Aran Islands

The Cliffs of Moher on the Atlantic coast of County Clare reach a height of 214 meters north of O'Brien's Tower and are Ireland's most visited natural attraction. From the viewing platforms, on a clear day, you can see as far as the Aran Islands; seabirds breed on the rock ledges, including puffins in early summer.The Cliffs of Moher Experience, whose visitor center is built into the hillside, is open daily; the ticket includes parking and is cheaper online. The coastal path is only partially accessible in 2026: The southern section towards Hag's Head is completely closed; the visitor center cannot be reached from Doolin. Around the visitor center, about 3.5 km of path is open. Boat tours from Doolin offer a different perspective.

The Burren in the north of County Clare is a karst landscape of grey limestone pavements, where rare plants bloom in spring between the fissures. Together with the Cliffs of Moher, it has formed a UNESCO Global Geopark since 2011; the Burren National Park, founded in 1991, covers approximately 1,500 hectares.The most famous monument is the Poulnabrone Dolmen, a portal tomb from the Neolithic period, where archaeologists found the remains of over 30 people. The coastal village of Doolin is known for traditional music in its pubs and as a port for seasonal ferries to the Aran Islands.

The West is the heartland of the Wild Atlantic Way: In County Clare, the Cliffs of Moher plunge up to 214 metres into the Atlantic, behind which lies the karst landscape of the Burren. Galway is the West Coast's liveliest city and a gateway to the Aran Islands and the mountains and bogs of Connemara.Further north in County Mayo are the Georgian town of Westport, the pilgrimage mountain Croagh Patrick and Achill, Ireland's largest island. In parts of Connemara, on the Aran Islands and on Achill, Irish is still an everyday language.

With around 86,000 inhabitants, Galway is the largest city on the west coast and was European Capital of Culture in 2020. Life revolves around the Latin Quarter near Quay Street, with pubs, street music, and small shops; on the riverbank stands the Spanish Arch, a remnant of the medieval city wall, right next to it the Galway City Museum.Eyre Square marks the center of the new town, and to the west, the Salthill promenade stretches about two kilometers along Galway Bay. The city is a starting point for Connemara and the Aran Islands, with year-round ferries departing from Rossaveal, located about 37 kilometers away.

Connemara in the west of County Galway is a landscape of moors, lakes, and the Twelve Bens mountain ranges. Founded in 1980 near Letterfrack, Connemara National Park spans approximately 2,000 hectares; from the visitor centre, an approximately seven-kilometre circular trail leads up the 442-meter-high Diamond Hill with views of the coast and islands.On a lake shore stands Kylemore Abbey, a castle built from 1867, where Benedictine nuns have resided since 1920, complete with a neo-Gothic chapel and Victorian garden. Clifden is the main town, offering the roughly eleven-kilometre Sky Road along the coast.