Best things to do in County Kerry

County Kerry's Unmissable Highlights

County Kerry encompasses the Wild Atlantic Way’s most prominent landmarks, from the UNESCO-listed Skellig Monastery to the Iron Age drystone masonry of Staigue Fort. The region is defined by the mountainous terrain of the Conor Pass and the 300-meter-high Kerry Cliffs. Coastal highlights include the five-kilometer sand spit at Inch Beach and the early Christian architecture of the Gallarus Oratory. These sites represent over two millennia of Irish history set against a backdrop of glacial valleys and rugged peninsulas.

County Kerry's Unmissable Highlights — Map

Patricia Ranghetti Rocha / CC-BY-SA

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Kerry Cliffs Experience

These 300-meter-high sandstone cliffs offer views of the Skellig Islands and Puffin Island. Formed over 400 million years ago, the site includes walking paths and viewing platforms located four kilometers from Portmagee.

RX-Guru / CC BY 3.0

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Slea Head

Slea Head is a promontory on the westernmost part of the Dingle Peninsula, in southwest County Kerry, Ireland.

K. Jähne / CC-BY-SA-3.0

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Gallarus Oratory

The Gallarus Oratory (Irish: Séipéilín Ghallarais, Gallarus being interpreted as either 'rocky headland' or 'house or shelter for foreigner…

Niki.L / CC BY 3.0

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Conor Pass

The Conor Pass or Connor Pass is one of the highest mountain passes in Ireland served by an asphalted road.

Kwrecks / CC BY-SA 4.0

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Ballycarbery Castle

Ballycarbery Castle is a castle 3 kilometres from Cahersiveen, County Kerry, Ireland.

Pedelecs / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Inch Beach

A five-kilometer sandy spit extending into Dingle Bay. This Blue Flag beach is a destination for surfing, kayaking, and fishing, and served as a filming location for the 1970 film Ryan's Daughter.

Beyourbest2 / CC BY-SA 4.0

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Skellig Monastery

Skellig Michael, also called Great Skellig, is a twin-pinnacled crag 11.6 kilometres west of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland.

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Staigue Fort

Staigue or Staig is a ruined stone ringfort three miles west of Sneem, on the Iveragh peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland.

Heather Myers / CC-BY-SA

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Rossbeigh Beach

Located on the Iveragh Peninsula near Glenbeigh, this six-kilometer sandy beach is part of a Special Area of Conservation. It features extensive sand dunes and views across the water to the Dingle Peninsula.

Candace Perry / CC-BY-SA

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Coumeenoole Bay

Situated at the western tip of the Dingle Peninsula near Slea Head, this secluded beach is framed by jagged cliffs. Due to powerful Atlantic currents, the water is unsuitable for swimming.

Peter Theis / CC-BY-SA

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Derrynane Beach

This sheltered Blue Flag beach near Caherdaniel is situated adjacent to the historic Derrynane House. It features white sand and a natural harbor used for watersports and coastal walks.

Other Lists

Irish Viewpoints and Coastal Gems Irish Ruins and Castles Beautiful Beaches