Best places to visit in Ireland

Ireland's Essential Wonders

This collection spans Ireland's architectural and natural history, from the Neolithic passage tomb at Newgrange to the medieval strongholds of Cahir and Donegal Castles. It features iconic Dublin landmarks like the 12th-century St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the 1816 Ha’penny Bridge. Natural highlights include the limestone karst of Burren National Park and dramatic coastal points such as Malin Head and Mizen Head. The list also preserves early Christian heritage through sites like the Gallarus Oratory and the monastic Kylemore Abbey.

Ireland's Essential Wonders — Map

Tony Webster / CC BY 2.0

A

St. Patrick's Cathedral

Historic Gothic Anglican cathedral dating back to 1191, known for its architectural and religious significance.

Barcex / CC BY-SA 3.0

B

Christ Church Cathedral

Medieval Anglican cathedral notable for its Romanesque and Gothic architecture and an extensive crypt dating back to the 11th century.

Rudi Wilderjans / CC BY-SA 2.0

C

Ha'penny Bridge

Historic cast-iron pedestrian bridge built in 1816 over the River Liffey. Known for its distinctive arch design and former halfpenny toll.

Mike Searle / CC BY-SA 2.0

D

Rock of Cashel

Before the Norman invasion, this complex served as the seat of the kings of Munster.

Carogonmu / CC BY-SA 4.0

E

Kylemore Abbey

Kylemore Abbey is a Benedictine Monastery founded in 1920 on the grounds of Kylemore Castle, in Connemara, County Galway, Ireland.

bastique / CC BY-SA 2.0

F

Newgrange

Newgrange is a prehistoric monument in County Meath in Ireland, located on a rise overlooking the River Boyne, eight kilometres west of the…

Patricia Ranghetti Rocha / CC-BY-SA

G

Kerry Cliffs Experience

Towering 300 meters above the Atlantic, these cliffs offer views of the Skellig Islands and Puffin Island. Formed over 400 million years ago, the site provides a vantage point for observing the rugged Skellig Coast and local birdlife.

RX-Guru / CC BY 3.0

H

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

I

Gallarus Oratory

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

John5199 / CC BY 2.0

J

Cahir Castle

Cahir Castle, one of the largest castles in Ireland, is sited on an island in the river Suir.

Matthewobrien / Public domain

K

Burren National Park

The Burren is a karst/glaciokarst landscape centred in County Clare, on the west coast of Ireland.

Kwrecks / CC BY-SA 4.0

L

Ballycarbery Castle

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

Andreas F. Borchert / CC BY-SA 3.0 de

M

Fanad Head Lighthouse

Standing on the Fanad Peninsula since 1817, this lighthouse was commissioned following the 1811 shipwreck of the HMS Saldanha. It serves as a key maritime navigation point on the northern coast of County Donegal.

Ent-ente / CC BY-SA 3.0

N

Mizen Head Lighthouse

Mizen Head is traditionally regarded as the most southerly point of mainland Ireland although Brow Head is the actual southernmost point.

Denise Figueiredo / CC-BY-SA

O

Downpatrick Head

This coastal headland features the Dún Briste sea stack, which separated from the cliffs in 1393. The site contains a statue and holy well dedicated to St. Patrick, alongside a lookout post used during World War II.

Anders Hallin / CC BY-SA 4.0

P

Malahide Castle

Malahide Castle, parts of which date to the 12th century, lies close to the village of Malahide, 14 km north of central Dublin in Ireland.

Becky McReynolds / CC BY-SA 4.0

Q

Donegal Castle

Donegal Castle is a castle situated in the centre of Donegal Town in County Donegal in Ulster, the northern province in Ireland.

Chmee2 / CC BY-SA 3.0

R

Malin Head

Malin Head is the most northerly point of mainland Ireland, located in the townland of Ardmalin on the Inishowen peninsula in County…

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