Ireland will charm you with its great pubs, varied activities, landscapes and so much more. Choosing where to go can be a difficult task. That’s why I am giving you my impressions of the cities I explored. Follow along as I tell you where to go in the country.
- Dublin – Ireland’s capital
- Cork – The gastronomy city
- Blarney – Day Trip from Cork
- Clonakilty – Day trip from Cork
- Galway – Lively city
- The Cliffs Of Moher – Day trip from Galway
Dublin
You cannot go to Ireland without visiting the capital city. Dublin is also the biggest city in Ireland. You should spend at least 3 full days there.
Normally, I don’t like big cities, but Dublin stole my heart. The atmosphere in this city is so different from other metropolises.
You will most likely land at Dublin airport since it is the busiest in the country.
I went in July, and surprisingly it wasn’t as busy with tourists as I would have thought.
Here are some activities you can’t miss: Trinity College Dublin (the library is phenomenal), The Temple Bar (a classic), St. Stephen’s Green Park (perfect for a picnic or a walk in the afternoon) & Jameson Distillery Bow St. (perfect activity if you want to become an Official Jameson Brand Ambassador).
Cork
Cork is a small city known for its gastronomy and famous English Market. I recommend spending 2 full days in the city.
Cork City Goal was a prison in the XIX century. It is now a museum explaining the history of the prison. The entrance fee is 10€ (15$ CAD) for adults.
Oliver Plunket Street is a street filled with shops and restaurants.
The English Market is definitely worth a tour. Don’t go there too hungry because you will buy a lot of food.
Blarney
This is actually not a city I recommend staying at, but more a day trip from Cork. The main reason to go there is to visit Blarney Castle. That’s why I suggest spending 1 full day in this city.
From Cork, you need to take the Line 215 bus to Blarney. It takes about 25 minutes and costs 6€ (9$ CAD). This bus runs every 20 minutes from Cork to Blarney from 8 am to 10h55pm.
Blarney Castle is actually known for the Blarney stone. It’s a stone that you kiss for the gift of the gab at the top of the castle. The legend says that by kissing this stone you will now have eloquence, fluid speaking.
The entrance fee for Blarney Castle is 20€ (30$ CAD) for an adult, 16€ (24$ CAD) for 65 years old and over and 9€ (13$ CAD) for children (6-16 years old).
There is actually more to see than the Blarney Castle. The ticket gives you access to other sites. Check out the map of Blarney Castle under this paragraph.
Clonakilty
This is another day trip from Cork. Clonakilty is a very small, charming town. However, there’s not much to do. If you don’t have a lot of time in Ireland, you can skip this one. With only an afternoon, you should be able to see everything there is to see in this town.
From Cork, you need to take the Bus Éireann Route 237 to Clonakilty. It takes about 1h15 minutes and costs 10€ (15$ CAD). Click here for the link to the bus website.
Walk on Western Road to see some colorful shops and restaurants.
Visit the Church of the Immaculate Conception. The entrance is free.
Galway
Galway is a lively city with a great atmosphere. I recommend spending 1 full day + 1 more day for the Cliffs Of Moher.
Eyre Square is a popular spot in town. In the summer, there are locals playing music and sometimes even big concerts.
High St. & Williams St. are great streets for shops & restaurants.
For me, I had the most fun in Galway when it was a question of nightlife and parties.
The Cliffs Of Moher
Again, this is actually not a city, but more a day trip from Galway. The reason I mentioned this activity is that it’s one of the most popular and important to experience when you are in Ireland.
I booked this day with a tour company via TripAdvisor, Galway Tour Company. I highly recommend this company. They were on time for the pick-up. Our guide was so nice and hilarious. In my opinion, it’s the best way to do it because the journey to get to the cliffs is beautiful. You will see much more than only the cliffs. For example, we stopped at Dunguaire Castle, Poulnabrone Dolmen (portal tomb made of massive stones) and The Burren (National Park).
If you are a fan of Harry Potter, you should remember the Horcruxes. In The Half-Blood Prince, Harry and Dumbledore search for a Horcrux in a cave. This scene was filmed at The Cliffs of Moher.
