Circling Ireland: Top 10 Highlights

Top 10 highlights

• No. 10: Driving
  Driving on the "wrong" side of the car and street, and navigating six-pronged roundabouts going the wrong way was terrifying in the moment, though exciting in the memory. The road trip was worth the anxiety as we admired the lush countryside and sweeping coastline, dotted by sheep and ruins and 40 shades of green.

• No. 9: Kilkenny
  This is a darling town with a marvelous medieval mile, starting with Kilkenny Castle and ending at the Cathedral of St. Canice, which has one of the few round towers you can climb.

• No. 8: Lady of the Manor
  Enough touring historical mansions—this was the chance to live in one. Temple House near Ballymote is a Georgian manor that's been the Perceval family home since 1665. Roaming the authentic house, enjoying the idyllic grounds (with its own Knights of Templar ruin!) and hanging with the sheep was simply delightful.

Playing lady of the manor at Temple House

• No. 7: Dublin
  Dublin was a great welcome to Ireland: a terrific walking city bursting with vibrant energy, music, dining, and historical landmarks and treasures.

Dublin Trinity College library

• No. 6: Castles and mansions and gardens and ruins, oh my
  We passed by many evocative ruins and castles just driving along. But standouts were the Rock of Cashel, Powerscourt Gardens, and Kylemore Abbey.

Rock of Cashtel

• No. 5: Black Taxi tour of Belfast
  Driver James Gibson gave us a fascinating tour and insightful commentary about The Troubles—nearly 40 years of guerrilla warfare between the British-backed Protestants and the IRA/Catholics/Nationalists who wanted to end British rule in Northern Ireland. It's estimated that nearly 4,000 lives were lost, including "soldiers" as young as 12. (By the way, we saw nothing to mark the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, although you suddenly have to pay in pounds instead of Euros.)

Belfast wall of young victims during The Troubles

• No. 4: Cliffs of Moher
  There's you, five miles of cliffs, and the ocean. You can tune out the crowds and just appreciate the immensity of nature. The cliffs, which rise to 702 feet, attract nearly 1.5 million visitors a year, most of whom ignore the warning signs about staying on the path.

Cliffs of Moher

• No. 3: The Antrim Coast, especially the Giant's Causeway
  Along the northern coast of Northern Ireland is the most unique and beautiful 40 miles you'll ever see, with Downhill beach and the touristy Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. But the highlight was scampering around the Giant’s Causeway. Carved by ancient volcanic eruptions 60 million years ago, there are some 40,000 hexagonal basalt columns, stacked like steps with some as high as 39 feet, staggering down to the sea.

Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland

• No. 2: Dingle Peninsula and Ring of Kerry
  We couldn't decide between these two gorgeous coastal drives, so we did both. Dingle boasts Slea Head and Dunmore Head, as well as prehistoric rings and the 1,300-year-old Gallarus Oratory. (Stay in sweet Dingle's Greenmount House, where Julia Roberts once hid away.) The longer Ring of Kerry around the Iveragh Peninsula features Killarney National Park (with pretty Muckross House), Torc waterfall, and fabulous views from the Gap of Dunloe and Ladies View. This route continues onto the Skellig Ring—see our No. 1 highlight below!

Dunmore Head on the Dingle Peninsula

• And, the No. 1 highlight for us: The Skelligs
  Some eight miles into the Atlantic off the Ring of Kerry lie two islands called Skellig Michael and Little Skellig. The first is famed as a monastery founded in the sixth or seventh century, while Little Skellig is home to the world's second largest colony of breeding gannets, some 70,000 of them. You can take exhilarating boat tours from Portmagee to circle the islands, or to land on Skellig Michael—from there, you hike up 618 stairs to the beehive huts of the monastery, passing puffins all along the way. This was Ireland's most memorable encounter for us, at the collision of the mighty ocean, multitude of birds, majestic jagged peaks, and historical remnants.

Little Skellig, home to 70,000 gannets

Don't try to do too much in too little time. Ireland beseeches you to slow down and savor each image and experience. I recommend 10 days for Ireland and at least 12 days if you want to include Northern Ireland.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Ireland page.