Page 318 - Lonely Planet Europe’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)
P. 318

A T L A N T I C
                                                          O C E A N

                    The Long Way
          23 Round



         There’s a strong case to be made that the very best
         Ireland has to offer is closest to its jagged, dramatic
         coastlines: the splendid scenery, the best mountain         Killala
         ranges (geographically, Ireland is akin to a bowl,   Blacksod  Bay
         with raised edges) and most of its major towns and   Bay  Ballycroy  Ballina
                                                                      # \
                                                              National
         cities – Dublin, Belfast, Galway, Sligo and Cork.     Castlebar 4¼  # \
                                                               Park
         The western edge – between Donegal and Cork –   Clew Bay  #  # \  N5
                                                                 \ 6
                                                           Westport
                                                                 # #
         corresponds to the Wild Atlantic Way driving route.
                                                                      4¼
                                                                      N84
                                                      Clifden  # \ Clifden  # \
                                                                 22
                                                       Bay      F G
                                                                  Galway
                                                           F G      The  #
                                                                       ^
                                                            26
                                                        Inishmór #  Burren
                                                               9
                                                              #
                                                                     #
                                                                   \ #
                                                                   8
                                                              Doolin  # #  # 7
                                                                     4¼
                            h9.30am-5pm Sep-Jun, to              4¼  N85  \ #
        1 Dublin            7pm Jul & Aug; g21A, 51B,             N67  Ennis
        From its music, art and   78, 78A, 123 from Fleet St,
                            jJames’s) is the most
        literature to the legendary   popular place to visit
        nightlife that has inspired   in town; a beer-lover’s   4¼   4¼
                                                                 N69
                                                                      N21
        those same musicians,   Disneyland and multi-     Tralee
                                                          Bay
        artists and writers,                        Dingle    # \  Tralee
                                                       # # 4¼
                                                       \ #
        Dublin has always known   media bells-and-whistles   10  N86  # Castlemaine
                                                              \
                            homage to the country’s
        how to have fun and does   most famous export and   Dingle  # Killarney
                                                                 ]
                                                       # Ring ofFG
                                                     Bay
        it with deadly seriousness.   the city’s most enduring   #  22  4¼
                                                        11
                                                                     N22
        Start your sightseeing   symbol. The old grain   4¼ Kerry  \ #
                                                                12
                                                                # # Kenmare
                                                        N70
        with a walk (p366).                                     # Glengarriff
                                                                \
          Should you tire of the   storehouse is a suitable      # \ Bantry
        city’s more highbrow   cathedral in which to      Bantry      4¼
                                                                      N71
                                                           Bay
        offerings, the Guinness   worship the black gold;
                            shaped like a giant pint
        Storehouse (www.guinness-   of Guinness, it rises
        storehouse.com; St James’s   seven impressive storeys
        Gate, South Market St; adult/  around a stunning cen-
        student/child €18/16/6.50,   tral atrium.
        connoisseur experience €48;
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