7 Magical Places in Ireland

There’s a lot to love in the Emerald Isle. From thousand-year-old ruins to wind-swept coastal towns, below are seven magical must-see places and itineraries in Ireland, recommended by our well-traveled readers.

1. “I recently took a trip to Ireland and visited Skellig Michael, a World Heritage Site off the country’s western coast. It was probably the most amazing place I have ever visited. It is a barren island (covered in puffins!) that housed a colony of monks more than 1,000 years ago. I had to climb 700 feet of steep stone steps to see the monks’ ancient beehive-shaped dwellings, which are still almost completely intact.” — Metravellongtime

2. “Surrounded by mountains, Belfast is pristine, clean and elegant. Gorgeous architecture, great shopping, friendly people. It offers opera, theater, restaurants, plus a great nightlife.” — costelj1

3. “I liked Hore Abbey, in Cashel, County Tipperary. Naturally, everyone goes to the incredibly well-preserved Rock of Cashel, so imposing on its higher ground. The Rock is solid, but there’s something much more interesting about Hore in its ruined state. There’s no doubt that a mystical experience — an old white terrier bade us follow her to the abbey — helped consecrate my visit.” — WackyHeathen

4. “We spent one week on the Dingle peninsula, which I would highly recommend, one week in Galway, based outside of Clifden, and one week in Cork. I really enjoyed all three, which were very different.” — TheTraveler

5. “I loved the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge on the coast in County Antrim. The bridge is suspended about 100 feet above the water and leads to a teeny little island with great views of the coast. Walking over the bridge was pretty scary to me (you can feel it swaying a bit and I’m afraid of heights), but the views were worth it.” — soliteyah

6. “We have been to Ireland three times. We love the southwest area of Ireland — especially Killarney. The ring of Kerry is so beautiful, as is the Dingle Peninsula.” — dthebolt

7. “For the best places in Ireland, I gravitate to the west: Cork and especially West Cork for wild scenery and wonderful people; Connemara and Mayo — high mountains, kayaking, walking and great pubs; Sligo and Donegal — distinctive towns and a different culture than the rest of Ireland; and the north — unspoiled areas of great beauty and hospitable people. Overall, the people are Ireland’s greatest natural resource!” — fastnet

Have you been to Ireland? Share your favorite Ireland sites in the comments.