Ireland has many things to do, so you can never see all highlights. Below you will find the ones I saw, but there are many more, so you can always do it differently. The most important highlights are covered, so you should read this page to get a fantastic insight into the things to do in special Ireland. This will contain famous ones but also hidden gems.

1. Start your trip in Athy or another cute village

After arriving in Dublin in the evening, we wanted to start in a small village like Athy. Athy is a cute village which contains some good pubs, restaurants, lovely buildings, and a cute river. It will not be your highlight of the trip, probably, but it is a lovely start of the trip. You will feel the real Ireland. Head further the next morning. 

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How to get here: The drive is 1 hour from Dublin. 

How much time needed: One night maximum.

2. Explore the ruins of Dunamase Castle

We drove past this castle, and it was absolutely great to visit. First of all, the ruins are pretty cool, and you can really explore them properly. The castle is built in the 9th century. The other highlight is that you have a great view of the area. For me, this is a surprising highlight in Ireland.

Price: Free to enter

How to get here: The drive is 1 hour from Dublin. 

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How much time needed: 30 minutes

3. Walk around Muckross House

Muckross House is a pretty house close to Killarney and lovely to visit. It has an old cool vibe to discover, but the highlight for me is the gardens and the forests around the area. The lakes are close, and the forests are very cool to hike through. You can have a great time here. 

Price: Free to enter the property, but I did not enter the house inside. 

How to get here: The drive is 15 minutes from Killarney

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 2 hours with a hike around in the forests.

4. Admire the Torc Waterfall

Very close to Mucross House, you can visit this gorgeous waterfall. It is a 2-kilometre hike towards it. The waterfall is 20 metres high, which makes it very impressive. From the road to the waterfall it is a two-minute walk, but you can walk different hikes in the area as well, which can take up to several hours.

Price: Free 

How to get here: The drive is 15 minutes from Killarney

Tourist occurrence: Medium 

How much time needed: 2 hours with a hike around in the forests.

5. Drive the Gap of Dunloe

The Gap of Dunloe is one of the most scenic drives in Ireland, and you cannot miss it when being close. You will drive in-between fantastic landscapes and mountains. We even saw 4 deer at the same time. Sometimes it is difficult to pass the cars driving the opposite way, but it was not that tough. However, we're here in low season, so it can be annoying in summer. You can start from the north or south, but I do not think there is a big difference, and they would both be gorgeous. This is one of the most gorgeous roads I have been on.

Price: Free 

How to get here: The drive is 15 or 25 minutes from Killarney, depending if you start in the north or south. 

Tourist occurrence: Medium 

How much time needed: 2 hours with a hike around in the forests.

6. Enjoy the beauty of Ladies View

During the drive of the Ring of Kerry (see number 11), Ladies View is one of the most gorgeous views, as you see a lot of mountains, lakes, trees and more. It is directly on the road, so you can have a short stop, but there is a restaurant and a parking lot as well. Do not miss this short stop.

Price: Free 

How to get here: On the Ring of Kerry

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 5-10 minutes

7. Walk around in the cute village Sneem

Going further on the Ring of Kerry (clockwise), you will find the cute village of Sneem. It has gorgeous colourful houses, a pretty rough river, a lovely market and some nice shops and restaurants. It is a village you can miss, but I really enjoyed a walk here. It is a fun stop.

How to get here: On the Ring of Kerry

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 1 hour

8. Admire the Derrynane Beach

One of the most beautiful beaches I have been to is Derrynane Beach, as it is a sandy beach with pretty clear water next to higher mountains and many rocks around it. It is a rough beach, but so cool! You can walk on rocks and sand and maybe swim in the summer. There is a house as well, and from there you can also do a small hike of 20 minutes, which I recommend doing.

Price: Free 

How to get here: On the Ring of Kerry

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How much time needed: 1 hour

9. Experience wind and beauty at Kerry Cliffs

My absolute highlight of the Ring of Kerry for me is the Kerry Cliffs, which are so high and impressive. I had never seen such gorgeous cliffs, and it is so cool. From April there are also many birds like puffins, gannets, and guillemots. Even with only a few birds in March, this is a fantastic sight. Note that the wind was so strong when we were there that the summit of the cliffs; we really had to be strong, and because of the wind, we could not go to the left side of the cliffs.

Price: €5

How to get here: On the Ring of Kerry

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 1 hour

10. Have a break of nature Killarney

Close to many great natural sights lies the electric city of Killarney. It is often the base for the Ring of Kerry, but it is also a very fun city to be in. It only has around 15,000 inhabitants, but it feels bigger. We went out on a Saturday, and it was very busy, and the city holds many pubs. This is a very nice town to spend an overnight.

How to get here: 3,5 hours drive from Dublin

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: One evening and morning

11. Drive the famous Ring of Kerry

The Ring of Kerry is a lovely road of around 200 kilometres in the southwest of Ireland. The sights from 3 to 10 are here so you can do this in one day. This is an absolute must-do in Ireland. The landscapes, sheep, sights and villages make this a unique route. You can drive it clockwise or anticlockwise. 

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: One full day, but it could be divided into two days.

12. Be in-between locals in Tralee

Tralee is probably not the highlight of your trip in Ireland, but it is a perfect way to be in a local area and meet the fantastic Irish people. There are some fun pubs, nice restaurants and a cool street that has several shops. Tralee can be a good stop, but do not stay too long.

How to get here: 3,5 hours drive from Dublin and 30 minutes from Killarney

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How much time needed: One overnight

13. Be amazed by the Cliffs of Moher

One of the most famous sights of Ireland is the Cliffs of Moher. Sometimes, places are more touristy because it is worth it, and here, this is the case. You can walk on both the left and right sides of the cliffs. Going to the right will give you the best view, and there is also a house. There are several hikes in the area as well. The cliffs themselves are very impressive and such a cool ecosystem. In the summer months there will be many birds in the area as well!

Price: €12

How to get here: 1,5 hours drive from Galway

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 1 hour without hikes.

14. Enjoy a great hike from Doolin to the Cliffs of Moher

From the cute village of Doolin you can (and should) do a wonderful hike towards the Cliffs of Moher. If you are lucky, you can do a hike of 8 kilometres towards the Cliffs. From there you can take a taxi back to Doolin or walk the same way back. In my case, we had to go back after 5 kilometres as the wind was too rough for the last end. We had to walk back. The hike is very gorgeous, with a lot of different cliffs and the ocean on the right side and meadows on your left. You will go up and down a couple of times to make it even more interesting. This is one of my favourite things to do in Ireland!

Price: Free

How to get here: 1,5 hours drive from Galway

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 2-5 hours, depending if you go back and how long the trail is opened.

15. Walk around in Galway

Galway is the number three city of Ireland in terms of population. It is a lovely city to have a couple of beers, a nice walk or some food. I was here during St Patrick's Day, so it was even more electric than normal. The city also has some cool rivers and buildings to pass by, so you can easily enjoy this compact town. 

How to get here: 2,5 hours drive from Dublin

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 1 day

16. Drive the Wild Atlantic Way

Besides the Ring of Kerry, you can also drive the famous Wild Atlantic Way, which goes over the west coast of the whole country. It goes from Cork to Donegal, and it is around 2,500 kilometres. The views and stops along this route are absolutely outstanding, and around every corner you can find different sights of towns. To me, this is an absolute treasure to go on, as you can stop wherever you want. We mostly drove on the middle part, and it was great!

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How much time needed: 1 hour without hikes.

17. Pay a visit to Kylemore Abbey

One of the most beautiful buildings of Ireland, at least what we have seen, is the Kylemore Abbey. You can walk around between several churches and gardens. We did not enter the building, but the view from the lake is great. Note that very high up the mountain you can find a statue of Jezus. This is a great stop.

Price: €18

How to get here: 1,5 hours drive from Galway

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: I do not really know, but we where there for around 15 minutes without getting in.

18. Enjoy the views from Connemara National Park

A lovely hike close to the Kylemore Abbey is a hike in Connemara National Park. There are several hikes between half an hour and four hours, and you can choose between hard, medium and easy. There is not much vegetation, but the views of the ocean with the hills are outstanding. This is a very good stop for a nice hike. 

How to get here: Just over an hour drive from Galway

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: I do not really know, but we where there for around 15 minutes without getting in.

19. Walk around in the cute city of Westport

Throughout the trip in Ireland, I thought Westport was the nicest village where I had been. The houses are in very bright colours, the cute Carrowbeg River floats through the city, and some cool churches are standing proudly in the village. There is a nice roundabout, and from there the most important streets are visible with many shops, pubs, and restaurants. 

How to get here: Just over an hour drive from Galway

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How much time needed: A couple of hours.

20. Hike up Croagh Patrick

Hiking Cloagh Patrick was probably the toughest hike I did in Ireland. You will hike up the mountain, and you will have an amazing view of the ocean, the nature and the villages. The hike starts pretty rough, then there is a more flat part in the middle, and the end is probably the steepest part. You may find some sheet on the way. This is a great hike to do in Ireland, as it is 722 metres high, which gives you amazing viewpoints. 

How to get here: Just over an hour drive from Galway.

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 3-5 hours

21. Have an easy hike in Brackloan Woods

Brackloan Woods is not a common place to go, but it is absolutely a nice hike to do. The walk is in a forest, and you will find gorgeous trees, which are covered in moss. There are also some nice creeks to discover. You can also find some birds. In my opinion, this is a lovely hike where you will almost be alone and just have a relaxed walk. 

How to get here: Just over an hour drive from Galway

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How much time needed: 1 hour

22. Have a swim at Clewbay

Is it cold? Yes. Is it nice? Also yes! This is a small place to have a swim in the ocean. There are places to sit, a football field, and some great views. I swam here in September, and it was cold, but also a nice experience. Some locals will join you, and that makes it an even cooler experience. Do not forget to head into the town and enjoy some beers or food. I really enjoyed this place, as the sun was out. Pay attention, as the water does not always have a good quality. 

How to get here: Very close to Westport

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How much time needed: A couple of hours.

23. Have a wonderful hike in Mullaghmeen Forest

Another surprise in Ireland is the Mullaghmeen Forest, which has several different good hikes. You can choose different hikes, but we went for the one with the view, and we made a great decision. The forest has some different ecosystems, and hiking here is absolutely great. This is an absolutely great place to go to, and the hikes are pretty easy.

How to get here: Very close to Westport

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How much time needed: 1-3 hours depending on the hike you are doing

24. Explore the electric Dublin

Dublin is the mighty capital of Ireland. It holds around 550,000 inhabitants, and going through the city is great and a real different experience than other cities and nature in the country. It does not hold the most sights compared to other capitals, but the vibe is just fantastic! The number of pubs is ridiculous and absolutely fantastic.

How to get here: Dublin is easily reach throughout the country and internationally. 

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 2 nights is perfect

If you want to know more about Dublin, check out:

25. Have some pints of Guiness

If you are in Ireland and you are into beer, you cannot miss a Guinness. Beerwise, it is probably the pride of the country. Guinness is getting more popular, but I really just enjoy the taste. Every pub in the country (at least we did not see one without) has Guinness on draught, and it is great to try a couple.

Price: Depending on where you are but between €5 and €10 (the most expensive in Dublin)

26. But at least enjoy the fantastic pub scene

Even if you are not a fan of beer or other alcohol, you cannot miss the fantastic pub scene of Ireland. The bus in general has so much atmosphere, and the Irish people are great. Often there is live music to increase the fun. You can find pubs in every corner of the country, and in most of them you can also have some food.

27. Erase you hangover with an Irish breakfast

If you had a lovely night with pubs and drinks, a good way to get over it is having a full Irish breakfast. It mostly consists of a fried egg, hash brown, bacon, sausage, toast, mushrooms, white beans in tomato sauce and my favourite black and white pudding. It can also be a good start of a day out and is often also available in a vegetarian option. 

28. Celebrate St Patrick's Day

If you are lucky enough to be in Ireland on the 17th of March (we came to Ireland especially because of it), you should absolutely celebrate Saint Patrick's Day. The vibe is fantastic, the people are great, the pubs are electric and you can also visit the parade (although that was a bit underwhelming). We were in Galway to celebrate, as it is less touristy than Dublin. The night before is also a bit of a warm-up for the day itself.

Tourist occurrence: Depending where you are, but Galway was medium.

How much time needed: 1 full day

29. Have a roadtrip through the country

The perfect way to experience Ireland is by doing a road trip. As many of the great sights are in nature, it is tough to go here by public transport. A car gives you a lot of freedom and makes you very flexible. Besides, you can drive certain amazing routes like the Ring of Kerry and the Wild Atlantic Road. 

Things that I have not done, but could be cool

I think there are many things I did not do as I was here only 10 days. Some examples are:

• Glendalough
• Donegal 
• Cork

Final thoughts

Ireland is a perfect country if you want to combine nature with pubs. You can do some wonderful hikes during the day and have some good pints in the evening. The people are so much fun as well, which makes it one of the best places to visit in Europe. This country is a must-visit if you like rough coasts, cool nature, and fun towns.

If you want to know more about Ireland, please check the following: