Top Ireland Destinations

From rolling green countryside and craggy mountains to mystical Celtic ruins, crumbling castles, to rowdy beer bars and shanty pubs, the Emerald Isle has some of the most magical sites you will ever behold. Here are 10 great reasons to visit the top destinations in Ireland.  Ireland is a great family vacation destination or the perfect romantic travel destination for couples.

1.Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher rise up an impressive 120 meters above the swells of the Atlantic offering dramatic views of the coastline and the Aran Islands out at sea. The tops of the cliffs are covered with gorgeous meadows of green grass giving way to the waters crashing below against the cliffs of Galway Bay.

2.Blarney Castle

People have traveled to Blarney Castle for centuries to take in its beauty and to kiss the infamous Blarney Stone inside. While some areas of the site have been reconstructed, some of the battlements and keeps date back as far as the 1200s.

3.Burren National Park

Burren National Park has some of Ireland’s most unforgettable landscape. The area is dotted with rare plants and flowers throughout its crags and crevices. Throw in a few ancient monolith tombs and it’s easy to see why hikers, history buffs, botanists, and bird watchers flock to Burren National Park each year.

4.Giant’s Causeway

Giant’s Causeway is a natural formation of over 40,000 basalt pillars that are the result of a volcanic eruption about 50 million years ago. However, legend has it that these columns were formed when the Irish giant Finn McCool built a bridge across the Irish Sea to fight a Scottish giant with whom he had a beef with.

5.Dark Hedges

You might recognize this avenue of 18th-century beech trees from the second season of “Game of Thrones,” when Arya Stark flees King’s Landing disguised as a boy. The village of Stranocum is now a regular stop on Northern Ireland’s “Game of Thrones” location tours.

6.Lismore Castle

For about $56K a week, you can stay in your very own private 12th-century castle. The Irish seat of Britain’s Duke of Devonshire, Lismore Castle has 15 bedrooms to accommodate you and your closest friends. If that is a bit much, you can find cheap hotels starting at about $75 per night instead.

7.Glenariff Forest Park

Glenariff Forest Park is home to Waterfall Walkway that features three stunning waterfalls along its path. Glenariff is a gem hidden from the crowds heading to the nearby Giant’s Causeway.

8.Poulnabrone Dolmen

Poulnabrone dolmen is a Neolithic portal tomb in the Burren region of Clare, dating back to as early as 4,200 BC.

9.Cork

Cork is Ireland’s second largest city. Fun loving and slightly laid back, you can join the locals at a quaint and curious little coffee shop or a traditional pub. Take time to enjoy the Gothicism of St Finn Barre’s Cathedral that overlooks the town.

10.Skellig Michael

Skellig Michael is an imposing, windswept hunk of rock and a UNESCO World Heritage Site 12 kilometers off the southwest coast. If it looks familiar, that’s because it starred in the ending of “Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens.”  Tours to the island are available but sell out quickly during the peak summer season.

Tap into the luck of the Irish and be blown away with the beauty of the Emerald Isle. These top Ireland destinations are sure to be just the thing for your family vacation destination or for the perfecttravel destination for couples.