Cork
Cork is Ireland's second city with a strong food scene centered on the English Market, a walkable hilly center, and a more affordable pace than Dublin.
Country
Ireland
9 cities and towns
Ireland is not the cheapest country in Europe, but the pub culture, free coastal scenery, and genuine warmth of the people make every euro feel well spent. The national museums in Dublin are free to enter, the coastal walking trails cost nothing, and B&Bs outside the capital come in well below city hotel prices. Base yourself across Dublin, Cork, Dingle, Galway, Killarney, and Limerick, and travel in the shoulder season of late spring or early autumn for lower beds and emptier trails.
Where to go
Cities and towns in Ireland
Each one with what it costs to spend a day there.
Dingle
Dingle is a tiny, colorful harbor town on the Wild Atlantic Way, with free coastal walks, traditional pub music every night, and a genuine Irish-speaking community.
Dublin
Dublin offers free national museums, a free Literary Mile walk, and authentic pub culture, with better prices and atmosphere found in local neighborhoods away from Temple Bar.
Galway
Galway is Ireland's most bohemian city, with free street performers, a lively pub scene, and easy access to the Connemara coast and Aran Islands.
Kilkenny
Kilkenny is a compact medieval city built around a castle on the River Nore, with a craft beer scene that has earned it the title of Ireland's brewing capital and pints cheaper than Dublin or Galway.
Killarney
Killarney is the gateway to its namesake national park, where free hiking and cycling through lakes, castles, and mountains could fill days on end.
Limerick
Limerick is an often-overlooked riverside city with King John's Castle, the Milk Market, and a growing food scene at prices below the tourist trail.
Sligo
Sligo is a small Atlantic town in Yeats country, with Ben Bulben looming over surfing beaches at Strandhill and affordable accommodation along the Wild Atlantic Way.
Waterford
Waterford is Ireland's oldest city, wearing its Viking origins openly in the Triangle Quarter, with Reginald's Tower and connected museums tracing a thousand years of history at a price cheaper than Cork or Dublin.
Coverage of Ireland is still thin. The full list is here.
Browse all places