I Lived in Ireland For 2.5 Years, and These Are the Places I Tell Everyone to Go When Visiting

Ah, Dublin. As the country’s capital, it’s probably the first place you think of when you think of Ireland. And don’t get me wrong – Dublin is beautiful and so much fun, but if you’re visiting Ireland, don’t spend more than a day here, two days tops. Why? It’s very similar to most big European cities, and after you do the obvious highlights like take a tour of the Guinness Storehouse, grab a drink in Temple Bar, and walk down Grafton Street and through St Stephen’s Green, you’re basically done.

Since you’ll probably fly into Dublin airport, a good strategy is to take a nap at your hotel after you land in the morning, head out and see the city for the rest of the day, get a good night’s sleep, and then leave the city the next morning or afternoon.

If you do spend time in Dublin, in addition to the Guinness Storehouse, there’s also the Jameson distillery to tour if that’s more your style. If you’re a history buff and into true crime, definitely take a tour of Kilmainham Gaol, a former prison that’s now a museum. And make sure to take a walk through Trinity College, which houses the Book of Kells. Oh, and for traditional Irish music and delicious pints, head to The Brazen Head, Ireland’s oldest pub. For grub, head to Johnnie Fox’s, Ireland highest pub! While all of this might sound like a lot, you can easily do most of it in a day.

Just outside Dublin is Co. Wicklow, which is easily one of the most beautiful places on Earth. You can take day bus trips through Wicklow from Dublin, but I recommend staying in the charming town of Enniskerry instead. That way, you can stay out in the beautiful countryside at a charming B&B to soak up the breathtaking Wicklow Mountains.

While driving through Wicklow, you can see where parts of Braveheart and P.S. I Love You were filmed. Also make sure to stop in Glendalough, which is home to 6th-century monastic ruins.

Galway is a charming town located on the west coast of Ireland, and is where I lived for my two-and-a-half years there. From the friendly people to the colorful houses, it truly is one of the best places you’ll ever visit in your lifetime. And while the city is small, there’s still so much to do and see here. Take a stroll around the National University of Ireland, Galway (which has certain buildings that resemble Hogwarts), walk down Shop Street (the city’s main cobblestone street that doesn’t allow cars), grab a coffee and sit in Eyre Square, head down to the Spanish Arch to watch the River Corrib go by, and either walk or drive out to Salthill for the views (and if it’s warm enough, take a swim!).

For pubs, my favorites in Galway are Taaffes, Tig Coili, The King’s Head, The Front Door, Tigh Neachtain, and O’Connell’s. For food, be sure to grab a coffee and a scone from McCambridge’s, and enjoy both traditional and modern Irish food at The Pie Maker, Busker Brownes, The Cellar, or The Dáil.

Connemara is a breathtaking and rugged costal landscape on the west coast of Ireland. You could spend hours just driving around marveling at the beautiful Irish countryside here and it would definitely rank as one of the top travel days of your life. To explore Connemara, you can either drive or get a day bus tour from Galway, which is what I actually recommend. The bus tours take you to all the best places and must-see sites, including the town of Cong (where The Quiet Man was filmed), spots where parts of Marley & Me were filmed, Kylemore Abbey, Killary Fjord, the town of Spiddal, and more. And since Connemara is still so full of traditional Irish culture, you’ll wander through many Gaeltacht areas, which are areas where the Irish language is still prodominantly spoken.

Another must-see spot that’s not too far from Galway is Co. Clare. You can also take a day bus trip here from Galway, but I think both bus and car are perfect ways to see the sites, so you really can’t lose. Here, your stops will include Dunguaire Castle in the charming village of Kinvara, the Cliffs of Moher, The Burren, the town of Lisdoonvarna (home of Ireland’s infamous Matchmaking Festival), the tiny town of Doolin, and more. While in Doolin, make sure you grab lunch at Gus O’Connor’s pub and freshly-made fudge from The Doolin Chocolate Shop (your life will never be the same).

If the weather permits, you have to take a day trip out to Inishmore (or Inis Mór), which is the largest of the Aran Islands. Inishmore is accessible by ferry from Galway, and the ride usually takes about an hour. Once on Inishmore, I recommend renting bikes and exploring the island that way.

While on the island, make sure to check out things like the Heritage Centre, the Fort of Aongus, The Worm Hole, which is a completely natural rectangular shaped pool on the southern coast of the island (pictured), and the many beaches. Just be warned: even on a really hot day, the water is probably going to be freezing! Oh, and if you want to swim in The Worm Hole, make sure the water is calm and you have a friend with you (it’s really hard to get out of the hole!).

Dingle is, hands down, my favorite place on Earth. It’s definitely harder to get to (it’s about a four hour drive from Galway), but it’s more than worth it. The Dingle Peninsula in Co. Kerry is Ireland’s lush green landscape at its finest, and the winding roads all around the city give way to truly spectacular sites.

While in Dingle, make sure you check out Conor Pass, Slea Head Drive (which is part of the Wild Atlantic Way), Dunquin Pier (pictured), and Inch Beach. And if the weather permits, go surfing or kayaking on Dingle’s beautiful blue waters.

For food, definitely grab ice cream from Murphy’s, enjoy fresh seafood at Out of the Blue, grab your morning coffee from Bean in Dingle, and enjoy a few pints of Guinness or cider at Dick Macks or Foxy John’s.

Because just driving around Ireland is one of the best activities you can do, you definitely have to check out the Ring of Kerry, which is a beautiful drive around the Iveragh Peninsula in Co. Kerry. It’s 111 miles in length and takes about three-and-a-half hours to drive the entire thing. Be sure to check out sites along the way like Skellig Michael (the site of an old Irish monastery), Derrynane Beach, the stone forts of Cahergal and Leacanabuaile, and Kenmare town. Just give yourself some extra time in order to stop for scenic photo ops, lunch, and pints (you know, the essentials).

Head up to Northern Ireland for a stop in beautiful Belfast, which, like Dublin, you can spend about a day in. While here, check out Titanic Belfast, a visitor’s center where the RMS Titanic was built. Also head over to Belfast City Hall, Ulster Museum, or take a black cab tour to see the city’s political murals and learn about the Troubles, a period of conflict between the city’s Protestants and Catholics that lasted from 1968 to 1998.

As you head out of Belfast, be sure to stick to Co. Antrim’s northern coastline. It’s astoundingly beautiful and you can make stops at attractions like Giant’s Causeway (pictured), the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, Bushmills distilery, and Dunluce Castle.

If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, you’ll definitely also want to check out the infamous Dark Hedges in Co. Antrim. You’ll recognize this avenue of beach trees as the Kingsroad in season two, episode one of the HBO series. Parking is available near the hedges and you can explore for as long as you’d like. Just be warned: there are usually a lot of people trying to get the perfect photo on any given day, so capturing one with zero people in it will definitely be a challenge!