Planning a Trip to Ireland? 7 Places You Can't Miss

If you're planning a trip to Ireland, prepare to fall hard for a country where the landscapes are impossibly green, the pubs double as concert halls, and a stranger will happily give you directions that include a 20-minute story. Ireland is small enough to drive across in an afternoon, yet it packs in sea cliffs, monastic ruins, wild Atlantic islands and one of Europe's liveliest capitals. The best time to visit is May to September, when the days are long and the boats to offshore islands are running - though you should pack a rain jacket whatever the month. Here are seven places that belong on every Ireland bucket list, from the obvious icons to a few spots most first-timers miss.

Dublin: Book of Kells, Pubs and Georgian Streets

Most Irish adventures start in Dublin, and it deserves at least two full days. Begin at Trinity College to see the Book of Kells, a 1,200-year-old illuminated gospel, before walking into the Long Room - a barrel-vaulted library lined with 200,000 antique books that looks straight out of a fantasy novel. The Guinness Storehouse is touristy but genuinely fun, ending with a pint in the Gravity Bar overlooking the city's rooftops. Skip the overpriced Temple Bar strip at night and head for old-school pubs like Kehoe's, The Long Hall or O'Donoghue's, where live trad music sessions still happen most evenings. Fuel up with a proper Irish breakfast or a bowl of Irish stew and brown soda bread.

Cliffs of Moher and the Burren, County Clare

The Cliffs of Moher are Ireland's most famous natural wonder for good reason: they rise up to 214 metres straight out of the Atlantic and stretch for 14 kilometres along the Clare coast. Avoid the midday tour-bus crush by arriving early morning or after 5pm, or better yet, walk the Doolin Cliff Walk from the village of Doolin for quieter views and puffins on the sea stacks in early summer. Just inland lies the Burren, a surreal limestone moonscape where Arctic and Mediterranean wildflowers grow side by side. Stop at the Poulnabrone Dolmen, a 5,000-year-old portal tomb, then end the day with seafood chowder and a trad session in Doolin, often called the music capital of Ireland.

Ring of Kerry and Killarney National Park

The Ring of Kerry is a 179-kilometre loop around the Iveragh Peninsula, and it's one of the must-see drives in Europe. Tour buses travel it anticlockwise, so driving clockwise means fewer stand-offs on narrow roads. Base yourself in Killarney and spend a day in Killarney National Park, where you can visit Muckross House, hike to Torc Waterfall and take in the famous panorama at Ladies View. For something more adventurous, hire a bike or a jaunting car (a traditional horse-drawn cart) through the Gap of Dunloe, a dramatic glacial pass between the mountains. Don't leave the region without trying Kerry lamb or fresh crab in the harbour town of Kenmare.

Skellig Michael: Ireland's Ultimate Hidden Gem

Twelve kilometres off the Kerry coast, Skellig Michael is a jagged rock where monks built a monastery of stone beehive huts in the 6th century - and it's the most unforgettable day trip in Ireland. You'll climb 618 uneven stone steps with no handrails to reach the monastic settlement, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Star Wars fans will recognise it as Luke Skywalker's hideaway in The Force Awakens. Landing boats depart from Portmagee only from mid-May to late September and are frequently cancelled due to swell, so book well ahead and build a spare day into your itinerary. Visit before early August to see thousands of puffins nesting on the island.

Connemara and Kylemore Abbey, County Galway

Connemara is Ireland at its wildest: bog, lakes, stone walls and the brooding Twelve Bens mountains under an ever-changing sky. Its postcard star is Kylemore Abbey, a neo-Gothic castle reflected in a lake, which has been home to Benedictine nuns since 1920 and features a beautifully restored Victorian Walled Garden. Nearby, Connemara National Park offers the Diamond Hill loop, a two-to-three-hour hike with sweeping views of the coast and islands. Use Galway city as your base - its Latin Quarter buzzes with buskers, pubs and cafés, and if you visit in late September you can catch the Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival.

Giant's Causeway and the Causeway Coastal Route

Crossing into Northern Ireland, the Giant's Causeway is a UNESCO-listed coastline of around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns formed by ancient volcanic activity - or, according to legend, built by the giant Finn McCool. It's the highlight of the Causeway Coastal Route, one of the best road trips on the island. Along the way, test your nerves on the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, stroll beneath the twisted beech trees of the Dark Hedges (a Game of Thrones filming location), and explore the clifftop ruins of Dunluce Castle. Finish with a tasting at the Old Bushmills Distillery, which has held a licence to distil whiskey since 1608.

Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains

Just an hour south of Dublin, Glendalough is the perfect escape if you only have a day to spare outside the capital. This "valley of two lakes" is home to a monastic settlement founded by St Kevin in the 6th century, complete with a 30-metre round tower that has stood for about a thousand years. The best hike is the Spinc and Glenealo Valley loop, which climbs a boardwalk above the Upper Lake for spectacular views before dropping back through an old miners' village. Drive there via the Sally Gap, a remote mountain crossing through blanket bog and heather, and look out for wild deer along the way.

Start Your Ireland Bucket List with Söka

Ready to add the Emerald Isle to your bucket list? Söka is a free iOS app that helps you discover, plan, and track your travel goals - powered by AI. Download it today and start ticking off Ireland's cliffs, castles and pubs one by one.