Ireland is a country of great character. It shouldn’t be surprising that more holidaymakers are flocking to Ireland. Nowadays there are also many excursions to the emerald isle that stray further afield than Dublin. Further afield, to the south and the west, are cities brimming with culture, sites of astounding beauty and great relics of history.
Less frequented by tourists, this is the Ireland where you’re more likely to hear the pubs ring with whistles and mandolins. You’ll see more of the ‘preserved’ Irish culture, but no shortage of modern, vibrant Ireland either.
Getting there
Unless you’re coming from Western Europe, you’ll most probably want to fly. Mount Shannon airport, in County Clare, offers and good start point for your trip. If you don’t have long to stay and want to see the Cliffs of Moher this would be ideal.
Alternatively, you could fly into Cork and travel northwards from there. Either way, there are options for International Car Rental available to you. Roads in Ireland are safe and rarely busy, so renting a car is a sensible option.
Cork
Cork is a city brimming with art, music and culture. Saddling the River Lee as it joins the sea at the south of the country, it has many festivals and other events to offer. There are plenty of more tranquil attractions to enjoy in Cork too, including castles, museums and galleries.
Killarney National Park
West of Cork, in county Kerry, is 26000 acres of rivers, woods mountains and more. Included in these mountains is Carrauntoohil, the tallest in Ireland. Holidaymakers often stay for several days to explore this place. You can visit tiny old villages, cycle, even take a horse and carriage tour.
Limerick
Between Cork and Galway is another city brimming with culture and sights to see. Like both of them, it’s as good a city for bustling night-life as it is for quiet excursions.
Though it hasn’t been swamped by tourists, there are tours for holidaymakers to show you it’s rich history. There’s plenty of history to enjoy, especially old churches.
The Burren
Further north along Ireland’s west coast is The Burren, a ‘glaciated karst’ landscape. It has a beauty to it all of its own, alongside astounding biodiversity. Beautiful formations of stone are sprinkled with a wide variety of indigenous flowers. Hence much effort is made to conserve the Burren, and though roads have made it more accessible, care has been taken not to spoil its beauty along the way.
No visitor to the Burren should miss the Cliffs of Moher nearby. These immense cliffs are a spectacular sight against the crashing waves of the Atlantic, and at certain times of the year are populated with nesting seabirds.
Galway
You could spend your entire vacation simply wandering in Galway. The bustling streets are frequented by street performers from all reaches of Ireland and further beyond. Along those streets are countless pubs, some hundreds of years old.
Galway has more than its share of culture. There is an abundant music scene, and in July, an injection of even more color with the International Arts Festival.