What to See in Ireland

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Ireland has two sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list:

Brú na Bóinne ★ (1993)
Though not widely known to the public, it is one of Europe’s most significant megalithic sites. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Skellig Michael ★★ (1996)
A small, deserted island off the southwest tip of Ireland, Skellig Michael is a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to the ruins of an ancient monastery built there. The island is also home to many birds, and diving is possible in the surrounding waters.

Dublin and Eastern Ireland

Eastern Ireland corresponds to the province of Leinster around the capital, Dublin.

Kells Abbey ★
This is an ancient monastery founded in the 9th century, located north of Dublin. Among its ruins, you can see a tall round monastic tower and an old carved cross.

Brú na Bóinne ★
Though not widely known to the public, it is one of Europe’s most significant megalithic sites. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Carlow ★
The small town boasts various architectural landmarks from the 18th and 19th centuries, along with the remains of a medieval castle.

Russborough House ★
An extensive 18th-century stately home located south of Dublin.

Clonmacnoise ★★
These are the remains of a beautiful early medieval monastery.

Drogheda ★
A port city on the east coast near Northern Ireland. The Bru na Boinne archaeological site is just a few kilometres away.

Dublin ★★★
Ireland’s capital is a pleasant and lively city with beautiful architecture, museums, and plenty of monuments to explore.

Glendalough ★★
This is a monastery not far from Dublin, set in a landscape of valleys and lakes. You can hike in the surrounding area.

Kilkenny ★★★
A stunning medieval city with its cathedral, historic churches, castle, and charming medieval lanes. A major Irish tourist destination.

Natural Heritage

Wicklow Mountains National Park ★★★
This is a lovely park south of Dublin, popular for its lake and mountain landscapes where you can fish, hike, or go rafting.

Cooley Peninsula ★
A rather beautiful region where you can hike. It lies on the border with Northern Ireland.

Cork and Southern Ireland

Southern Ireland corresponds to the province of Munster around the city of Cork.

Blarney ★★
A locality with the remains of a well-known 15th-century castle.

Bunratty ★
A well-preserved 15th-century fortress located a few kilometres west of Limerick.

Cahir ★★
This small town in the south is home to one of Ireland's most important castles.

Cashel ★★
Between Cork and Dublin, Cashel is home to one of the country’s most important historical sites, the "Rock of Cashel". It’s a medieval fortress linked to a cathedral from the same period.

Cork ★★
Ireland’s second-largest city, Cork has historic quarters and several interesting landmarks.

Doolin ★★
This pretty village in County Clare, on the Atlantic, is known as a hub for traditional Irish music. The Cliffs of Moher, the Burren, and the Aran Islands are all nearby.

Dunmore East ★
A charming little port on the south-east coast. People come here for sea fishing and, secondarily, diving.

Staigue Fort ★
These are the ruins of an ancient fort of archaeological significance located in Kerry.

Glengarriff ★★
This is a coastal village in the bay of the same name. The area is a tourist destination for its landscapes and the Italian-style gardens on nearby Ilnacullin Island.

Killarney ★
A small, highly touristic town in the southwest due to its proximity to several must-see sites (Ring of Kerry, Killarney National Park).

Kinsale ★★
This charming marina town with its narrow streets and colourful houses is a favourite with visitors.

Limerick ★★
Ireland’s fourth-largest city, known for its museums, castle, and cathedral.

Muckross ★
A beautiful abbey located in Killarney National Park.

Dingle Peninsula ★★★★
This is the westernmost point of Ireland and a highly popular tourist destination for its landscapes, beaches, cliffs, small villages, and some historical remains.

Skellig Michael ★★
A small, deserted island off the southwest tip of Ireland, Skellig Michael is a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to the ruins of an ancient monastery built there. The island is also home to many birds, and diving is possible in the surrounding waters.

Timoleague ★★
A small village near Cork with a beautiful abbey.

Tramore ★
Near Waterford, this fishing port is also a popular seaside destination known for its beaches and surfing.

Waterford ★
Ireland's oldest city, with some architectural remnants of its past still standing.

Natural Heritage

The Burren ★★★
This national park is a limestone desert in County Clare. You can hike through its striking landscapes, and it also features numerous megaliths and remnants of ancient forts.

Cliffs of Moher ★★
Near Doolin. These are stunning cliffs rising over 200 m above the sea.

Killarney National Park ★★★
On the route to the Ring of Kerry, the site is known for its landscapes, lakes, and the treks you can do there.

Ring of Kerry ★★★★
One of Ireland’s most visited spots, typically explored as a 150 to 200 km loop from Killarney. Highlights include stunning landscapes and a few historical sites. You can also hike or cycle here.

River Shannon ★
It is the longest river in the British Isles. River cruises in a pénichette (narrowboat) are available on the Shannon-Erne Waterway, which connects these two rivers across the two Irelands.

Galway and Western Ireland

Western Ireland corresponds to the province of Connacht, plus three of the nine counties of Ulster; the other six are part of Northern Ireland.

Achill Island ★★★
The country's largest island, with stunning wild landscapes of bogs, moors, cliffs, and deserted beaches. A great place for hiking.

Ballintubber ★
A charming small abbey near Castlebar.

Ashford Castle ★★
Located in Cong, this is one of Ireland's most beautiful medieval castles.

Clifden ★
This coastal town is considered the capital of Connemara and has become a major tourist destination.

Galway ★
The country's third-largest urban area is above all a cultural, student, and festival city, rather than one of monuments or architecture. It's also a great base for exploring western Ireland.

Aran Islands ★★★★
These three islands near Galway are must-see tourist destinations. Beyond their stunning landscapes, you can explore numerous historical sites and impressive cliffs where birds nest (Inis Mor), churches and castles (Inis Oirr), or go diving (Inis Meain).

Kylemore ★★
A very beautiful Benedictine abbey by a lake in the Galway region. It is a major tourist site in Connemara.

Letterkenny ★
It's the largest town in Donegal, located in the north of the country.

Roscommon ★
The town has the remains of a castle and an abbey.

Sligo ★
A medium-sized town in the northwest, close to Northern Ireland.

Natural Heritage

Connemara ★★★★
This famous region in the west of Connacht, partly designated as a natural park, is renowned for its landscapes of lakes and hills, its ponies, and the hikes you can take there.

Killary Harbour ★★
It is the longest fjord in Ireland. It is located in the Connemara area.

Lough Corrib ★
Ireland’s second-largest lake, home to various bird species.

Ballycroy National Park ★★
This is a large park primarily made up of peatlands where you can go hiking.

Glenveagh National Park ★
In Donegal, this park dominated by the castle of the same name is renowned for hosting the country's largest concentration of deer.

Inishowen Peninsula ★★
This is a large peninsula, the largest in Ireland, made up of hills and located at the northernmost tip of the country. A hundred-kilometre loop lets you take in its landscapes.

Slieve League ★★
At the tip of Donegal, these are the second-highest cliffs in Europe, towering over 600 metres high.