The most beautiful places in Ireland you cannot miss

A handpicked selection of the best places to see in Ireland

If you are planning a trip to Ireland, chances are you are hoping to fill your Ireland itinerary with those gorgeous Irish landscapes that grace instagram accounts and travel articles.

But where are these places? How can you make sure you see them?

In this guide, I share the best places to see in Ireland and the most famous Ireland landmarks that I believe every visitor should add to their Ireland must-see list.

From glorious natural landscapes to charming historical places, this is my pick of the best things to see in Ireland.

Kylemore Abbey and Cliffs of Moher, features in this list of most beautiful places in Ireland

The best places to see in Ireland: 15 Ireland must see

Need to know: The places in this article are mostly well known and on the tourist track. For all of them, the best time to visit is outside of the high season (summer) and during the week – weekends tend to be busy with both locals and visitors pretty much all year round in most of these locations.

The Cliffs of Moher, Co Clare

This might be stating the obvious but I cannot open a list of the best places to visit in Ireland with anything else but the Cliffs of Moher, one of the most visited places in Ireland by far.

The cliffs are indeed gorgeous: they plunge into the ocean from a height of over 210 meters (702 feet, source here) and a visit to them is a full-body experience.

Your eyes fill with their beauty, your skin tickles at the touch of the strong wind (or sun, in summer the sun can really get you here!), your ears vibrate with the screams of the sea birds and the ocean tickles your nose with its pungent air.

Albeit touristy, they truly are a must-see when visiting Ireland.

Where they are: County Clare, West of Ireland
Nearby places: Galway, Doolin, Ennis, Limerick
How to get there: by car, public bus, private tour
Suitable for: all ages and levels of fitness. Thanks to tall barriers, accessible also to people with a fear of heights
Time needed: at least an hour once at location

Day trips to the Cliffs of Moher you may want to consider are:

Ring of Kerry, Co Kerry

Another very beautiful places in Ireland is the famous Ring of Kerry, the one drive following the outline of the Kerry peninsula, in the West of Ireland.

Kerry is a remote and stunning place.

Nature here is mostly shaped by the presence of the Ocean and the mountains and this offers to the visitor not just stunning coastal views but also pleasant inland scenery and locations, withy luscious vegetation, castles and quaint villages.

The ring of Kerry is a drive however, it is not necessary to take it all to enjoy this area.

Killarney and Killarney National parks are gorgeous and Kenmare is also a pleasure to visit, with its quaint streets and colorful houses.

Where it is: County Kerry, West of Ireland

Nearby places: Shannon airport, Killarney, Kenmare, Tralee
How to get there: car or organized tour. Killarney is served by the train
How long to stay: for the drive, you need at least one day/two nights. You can easily spend here a whole summer (a popular choice for local families)
Suitable for: all ages and levels of fitness. Many opportunities for kids and family hikes too.

Glendalough, Co Wicklow

The monastic site of Glendalough, in Co Wicklow, has a very special place in my heart. It is the first place I ever visited in Ireland outside of Dublin and it is still now one that I consider among the most beautiful, charming and soothing in the whole of the country.

Here, nestled between beautiful mountains (imagine green and charming, not high peaks) lie two lakes and a medieval monastic site complete with church, round tower and cemetery.

It is a wonderful place to get in touch with the more mystical and historical site of Ireland and it is also a gorgeous place for a day out.

The walk along the lakes is easy and pleasant and several hikes also exist in the vicinity for the fitter visitor.

Where it is: County Wicklow, just to the South of Dublin
Nearby places: Dublin, Wicklow town
How to get there: car or organized bus tour
How long to stay: 1 hour – 1 day (restaurant and hotel on site)
Suitable for: all

Organized bus tours of the Ring of Kerry you may want to consider:

The pre-historic site of Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth, Co Meath

Newgrange is one of the most famous and peculiar sites in the whole of Ireland and one with something special: it is only one of the 2 sites in the Country to hold Unesco World heritage site status.

The places is indeed peculiar. Newgrange is a burial mount dating back to the Neolithic (2000 B.C) which makes it a site 5200 years old at the time of writing!

Newgrange is part of a larger complex of tombs dating back to the same time and usually gets the most attention. This is due to its size but also the fact that on the day of the water solstice and only on that day, a ray of light comes in from the only aperture in the tomb flooding with light an otherwise pitch dark space.

Where it is: County Meath, east of Ireland, North of Dublin

Nerby Paces: Dublin
How to get there: car or organized bus tour. Please note that the entrance to the tomb is ticketed and places are limited. You can find info and tickets here
Suitable for: most people, except anyone suffering from claustrophobia and very young kids

Dublin fair city, Ireland’s dynamic capital, Co Dublin

No trip to Ireland would be complete without a stop in Dublin, the dynamic Irish capital. Dublin is a lovely city, full of cultural attractions, entertainment options and a fun vibe that makes many fall in love.

There are very many things to do in Dublin, ranging from sightseeing and museums to lounging in pubs and talking a stroll in its many parks.

My favorite, in the very non-exhaustive lists ar Trinity College and its historical library, a stroll down the small shopping streets between Grafton Street and St Georges street and the Chester Beatty Library, which is a wonderful museum with brilliant Eastern art.

Dublin can be enjoyed at all ages and something for everyone, children included.

Where it is: Dublin, East of Ireland
How to get there: air (Dublin airport), train, bus and car from the rest of Ireland
How long to stay: as long as you can! For a first visit, at least 2 days

You can find my favorite itinerary for 2 days in Dublin here!

Blarney Castle, Co Cork

Ireland is famous for having many beautiful castles but no one is more famous than the famous Blarney Castle in Co Cork.

The castle is a stunning ruin, towering above beautiful grounds, and it is famous not just for its look but for having the ‘Blarney stone’ – said to give the ‘gift of the gab (= eloquence) to anyone brave enough to kiss it.

Kissing the Blarney Stone requires you to line up (it is a popular tourist attraction) and then to lean backwards over a tall drop to kiss the stone. It is definitely not for everyone but do not let this put you off visiting: even without kissing the stone, Blarney castle is a worthy stop.

The poison garden and the forest around it are my favorite bit.

Where it is: County Cork, South of Ireland
Nearby places: Cork
How to get there: car, bus, organized bus tour
How long to stay: a few hours, longer if you need to queue to kiss the stone

Day trips to Blarney castle you may want to consider and book in advance are:

The medieval city of Kilkenny, Co Kilkenny

Ireland has an interesting medieval past and a wonderful place to learn about it is the lovely city of Kilkenny.

Kilkenny is a small city in the center of Ireland and develops along a one-mile long street aptly called ‘the Medieval mile’.

This street connects the two main landmarks in Kilkenny, the castle and the ancient cathedral, and it is full of ancient buildings, colorful homes and, now, shops and restaurants.

The whole center of Kilkenny is pleasant and easy to explore on foot.

The city, despite its small size, is very dynamic and regularly hosts interesting events ranging from design to music and the fun and interesting Kilkenomics, a peculiar and really interesting festival mixing comedy and economics!

Where it is: County Kilkenny, in the center of Ireland
Places nearby: Dublin is about 1.5h away by motorway
How long to stay: one afternoon to a few days
How to get there: car, bus, train
Suitable for: all ages

Several day trips from Dublin include Kilkenny. some you may want to consider are:

The stunning Dingle Peninsula, Co Kerry

The west of Ireland is full of wonderful natural landscapes and the little Dingle Peninsula is home to many.

Smaller than the big peninsula with the Ring of Kerry, immediately to its South, Dingle has beautiful beaches, lovely colorful villages (Dingle town is a picture-perfect Irish town, complete with sea views, traditional pubs and brightly colored homes) and breathtaking ocean landscapes.

How to get there: car, bus tour
Places nearby: Tralee, Killarney
Long to stay: one day or more
Suitable for: all ages

The lunar landscape of the Burren, Co Claire

the Burren in County Clare in the West of Ireland is one of the most peculiar landscapes in Ireland.

It is characterized by large slabs of stone (limestone and siltstones) and it has a positively lunar aspect that makes the area beautiful and with a distinct otherworldly character!

The Burren is close to the Cliffs of Moher and a great place to discover for a few days after visiting the cliffs. Among the many things to do here, there are heritage trails, food trails or you can also just get a house or hotel and chill: it is a gorgeous part of the country and a great one for taking a break away from it all!

Where it is: Co Claire, West of Ireland
Places nearby: Cliffs of Moher, Galway, Ennis, Limerick
How to get there: car, bus tour
Suitable for: all ages, some interesting actives such as the Ailwee Caves are good for kids (no strollers allowed, more suitable for school-age kids)

Galway City, Co Galway

Galway is a university town on the west coast of Ireland and it is, for many, a favorite place in Ireland.

It is indeed lovely: the town itself is small and colorful, its Main Street full of lovely cafes and shops, it has a long history and a nice Spanish Arch and ancient Cathedral and is also has lovely views of the Ocean, the town developing partially along the coast.

The presence of the University gives is a nice student vibe and this is a great place for music in the evening or to explore the area nearby. Connemara, the Aran Islands, the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher are all a short drive/boat ride away and this makes Galway a great place to use as a base to explore the West.

Slieve League Cliffs, Co Donegal

The Cliffs of Moher get all the attention but there are other cliffs in Ireland that are equally if not more beautiful and these are the cliffs of Slieve leagues, in Co Donegal.

They are the tallest accessible cliffs in Europe and they are gorgeous and easy to enjoy.

You leave the car at the car park and reach the viewpoint at the top of the Cliffs on foot: the road is large and mostly paved (I have seen cars driving there but it is a terrible idea, walk instead!) and you do not need any special level of fitness to tackle it.

At the top, you have a beautiful viewpoint and, in summer, an ice cream van!

Where they are: Southern Donegal, North West of Ireland
What is nearby: Donegal Town
How to get there: car
How long to stay: a couple of hours, to get up the Belvedere and enjoy the place
Suitable for: all, but the walk can be long for elderly people or your kids. You can, however, stop anytime. The road is the same to go up and go back

Cork City, Co Cork

Cork is my son’s favorite city and it is a lovely town indeed! Small, welcoming and with a lot going on at any given time, Cork has a pleasant city center, the famous and fun English market, an important university and a nice observatory pithing Blackrock castle.

This is a great town to visit and call home for a couple of days or more. As well as being pleasant itself, it is a great base for exploring the rest of the South-West of Ireland.

Where it is: County Cork, South of Ireland
How to get there: Air, train, bus, car
What is nearby: Blarney Castle, Cobh
How long to stay: at least one day
Suitable for: all

Connemara, Co Galway

Connemara is an area of great natural beauty in the North West of Ireland, to the North of Galway City. It usually makes lists of must-see places in Ireland due to the fact that it is remote and beautiful and indeed, it is a pretty special place.

Here, you have beautiful, untouched natural landscapes and one of Ireland’s most famous attractions of all: Kylemore Abbey.

Connemara is a popular destination for Irish families in the summer and also a popular day trip from Galway.

Where it is: County Galway, West of Ireland
What is nearby: Galway City, Kylemore Abbey
How long to stay: one day for a drive-through and a stop at Kylemore, many locals settle here for the summer
Suitable for: all

Connemara is a popular day trip for Galway. if you don’t want to drive, here are some tours to consider:

The Antrim Coast, Co Antrim, NI

The Antrim coast is in Northern Ireland (UK) and it is a gorgeous stretch of coast famous for tall cliffs and the most peculiar and world-renowned Giants Causeway.

The place is spectacular: the most famous sites along the Antrim Coast are Carrick-a-rede rope bridge, the Giants Causeway and Dunluce castle.

They are a short drive one from the other and they are each unique in their own way. Carrick-a-rede rope bridge is s suspended bridge over and angry stretch of water, offering incredible coastal views.

The Giants Causeway is a unique geological formation with diagonal basalt columns creating a sort of Natural pier stretching into the ocean and Dunluce Castle is a stunning castle in ruins, on a high seas cliff.

Where is it: County Antrim, Northern Ireland
How to ger there: car, organized bus tour
How long to stay: at least one day
Suitable for: all. Despite the tall cliffs, all these locations have areas accessible also by people with a fear of heights.

I recommend you spend a full day in the area to truly enjoy the sites. If you don’t want to take on the long drive from Dublin or Belfast, several good organized day tours exist:

I hope you enjoy this non-exhaustive yet careful selection of the most beautiful places in Ireland. Safe travels!