but you can just bus or train Dublin and sometimes Cork.
3) Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher are one of the most dramatic and visited natural attractions in Ireland, rising vertically along a 14 kilometer stretch of the County Clare coastline, not too far from Galway. They draw about 1.5 million visitors per year, and the photos speak for themselves.
Things to do:
Most visitors arrive at the main visitor center at the midpoint of the cliffs, and from there you can either walk south or north along the coastal path and you get amazing views over the whole area whichever way you go. You should try covering the whole path in one day if possible because it is just really cool, and you can see the best viewpoints on Google Maps. If you want, spend your afternoon or evening in the little traditional nearby village of Doolin.
How to get there:
You can very simply take a 1.5hr bus from Galway.
4) Killarney & Ring of Kerry
Killarney is a town in County Kerry in the southwest of Ireland, and a place surrounded by some stunning nature everywhere. The town itself is really nice and welcoming, and it is the best place to base yourself if you are planning on doing the Ring of Kerry, one of Ireland’s most gorgeous driving routes taking you through ethereal coastal and mountain landscapes.
Things to do:
In Killarney it’s mainly all focused round the pub and the social vibes, but you can also see cool places like St Mary’s Cathedral. As I said, it is the best place to start the Ring of Kerry. If you don’t have a car, book a tour starting and ending in Killarney, ideally taking multiple days. I’ll tell you a bit about the main stops which are usually included on Ring of Kerry tours. Starting from Killarney, the first stop heading south on the ring is Kenmare, a really attractive small town with a pretty triangular main street lined with good restaurants and cafés. Then continuing southwest along the coast, the Staigue Stone Fort is a short detour off the main road near Sneem, with Sneem itself being a nice little village. Further west, Caherdaniel is home to Derrynane Beach, one of the best beaches in Kerry, and then further along you’ll stop in Waterville which is yet another lovely coastal town. Make sure your itinerary/tour includes a detour onto the Skellig Ring, because the views over the Atlantic out on Valentia Island are gonna be some of the best you get. The final stretch will take you back up through Cahersiveen, Killorglin, and a few towns in between most likely, before arriving back in Killarney after seeing some of the most beautiful views of your life.
How to get there:
Kerry Airport (KIR) is an easy portal to Killarney, mainly operating domestic flights.
There are also train and bus services from Dublin, Cork, and Tralee.
5) Cork
Cork is Ireland’s second biggest city population wise, but as you’d expect the locals will tell you it’s Ireland’s best city. It feels way more welcoming and pretty charming as well, and Ireland’s lovely coastline is right there too. It has a lot of sights to see and in my opinion the architecture in the city center is some of the most “cozy” feeling in Europe.
Things to do:
The English Market is the first place to go in Cork and one of the genuinely great market experiences in Ireland. It sits right in the heart of the city center, entered through several arched doorways off the main streets. From the market, St Patrick's Street is Cork's main boulevard, so walk down there towards South Mall and the riverside. You should spend a bit of time hanging round the riverside. Also head up the steep hill to the north of the city center to Shandon, one of the most characterful neighborhoods in Cork. The Church of St Anne with its distinctive two-toned limestone and sandstone tower and the famous Shandon Bells is the landmark of this part of the city. And of course, spend some time in the pub.
How to get there:
Cork Airport (ORK) has loads of flights come in from all around Europe.
You can also take a train or bus from Dublin, Limerick, Killarney, and Tralee.
6) Connemara
Connemara is a region of Ireland which can be found directly to the west of Galway, and is one of the most unreal places in the country for nature and landscapes. The region is also the heart of the Irish speaking world. The region contains the largest Gaeltacht in Ireland, where Irish is the everyday spoken language of the community rather than a language learned in school.
Things to do:
Clifden is the natural base for exploring Connemara and a good place to start. It is a small town but a lively one, sitting at the head of a bay with the Twelve Bens rising behind it, and the main street has a good selection of pubs, restaurants, and independent shops. From here though, you need to get out to the Connemara National Park, and just walk around because it is outstanding. The climb to the summit of Diamond Hill is the most popular walk in the park. And south of Clifden is a village called Roundstone, so go here if you want to see what a traditional little Irish fishing village is like. There is a lot more places like Killary Harbour or Kylemore Abbey, but the region is very large and requires a lot of days to fully experience.
How to get there:
There are bus services from Galway into the region, serving many towns including Clifden.
7) Kilkenny
Kilkenny sits out in the southeast of Ireland, and it’s basically just a small little medieval city with a population of around 27,000 people. It actually used to be the medieval capital of Ireland, but is now just an interesting place not far from Dublin.
Things to do:
The obvious spot to start with is Kilkenny Castle because it quite literally dominates the city. The only building which can rival it in Kilkenny is St Canice's Cathedral, so visit that too, You should go inside the castle and see some of the incredible interior. From the castle, The Parade and High Street lead north through the heart of the medieval city. The streetscape here is pretty cool and gives you the medieval feel. You should be able to see The Tholsel which is the old city hall of Kilkenny. Lastly, to learn about some Irish craft and design, check out the Kilkenny Design Centre and National Craft Gallery.
How to get there:
Take a simple train or bus from Dublin.
8) Dingle
Dingle is a tiny little town down on the Dingle Peninsula in Kerry. Although it is one of the smallest towns in the country, we do not visit here for city life, we come to see the dramatic mountains and beaches you can find all on this beautiful peninsula.
Things to do:
The town can be explored in like an hour, so not much to see there, but once we get out it gets crazy. If you don’t have a personal vehicle, take a tour or find a friend and do the world famous Slea Head Drive. The road follows the coastline around the tip of the peninsula past sea cliffs and sandy beaches, and the views you’ll get along the way are incredible. You’ll be able to actually see the Blasket Islands which are very cool and reachable by ferry. Once you get a close up from the boat you’ll know you’ve seen the peak of Ireland’s beauty. For something totally extreme, you can walk the Dingle Way which is a 179km marked trail starting in the town of Dingle taking multiple weeks.
How to get there:
Kerry Airport (KIR) is pretty close and has domestic flights around Ireland.
Otherwise you can take buses from Tralee, or Killarney connecting in Tralee.
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