The Ultimate Ireland Travel Guide

Heading to the homeland for St. Patrick’s Day? Acclaimed chef Aidan McGee of the newly opened McGonagle’s Pub and The Dubliner shares his favorite Ireland itinerary from the city to the countryside, including his hometown of Donegal.
Shops, pubs and restaurants along one of the main pedestrian streets in Galway

GALWAY

Stay: Just a fifteen-minute drive from the city center is the Glenlo Abbey Hotel (glenloabbeyhotel.ie), once an 18th-century private estate that was restored and opened as a five-star hotel in the 1980s. Situated on 138 acres and on the shores of one of Ireland’s largest lakes, the Lough Corrib, the hotel features an unmatched dining experience at the Pullman Restaurant inside two former carriages from the Orient Express.

The dramatic Cliffs of Moher

See: One of the country’s most popular attractions, the Cliffs of Moher (cliffsofmoher.ie), is about a 90-minute drive from Galway. Walk along the paved paths to take in the breathtaking views over the Atlantic.

Dine: Aniar (aniarrestaurant.ie), a Michelin Starred restaurant from chef Jp McMahon aims to reveal the distinct flavors of western Ireland through a seasonally-focused tasting menu dedicated to using wild and foraged local ingredients from the country’s farms, wildlands and shores. Just a couple blocks away is McMahon’s other restaurant, Cava Bodega (cavarestaurant.ie), which celebrates Spanish tapas made from local Irish produce. Another spot that showcases locally sourced ingredients is Kai (kairestaurant.ie), which focuses on high-quality organic or wild produce.

Sip: A tucked-away pub in the center of the city that is sometimes overlooked, The Bunch of Grapes has a lovely wine list. For those who want to kick back with a pint of Guinness, head to Tigh Neachtain (tighneachtain.com), which boasts a varied menu featuring everything from little-known craft beers to rare whiskeys and home-brewed beers.

Slieve League Cliffs in Donegal

DONEGAL

Stay: You can’t come to Ireland and not stay in a castle. Just outside of town is Lough Eske Castle (lougheskecastlehotel.com), a historical centuries-old relic that is now a five-star destination resort overlooking its namesake lake. An option within walking distance of the town is the Mill Park Hotel (millparkhotel.com). Set on acres of manicured lawns, it’s a convenient spot to relax after a day of exploration.

Ballymastocker Bay

See: Head north to explore Donegal’s sweeping Blue Flag beaches. Ballymastocker Beach has been named one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, Culdaff Beach is great for swimming, windsurfing and wandering in the grassy sand dunes and Rossnowlagh Beach allows cars to drive right up on its broad expanse of sand. If you want one more excursion, stop at Carrickfinn Beach on your way back to town in the picturesque village of Kincasslagh with its ancient cottages and dramatic mountainous backdrop. Fuel up at the Rusty Mackerel (therustymackerel.com) pub before heading home.

Dine: The hundreds-year-old pub Biddy’s o’Barnes (biddysobarnes. com), nestled within the Bluestack Mountains on the Barnesmore Gap, just a fifteen-minute ride from town, serves up country pub fare and fresh seafood alongside warm service. More fresh seafood can be found downtown at the Harbour Restaurant (harbourdonegal. ie). After a meal, grab coffee at Simple Simons (simplesimons. ie) and gelato at Little Mamma’s (littlemammasgelato.ie)

Sip: It’s a big claim, but Chef McGee avows The Forge to be the best pub in the country. And he isn’t alone. The 300-plus-yearold pub, which was completely refurbished in 2004, is renowned throughout the Northwest of Ireland for its cozy atmosphere and heaps of character.

O’Connell Bridge over Liffey River and buildings on Bachelor’s Walk and O’Connell St. in Dublin.

DUBLIN

Stay: The College Green Hotel (thecollegegreenhotel.com) is an idyllic sanctuary in the middle of the bustling city with a reputation for amazing service. The three former financial institutions overlooking Trinity College have been restored and refined, retaining original artifacts and features.

See: There is so much to see in the country’s capital city, from the shops to the architecture to the parks. Splurge at the Barney’s of Ireland, Brown Thomas (brownthomas.com), flip through pages at the country’s oldest bookstore, Hodges Figgis (hodgesfiggis.ie), browse the many shops and eateries at Powerscourt Townhouse Centre (powerscourtcentre.ie), learn Ireland’s history at the Little Museum (littlemuseum.ie), and gaze at masterpieces in the National Gallery (nationalgallery.ie).

Dine: Kicky’s (kickys.ie) is a newcomer to the city, opening its doors in Nov. 2023. Already, the Mediterrean-inspired menu has amassed numerous awards, including a Michelin star. For much more casual dining that doesn’t skimp on flavor, go to Mani (manipizza.ie) for a memorable slice.

Sip: For inventive cocktails, head to the bar with no name (noname. bar), reached by climbing a flight of stairs to a series of warm rooms decorated with unmatched furniture and a canopy-covered outdoor terrace. For a glass of wine, head to the cellar at Fallon & Byrne (fallonandbyrne.com), where over 600 bottles of wine are displayed on floor-to-ceiling shelves. Live music fans will love an evening at Whelan’s (whelanslive.com), a traditional pub and music venue where some of Ireland’s biggest stars got their start.