Ireland is a land steeped in natural beauty and it’s impossible not to get drawn in by its stoic charm. Take your time – though geographically small, you’ll want ample opportunity to savour Ireland's craggy coastal landscapes and strong ocean winds, made all the more refreshing by the locals’ sunny disposition.
Dublin is the natural starting point for any trip here, where old world charm fuses seamlessly with the city’s fresh cosmopolitan veneer and vibrant nightlife. There are plenty of day trips from the capital, such as Blarney Castle (where legend has it you can kiss its stone and gain “the gift of the gab”) or the romantic seaside city at Galway.
But for a true taste of everything Ireland has to offer, it pays to escape the cities and soak up the countryside. And there’s no better way to do this than by driving.
Launched in 2014, the Wild Atlantic Way (WAW) is Ireland’s answer to Australia’s Great Ocean Road, or America’s Route 66. Billed as the longest driving route in the world, the 2,500-kilometre WAW runs from County Cork in the south to County Donegal in the north, taking in some of the finest scenery Ireland has to offer. In fact, scratch that: this is some of the best scenery Europe has to offer.
With its world-class visitor centre, the Cliffs of Moher draw over one million visitors a year, making them the single most popular attraction and the highlight of the Wild Atlantic Way. But there are many more gems waiting to be discovered en route.
Hire a car and drive at your own pace. Or, if you don’t fancy driving yourself, guided tours will take you along preferred sections.
Although narrow, the roads are in excellent condition and, unlike most of Europe, cars drive on the left. It also pays not to rush. Stop and gaze at the views, take photos of the damp sheep in fields of iridescent green, and find a bed for the night in the village pub where you can meet unfailingly friendly locals and discover your own slice of Ireland.
Ireland is also rich with ancient and natural wonders – among them the prehistoric castles and tunnels of Bruna Boinne. This site in County Meath is home to some of the most significant Neolithic-period constructions in the world. It’s a designated Unesco World Heritage Site and has nearly a hundred monuments. These treasures have been revealed to be older than the pyramids in Egypt. Its most famous pieces are the stone passage graves called Knowth, Newgrange and Dowth.
If you’re interested the island’s troubled past and its journey of reconciliation between the northern Catholic nationalists and southern Protestants loyal to the English Crown, take a trip to Belfast (though technically Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, rather than the Republic of Ireland). It’s where some of the most harrowing terrorist bombings, kidnappings and murders happened during the decades of civil unrest and locals have an important story to tell.
But even this sojourn is unlikely to be bleak. The Irish have a mischievous appetite for “craic” (roughly translated as having a good time). Lucky for travellers, this means no matter where you go, there’s likely to be someone willing to share in a laugh or a patiently-poured, stormy black Guinness. Say cheers.
Backpackers/Budget Travellers; Families; History Buffs; LGBTQ-friendly
