Lonely Planet Ireland (Travel Guide)

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The pinnacle of Irish road trips. The Wild Atlantic Way will show adventurers both the natural beauty and the absolute craic that Ireland has to offer . Weave your way around mountains, bog lands and rugged karst landscapes as you experience the Emerald Isle. Take a mythical walk through Ballinastoe Woods before emerging at a viewpoint overlooking Guinness Lake. This is one of those trails where you have to keep reminding yourself to watch where you’re putting your feet because it’s nearly impossible to take your eyes off the views. Key events: Cat Laughs Comedy Festival, Dublin LGBTQ Pride, Irish Derby, Bloomsday, Cork Midsummer Festival, Mourne International Walking Festival. July is party time Offering up incredible views of the surrounding mountains, Mweelrea is a hike you can’t miss if you’re traveling along the Wild Atlantic Way. The highest mountain in the province of Connacht, standing at 814m (2671ft), has many different routes to the top that vary in difficulty and views.

Planning tip: We recommend taking at least two weeks to complete this road trip if you want to see as much as possible. 3. The Ring of Kerry Detour: While you’re already on the road, you should add one of Ireland’s highest mountain passes – “the Conor Pass” – to your list. Located just outside of Dingle town, it’s a great addition to the Slea Head Drive road trip. 7. The Ring of Beara Detour: On this trip, you’re not far from Ireland’s highest mountain, Carrauntoohil. It’s worth taking a day to attempt the hike via the Devil’s Ladder. 4. Mayo coastal road trip Located in a handsome Georgian house, the Little Museum of Dublin is a charming place that tells the story of Dublin over the last century via memorabilia, photographs and artefacts donated by the general public. The impressive collection includes a lectern used by John F Kennedy on his 1963 visit to Ireland, and an original copy of the fateful letter given to the Irish envoys to the treaty negotiations of 1921, whose contradictory instructions were at the heart of the split that resulted in the Civil War.Key events: Willie Clancy Summer School, Galway International Arts Festival, Longitude, Folkfest, All-Ireland Finals. August is crowded

Ireland is in holiday mode. Seaside towns and tourist centers are at their busiest as the country looks to make the most of its time off. Many of Ireland’s best festivals shift into gear at this time. Expect some tasty offerings like the Armagh Food and Cider Weekend or Galway’s International Oyster and Seafood Festival in September. County Cork has the monopoly on October events with the Kinsale Gourmet Festival and Guinness Jazz Festival. A sinister twist brings the month to a close with a spectacular parade at the Galway Aboo Halloween Festival, or visit Dublin, the hometown of Dracula’s creator, to catch the Bram Stoker Festival. The low season from November to February is the best time for a cheap stay in IrelandKey events: Dublin Theatre Festival, Cork Jazz Festival, Belfast International Arts Festival, Samhain (Halloween). November can be a cheaper time to visit Public transport in Ireland has improved dramatically over the years. It’s now a feasible alternative to getting around by car due to Irish Rail’s direct city-to-city links and Bus Éireann's network that covers almost every location nationwide. Hefty discounts mean it's also the cheapest way to travel in Ireland bar biking and hiking. Before you decide which mode of transport is most suitable for your upcoming visit, read our top tips for getting around Ireland. Car hire offers flexibility but isn't cheap This former 17th-century hospital – built in the Anglo-Dutch style and inspired by Paris’ Les Invalides – is now the IMMA, home to the country’s foremost modern art gallery. The blend of old and new comes together wonderfully, and you'll find contemporary Irish artists including Louis le Brocquy, Sean Scully, Barry Flanagan, Kathy Prendergast and Dorothy Cross, as well as a film installation by Neil Jordan. The permanent exhibition also features paintings from heavy-hitters Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró, and is topped up by regular temporary exhibitions.

An imposing grey building built in 1796, Kilmainham Gaol played a role in virtually every act of Ireland's painful path to independence from British rule, and even today, it still has the power to chill. Sometimes referred to as "The Bastille of Ireland", it was the forced temporary home of many rebels and revolutionaries. The Gaol was decommissioned in 1924 and is now a museum with an enthralling exhibit on the history of Irish nationalism. Key events: Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival, Dublin Fringe Festival. October means Halloween Stroll along a riverside as you explore a moss-covered forest. This gentle hike offers you the chance to relax and enjoy the serenity of the flowing water and natural forest landscape. Many people will take the opportunity to go for a dip in the waterfall or meditate beside it, taking in the calming sounds of the flowing water. The May Bank Holiday (on the first Monday) sees the first of the busy summer weekends as the Irish take to the roads to enjoy the budding good weather. Ireland is just the place for anyone seeking adventure and a few drinks in between. While it may be small, it’s a country full of incredible attractions.

The hugely impressive 709 hectares that comprise Phoenix Park have a lot to offer visitors. Attractions include Dublin Zoo, Áras an Uachtaráin, home of the Irish president, the official residence of the US ambassador and the Papal Cross, where John Paul II said mass to a million people in 1979. Visitors are always entranced by the large herd of fallow deer that call the park home. The women’s version of the game is called camogie. It is the same in all nearly all respects but is less physical, and players can score hand-passed goals, which are illegal in hurling. Games are shorter, and while hurling goalkeepers must wear a different color jersey than the rest of their teammates, camogie keepers don’t.

Wheelchairs and stools are available free of charge at the cloakrooms. Entrances on Merrion Square West and Clare Street are accessible for buggies and wheelchair users and people with reduced mobility. Lifts provide access to all levels of the gallery. There are Wild Atlantic Way markers at every point of interest along this incredible road trip to help you find your way, and you can follow the symbols attached to almost every road sign on the route so you don’t get lost.The National Gallery of Ireland showcases artworks spanning six centuries in 54 separate galleries. You’ll find big names include Goya, Rembrandt, Caravaggio and Van Gogh spread about its four wings, along with impressive paintings by luminaries such as Orpen, Reynolds and Van Dongen. The collection is strong in Irish art, and there are high-quality pieces from every major European school of painting. This is the final slice (or trailhead) of the magnificent Wild Atlantic Way, a coastal odyssey that connects this most northerly tip of Ireland to the south along the western seaboard. Inishowen has a hundred-mile sign-posted loop trail that covers the major attractions around the peninsula from any starting point. It’s one of the best places to visit in Ireland for a weekend, as it’s easily navigated over a couple of days. Choose 3, 4, 5, or 7 top Dublin attractions and enjoy great savings with Go City. Taste the world-famous Irish drink at Guinness Storehouse, enjoy the sights on Big Bus Dublin Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour, or discover Dublinʼs oldest building, Christ Church Cathedral - the choice is yours!