Ireland: Spend a week exploring the Emerald Isle
There's enough history and culture to entertain the whole family
Looking for a holiday that offers quality family time without hours waiting in airport check-in or security lines? Forget the airport and pack the family up in the car or book a coach trip and spend a week exploring the history, culture and sights of Ireland.
Start in Dublin, where tourists can visit Dublin castle with its state apartments, undercroft and Chapel Royal. Then head to Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin’s oldest building, dating to the 11th century.
Other city highlights include Trinity College, whose 400-year-old library houses the Book of Kells; the National Gallery of Ireland, which also hosts the Yeats Museum; the National Museum of Ireland-Archaeology and Irish National Stud, which claims on its Web site to be "home to some of Ireland’s finest thoroughbreds."
If time allows, visit Phoenix Park and the Wellington Memorial or the Japanese Garden.
No trip to Dublin would be complete without a stop at Ireland’s No. 1 visitor attraction: the Guinness Storehouse. A visit to this building in the heart of St. James Gate Brewery will teach everything you ever wanted to know about this dark beer. For many, the storehouse’s Gravity Bar is the highlight of their trip. Visitors can enjoy a breathtaking 360-degree view of Dublin while enjoying a complimentary pint of Guinness.
Travel on to Waterford City, Ireland’s oldest city, founded by Vikings in the ninth century. Visit the conical-roofed Reginald’s Tower, now a museum. According to the Waterford City Council, the tower is Ireland’s oldest standing building in continuous use. It has been a fortress, prison, military depot, a mint and an air raid shelter over the centuries.
Stop into the Waterford Crystal Factory and Gallery, founded in 1783. A 35-minute tour offers visitors a chance to see artisans creating this crystal of connoisseurs. The large shop offers no seconds, but provides a wide selection of crystal, from the traditional glass to unique globes and chandeliers.
Next on the agenda is Blarney castle to kiss the famous stone. Tradition has it that kissing the stone gives visitors the gift of eloquence.
Also visit Charles Fort, a five-bastioned, star-shaped fort that offers guided tours, and Desmond castle, a former prison that once held American sailors — both in Kinsale.
Hiking opportunities abound in Ireland, and one possible destination is the 25-square-mile Killarney National Park, home to three lakes, castles and lovely patches of wildflowers. The visitor center inside Muckross House has maps with hiking suggestions. Near the edge of Lower Lake are remains of the 15th-century Ross Castle. Climb to the top of the tower house for awe-inspiring views of the lake. Take a rowboat to Innisfallen Island to explore ruins of a seventh-century monastery, 11th-century church and 12th-century priory.
Before beginning your trip home, visit Bunratty Castle three miles from the town of Shannon. The castle, the most complete and authentic medieval fortress in Ireland, features mainly 15th- and 16th-century furnishings, tapestries and works of art.
