I spent a year living in Dublin and traveling across Ireland as a student.
During that time, four spots — including Howth and Kinsale — stood out to me as must-visit places.
However, I found Blarney Gardens and the Cliffs of Moher a bit underwhelming.
When I moved to Ireland in 2022, I had two specific goals in mind.
I wanted to step inside Trinity College’s gorgeous library, and I also hoped to finally see the Cliffs of Moher, a place many readers might recognize as the site of Voldemort’s Horcrux cave in “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.”
Once I arrived, though, Ireland surprised me. It was far more beautiful than I expected, and I wanted to explore much more of the country than I’d originally planned.
Over the course of a year, I traveled across Ireland by train and bus — and found four places that were genuinely worth it and two that didn’t live up to the hype.
Howth was one of my favorite day trips from Dublin.
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Nishtha Chaudhary
Howth is just a 6-euro, half-hour train ride from Dublin’s city center, but it feels like a completely different place.
It’s a small fishing village on Dublin’s northeast coast, and the harbor’s eateries serve some of the best fish and chips I had in Ireland.
The real highlight, though, is the iconic Howth Cliff Walk. There are multiple routes to choose from; I mostly followed the Cliff Path Loop, which is relatively easy, can be done in two hours, and delivers incredible views of the Irish Sea.
Bog of Frogs Loop is also a great choice for a more challenging route.
Kinsale is where I fell in love with Ireland's small-town charm.
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Nishtha Chaudhary
Kinsale is a colorful harbor town near the city of Cork. There’s no direct bus from Dublin, but I got there by taking a 14-euro bus to Cork, and then a short local bus to Kinsale for 7 euros.
This town is known as the food capital of Ireland, and it lives up to the reputation if you love seafood. What I loved just as much, though, was Kinsale’s art scene.
The town is dotted with small galleries, and as someone who enjoys museums and creative spaces, I could have easily spent hours wandering in and out of them.
If you have time, Old Head of Kinsale, just south of town, is worth the short trip for its sweeping cliffs along the Wild Atlantic Way. My visit there is one of my favorite memories from my time in Ireland.
Glendalough has beautiful scenery and a charming, historic feel.
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Nishtha Chaudhary
I first saw Glendalough in a romantic scene in my favorite rom-com, “Leap Year.” I’d wanted to visit ever since watching.
An hour by bus from Dublin, Glendalough valley is a budget-friendly way to experience the Irish countryside, with round-trip tickets costing around 23 euros.
The valley is built around two glacial lakes and the ruins of a 6th-century monastic settlement, giving it a quiet, historic feel.
My favorite part is the Spinc trail, one of Glendalough’s best-known hikes with stunning views of the valley. It’s a bit challenging and time-intensive to complete, but once you see the landscape from above, it feels completely worth it.
I found Dalkey to be the perfect summer spot.
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Spiroview Inc/Shutterstock
Dalkey is a big reason that South Dublin is my favorite part of the city.
It’s a small seaside town that’s easy to reach by train, with round-trip tickets starting around 5 euros. I found the town to be compact and walkable, with several small parks scattered throughout.
Dalkey has strong links to Ireland’s most famous writers and is often associated with James Joyce’s “Ulysses,” which you can learn more about at Dalkey Castle.
That said, when I visited, I spent most of my time on Vico Road, which runs along the coast to Killiney Beach. If you enjoy swimming, the Vico Baths area is one of the best summer spots in Dublin.
I thought Blarney Gardens were impressive, but I was a little underwhelmed by the castle.
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Nishtha Chaudhary
Blarney Castle and Gardens in Cork are genuinely beautiful, especially the gardens, which were some of the prettiest I saw in Ireland.
However, I had high expectations for the castle, and I found it a little underwhelming to explore.
A lot of my visit revolved around lining up to kiss the Blarney Stone, and the roughly half-hour wait didn’t feel worth it — or particularly memorable.
I'm glad I saw the Cliffs of Moher, but I wouldn't necessarily go back.
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Nishtha Chaudhary
The Cliffs of Moher are beautiful and dramatic, and seeing them in person, especially the Horcrux cave, made me glad I finally got to tick them off my list. However, I probably wouldn’t go back again.
Some locals warned me about the heavy summer crowds, so I went in April, hoping for a quieter experience. Even then, though, the viewpoints were busy, and my visit felt rushed.
Reaching the cliffs without a car also meant a 4½ -hour journey each way and about 36 euros in transport costs. Compared to the quieter cliff walks I found elsewhere in Ireland, these didn’t feel like the best use of my time or money —especially on a student budget.
This story was originally published on February 6, 2026, and most recently updated on August 14, 2026.
