Undiscovered
Hidden gems and can’t-miss experiences for your first or fifth trip
Of legends told over stormy pints, or ancient lore whispered on gusts of Atlantic wind.
You may have heard some of these tales before — you know about the jaw-dropping Cliffs of Moher and the lively thrum of Temple Bar. But the island of Ireland offers so much more if you know where to look.
That’s why we handpicked our favourite lesser-known spots for you throughout the Emerald Isle, which has removed COVID-related travel requirements starting March 18, 2022: no testing nor forms.
So go ahead and press the Green Button on your own Ireland vacation with our tips on can't-miss experiences and hidden gems below.
Ireland is a land of stories.
By Brittney Wong
Dublin
Students study in oak-lined libraries where Bram Stoker once read fables. Choirs sing evensong in 800-year-old cathedrals. And underneath it all remains the millennia-old vestiges of Viking fortresses and burial grounds. This mix of history is part of the reason Lonely Planet named Dublin one of the world’s top 10 cities to visit in 2022.
Here, the present folds over the past.
Of Ireland’s 18 Michelin-starred restaurants, five are in the city of Dublin
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Bundoran Beach, Co. Donegal
Ireland
You can see Dublin from 17 storeys high on the rooftop walkway of Croke Park, the country’s largest sporting arena (and the city’s highest viewing platform). You might also catch a game of Gaelic football, camogie and hurling, regarded as one of the fastest and oldest field sport in the world.
Dublin is dotted with world-class museums, but EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum still stands out. This ultra-interactive exhibition about Irish emigration earned the title of Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction in 2021 for the third year in a row (World Travel Awards).
Try out your Riverdance skills, listen to the whispers of Irish authors and play a game of draw with Irish outlaws as you wander through the galleries that showcase the global impact of the 10 million Irish people who have left the Emerald Isle.
Living history
Did you know?
As a UNESCO City of Literature, it’s small wonder that Dublin boasts some famous libraries. After all, the likes of James Joyce, Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett once walked upon the city’s cobblestone streets.
While the National Library of Ireland and Trinity College’s gorgeously arched Long Room may land on the most trip itineraries, we’re partial to Ireland’s oldest public library, Marsh’s Library. The dark oak shelves have remained largely unchanged since it first opened in 1707, back when the three gilded cages in the back were used to trap readers to ensure they didn’t steal books.
When you visit, don’t miss the Bram Stoker exhibit that shows what the Dracula author was reading as a teenager. And watch out for the library founder Archbishop Marsh — it’s said his ghost can be seen roaming the stacks.
Look for Marsh’s ghost
Above: These gilded cages kept book thieves at bay. Readers once needed to peruse tomes from within these cells to stave off the temptation to pilfer.
Hidden gems of Dublin
1. Dublin's Talking Statues
Listen up — 10 of Dublin’s statues talk. Each of them has a plaque nearby; just scan the QR code or type in the web address you see onto your phone, and they’ll give you a call. You’ll hear the stories of these famous activists and authors told through the narration of actors like Gabriel Byrne and Brendan Gleeson.
2. The Teeling Whiskey Distillery
The city’s first new distillery in over 125 years, this newcomer is already making waves, as it was opened by descendants of the Teeling clan that originally began distilling in 1782. Check it out in The Liberties area, which hosted the world’s largest brewery and whiskey distillery in the 1880s and is now experiencing a next-generation revival.
3. Little Museum of Dublin
This quirky museum showcases the story of Dublin through curated collectibles, letters and photos donated by locals. Check out the second floor to see an exhibit dedicated to native sons U2. Afterward you can stroll through St. Stephen’s Green, a lush city park across the street, or discover the yew maze and rosarium of nearby Iveagh Gardens.
Fitted with secret snugs, live music and perfectly pulled pints, Dublin’s pub scene is a culture in itself. After all, there are hundreds of these bars throughout the city. As James Joyce wrote in “Ulysses”: “Good puzzle would be cross Dublin without passing a pub.”
A trip to the Emerald Isle isn’t complete without a night out on the town, tapping your feet to traditional Irish folk music (called “trad”) and savouring a whiskey or a dark stout. One of our favourite bars for top-notch trad is The Cobblestone, where locals and tourists both raise a glass to leaping fiddler melodies, trilling flutes and the nostalgic lilt of Uillean piping.
If you’re sticking around the well-touristed Temple Bar area, we recommend The Palace Bar, a hometown favourite since 1823 that serves up tasty grilled-cheese toasties and offers a vast selection of spirits in the upstairs Whiskey Palace. Visit Temple Bar in January for TradFest; Ireland’s biggest trad festival.
Clink a pint with locals
When clinking glasses in Ireland, you say Sláinte! (pronounced SLAN-chuh), which means “health” in Gaelic.
Did you know?
Northern Ireland
Only along its dramatic basalt cliffs can you tee off at the world’s No. 1 golf course (Royal County Down, per Golf Digest), tour a great house once visited by Benjamin Franklin and the Dalai Lama, or sway about nine stories above the ocean on a rope bridge with 250 years of history. And it all begins in the culture-packed capital of Belfast.
There’s nowhere else like Northern Ireland.
Ireland is home to a third of the world's natural links courses and over 400 golf clubs. And you don't have to wait until the summer to enjoy them — most are open all year-round.
Did you know?
Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare
The Ship of Dreams first took shape in Belfast, and, exactly 100 years after its voyage, the world-class Titanic Belfast opened its doors beside the very slipways where the ship first launched. (The attraction itself celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.)
Through its nine galleries, you can see how the famed ship was built, step into recreated cabins, learn about the sinking and gaze down to see the Titanic’s final resting place from video footage streaming beneath your feet. Cap off the experience with a nine-course meal — an exact replica of a first-class dinner aboard the Titanic itself — at Rayanne House, a 10-minute drive away.
Set sail from Titanic Town
St. Patrick's Day isn't the only holiday with Irish origins —
Halloween's history also began on the Emerald Isle
After your fill of Belfast’s cultural attractions and lively music scene (after all, it is a UNESCO City of Music), head out onto the open road.
The epic Causeway Coastal Route winds from the Northern Ireland capital to the walled city of Derry-Londonderry. Along its curves, you’ll find wind-battered citadels like the clifftop Dunluce Castle, a menacing, medieval fortress once owned by warring clans and Winston Churchill. And stop in for a finger of single malt at the nearby Old Bushmills Distillery — the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world. You’ll find the smoky flavour pairs perfectly with the salty sea air.
But the route’s crown jewel is the UNESCO-recognized site of the Giant’s Causeway, a splattered path of 40,000-some basalt columns that look transported from another world, or at least another age — in fact, these hexagonal stones date back nearly 60 million years. Take in the view from the green hills above before descending to the honeycombed columns themselves. You’ll be walking in legendary footsteps; ancient lore says the geological marvel was crafted by an Irish giant.
In the path of giants
Did you know?
About 3,000 castles dot the island of Ireland. Some are now upscale hotels, inviting guests to vacation like royalty.
3. Game of Thrones Studio Tour
Step into the Hall of Faces and get up close to Sansa's wedding dress in this first-of-its-kind experience that opened in February 2022. It's the perfect way to start a road trip through Northern Ireland's 25+ Game of Thrones® film sites; more than any other region in the world. (One of them is the Dark Hedges, pictured here, which you may recognize as the Kingsroad.)
2. The Gobbins Cliff Path
Follow your guide along this coastal trail engineered from tubular bridges and basalt caves. Originally built in 1902, it’s since been fully renovated, and invites trekkers to place palms on cold cliff faces, listen to nesting birds up above and peer down at red seaweed and darting fish in the Irish Sea’s rock pools below.
1. Finn Lough Bubble Domes
These unique accommodations let you wake up to uninterrupted views of private forest hidden along the border of Fermanagh and Donegal. The sustainable retreat offers lakeside yoga and a two-hour spa trail, where you wind through the woods, stopping at cabins with Finnish saunas, float baths and hot tubs overlooking the water.
Hidden gems of
Northern Ireland
Over 150 islands float within the cobalt waterways and quiet rivers of the Fermanagh Lakelands.
The best way to explore them is via kayak, canoe or water taxi, with a local guide at the helm. Head first to Lough Erne’s Devenish Island, where you can walk amid the eerie ruins of a medieval church, abbey and tower. Traces of a sixth-century monastic site founded by Saint Molaise will lay beneath your feet.
More pieces of the past are planted on White Island, where sixth-century stone figures line monastic walls, and on Boa Island, where a statue believed to be of a Celtic goddess stands in the middle of a humble graveyard.
Inland island-hopping
Ireland's
Ancient East
Ireland's Ancient East is a swath of rolling hills framed by the River Shannon and the Irish Sea that guards over five millennia of history within its verdant pastures and glistening lakes. This is where Vikings erected Waterford, Ireland’s first city; where chieftains built imposing castles; and where the ancient High Kings of Ireland once dwelled.
This is where it all began.
Older than the pyramids
Just north of the River Boyne, a low-lying mound of earth and Wicklow marble rises from the surrounding green. This 5,000-year-old passage tomb, Newgrange, has stood longer than Egypt’s great pyramids and England’s Stonehenge. It’s hard to believe all this is just 45 minutes north of the bustle of Dublin.
To get to this prehistoric burial ground (and the surrounding tombs that together make up a UNESCO World Heritage Site), first pre-book tickets with Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre to arrange for a guided tour, during which you can enter Newgrange’s quiet chamber to see the rock art within.
Then there’s the miracle of the winter solstice. The tomb was engineered so that every year on that date, the rising sun perfectly fills the inner sanctum with a glowing light. Only a lucky lottery-chosen few get to witness this live, but if you’re not selected, you can still enjoy a simulated solstice performed for all visitors on site.
3. Glendalough
This glacier-carved valley within Wicklow Mountains National Park hosts a sixth-century monastic settlement founded nearly 1,500 years ago by St. Kevin.
Today's visitors can gaze up at the 30-metre round tower on site between taking meditative walks through local trails or dipping their toes in the parkland's lakes.
2. Spike Island
Since 635 A.D., Spike Island has been inhabited by monks, overrun by Vikings and converted into an island jail that held the title of "largest prison in the world” for about seven decades. Today, visitors can take the ferry from Cobh Harbour to explore the prison grounds and walk along the outer island trail, where monks once took their daily pilgrimage.
1. Birr Castle
In the 1840s, the Third Earl of Rosse built what was at the time the largest telescope in the world on the grounds of this 400-year-old castle in County Offaly. With this “leviathan” instrument, as it was called, he became the first to discover that galaxies can be shaped like a spiral. Today you can still see a restored version of the telescope as you tour the castle gardens.
Hidden gems of
Ireland's Ancient East
This area of Ireland isn't only known for millennia-old ruins. Marked by innovative restaurants and one of the best food markets in Europe, the Ancient East's Cork is Ireland’s city for gourmands. It takes advantage of its location — abutting farmlands on one side and enlaced by the River Lee and Lough Mahon on the other — to source locally grown produce, fresh milk and just-caught seafood for its elevated fare.
The city’s culinary highlight is the English Market, which has been a hive of gourmet activity since opening in 1788. Sample organic sourdoughs, fair-trade chocolates and straw-smoked cheese made in West Cork as you meander past family-run stalls hawking rose veal and dry-aged beef.
Don’t miss a visit to the city’s museum devoted just to butter, or nearby salmon smokehouse helmed by Frank Hederman, who takes his artisanship so seriously that saying he smokes fish “is a little like saying Steinway makes pianos” (The New York Times).
And for a worth-it splurge, grab one of the five seats at the counter of Michelin-starred Ichigo Ichie, where you can savour an omakase menu of fresh Irish fish married with traditional Japanese techniques.
Handcrafted cuisine
Wild Atlantic Way
This 2,500-kilometre stretch of coastline along the island of Ireland’s western edge is the longest defined coastal touring route in the world. Hop into a rental car and choose a section to dive into, or dedicate a few weeks to experience the full journey. Along the way, you can hike to 5,800-year-old dolmens in The Burren, uncover prime surfing beaches, dine on fresh-caught oysters or just bask in the emerald-drenched Ring of Kerry landscapes.
Take the long way 'round.
Check out The Bridge Bar in Portmagee to see where actor Mark Hamill (better known as Luke Skywalker) learned how to pull a pint when filming the Star Wars movies
At 609 metres, the soaring Slieve League Cliffs of County Donegal are nearly three times the height of their more famous cousin, the Cliffs of Moher. Get to the main, breath-stealing viewpoint by car or on foot (it's an easy climb over picturesque stone steps).
Avid hikers craving a higher view can trek the Pilgrim’s Path, so named because persecuted Irish Catholics walked this route to get to secret, sky-high masses after the English outlawed their religious practice in the 17th and 18th centuries. You can still see these churches’ rocky ruins on your way to the summit, where you can breathe in the crisp whip of wind as you soak up your private panorama.
View the coast from another perspective on a ferry ride to one of the Aran Islands (there are daily departures all year round near Galway city). Take a day trip to the main island Inis Mór (Inishmore) and explore the prehistoric hill fortress Dún Aonghasa or one of the eye-catching beaches.
Tower above the Atlantic
3. Kerry International Dark-Sky Reserve
This hidden gem is the only Gold Tier dark-sky reserve in the Northern Hemisphere. Located between the Atlantic and the Kerry Mountains, it’s shielded from light pollution, letting its dome of stars really shine.
2. Eyeries Village
Take a late-afternoon drive through this colourful West Cork town, one of the most charming in the area, then park beside Coulagh Bay to watch the sun set over the water.
1. Moran's Oyster Cottage
Along the coastline of County Galway sits a 250-year-old thatched-roof cottage from which the Morans have been serving oysters for seven generations. Cozy up with a half-dozen grilled gigas or a warm bowl of seafood chowder as you look out onto the water. And if you're visiting in September, don't miss the Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival, the oldest festival of its kind in the world.
Hidden gems of
Wild Atlantic Way
This is how Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw described the Skellig Islands when he saw this “incredible, impossible, mad place.” Perhaps it’s no surprise that Star Wars filmmakers chose this otherworldly site off the County Kerry coast as the first meeting spot of Rey and Luke Skywalker.
Monks settled on the Skelligs in the sixth century, constructing beehive-shaped dwellings of mortarless stones that somehow still stand today. Visitors who dare to climb the 618 steps to the terraced monastic cells get to step inside and peer out of the same windows from which monks gazed for an estimated 600 years. Book as far in advance as possible to get this experience — the islands are only accessible by boat in late spring, summer and early fall, and visitor numbers are limited.
“A part of our dream world”
Walk along the 17th-century ramparts framing Derry-Londonderry
for a nearly 20-foot-high view of the only walled city in Ireland
To be considered Irish whiskey, a spirit must be distilled, aged in wooden casks for at least three years, and bottled — all in Ireland. You can taste its toasty, caramel-spice flavours at over 40 different distilleries across the island.
Did you know?
This is how Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw described the Skellig Islands when he saw this “incredible, impossible, mad place.” Perhaps it’s no surprise that Star Wars filmmakers chose this otherworldly site off the County Kerry coast as the first meeting spot of Rey and Luke Skywalker.
Monks settled on the Skelligs in the sixth century, constructing beehive-shaped dwellings of mortarless stones that somehow still stand today. Visitors who dare to climb the 618 steps to the terraced monastic cells get to step inside and peer out of the same windows from which monks gazed for an estimated 600 years. Book as far in advance as possible to get this experience — the islands are only accessible by boat in late spring, summer and early fall, and visitor numbers are limited.
1. Moran's Oyster Cottage
Along the coastline of County Galway sits a 250-year-old thatched-roof cottage from which the Morans have been serving oysters for seven generations. Cozy up with a half-dozen grilled gigas or a warm bowl of seafood chowder as you look out onto the water. And if you're visiting in September, don't miss the Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival, the oldest festival of its kind in the world.
1. Moran's Oyster Cottage
Along the coastline of County Galway sits a 250-year-old thatched-roof cottage from which the Morans have been serving oysters for seven generations. Cozy up with a half-dozen grilled gigas or a warm bowl of seafood chowder as you look out onto the water. And if you're visiting in September, don't miss the Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival, the oldest festival of its kind in the world.
At 609 metres, the soaring Slieve League Cliffs of County Donegal are nearly three times the height of their more famous cousin, the Cliffs of Moher. Get to the main, breath-stealing viewpoint by car or on foot (it's an easy climb over picturesque stone steps).
Avid hikers craving a higher view can trek the Pilgrim’s Path, so named because persecuted Irish Catholics walked this route to get to secret, sky-high masses after the English outlawed their religious practice in the 17th and 18th centuries. You can still see these churches’ rocky ruins on your way to the summit, where you can breathe in the crisp whip of wind as you soak up your private panorama.
View the coast from another perspective and on a ferry ride to one of the Aran Islands. (there are daily departures all year round near Galway city). Take a day trip to the main island Inis Mór (Inishmore) and explore the prehistoric hill fortress Dún Aonghasa or one of the eye-catching beaches.
At 609 metres, the soaring Slieve League Cliffs of County Donegal are nearly three times the height of their more famous cousin, the Cliffs of Moher. Get to the main, breath-stealing viewpoint by car or on foot (it's an easy climb over picturesque stone steps).
Avid hikers craving a higher view can trek the Pilgrim’s Path, so named because persecuted Irish Catholics walked this route to get to secret, sky-high masses after the English outlawed their religious practice in the 17th and 18th centuries. You can still see these churches’ rocky ruins on your way to the summit, where you can breathe in the crisp whip of wind as you soak up your private panorama.
View the coast from another perspective and on a ferry ride to one of the Aran Islands. (there are daily departures all year round near Galway city). Take a day trip to the main island Inis Mór (Inishmore) and explore the prehistoric hill fortress Dún Aonghasa or one of the eye-catching beaches.
This area of Ireland isn't only known for millennia-old ruins. Marked by innovative restaurants and one of the best food markets in Europe, the Ancient East's Cork is Ireland’s city for gourmands. It takes advantage of its location — abutting farmlands on one side and enlaced by the River Lee and Lough Mahon on the other — to source locally grown produce, fresh milk and just-caught seafood for its elevated fare.
The city’s culinary highlight is the English Market, which has been a hive of gourmet activity since opening in 1788. Sample organic sourdoughs, fair-trade chocolates and straw-smoked cheese made in West Cork as you meander past family-run stalls hawking rose veal and dry-aged beef.
Don’t miss a visit to the city’s museum devoted just to butter, or nearby salmon smokehouse helmed by Frank Hederman, who takes his artisanship so seriously that saying he smokes fish “is a little like saying Steinway makes pianos” (The New York Times).
And for a worth-it splurge, grab one of the five seats at the counter of Michelin-starred Ichigo Ichie, where you can savour an omakase menu of fresh Irish fish married with traditional Japanese techniques.
This area of Ireland isn't only known for millennia-old ruins. Marked by innovative restaurants and one of the best food markets in Europe, the Ancient East's Cork is Ireland’s city for gourmands. It takes advantage of its location — abutting farmlands on one side and enlaced by the River Lee and Lough Mahon on the other — to source locally grown produce, fresh milk and just-caught seafood for its elevated fare.
The city’s culinary highlight is the English Market, which has been a hive of gourmet activity since opening in 1788. Sample organic sourdoughs, fair-trade chocolates and straw-smoked cheese made in West Cork as you meander past family-run stalls hawking rose veal and dry-aged beef.
Don’t miss a visit to the city’s museum devoted just to butter, or nearby salmon smokehouse helmed by Frank Hederman, who takes his artisanship so seriously that saying he smokes fish “is a little like saying Steinway makes pianos” (The New York Times).
And for a worth-it splurge, grab one of the five seats at the counter of Michelin-starred Ichigo Ichie, where you can savour an omakase menu of fresh Irish fish married with traditional Japanese techniques.
3. Kerry International Dark-Sky Reserve
This hidden gem is the only Gold Tier dark-sky reserve in the Northern Hemisphere. Located between the Atlantic and the Kerry Mountains, it’s shielded from light pollution, letting its dome of stars really shine.
2. Eyeries Village
Take a late-afternoon drive through this colourful West Cork town, one of the most charming in the area, then park beside Coulagh Bay to watch the sun set over the water.
1. Moran's Oyster Cottage
Along the coastline of County Galway sits a 250-year-old thatched-roof cottage from which the Morans have been serving oysters for seven generations. Cozy up with a half-dozen grilled gigas or a warm bowl of seafood chowder as you look out onto the water. And if you're visiting in September, don't miss the Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival, the oldest festival of its kind in the world.
Hidden gems of Wild Atlantic Way
Just north of the River Boyne, a low-lying mound of earth and Wicklow marble rises from the surrounding green. This 5,000-year-old passage tomb, Newgrange, has stood longer than Egypt’s great pyramids and England’s Stonehenge. It’s hard to believe all this is just 45 minutes north of the bustle of Dublin.
To get to this prehistoric burial ground (and the surrounding tombs that together make up a UNESCO World Heritage Site), first pre-book tickets with Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre to arrange for a guided tour, during which you can enter Newgrange’s quiet chamber to see the rock art within.
Then there’s the miracle of the winter solstice. The tomb was engineered so that every year on that date, the rising sun perfectly fills the inner sanctum with a glowing light. Only a lucky lottery-chosen few get to witness this live, but if you’re not selected, you can still enjoy a simulated solstice performed for all visitors on site.
Just north of the River Boyne, a low-lying mound of earth and Wicklow marble rises from the surrounding green. This 5,000-year-old passage tomb, Newgrange, has stood longer than Egypt’s great pyramids and England’s Stonehenge. It’s hard to believe all this is just 45 minutes north of the bustle of Dublin.
To get to this prehistoric burial ground (and the surrounding tombs that together make up a UNESCO World Heritage Site), first pre-book tickets with Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre to arrange for a guided tour, during which you can enter Newgrange’s quiet chamber to see the rock art within.
Then there’s the miracle of the winter solstice. The tomb was engineered so that every year on that date, the rising sun perfectly fills the inner sanctum with a glowing light. Only a lucky lottery-chosen few get to witness this live, but if you’re not selected, you can still enjoy a simulated solstice performed for all visitors on site.
Over 150 islands float within the cobalt waterways and quiet rivers of the Fermanagh Lakelands.
The best way to explore them is via kayak, canoe or water taxi, with a local guide at the helm. Head first to Lough Erne’s Devenish Island, where you can walk amid the eerie ruins of a medieval church, abbey and tower. Traces of a sixth-century monastic site founded by Saint Molaise will lay beneath your feet.
More pieces of the past are planted on White Island, where sixth-century stone figures line monastic walls, and on Boa Island, where a statue believed to be of a Celtic goddess stands in the middle of a humble graveyard.
3. Glendalough
This glacier-carved valley within Wicklow Mountains National Park hosts a sixth-century monastic settlement founded nearly 1,500 years ago by St. Kevin. Today's visitors can gaze up at the 30-metre round tower on site between taking meditative walks through local trails or dipping their toes in the parkland's lakes.
2. Spike Island
Since 635 A.D., Spike Island has been inhabited by monks, overrun by Vikings and converted into an island jail that held the title of "largest prison in the world” for about seven decades. Today, visitors can take the ferry from Cobh Harbour to explore the prison grounds and walk along the outer island trail, where monks once took their daily pilgrimage.
1. Birr Castle
In the 1840s, the Third Earl of Rosse built what was at the time the largest telescope in the world on the grounds of this 400-year-old castle in County Offaly. With this “leviathan” instrument, as it was called, he became the first to discover that galaxies can be shaped like a spiral. Today you can still see a restored version of the telescope as you tour the castle gardens.
Hidden gems of Ireland's Ancient East
After your fill of Belfast’s cultural attractions and lively music scene (after all, it is a UNESCO City of Music), head out onto the open road.
The epic Causeway Coastal Route winds from the Northern Ireland capital to the walled city of Derry-Londonderry. Along its curves, you’ll find wind-battered citadels like the clifftop Dunluce Castle, a menacing, medieval fortress once owned by warring clans and Winston Churchill. And stop in for a finger of single malt at the nearby Old Bushmills Distillery — the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world. You’ll find the smoky flavour pairs perfectly with the salty sea air.
But the route’s crown jewel is the UNESCO-recognized site of the Giant’s Causeway, a splattered path of 40,000-some basalt columns that look transported from another world, or at least another age — in fact, these hexagonal stones date back nearly 60 million years. Take in the view from the green hills above before descending to the honeycombed columns themselves. You’ll be walking in legendary footsteps; ancient lore says the geological marvel was crafted by an Irish giant.
After your fill of Belfast’s cultural attractions and lively music scene (after all, it is a UNESCO City of Music), head out onto the open road.
The epic Causeway Coastal Route winds from the Northern Ireland capital to the walled city of Derry-Londonderry. Along its curves, you’ll find wind-battered citadels like the clifftop Dunluce Castle, a menacing, medieval fortress once owned by warring clans and Winston Churchill. And stop in for a finger of single malt at the nearby Old Bushmills Distillery — the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world. You’ll find the smoky flavour pairs perfectly with the salty sea air.
But the route’s crown jewel is the UNESCO-recognized site of the Giant’s Causeway, a splattered path of 40,000-some basalt columns that look transported from another world, or at least another age — in fact, these hexagonal stones date back nearly 60 million years. Take in the view from the green hills above before descending to the honeycombed columns themselves. You’ll be walking in legendary footsteps; ancient lore says the geological marvel was crafted by an Irish giant.
About 3,000 castles dot the island of Ireland. Some are now upscale hotels, inviting guests to vacation like royalty.
The Ship of Dreams first took shape in Belfast, and, exactly 100 years after its voyage, the world-class Titanic Belfast opened its doors beside the very slipways where the ship first launched. (The attraction itself celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.)
Through its nine galleries, you can see how the famed ship was built, step into recreated cabins, learn about the sinking and gaze down to see the Titanic’s final resting place from video footage streaming beneath your feet. Cap off the experience with a nine-course meal — an exact replica of a first-class dinner aboard the Titanic itself — at Rayanne House, a 10-minute drive away.
Ireland is home to a third of the world's natural links courses and over 400 golf clubs. And you don't have to wait until the summer to enjoy them — most are open all year-round.
Fitted with secret snugs, live music and perfectly pulled pints, Dublin’s pub scene is a culture in itself. After all, there are hundreds of these bars throughout the city. As James Joyce wrote in “Ulysses”: “Good puzzle would be cross Dublin without passing a pub.”
A trip to the Emerald Isle isn’t complete without a night out on the town, tapping your feet to traditional Irish folk music (called “trad”) and savouring a whiskey or a dark stout. One of our favourite bars for top-notch trad is The Cobblestone, where locals and tourists both raise a glass to leaping fiddler melodies, trilling flutes and the nostalgic lilt of Uillean piping.
If you’re sticking around the well-touristed Temple Bar area, we recommend The Palace Bar, a hometown favourite since 1823 that serves up tasty grilled-cheese toasties and offers a vast selection of spirits in the upstairs Whiskey Palace. Visit Temple Bar in January for TradFest; Ireland’s biggest trad festival.
Fitted with secret snugs, live music and perfectly pulled pints, Dublin’s pub scene is a culture in itself. After all, there are hundreds of these bars throughout the city. As James Joyce wrote in “Ulysses”: “Good puzzle would be cross Dublin without passing a pub.”
A trip to the Emerald Isle isn’t complete without a night out on the town, tapping your feet to traditional Irish folk music (called “trad”) and savouring a whiskey or a dark stout. One of our favourite bars for top-notch trad is The Cobblestone, where locals and tourists both raise a glass to leaping fiddler melodies, trilling flutes and the nostalgic lilt of Uillean piping.
If you’re sticking around the well-touristed Temple Bar area, we recommend The Palace Bar, a hometown favourite since 1823 that serves up tasty grilled-cheese toasties and offers a vast selection of spirits in the upstairs Whiskey Palace. Visit Temple Bar in January for TradFest; Ireland’s biggest trad festival.
To be considered Irish whiskey, a spirit must be distilled, aged in wooden casks for at least three years, and bottled — all in Ireland. You can taste its toasty, caramel-spice flavours at over 40 different distilleries across the island.
When clinking glasses in Ireland, you say Sláinte! (pronounced SLAN-chuh), which means “health” in Gaelic.
3. Game of Thrones Studio Tour
Step into the Hall of Faces and get up close to Sansa's wedding dress in this first-of-its-kind experience that opened in February 2022. It's the perfect way to start a road trip through Northern Ireland's 25+ Game of Thrones® film sites; more than any other region in the world. (One of them is the Dark Hedges, pictured here, which you may recognize as the Kingsroad.)
2. The Gobbins Cliff Path
Follow your guide along this coastal trail engineered from tubular bridges and basalt caves. Originally built in 1902, it’s since been fully renovated, and invites trekkers to place palms on cold cliff faces, listen to nesting birds up above and peer down at red seaweed and darting fish in the Irish Sea’s rock pools below.
1. Finn Lough Bubble Domes
These unique accommodations let you wake up to uninterrupted views of private forest hidden along the border of Fermanagh and Donegal. The sustainable retreat offers lakeside yoga and a two-hour spa trail, where you wind through the woods, stopping at cabins with Finnish saunas, float baths and hot tubs overlooking the water.
Hidden gems of Northern Ireland
As a UNESCO City of Literature, it’s small wonder that Dublin boasts some famous libraries. After all, the likes of James Joyce, Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett once walked upon the city’s cobblestone streets.
While the National Library of Ireland and Trinity College’s gorgeously arched Long Room may land on the most trip itineraries, we’re partial to Ireland’s oldest public library, Marsh’s Library. The dark oak shelves have remained largely unchanged since it first opened in 1707, back when the three gilded cages in the back were used to trap readers to ensure they didn’t steal books.
When you visit, don’t miss the Bram Stoker exhibit that shows what the Dracula author was reading as a teenager. And watch out for the library founder Archbishop Marsh — it’s said his ghost can be seen roaming the stacks.
As a UNESCO City of Literature, it’s small wonder that Dublin boasts some famous libraries. After all, the likes of James Joyce, Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett once walked upon the city’s cobblestone streets.
While the National Library of Ireland and Trinity College’s gorgeously arched Long Room may land on the most trip itineraries, we’re partial to Ireland’s oldest public library, Marsh’s Library. The dark oak shelves have remained largely unchanged since it first opened in 1707, back when the three gilded cages in the back were used to trap readers to ensure they didn’t steal books.
When you visit, don’t miss the Bram Stoker exhibit that shows what the Dracula author was reading as a teenager. And watch out for the library founder Archbishop Marsh — it’s said his ghost can be seen roaming the stacks.
Dublin is dotted with world-class museums, but EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum still stands out. This ultra-interactive exhibition about Irish emigration earned the title of Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction in 2021 for the third year in a row (World Travel Awards).
Try out your Riverdance skills, listen to the whispers of Irish authors and play a game of draw with Irish outlaws as you wander through the galleries that showcase the global impact of the 10 million Irish people who have left the Emerald Isle.
You can see Dublin from 17 storeys high on the rooftop walkway of Croke Park, the country’s largest sporting arena (and the city’s highest viewing platform). You might also catch a game of Gaelic football, camogie and hurling, regarded as one of the fastest and oldest field sport in the world.
Of legends told over stormy pints, or ancient lore whispered on gusts of Atlantic wind.
You may have heard some of these tales before — you know about the jaw-dropping Cliffs of Moher and the lively thrum of Temple Bar. But the island of Ireland offers so much more if you know where to look.
That’s why we handpicked our favourite lesser-known spots for you throughout the Emerald Isle, from Northern Ireland (which welcomes all fully vaccinated travellers with a simple pre-departure form) and the Republic of Ireland, where all COVID-related travel requirements were lifted on March 6, 2022.
So go ahead and press the Green Button on your own Ireland vacation with our tips on can't-miss experiences and hidden gems below.
Of legends told over stormy pints, or ancient lore whispered on gusts of Atlantic wind.
You may have heard some of these tales before — you know about the jaw-dropping Cliffs of Moher and the lively thrum of Temple Bar. But the island of Ireland offers so much more if you know where to look.
That’s why we handpicked our favourite lesser-known spots for you throughout the Emerald Isle, from Northern Ireland (which welcomes all fully vaccinated travellers with a simple pre-departure form) and the Republic of Ireland, where all COVID-related travel requirements were lifted on March 6, 2022.
So go ahead and press the Green Button on your own Ireland vacation with our tips on can't-miss experiences and hidden gems below.
Of legends told over stormy pints, or ancient lore whispered on gusts of Atlantic wind.
You may have heard some of these tales before — you know about the jaw-dropping Cliffs of Moher and the lively thrum of Temple Bar. But the island of Ireland offers so much more if you know where to look.
That’s why we handpicked our favourite lesser-known spots for you throughout the Emerald Isle, from Northern Ireland (which welcomes all fully vaccinated travellers with a simple pre-departure form) and the Republic of Ireland, where all COVID-related travel requirements were lifted on March 6, 2022.
So go ahead and press the Green Button on your own Ireland vacation with our tips on can't-miss experiences and hidden gems below.
The only official Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking region) outside of Ireland is in Tamworth, Ontario