Top Places to Visit in Ireland
Part 1

My husband Lou and I recently visited Ireland in November 2021.  We were going back and forth about renting a car or taking a tour bus.  We ended up deciding to rent a car, and it was the best decision we ever made.  To be able to just hop in a car and drive to any destination you want is pure freedom.  I am going to tell you about all my favorite stops in Ireland.

Adare

My husband and I both fell in love with Adare in County Limerick, Ireland.   It is a small village, which has won many awards for its picturesque beauty and has been named a Heritage Town.   One of the things that drew us to Adare was the traditional thatched cottages.  If you rent a car, there is free parking at the Heritage Center.   Since we were there, we decided to stop in to see what else Adare had to offer that we didn’t know about. You can also pick up a map of the village at the visitor center and get a quick lesson on some of the history in the area.  We found out if we took a short walk along the Adare river bank it would lead you out of town to some cutouts on the bridge overlooking the River Maigue, from there you are able to view Desmond Castle.  Unfortunately,  we were there in November so we could not visit Desmond Castle because the tours only run from July 1st to September 30th. 

Cashel

We made a quick stop in the town of Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland to visit the Rock of Cashel.  There were plenty of cheap parking spots at the foot of the hill leading to the castle.  Walking the grounds of the Rock of Cashel was breathtaking. The views of the almost neon grass the sheep were grazing went on for miles.   After we spent an hour touring the grounds at the Rock of Cashel, we decided to walk around the little town. There were a lot of cute little shops where we could pick up some great souvenirs. 

Limerick and Bunratty Castle

Limerick was an unexpected stop for us due to us needing to get our Covid test done before flying back home to Illinois.  Limerick was one of many locations that you could get tested to fly back to the USA, and we are glad that we made that visit to Limerick.  Limerick was a larger city with more modern buildings and a shopping district.  If you make it there, be sure to stop and visit King John’s Castle, Hunt Museum, and St. Mary’s Cathedral.  We didn’t spend too much time here due to the fact there were so many other places to visit in Ireland.

Bunratty Castle

Lou and I decided to stop and visit the Bunratty Castle since it was so close to Limerick.  We like to visit areas that are less touristy, and the Bunratty Castle did not disappoint.  Not only did we get to visit the castle, but there is also a little village within walking distance that had a shopping area where we bought lots of souvenirs for our family and friends.  Don’t forget when you are walking in the little village to stop and check out Jilly & Joe’s Deluxe Ice Cream Boats – the oreo boat is a must-have.

Castleisland and Ballyseede Castle Hotel

Castleisland, County Kerry, Ireland is a small town that has a great cafe called Nana Bea’s Cafe & Gift Store. I would highly recommend ordering the Belfast pizza, which is a traditional margarita pizza, or the Barcelona pizza, which consists of gubbeen chorizo, toonsbridge fior do latté, honey, and oregano. But that’s not all, as they also had the best garlic cheese chips (which is garlic french fries) and tons of homemade desserts.  When you are there, stop down the street and have a Smithwick Red Ale or Orchard Thieves cider drink at the Tom McCarthy’s Bar.

We stayed at the Ballyseede Castle Hotel in Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland.  There are 45 rooms –  superior castle rooms, family castle rooms, double castle rooms, cozy castle doubles, and the lodge rooms. There are several restaurants and bars, and the fancy breakfast included in the price was delicious.  It was also very fancy to have a server that looked more like a butler.  The beautiful grounds are worth exploring and play host to weddings.

This is part 1 of my favorite spots in Ireland!  We visited so many locations that I needed a part 2 to tell you more about my favorite sports in Ireland and why I loved each of the places.  If a trip to Ireland is in your future, we’d love to help make it magical.  Contact your favorite Pineapple Escapes’ agent or email us at info@pineappleescapes.com to get started!

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