The West of Ireland is famous for its extraordinary scenery. Areas such as the Ring of Kerry, Connemara and the Burren are all remarkable and unique examples of this. Despite being a relatively small part of the world, the West is an extraordinarily diverse region. This means that you can cover a lot of ground, and see a lot of memorable sights, in a short time.

Traveling around the West of Ireland can be a breathtaking experience. You have endless great options for places to include in a trip. This article features our “Best of the West.” We’ve selected a few of the “classic” destinations and a few less heralded spots that are also well worth getting to.

Classics

The following are some of the West of Ireland’s most celebrated locations- and with good reason! These destinations are worth including in any trip to the West.

Kerry International Dark-Sky Reserve

Along the stunning Wild Atlantic Way, Kerry International Dark-Sky Reserve is one of Ireland’s most memorable locations. In fact, it has received the only Gold Tier Award of any dark-sky reserve in the Northern Hemisphere. You’ll quickly see why as Co Kerry in one of the best places to visit in Ireland.

This area boasts some of the most breathtaking sunsets you’ll ever see. Its nights are even more remarkable, with thousands of stars visible to the naked eye. It’s truly difficult to describe the experience. The reserve also isn’t as sparse as you might expect, with a pub, a hostel and the beautiful Derrynane House & Gardens all within it. It even has a chocolate factory!

Inishbofin Island, Galway

Inishbofin is a beautiful island off the coast of Connemara in Galway. A trip out to the island is a great addition to any travel around Connemara. You can also get the ferry from Cleggan Pier near Clifden, another beautiful Galway spot. Inishbofin is a special area of conservation and protection due to its unique plant and animal life. It has three official looped walks which allow visitors to experience Inishbofin’s stunning Atlantic scenery.

Flaggy Shore, Clare

Clare’s Flaggy Shore stretches from Finavarra Point to New Quay. It is a beautiful coastal walk with some lovely scenery. It also features a well-preserved 19th century Martello tower called Finavarra Tower. Flaggy Shore’s geology is very interesting, with limestone, sandstone and granite all deposited after the last ice age.

Mount Vernon, once the summer home of Lady Gregory, is also located here. The famous writer hosted other luminaries such as W.B. Yeats and George Bernard Shaw there. The house is still open to visitors. Seamus Heaney was even inspired to write his beautiful poem “Postscript” by Flaggy Shore.

Underrated Places in the West

These places are a little more off the beaten track but are just as worth your while as those discussed above.

Black Valley, Kerry

Kerry’s Black Valley, or Cummeenduff, is a beautiful, remote area. It is situated in the stunning MacGillycuddy’s Reeks mountain range in Kerry. The scenery is extremely dramatic and forms part of the Kerry Way, the hiker’s version of the Ring of Kerry route. The Black Valley is also near several other memorable places, such as Torc Waterfall and the Moll’s Gap mountain pass.

Dursey Island, County Cork

Dursey Island is located at the western tip of the Bear Peninsula in County Cork. It is another wonderful part of the Wild Atlantic Way. The island is separated from the mainland by the Dursey Sound. It is connected by Ireland’s only cable car, a popular feature of the area. The island is also fascinating historically. Many of the buildings that made up its three small towns are very well preserved.

Keem Bay, Achill

Keem Bay is a remarkable horsehoe bay surrounding a blue flag beach and a sweeping valley. The bay is connected to Achill Head, a beautiful milelong promontory at the westernmost tip of the island. It’s a stunning location where you can gaze out at the Atlantic while surrounded with lush, wild scenery. Keem Bay is believed to have inspired the artist Paul Henry’s celebrated 1910 painting ‘Launching the Currach,” which still hangs in the National Gallery of Ireland.

If you are fortunate enough to be planning a trip to Ireland’s stunning West, consider including a few of these great locations in your itinerary!