A Beginners Guide: The Irish Way🍀🇮🇪

35: tourist attractions

Ireland is big country when it comes to touring. So here is a list of where to visit when you're in Ireland.

1) Cliffs of Moher ( The Cliffs, of course, are just one stop on the wonderful West Clare coastline. The Cliffs stretch for almost 5 miles and rise up to 702 feet over the waters of the Atlantic ocean. The amazing view from the Cliffs includes the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, The Twelve Pins and the Maum Turk Mountains. The landscape and seascape of the Cliffs of Moher have, for centuries, welcomed a multitude of visitors; close to 1 million people per year now travel to this iconic location. But don't get the wrong impression - just because many people flock to the site, this in no way spoils the experience of being there; it's easy to forget your surroundings and lose yourself in nature as you stand near the edge of the majestic cliffs. )

2) Ring of Kerry ( For many people around the world, the Ring of Kerry drive encapsulates their image of Ireland: ancient monuments, romantic castles, spectacular gardens and colorful towns and villages. The stunning scenery, dramatic coastline, charming locales and ancient archaeological treasures have been featured in postcards, film, poetry and song )

3) Giants Causeway ( a coastal area of about 40,000 basalt columns near the town of Bushmills in County Antrim, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Northern Ireland. Folklore tells us that an Irish giant named Finn MacCool once lived in the area, and from across the sea he could see a Scottish giant, Benandonner, his rival, whom he had never met. Finn challenged Benandonner to come to Ireland to fight. Because no boat was big enough to carry the giant, Finn built a causeway of stones in the water so that Benandonner would be able to make it across. When Finn realized the Scottish giant was far bigger than he had expected, he fled to the hills where his wife disguised him as a baby. This move foxed Bennadonner because he thought that if the child was that big, the father would be even bigger. Benandonner fled back to the Scotland, ripping up the causeway behind him, so that Finn wouldn't be able to follow him. In truth, Giant's Causeway was created by a volcanic eruption 60 million years ago - an interesting fact, but the Finn MacCool myth is a bit more fun to believe. No matter how it came to be, the Causeway is one of the best places to walk through in the North. )

4) The Guinness Storehouse ( The Guinness Storehouse tells the story of how Guinness is made and how this famous drink came to be, one of Ireland's best-known exports. It is in an awesome building: its core is in the shape of a giant pint glass, and consists of seven floors. After walking around for about 45 minutes and being constantly told how wonderful Guiness is, pretty soon the subliminal messages start to kick in. Before you know it, you find yourself craving a pint of the black, delicious stuff like your life depended on it, even if you were previously not a fan. It is, after all, an acquired taste. The top floor, which has the Gravity Bar, is the most fun. There you get a complimentary pint of Guinness. You also get the most spectacular view of Dublin, which is worth the admission price alone.

5) Trinity college ( Trinity College is Ireland's most prestigious college - and although its rivals at University College Dublin might dispute this, it's probably the best university in Ireland. But one thing not up for argument is the magnificent setting of Trinity: many of its majestic buildings are hundreds of years old. The college was founded by England's Queen Elizabeth 1 in 1592. Although the college is best known for the Book of Kells, it's also worth going there to check out the Long Room of its old library. Apparently, this room was the inspiration for a room called the Jedi Archives, in the movie, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. It is also worth taking one of the guided tours around the college as nearly every building seems to have an interesting story. Many of the tour guides appear to be Trinity College drama school graduates: They always seem to add a little dramatic flair to their tours. The best time of the year to visit this university is around the end of May, just after the students' exams are over. Then the whole college comes to life. A popular activity among its students is to sit out outside the Pavilion Bar known as "The Pav", while watching a game of cricket. Join them and bring a few beers, if you get the chance. )