Ireland

Central Ireland

Central Ireland has some fantastic scenery and whilst the choice may be overwhelming you really can't go wrong. Check out the guides on our Dublin holidays page if you want to visit the city, or perhaps choose one of the numerous National Parks for your holiday. Wicklow Mountains National Park and Glendalough Monastery are amazingly serene, or if you want it all Connemara National Park really could be the answer with a huge variety of landscapes. Burren National Park offers plenty of outdoor pursuits if you want to get a little extreme or you can make a pilgrimage to the top of Westport Mountains to survey it all. There are plenty of historical sites too with the ruins on the Aran Islands, Newgrange, a 5000-year-old burial chamber, and Kylemore Abbey too. And don't forget to take in the astonishing vistas from Europe's highest cliffs at Moher.

Southern Ireland

South of Limerick Ireland gets even wilder with attractions farther between, making it ideal for a road trip. Cork is the main hub with plenty of lovely buildings and thriving cultural attractions with music, theatre and dance all popular. The medieval Red Abbey as well as the two cathedrals of St. Mary's and St. Finbarre's are also important to the city. Just outside the city, the famous Blarney Castle and its Blarney Stone as well as Killarney National Park await. The Rock of Cashel with its Cathedral and Abbey tells the tale of Ireland's religious and military history whilst the Dingle Peninsula has a more modern draw. The stunning coastline has been used in several films and has its own celebrity, a friendly dolphin living off the shore. Head to the Basket Islands, the pirate cave or the Celtic ruins to make the most of this area, or venture even further to the Skellig Islands. These lovely islands are known for their monastic ruins and wonderful bird watching and are perfect for getting away from the busier tourist sites.