Ireland

Ancient places & the wild Atlantic

In Ireland, the landscape and the stories are often inseparable. A ruined abbey in an open field, a mountain pass or a Georgian street can draw you into centuries of faith, ambition and everyday life. Then there are the Atlantic headlands, the music you stop to listen to and the food that gives you another reason to linger. Ireland is home for me, and familiarity has only made me more curious about it. These guides will help you look a little closer, whether you are planning a city stay or heading out into the countryside.

An aerial view of Valentia Lighthouse and the surrounding Atlantic coastline
Valentia Lighthouse, County Kerry
Sheep graze on green hills overlooking a sandy beach and rugged coastline near Westport
The coast near Westport

Choose your region

Wild Atlantic Way

For the west, start by choosing an area rather than trying to cover the entire coast. The Wild Atlantic Way takes you towards Atlantic bays, headlands and coastal towns, but I would leave room for inland detours too. Mountains, small towns and coastal roads are more enjoyable when you can stop for more than a photograph.

Formal gardens with clipped trees behind the stone buildings of Rothe House
Rothe House, Kilkenny

Choose your region

Ireland’s Ancient East

If historic places are a large part of the appeal, begin with Kilkenny and the Rock of Cashel. Kilkenny is home for me, so I am particularly keen that you experience more than a quick stop at the castle. Its streets and smaller interiors help the city make sense; Cashel adds a very different hilltop setting and a substantial chapter of ecclesiastical history.

A visitor looks at a large painting in a gallery with ochre walls
The Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin

The capital

Dublin

Dublin offers a distinct part of Ireland’s history and culture, along with Georgian streets, museums, pubs and a food scene worth making plans around. Having lived here for more than a decade, I find the advice to skip it because it isn’t the ‘real Ireland’ particularly unhelpful. Choose it if those things interest you; choose the countryside if they don’t. Both belong to the country.

A useful rule

Allow for the stops, not only the drive

A scenic road is rarely at its best when you are watching the clock. Build a day around a few places where you will get out, walk and spend time. If the route only works with brief photo stops and no allowance for weather, shorten it before you book the next night’s accommodation.

Put the wider trip together

Use the historical-sites guide to find places that give the landscape more context, then build a route around what interests you. The itinerary and short-break guides help you put those choices together, with separate advice if you are travelling in winter.

Every published guide

All Ireland guides

Browse all 24 Ireland guides