The Emerald Isle Week 3- Southern Ireland Tourist Highlights

Hello Travelers! We are back for our third week of blog posts regarding travel to Ireland! This week we are going to start exploring some popular tourist destinations in Southern Ireland. This will include County Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Waterford, Wexford, and Kilkenny. If you are planning to or are interested in traveling to these areas of Ireland, this blog post is for you! 
We'll start with County Cork, and the first destination is the City of Cork itself! It is a very walkable city with old markets and shops to explore. It is also home to the Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral, a famous landmark in Irish history. The Ballycotton Cliff walk is another highly recommended activity in County Cork, but it may not be for those who prefer mild activities on their vacations as this walk can last over 2 hours, but if you are an adventurer, this might just be for you! You will get amazing views of the coast and some lesser-known Ireland beaches. Finally, last but not least, you can visit the Blarney Castle (and the Blarney Stone). Most tourists think that the only thing to do here is lean back and kiss the Blarney stone, but these grounds offer much more than that. There are beautiful gardens, and it is a simple area to move about.  
Onto County Kerry, my favorite area of the country! I want to start this section with a mention of a famous tourist site that I would bet many of you recognize but you aren't sure why. The Skellig Islands, located just under 10 miles off the coast of Irelands western shore are 2 small rocky Islands. One of these Islands, Skellig Michael, was home to an ancient monk group that built a Monastery and inhabited the island for over 600 years! This Island is also where Luke Skywalker is hidden in the newest Star Wars movies, so if you have seen any of those movies, you've seen Skellig Michael! County Kerry is also home to the Ring of Kerry, a road trip destination for everyone! Here you will discover some of the most picturesque destinations in the world! Finally, the Gap of Dunloe is a beautiful geographical destination that extends for miles in Killarney National Park.
Next up is County Limerick, and as the same with County Cork, the city of Limerick is a beautiful destination with much to offer. King John's castle is one example of the highlights that await you in the city. Limerick also has some of the best food offerings in all of Southern Ireland and they have many places that pop up for short periods of time, so there is always something new to try there! The final destination is Lough Gur, and this area is full of natural beauty and archeological history.
Continuing on to County Waterford, and this county is world famous for the crystal that they produce in the factory within the city of Waterford, which I highly recommend stopping at on your visit. For the adventures of the group, the Waterford Greenway is a 46 km long nature walk that starts in the city of Waterford and runs past many ancient castles as well as Viking settlement areas and ending in the town of Dungarvan. County Waterford is also home to some truly beautiful beaches, and while most of the year in Ireland may not be typical beach weather, these beaches are most certainly worth your time when you visit!
Wexford is up next, and this is a perfect destination for those who are looking for adventure and natural beauty in Ireland. Located in the Southeast Coast of Ireland, similar to County Waterford, there are countless beaches to see. In addition to this, the Saltree Islands which is 3 miles off the coast of Kilmore Quay in County Wexford. These islands (in addition to the Skellig Islands I mentioned above) are home to Puffin colonies between the months of April and June. Irish Heritage National Park is also located in County Wexford and tells almost 10,000 years of Irish history with fun stories and interactive experiences. 
Last but not least we have County Kilkenny. There is much to do within the city of course, but Kilkenny offers so much outside of the city limits. The Dunmore Caves are a stunning destination that are not to be missed. There also is an old castle that you can rent out for yourself (yes like your own private Airbnb Castle! called Tubbrid Castle, this books fast and is highly recommended if you want to try something unique during your stay. Kilkenny is also home to the Smithwick Brewery which was founded in 1710 (over 300 years ago!) and is perfect for any beer fanatic. 
These destinations I listed are by no means a comprehensive list of the things to do in these counties but offer a glimpse in the possible destinations during your vacation.  We will continue to explore Ireland this summer including some more information on attractions and destinations within other regions of Ireland, the culture of Ireland, and ways you can visit this one-of-a-kind country. Topics will be announced on Mondays with a post on our Facebook page and blog posts will be up on Wednesday afternoon! Thanks for visiting and if you are ready to book your trip to Ireland, get in touch with us at Port of Call Travel to get started!