Ireland travel guide
The best places to visit in Ireland
Twelve places worth planning a trip around, grouped by region so you can see what fits together, with realistic time on the ground and where to stay.
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How this list works
Ireland is small on a map but slow to cross on its roads, so the best trips focus on one or two regions rather than trying to see everything. This list starts on the west coast — Clare, Galway and Kerry, where much of Ireland's most famous scenery sits along the Wild Atlantic Way — then adds three places on the east and north coasts that many first-time visitors ask about. It is a planning shortlist, not a ranking of the whole island.
The 12 places at a glance
| Place | County | Time to allow | Good base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Cliffs of Moher | County Clare | 2–3 hours on site | Doolin, Ennis or Galway |
| 2. The Burren | County Clare | Half a day to a full day | Ballyvaughan, Doolin or Kinvara |
| 3. Aran Islands | County Galway | A full day, or stay overnight | Galway city, Rossaveel or Doolin |
| 4. Galway city | County Galway | 1–2 days as a base | Galway city |
| 5. Connemara | County Galway | A full day | Galway city or Clifden |
| 6. Killarney National Park | County Kerry | 1–2 days | Killarney |
| 7. Ring of Kerry | County Kerry | A full day | Killarney or Kenmare |
| 8. Gap of Dunloe | County Kerry | Half a day to a full day | Killarney |
| 9. Dingle Peninsula | County Kerry | A full day or longer | Dingle or Killarney |
| 10. Dublin | County Dublin | 2–3 days | Dublin |
| 11. Glendalough | County Wicklow | Half a day | Dublin |
| 12. Giant's Causeway | County Antrim, Northern Ireland | 2–3 hours on site | Belfast |
1. Cliffs of Moher
County Clare
Sheer sea cliffs rising more than 200 metres above the Atlantic, with a visitor centre and cliff-top paths. Ireland's most visited natural attraction.
Time to allow: 2–3 hours on site · Base: Doolin, Ennis or Galway
2. The Burren
County Clare
A bare limestone landscape beside the cliffs, with the Poulnabrone portal tomb, caves, ring forts and a coast road along Galway Bay.
Time to allow: Half a day to a full day · Base: Ballyvaughan, Doolin or Kinvara
Viator collection
Visit The Burren
3. Aran Islands
County Galway
Three islands in Galway Bay — Inis Mór, Inis Meáin and Inis Oírr — with stone walls, Irish-speaking communities and the cliff-edge fort of Dún Aonghasa.
Time to allow: A full day, or stay overnight · Base: Galway city, Rossaveel or Doolin
4. Galway city
County Galway
A compact, lively harbour city with a medieval Latin Quarter, traditional music pubs and easy access to Connemara, the Burren and the islands.
Time to allow: 1–2 days as a base · Base: Galway city
5. Connemara
County Galway
Mountains, lakes and bog west of Galway, with Kylemore Abbey, Connemara National Park and the coastal villages of Roundstone and Clifden.
Time to allow: A full day · Base: Galway city or Clifden
Viator collection
Galway to Connemara
6. Killarney National Park
County Kerry
Ireland's first national park, with lakes, Muckross House, Ross Castle and Torc Waterfall, all on the edge of Killarney town.
Time to allow: 1–2 days · Base: Killarney
7. Ring of Kerry
County Kerry
A loop of roughly 180 km around the Iveragh Peninsula, passing Kenmare, Sneem, Waterville and Glenbeigh with mountain and ocean views.
Time to allow: A full day · Base: Killarney or Kenmare
8. Gap of Dunloe
County Kerry
A narrow mountain pass between the MacGillycuddy's Reeks and Purple Mountain, often combined with a jaunting car and a boat trip across the Killarney lakes.
Time to allow: Half a day to a full day · Base: Killarney
9. Dingle Peninsula
County Kerry
The colourful harbour town of Dingle and the Slea Head Drive, with beehive huts, beaches and views to the Blasket Islands.
Time to allow: A full day or longer · Base: Dingle or Killarney
10. Dublin
County Dublin
The capital, with Trinity College and the Book of Kells, Georgian squares, museums and the Guinness Storehouse. Most visitors arrive here.
Time to allow: 2–3 days · Base: Dublin
11. Glendalough
County Wicklow
A sixth-century monastic site with a round tower, set in a glacial valley with two lakes and walking trails in the Wicklow Mountains.
Time to allow: Half a day · Base: Dublin
Glendalough & Wicklow tours from Dublin →
Viator collection
Dublin to Glendalough & Wicklow
12. Giant's Causeway
County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns on the north Antrim coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along the Causeway Coastal Route.
Time to allow: 2–3 hours on site · Base: Belfast
Giant's Causeway tours from Belfast →
Viator collection
Giant's Causeway from Belfast
Putting the places together
- 3–4 days: Dublin plus one long day west to the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren, or base in Galway for the cliffs, Connemara and the Aran Islands. See 3-day and 4-day tour planning.
- 5–7 days: Dublin, Galway and Kerry, with two or three nights in each western base. See 7-day Ireland tours.
- 10 days or more: add Dingle, Connemara or the north coast at a slower pace. See 10-day Ireland tours.
Prefer not to drive? Compare guided options in our multi-day Ireland tours guide.