Page 304 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

Leenane
4¼
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#
N59
Clifden Twelve
# 4 # # Bens
H
\ #
N59
p304 4¼
4¼ # # # \
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3
R341
Roundstone
22 Iconic Ireland
Aran
Islands
Every time-worn truth about Ireland will be found on
this trip: the breathtaking scenery of stone-walled A T L A N T I C
O C E A N
fields and wave-dashed cliffs; the picture-postcard Donegal
villages and bustling towns; the ancient ruins that Point
have stood since before history was written. The Loop
Head
trip begins in Ireland’s storied, fascinating capital Mouth of the
Shannon
and transports you to the wild west of Galway and
Connemara before taking you south to the even wilder Tralee Tralee
folds of County Kerry. Slea F G Bay # \
23
Dingle
Head # N86 4¼
# # 7 4¼
R561
# # 4¼
# \ 13 R563
#
8
\ #
# m K
]
Portmagee Kells 4¼ Killorglin #
N70
& Valentia \
Island 4¼
N71
# # Kenmare # \ #
12
\ #
10
H
# Sneem # 4¼ #
N70
\
www.tcd.ie; h 8am-10pm), p310 #
\ 11
# #
Skellig
TRIP HIGHLIGHT home to the gloriously Michael Caherdaniel
1 Dublin illuminated Book of Bantry Bay # \
World-class museums, Kells. It’s kept in the Old
Library’s stunning 65m
superb restaurants and
the best collection of Long Room (www.tcd.ie/
visitors/book-of-kells; East
entertainment in the Pavilion, Library Colonnades,
country – there are plenty Trinity College; adult/student/ highlights beyond green fields,
of good reasons why the child €10/9/free; h9.30am- which get greener and a little
capital is the ideal place more wild the further west you
to start your trip. Get 5pm Mon-Sat, 9.30am-4.30pm go. Twenty-four kilometres south
of Athlone (about halfway)
Sun May-Sep, 9.30am-5pm
some sightseeing in on Mon-Sat, noon-4.30pm Sun is a worthwhile detour to
a walking tour (p366) Oct-Apr; gall city centre). Clonmacnoise.
before ‘exploring’ at least
one of the city’s storied – 54 p312, p326
if not historic – pubs. 2 Galway City
Your top stop should The Drive »It’s a 208km The best way to appreci-
trip to Galway city across the
be the grounds of Trinity country along the M6 motorway, ate Galway is to amble –
College (%01-896 1000; which has little in terms of visual around Eyre Sq and
302