Some tips for travel and leisure. Discover the 20 best towns in Ireland to visit, from the dramatic oceanside to rolling hills.
With its rugged, weaving shoreline and ancient, mist-covered mountains, there may be a wind-whipped majesty to Ireland’s landscapes. Yet inside this sparse splendor lies some of Europe’s most pleasant small towns. Often simply a stone’s throw from a seductive shoreline or crumbling medieval castle, these colorful locations are full of warmth, character, and Irish hospitality.
From Dingle’s dramatic oceanfront placing in County Kerry to the thatched cottages and riverside attraction of Adare in County Limerick, here is a seem at 20 of the fine towns in Ireland to visit. You will get great experiences everywhere. Each of them has a specific feature that reminds a particular piece of Irish history and as well something you will love: from castles to nature, from food to legends.
You should consider them for your travel and leisure time, they are something unique and special that will delight your trip. I am going to share with you a short description of each place to make you focus on the most important things and to choose the ones you like the most. Let me suggest you explore all of them if you have time.
I have been all around Ireland and I had a pleasant time everywhere and I also can guarantee that all landscapes are simply marvelous. It’s hard to choose the best places, but on this list, there are amazing and unique towns to see.
20 towns in Ireland to visit for your special travel and leisure trip
Ireland is magic for its atmosphere, the green landscapes, the castles, the shoreline, and so on. But also people and small cities make the country so wonderful. To know the real Irish soul you should visit them and get the best from the tour. Follow the road and go to the 20 listed places. You will thank me for the tips.
1. Glengarriff, County Cork
Meaning ‘rough glen’, Glengarriff is set on the Beara peninsula in Cork. it’s a noted traveler location because of spectacular views and picturesque landscapes. The city is encircled by rugged mountains that area unit home to Lady Bantry’s Lookout, which provides an incredible view of the world. The city itself offers guests a good sort of retailers, galleries, pubs, and restaurants.
2. Lismore, County Waterford
Found at the foot of the Knockmealdown Mountains, Lismore is a historic city in Waterford. The town’s major visitor enchantment is its 800-year-old castle, which is located on the website online of the town’s historical monastery. Built for the duration of medieval times, the imposing fortress is placed on a steep hill, supplying brilliant views of the city and neighboring Blackwater Valley. Important artifacts from Lismore Castle encompass the Book of Lismore, now positioned at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, and the Lismore Crozier, now housed in the National Museum of Ireland.
3. Dingle, County Kerry
Clinging to the southern coast of Kerry’s Dingle Peninsula, Dingle is a charming port city with a huge quantity of pubs thinking about its tiny populace of about 2,000. Its pastel streets appeal to creatives from around the world, drawn to the region’s splendor and quirky establishments like Foxy John’s, a hardware shop that doubles as a usual Irish pub. Dingle is additionally the best beginning base for exploring the peninsula’s wild scenery, most exceptionally the twisting 30-mile Slea Head Drive, taking in gorgeous coasts and historical hills.
4. Valentia, County Kerry
Valentia on Valentia Island is placed on the Iveragh Peninsula in the southwest of Ireland. The island is related to the mainland through a bridge from Portmagee, as nicely as a vehicle ferry from Renard Point. In 1993, fossilized footprints relationship from 385 million years in the past have been found and are some of the oldest remnants of vertebrate existence on land in the world. Another key appeal in Valentia is the lovely Glanleam House and its sub-tropical gardens. Due to their geographical location, these gardens have a special microclimate and, as a result, residence a series of uncommon plants. From Valentia, you can additionally tour Skellig Michael, a historical monastic island.
5. Adare, County Limerick
While the cafes, craft shops, and normal pubs of Main Street are first-rate enough, it is the neat rows of 19th-century thatched cottages that supply Adare with its awesome character. Built via the Earl of Dunraven for the guys developing the imposing Adare Manor nearby, the whitewashed cottages are impossibly quaint and a few are on hand to hire at some point of the year. Follow the snaking River Maigue alongside the north aspect of the village and admire the stately ruins of Desmond Castle and Adare Franciscan Friary.
6. Strandhill, County Sligo
Strandhill is acknowledged for being a surfer’s haven. The coastal city is located at the western base of Knocknarea Mountain, which is west of Sligo town. For records enthusiasts, the 200-year-old standard thatched cottage known as Dolly’s Cottage is a fascinating visit, as are the megalithic tombs of Carrowmore, which are some of the largest in the country. There is additionally a range of gala’s held in Strandhill, such as the Warrior Festival. Remain in the award-winning Strandhill Lodge and Suites is assured to make your go-to Strandhill a memorable one.
7. Doolin, County Clare
While Doolin’s in all likelihood most well-known as a gateway to the Cliffs of Moher, it is full of scattered allure in its very own right. Evenings are for whiling away with a few pints of Guinness amid the lively sounds of stay Irish tune at Gus O’Connor’s or McDermott’s Pub. And when morning comes, it is now not simply the well-known cliffs that are nearby. Doolin is no longer some distance from the ethereal shape of Doonagore Castle, the mysterious Burren National Park, and the ferry zipping you out to the lovely offshore Aran Islands.
8. Kinsale, County Cork
Though this used to be a busy fishing port for greater than 300 years, Kinsale’s colorful, cobbled lanes seem to be like they have been constructed solely for postcard scenes (or, dare I say it, Instagram). The rustic pubs and quirky shops filling these winding streets have made this small city in County Cork immensely famous with the summer season crowds, and it is additionally the beginning factor of the Wild Atlantic Way trail. While many will prefer to hit the trail, stick round in Kinsale first to pattern some of the region’s freshest seafood at Martin Shanahan’s excellent Fishy Fishy Restaurant.
9. Westport, County Mayo
With good-looking Georgian streets and dependent bridges blended with a magnificent gastronomy scene, it is clear why Westport in County Mayo has ended up such an appealing area in the west of Ireland. Centered around the ancient clock tower, its octagonal city core is delightful, and there are lots of colorful pubs and pleasant eating places flanking the particularly Carrowbeg River. Westport is additionally simply a 15-minute power away from Croagh Patrick, the 2,507-foot mountain viewed to be Ireland’s holiest.
10. Carlingford, County Louth
The identity of the city Carlingford is derived from the Old Norse which means ‘narrow sea-inlet of the hag’. Over the years, the city has managed to keep its Viking heritage, with many of the town’s streets displaying proof of the medieval age. One instance is the Tholsel or ‘town gate’, which is one of the very few left in Ireland. The gate used to be at the start taller than it is now, however, there is nevertheless proof of its unique character as a city penal complex and toll. The heritage center shows the records of the town, from the Viking and Norman days to the present. The city itself is positioned between Carlingford Lough and Slieve Foy and, as a result, has fantastic panoramic views. Carlingford is additionally acknowledged for its fishing, as oysters and crabs are frequently the captures of the day from the close-by harbor. There is additionally an annual Carlingford Oyster Festival that celebrates the town’s sea cuisine.
11. Dunmore East, County Waterford
There are few higher areas in Ireland to spend languid summertime nighttime gazing the sundown than at Dunmore East’s picturesque waterfront. With an appealing coastal street that gently rises and falls with the shore’s sandstone cliffs, it is a city of secluded coves and immaculate beaches. Further south, the mind-blowing Dunmore East Cliff Walk gives clear views of County Wexford’s Hook Head Lighthouse — one of the world’s oldest-operating lighthouses — throughout the bay.
12. Birr, County Offaly
Birr is one of the most magnificent Georgian cities in Ireland and has been cautiously preserved over the years. Wide streets and based constructions make this city a charming area to visit. The homes in John’s Place and on the Oxmantown Mall are true examples of Georgian fanlight windows. Emmet Square and Emmet Street have some of the earliest examples of Georgian-style structures in the town. These are contrasted by way of John’s Hall, which is constructed in the fashion of a Greek temple. The monastery in the city used to be centered with the aid of St. Brendan and produced the well-known Gospels of MacRegol. These can be considered in the Bodleian Library in Oxford. Other historical artifacts in Birr consist of the Seffin Stone, which is stated to mark the center of Ireland.
13. Roundstone, County Galway
With Errisbeg for an imposing mountain backdrop and the lumpy define of the Twelve Bens vary in the hazy distance throughout from Roundstone Bay, Roundstone is a quaint fishing village that is in the dramatic herbal company. And it is that incredible surrounding panorama that makes this tiny vacation spot in County Galway ever-greater seductive. Stroll the gently meandering Monastery Road and end with a pint of stout and a plate of clean hake and chips at O’Dowd’s Seafood Bar and Restaurant.
14. Kenmare, County Kerry
While Kenmare attracts masses of site visitors thanks to its proximity to the brilliant Killarney National Park, its buzzy, colorful streets are charming in a one-of-a-kind feel and packed with active pubs like PF McCarthy’s on Main Street. But historical curiosities are in no way a long way away in this weather-beaten land. Simply a brief stroll from the city lies Kenmare Stone Circle. Though to date returned to the Bronze Age (2,200 to five hundred B.C.), the 15 heavy boulders in an ellipse-shaped circle are one of the region’s extra special attractions.
15. Enniskerry, County Wicklow
Enniskerry is a translation of ‘rugged ford’, and the city is positioned on the Glencullen River and at the foot of the Wicklow Mountains. The location is well-known for the Powerscourt Estate, which includes a massive residence and 47-acre (19ha) gardens. The residence is constructed in Palladian design and dates from the 18th century. The gardens had been destroyed in a furnace in 1974, however, each of the residences and gardens had been restored in 1996 to their former glory. Also positioned on the property is the Powerscourt Waterfall, which is stated to be the perfect waterfall in Ireland, at 121m (396ft) high.
16. Gweedore, County Donegal
Gweedore is a Gaelic-speaking town in Donegal in the northwest of Ireland. Gweedore is additionally the greatest Irish town the place residents communicate Irish and, as a result, is a cradle of Irish culture. The region is additionally regarded for its breathtaking surroundings of lengthy sandy seashores and mountains. An outstanding web page in Gweedore is Glenveagh National Park, which is the biggest country-wide park in Ireland. Looking out to sea, traffic will spot many small islands, such as Gola and Tory islands. Evidence of the area’s harsh climate prerequisites is seen on Magheraclogher Beach with the well-known shipwreck ‘Friend of the Sea’.
17. Inistioge, County Kilkenny
Not for nothing have been Inistioge’s good-looking Georgian streets chosen by way of Hollywood as the putting for videos such as “Widows’ Peak” (1994) and “Circle of Friends” (1995). Nestled inside the rolling hills of County Kilkenny and dominated utilizing the 10-arch limestone bridge spanning the River Nore, Inistioge’s tree-lined rectangular is additionally the picturesque placing for lengthy summer season afternoons in the sun. Find a desk outdoor at the Woodstock Arms, revel in a pint of creamy stout, and take it all in.
18. Howth, County Dublin
Almost 30% of Ireland’s populace lives in Dublin, however solely a fraction of these dwell in Howth. The tiny town, constructed around an energetic harbor, is an aspect of Dublin that few vacationers see, however, those who do will be satisfied they made the journey. With a shiny stretch of elegant eating places and informal seafood bars populating the harbor’s western arm, it is the best little spot to return to after taking in the sweeping vistas of the Howth Cliff Walk.
19. Baltimore, County Cork
An energetic gateway to the Atlantic, Baltimore’s slim lanes nearly tumble into the ocean and are especially shiny in the summer season months. Boat excursions out to the enthralling island of Cape Clear and whale-watching excursions convey enthusiastic site visitors down to Baltimore’s shores each year, even though there are additionally lots of appropriate motives to continue to be on the land. Along with the colorful cluster of pubs around the harbor, the city sits in the shadow of the 13th-century Dún na Séad Castle and now welcomes a newly topped Michelin-star Turkish restaurant, Dede at the Customs House, to its culinary scene.
20. Cashel, County Tipperary
Located in Tipperary’s Golden Vale with the grassy Galtymore mountain rising in the hazy distance, Cashel’s ethereal surrounding scenes have not been modified in centuries. Dominated using the imposing form of the 12th-century Rock of Cashel, this city is the best spot to take in one of Ireland’s extra underrated landscapes. Busy Main Street is packed with cafes, pubs, and hotels, whilst the good-looking blue cover and white lace curtains of Mikey Ryan’s hide a remarkable restaurant that elements a lovely again backyard for the summertime months.
Conclusions
I hope you found this brief guide about towns in Ireland to visit useful for your travel and leisure. Nobody can be disappointed visiting the country. It is surely amazing in every corner. Taste beer and food, enjoy landscapes and listen to music. I love Irish sounds and I am sure you will like them a lot. If you need a plane to go there, don’t forget to check the best rates on Skyscanner, following my guide you will take advantage of the maximum benefit from the platform.