Ireland, with its storied Celtic heritage and magnificent natural beauty, is a tourist hotspot worthy of its legendary status.
The grass certainly is greener on the Emerald Isle, and the scenery and locals are amazing. Ireland is a very tiny country, yet it has many paths and roads where travellers might feel like they have the place to themselves.
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Top 10 Places to Visit in Ireland
If you’re looking for a more social experience while travelling, a local bar is a great place to start. Every tourist who visits Ireland falls under its enchanting spell, whether they spend the night in a mediaeval castle, pedal along a coastal promontory, or study Celtic antiquities at a world-class museum.
Ireland is politically split between the Irish Republic and the British territory of Northern Ireland. The entire island of Ireland is included in our top-choice tourist destinations.
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1. Galway
Galway is the largest city in western Ireland, and its picturesque mediaeval area is where most of the city’s art galleries and stores can be found. Galway is widely recognised as a significant hub for traditional Irish music thanks to its abundance of live music venues and lively bar scene.
The port city is also notable for being one of the few areas in Ireland where you may hear native Irish speakers. Galway is the perfect place to come for those who want to learn about Irish culture while still having a good time.
2. Aran Islands
The Aran Islands of Inishmore, Inishmaan, and Inisheer have been a popular tourist destination off the coast of Ireland at the mouth of Galway Bay for generations. People on the islands have been able to maintain a more traditional way of life than on the mainland, giving tourists a look into Irish culture.
Visitors to Inishmore, the largest of the three islands, ride in horse-drawn buggies past stone farm homes and up to limestone cliff tops to take in the breathtaking scenery. On top of a cliff 90 metres (300 feet) high, Inishmore is home to a stone fortification built about 2,000 years ago.
3. Dingle Peninsula
The Dingle Peninsula, which includes the very tip of Ireland, has all the allure of a remote location while still being close enough to civilization to be practical. More than 500 monastic stone houses, ancient stone markers, and other relics from the Bronze Age dot the terrain.
The so-called beehive cottages, or clocháns, were home to monks who worked to preserve knowledge during the Dark Ages. The beaches of the peninsula are ideal for surfing and windsurfing. Dingle Town is a great place to unwind after a long day thanks to its assortment of high-quality dining options, comfortable lodging options, and exciting bar scene.
4. Glendalough
Saint. Kevin, a solitary monk who features significantly in traditional Irish mythology, founded the monastery at Glendalough just south of Dublin in the sixth century. Glendalough, once Ireland’s most popular spot for pilgrims, and still a popular tourist attraction today.
Visitors are drawn to the location by its beautiful beauty and historical history, as it is located between two lakes in a glen surrounded by trees.
The Round Tower is the most famous part of the monastery, even though the largest building is an unfinished cathedral from the 9th century. The 30-meter (110-foot) tower was a final choice during Viking attacks because to its pull-up ladder.
5. Dublin
Dublin, the capital of Ireland, has a fairly huge population for a country with only over five million inhabitants. Although while most Dubliners call the suburbs home, the city’s best attractions may all be found in its historic core.
Dublin, a city with a history dating back a thousand years, is now a thriving modern port with a rich cultural heritage. The city has a deep appreciation for its history, but it also fully embraces the present.
While other European cities may be famous for their music or art, Dublin is widely recognised for its literary contributions. Given that Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, and George Bernard Shaw all called Dublin home, it’s not surprising that a book dating back 1200 years is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions.
The Book of Kells is a unique, decorated manuscript of the four gospels of the New Testament kept at Trinity College, where authors Bram Stoker and Samuel Becket studied. Dublin Castle, a Norman castle established in 1204, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the greatest church in Ireland, were both constructed in the 13th and 14th centuries, respectively.
Very interesting is the National Museum of Ireland’s collection of ancient gold, Celtic artwork, and Viking artefacts. The friendly residents are well-known for their wit, charisma, and love of fine cuisine and beverages.
As a result, it’s hardly surprising that the Guinness Storehouse, the birthplace of Ireland’s national drink, is the country’s most popular tourist destination. Literary pub crawls are a perennial popularity among the city’s bar crawls.
Visitors are guided from pub to pub by actors who regale them with readings from some of Dublin’s most celebrated authors as they pass by literary icons. A trip to Dublin is one you won’t forget, whether you spend your time perusing the James Joyce Museum or chatting it up with locals over a Guinness. Guests experience an unforgettable story that they will long to tell others.
6. Giant’s Causeway
The Giant’s Causeway is a natural rock feature on the northeastern coast of Ireland that looks like it was built by giants. More than 37,000 hexagon-shaped basalt columns have formed a honeycomb structure that seems artificial.
The stepping-stone columns’ current form is the result of 60 million years of work by tectonic plate movement, lava flows, and erosion. Trails along the cliff edges provide spectacular vistas of the rocks below, and a set of stairs provides easy access to the water. Tours of the site can be taken on foot or by van from a local visitor centre.
7. Killarney National Park
Killarney National Park, in County Kerry in southwest Ireland, was founded in 1932 after the Muckross Estate was donated to the Irish government. The expansive gardens on the estate, which are now housed in the Victorian Muckross House, are a big draw for park visitors.
Yet, the park’s three lakes are the primary draws for many tourists. The lake is home to swans, otters, and Ireland’s sole natural population of red deer, so visitors may expect to see wildlife on their boat rides there in addition to beautiful scenery.
Surfaced pathways spread out in all directions, beckoning explorers on foot, on bike, or in a horse-drawn carriage.
8. Bru na Boinne
It’s possible to find artefacts from Ireland’s ancient past all throughout the country, but if you only visit one, make it the Br na Bóinne mounds in Boyne Valley. Newgrange, Knowth, and Dowth are three of the 5,000-year-old burial mounds that have been entirely excavated and are now accessible to the public.
Newgrange stands out due to its sculpted granite boulders and white quartz facade. At least five individuals’ cremated ashes and grave items were discovered in vaulted rooms accessible via a central corridor.
Knowth’s 250 painted stones, some of which appear to be local maps, are the site’s main draw. Dowth is off-limits to the general public, however sightseers are welcome to climb the mound outside to take in the scenery.
9. Ring of Kerry
The Ring of Kerry is a more than 160-kilometer (100-mile) motorway that circles the beautiful Iveragh Peninsula in southwest Ireland. Most tourists begin and conclude their trip in Killarney, but experienced vacationers know to stay in the picturesque town of Kenmare instead.
The tallest mountain in Ireland, Carrantuohill, as well as several pristine lakes, a mediaeval monastery, and the prehistoric Staigue Fort with its massive stone walls made without mortar, are just some of the sights along the Ring. Some of the coastal communities and resorts along the way feature sandy beaches, making them pleasant detours in warmer months.
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10. Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher elevate the traditional tourist activity of spending time on a high bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean to a whole other level. One of the most visited locations in all of Ireland, the cliffs rise about 210 metres (700 feet) above the water and draw nearly one million tourists annually.
Access to the cliffs is understandably limited when winds are high. Doolin’s pier is home to numerous tour boats, giving sightseers a chance to see the cliffs from the water.
