Top places you can't miss when visiting Ireland

Here's everything you can't miss when visiting Ireland.

Discover with BITBOOK how to get to Ireland, where to stay, how to get around during your trip and much more.

Ireland is so small that it is smaller than 39 US states but is full of majestic natural scenery, fascinating historical sites and unique cultural experiences. The best things to do in Ireland range from climbing sacred mountains and exploring 1,000-year-old castles to brewing your own Irish whiskey and taking horse-drawn carriage rides.

Tourists to its capital will find top attractions in Dublin including a giant installation dedicated to the famous Irish beer Guinness, museums explaining the country's turbulent history and two contrasting shopping areas. This is your guide to the best of Ireland.

Tour the galleries and museums of Dublin's Georgian Quarter

Dublin

Surrounded by museums, galleries and stately 18th-century townhouses, Dublin's Georgian Quarter exudes a distinct elegance. Long one of the city's wealthiest areas, it is carefully planned around the lush and attractive spaces of St Stephen's Green and Merrion Park Square.

 This is an area best enjoyed on foot. Admire its architectural splendor as you stroll among its main attractions. These include the National Gallery in Merrion Square, which is free to enter and houses more than 10,000 works of art. This collection includes major European artists from the early Renaissance, but be sure to get acquainted with Irish artists including Roderic O'Conor, Sir William Orpen, Evie Hone and Jack B. Yeats. Ireland's natural and cultural history also comes alive at the National Museum of Ireland, the Irish Museum of Literature and the magnificent Trinity College, home to the ancient Book of Kells, the country's most precious document.

Sample stout and Irish whiskey in Dublin

Dublin

Few countries are as intrinsically linked to a beverage brand as Ireland is with its stout brewed by Guinness. Brewed in 49 countries and sold in more than 150 countries, this strong, creamy spirit was born in Dublin in 1759. The drink has become so iconic that it attracts the Guinness Storehouse, an establishment The massive building is attached to the company's Dublin brewery, which is its most visited location. Tourist destinations throughout Ireland. Six floors of displays about family history and the brewing process lead you to the Gravity Bar on the top floor. Enjoy panoramic views of the city while sipping on your complimentary pint. Almost as famous and globally successful is Jameson, the fourth best-selling whiskey in the world, which was also launched in Dublin in the 1700s. This whiskey is highly regarded in Ireland, which is said to invented brandy in the early 1400s, before Scotland. whiskey for nearly a century. At Jameson's Bow Street facility in Dublin, visitors can learn about this history and even blend their own whiskey as one of many tour experiences.

Visit Killarney National Park

Killarney is mostly outdoors, smelling the earth on the forest trails and the peat smoke in the air. It has been attracting tourists for centuries and you can follow in the footsteps of the first visitors by hiring a horse-drawn carriage (called a carriage) in town and taking a scenic drive around Muckross Lake . Your horse will be in diapers and the coachman (coachman) will be on his smartphone, but hey, we're in the 21st century. Then head to the traditional gardens and farms of Muckross House. While the house isn't a must-see, be sure to visit the traditional, partly open-air farmhouses to meet giant Irish wolfhounds and chat with the "farmers" and "wives." them on the farm. Then book a day trip to the Gap of Dunloe. You can climb or walk this 6.5 km (4 mile) long pass and return by open boat across two lakes to spectacular Ross Castle.

Visit Skellig Michael's otherworldly Star Wars set

Skellig Michael

Famous for being used as a backdrop in the Star Wars films, Skellig Michael is perhaps the most impressive location in Ireland. Rising from the Atlantic Ocean eight miles off the coast of County Kerry, this very steep and jagged island is home to a 1,400-year-old monastery. These ancient ruins can only be reached by climbing more than 100 rough stone steps after reaching the island's small dock.

 The ocean around this UNESCO World Heritage Site is so rough and the cliffs along this pier are so jagged that it is often dangerous for boats to dock. Tourist access to the island is therefore limited to a short season from mid-May to late September when the sea is calmer. Even during this time, boat trips often have to be canceled due to weather conditions; If so, you can visit the Skellig Experience visitor center in the beautiful fishing village of Portmagee.

Explore Belfast's Titanic Quarter

Belfast

Once a working port with thousands of people, it is now home to Belfast's biggest tourist attraction, the Titanic Quarter. The centerpiece of this waterfront district is Titanic Belfast, an impressive six-story museum covered in more than 3,000 reflective panels.

 This museum opened in 2012 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, perhaps the most famous ship in history, built in the old Belfast Dockyard. Through video, text and interactive exhibits, the center tells the tragic story of what was at the time the largest ocean liner ever built, while celebrating Belfast's industrial heritage. Just a few steps away is another important attraction of the Titanic Quarter: the huge dock where this ship docked, which gives an idea of ​​​​the scale of this project. Regular buses from Belfast City Hall serve the New Titanic area.

 Belfast City Hall, a vast building inspired by the design of St Paul's Cathedral in London, is the starting point for Hidden Belfast's one-hour walking tour of Belfast city centre. Attendees can admire many beautifully ornate Victorian buildings, including the Crown Liquor Saloon and the Linen Hall Library.

See you on the second part of this guide :)