Travel destinations in Ireland and Northern Ireland! Do you like steep cliffs, historic castles or cosy pubs? The whole island of Ireland is a great destination for those who love nature or history, or perhaps want to take a great road trip.
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Why travel to Ireland and Northern Ireland?
Ireland is both the name of a country and the name of an island - which, in addition to the country of Ireland, includes Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. On this page you will find tips for the whole island - both the country of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Ireland is a wonderfully green island, with incredibly beautiful motorways such as the Causeway Coastal Route and the Wild Atlantic Route. Here you can experience steep coasts that plunge straight into the sea, historic sights and charming towns. You can also find many filming locations from the TV series Game of Thrones. Below you will find lots of articles about Ireland.
Travel destinations in Ireland - inspirational reading
Belfast - from war zone to holiday destination
Guest writer: Roksana Corswant It was during a trip to Ireland that my travelling companion and I decided to...
Irish whiskey - & pubs and beer in Ireland
Irish whiskey is loved by many, as is the culture of pubs and beer in Ireland. We experienced...
Derry in Ireland - things to see and do
I (Peter) was at a Halloween party in Derry in Ireland (Northern Ireland) which is the coolest thing you can...
Halloween in Derry, Ireland - the best Halloween party in the world?
Halloween in Derry, Northern Ireland, offers a Halloween party that may be the best in the world....
Facts about Ireland - 30 things you (might) not have known
Today, we offer facts about Ireland - 30 things you (maybe) didn't know. Peter...
Game of Thrones in Northern Ireland - 10 filming locations
Game of Thrones in Northern Ireland that we will take you on. If you've been following our...
Visiting Skellig Michael - Star Wars in Ireland
Did you know that several scenes in Star Wars were filmed in Ireland? When we were planning...
What is it like to travel by motorhome in Ireland?
We recently tried travelling by motorhome in Ireland for two weeks. So, what is...
Belfast, Northern Ireland - 10 things to see and do in Belfast
Belfast is the largest city in Northern Ireland, yet it's not so big that you can easily...
Titanic in Belfast - guide to the Titanic Museum in Belfast
Titanic Belfast, this special Titanic museum in Northern Ireland, won the 2016 award as the world's leading tourist attraction. We can...
The sacred monastic village of Glendalough - and Ireland's highest waterfall
Our last two motorhome excursions in Ireland were to the holy monastic village of Glendalough and to...
Kilkenny is more than beer - rain and castles in Kilkenny
Kilkenny is not just beer! Kilkenny is also a medieval Irish town with a beautiful castle....
Rock of Cashel - The Royal Rock of Cashel in Ireland
The Rock of Cashel, or Cashel of the Kings, is a historic site in County Tipperary on the...
Blarney Castle in Cork, Ireland - kissing the Blarney stone
Blarney Castle in Ireland is located just outside the city of Cork. As well as visiting the castle itself and kissing...
Killarney National Park - and the town of Killarney in Ireland
Welcome to Killarney in Ireland! Killarney National Park and the town of Killarney are located in the south-west of...
Ring of Kerry - a classic road trip in Ireland
Everyone we talked to during our road trip in Ireland says the same thing; we have to drive...
Horse riding in Ireland - Irish horses in Kerry
What is it like to ride in Ireland, on Irish horses? We browsed some of the many...
Into the fog - around the Irish Dingle Peninsula
Now we've driven around the Dingle peninsula on the west coast of Ireland. And no, we haven't always...
Two caves in Ireland - Europe's largest stalactite
We have visited two caves in Ireland, firstly Aillwee Cave, which was a secret for many...
Dramatic Cliffs of Moher - on the west coast of Ireland
If you're travelling along the west coast of Ireland, don't miss the dramatic Cliffs of Moher....
The music city of Galway in Ireland and a pub crawl
We've mostly shown beautiful scenery from here in Ireland, but of course Ireland also offers pub life and...
Kylemore Abbey in Ireland - a sad story
We have visited Kylemore Abbey in Ireland. This beautiful white building, located on Ireland's...
Beaches in Northern Ireland - beautiful Atlantic coastline
Northern Ireland doesn't just offer dramatic cliffs, charming roads and sweet lambs. There are also long...
Giant's Causeway stone formations in Northern Ireland
The Giant's Causeway stone formations in Northern Ireland are impressive with their hexagonal basalt columns, which are crowded by the thousands on...
Dramatic rope bridge in Northern Ireland - Carrick-a-Rede
Yesterday we ventured out onto a swinging rope bridge in Northern Ireland, with dizzying views. Carrick-a-Rede is...
East Coast of Northern Ireland - Causeway Coastal Route
What is it like to drive along the east coast of Northern Ireland? And what is it like to drive around the...
Winterfell - visiting Game of Thrones in Northern Ireland
We have continued northwards along the coast of Northern Ireland, past the one view that is more beautiful than...
North Beach outside Dublin - and Ardgillan Castle
Our first encounter with Ireland featured beautiful beaches at North Beach outside Dublin and a...
Parade in Stockholm on St Patrick's Day
This weekend, the Irish holiday of St Patrick's Day was celebrated with a parade, Irish music and lots of...
More destinations in Ireland
Castle Carrickfergus
The town of Carrickfergus is located on the coast., just north of Belfast in Northern Ireland. Here you will find Carrickfergus Castle. The castle, which dates from the 12th century, is impressively well-preserved. You can find it along the Causeway Coastal Route, which is a beautiful drive.
Torr Head - Scenic Route
We asked the locals along the coast which road is the most beautiful and everyone said Torr Head. The narrow roads wind through intensely green landscapes, all the while looking out over dramatic cliffs and blue sea.
Our small campervan was excellent to drive.even though we sometimes had to drive slowly. However, we did not understand the purpose of the white painted centre line. After all, our car took up exactly all the way ...
Cave of Cushendun
The cave where Davos Seaworth, in the TV series Game of Thrones, takes the witch Melisandre to give birth to a "shadow child". Truly a magical place, made for a fantasy story, located in Northern Ireland on the beautiful coastline.
Murlough bay
Alongside Torr Head is Murlough Bay.and to get down here you have to drive on even narrower roads, if possible. But it's worth it! The landscape is like a fairy tale and the views are "to die for". Really!
Incidentally, this is also a place where scenes for the TV series Game of Thrones were filmed. A scene between the Stannis brothers and Renly Baratheon was filmed here.
DARK HEDGES - STRANOCUM
The cool "Kings Road" from Games of Thrones that are real. We wanted to see the 'Dark Hedges' avenue, which was planted in 1775 by one James Staurt, to provide a grand entrance to his and his wife's house. According to legend, the avenue was later visited by a ghost named 'Grey Lady'...
Dunluce Castle
There are lots of cool ruined castles in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Dunluke Castle is located near the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland with breathtaking cliff-top views of the sea. The castle has inspired the House of Greyjoy in Game of Thrones.
Downhill Beach
Benone /Downhill BeachWith its 11 kilometres, this is one of the longest beaches in Northern Ireland. We visited the beach on a slightly rough morning in May and were almost alone, except for a man with a dog and a surfer. What a stunningly beautiful beach!
Wild Atlantic way
Wild Atlantic way starts in Donegal at Derry and enters every bay on the entire west coast all the way down to the south of Ireland in Kinsale, Cork. The trip is 2750 km and is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. We follow parts of it and follow our route as we had planned from Sweden.
Donegal National Park
East of Derry/Londonderry is the incredibly beautiful Donegal National Park. When I was in Derry, people say that an excursion or hike in Donegal National Park is the best and they go here several times a year.
Mullaghmore head
Right here, at Mullaghmore Head., Prince Charles' uncle had a castle and the Prince sometimes came here in the summers as a child.
But it was also here that some 40 years ago the Prince's beloved uncle, along with three others, was blown up by the IRA on a day when they were fishing for lobster. Sad history in a dramatically beautiful place.
Benbulbin
This cool rock formation is located in north-west Ireland near Sligo and the province of Connacht. Altitude 526 metres.
Achill Islands
This is Ireland's largest island and it's on the west coast in the Mayo area. We didn't get this far north-west but it seems to be crazy beautiful.
Clifden - West Coast of Ireland
Cliftden and Cleggan part of the Connnemara National Park and that we want to see more of next time.
Connemara National Park
To get to the Kylemore Abbey in Ireland, we got to drive through Connemara National Park. Wow, what an amazing place!
Ashford Castle
It is located north of Galway and next time it will be to go there and write about this beautiful place. This is a 5-star hotel with 83 rooms. It was originally a monastery from 1228 and has been expanded in several stages.
Aran Islands
To the south-west of Galway are three islands called Inis Mór, Inis Meáin and Inis Oírr. You can take a ferry from Galway to visit these unique islands and Irish is spoken here.
Poulnabrone dolmen
South of Galway and near the Cliffs of Moher is this tomb, which dates from around 3500 BC. There are more and in Swedish these are called Dös.
Dunguaire Castle
Dunguaire Castle, located near Kinvarra on the west coast of Ireland. This solid tower house was built in the 1520s, and the courtyard is now open to tourists. It was the O'Hynes clan that built what is now a stunning ruined castle on Galway Bay.
The Burren
The Burren is a unique karst landscape in the north-west of County Clare. Welcome to the paradise of limestone formations! The Burren is also the fifth largest national park in Ireland out of 6, and is home to plants that should have been extinct long ago.
It's unreal to the eye and wow!... What nature! Here people stopped to photograph, and we also saw both tenters and climbers. Are we on the moon or?
Doolin
Doolin is a coastal town in County Clare. and is known in Ireland for its vibrant folk music. There's a jam in every pub and you can experience the real Ireland and its pub culture.
The cliffs of Doolin are shaped as if someone cut them into oblong discs. How is that possible? It's so insanely beautiful!
Kilkee Cliff Trail
In the west of Ireland, Kilkee and it's about an hour south from Doolin. Clear your mind with these views.
Limerick
City of Limerick which also gave rise to the limerick poem form. Third largest city in Ireland with a huge interest in Rugby, Hurling and Gaelic football. King John's Castle (pictured above) is a 13th century castle located on the River Shannon in the city of Limerick.
There is also Lough Gur which is one of Ireland's most significant archaeological sites dating back to 3000 BC.
Tralee
Tralee we passed when we went to the Dingle peninsula, which is in the south of Ireland. Next time we'll probably stay too.
Muckross House and gardens
Muckross House and Gardens is located in the Killarney National Park. This is a very beautiful house in beautiful surroundings, with green areas, a lake, gardens and greenhouses. A real castle, pure and simple.
Church of Gallarus Oratory
Church of Gallarus Oratory, which dates back to the 6th or 7th century. This must be the smallest church we have ever seen! Cute, isn't it? In fact, the stones are laid with impressive precision, resulting not only in neat edges but also perfect drainage and the right amount of light.
Staigue fort in Castlecove
One of the attractions along the way is Staigue Fort, a ring fort dating from the 3rd or 4th century AD. It probably housed a local rich man, along with his family and servants. Inside the 'city walls' there were several small houses used as residences.
Valentia Island
We took the ferry from Reenard Point/Valentia Harbour to Knight's Town on Valentia Island. We wanted to see the beautiful island and we stayed one night. There are two routes to this island and one is the bridge to Portmagee, named after the 18th century smuggler Theobald Magee.
Cork - Mizen Head
We didn't get everything done we wanted to see on our road trip around Ireland. We passed Cork and many beautiful places around the coast, but next time so... Cork has the cathedral St Anne and St Mary and the saint fin Barre cathedral. Wildlife park Zoo and the prison Spike Island
Kinsale
One of Ireland's most charming cities which we did not have time to visit. Kinsale is located in southern Ireland at the mouth of the river Bandon. The whole town, boats, bikes and everything you can think of is painted in all the colours of the world. Should be experienced!
Hore Abbey
Below the Rock of Cashel is this ruined monastery that I think is so cool. This place has so much history and is really cool to look at. The drone had to do its job.
Waterford
Ireland's oldest city which was founded by Vikings in 914, and for that reason alone you have to set foot there once. Waterford is located in the south of Ireland.
Wicklow National Park
Driving and walking in the Wicklow mountains national park is absolutely stunning. Small streams are mixed with the bright yellow bushes, small waterfalls and rock formations and the bright green to it.
Powerscourt waterfall
Ireland's highest waterfall Powerscourt. The waterfall is 121 metres high and impresses with a steady stream of rushing and thundering water. The waterfall is on private land, and can be visited for a fee.
Dublin
Dublin, the capital of Ireland A UNESCO City of Literature since 2010, one of the most visited tourist attractions is Dublin Castle. Dublin is divided into north and south sides with the River Liffey in the centre.
Visit the famous temple bar, Medieval section with Christchurch Cathedral, founded in 1030. Try the golden mile along Victoria Street and drink a beer in each pub in the same evening. Trinity College is located here and St Patrick's Cathedral. Ireland's historic post office should be seen.
Newgrange
Located 45 minutes north of Dublin, this UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. An ancient temple built around 3200 BC. Newgrange ( Brú na Bóinne)
Clonmacnoise
In the centre of Ireland there is a cemetery which was founded in 544 by St Ciarán. There are significant writings, crosses and temples and this site probably comes up on the UNESCOs list.
Things to do in Ireland - sights and experiences
In this article you'll find a list of tips on what to see and do in Ireland. Everything from Halloween parties to beer, culture and horse riding.
Info and facts about Ireland
- Capital city: Dublin
- Language: Irish and English
- Residents: 4.9 million (2020)
- Currency: Euro
- Religion: Christianity
- National anthem: Amhrán na bhFiann
Good to know about Ireland
- Price mode: Much like in Sweden
- Time difference: 1 hour
- Emergency number: 112
Accommodation in Ireland
- Hotel: There are plenty of hotels and other accommodation options in Ireland, in various price ranges. Check out Booking.com, for example.
- Camping: If you are travelling by caravan, you can read more about campsites and pitches in Ireland.
Travelling to Ireland
- FlightsYou can fly directly between Stockholm Arlanda and Dublin, for example with Norwegian.
- Ferry: Ferries run between Cherbourg in France and Rosslare in Ireland. There are also several ferry connections between Ireland and the UK.