Killarney

This vibrant little town has been welcoming visitors from all over the world for over 250 years. Famous for its beautiful countryside unlike anything you could imagine. Not only is the surrounding scenery transcendent beyond belief, but its renowned national park is bursting with remarkable lakes, waterfalls and forest.

Killarney is filled with welcoming, open-hearted locals waiting to greet all sorts of tourists. You’ll be sure to find whatever you’re looking for here with good food, pubs and hospitable stays to suit all budgets. High in demand during summer months, so book well in advanced if possible. Or if crowds aren’t your thing it’s best to visit during spring or autumn months instead.

Two Days in Killarney

There’s so much to see and do in Killarney that it’s impossible to even try squeeze it all into one small trip. With only 48 hours, here’s how we spent our mini trip.

Day One

We arrived early to make the most of our weekend getaway. We found a great deal with the Killarney Plaza Hotel. Situated in the heart of Killarney Town. This lavish 4 star hotel was the perfect location for our stay. The hotel is styled with a frame of sophistication and elegance in mind. The rooms were incredibly spacious and provided stunning views of the National Park. The deal we booked was great value inclusive of bed, breakfast and ‘picnic in the park’. We ordered the picnic for 1.30pm, this was freshly made by the chef, prepared and packaged so that when we arrived we could simply collect basket and be on our way.

The ‘picnic in the park’ deal is a great way to explore the National Park. Located directly across from the park we walked until we found an ideal spot to relax and enjoy what the chef had prepared for us. The reception had phoned the day prior to ask about allergies and preferences etc. Our basket included two ham and cheese sandwiches, two scones, two smarties cookies, some fruit and bottles of still water.

With the package you can actually hire bikes with the hotel. I hadn’t realised to book, so we missed out but it would definitely be worth doing as you would get to see way more of the national park if you do. It’s a fun way of admiring all the variety of animals and flora that are distinct to the park. If you’re a fan of nature, you’ll love this as Killarney has some of Europe’s rarest species. Be ready to be blown away by the spectacular views.

You could spend an entire day exploring the national park alone. From stunning lakes to mystical waterfalls and even Kerry’s famous mountain ranges, you won’t want to miss a thing! The park covers about 25,000 acres, not only was it Ireland’s very first national park, but it was names a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve back in 1981. Here’s some of the top attractions in the park.

The Muckross House

The Muckross House is located at the centre of the National Park. Open all year round with times varying from 9am-5pm November-March and 9am-6pm April-October. Children up to 12 can enter for free. An adult ticket costs just under €10 and students along with senior citizens can access the house for €7.75. Muckross house is an ideal location to explore the landscapes the park has to offer, including Muckross Lake. Tours last an hour and you’ll gain fascinating insight into Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their trips to Muckross House.

Torc Waterfall

While this is located in the National Park it is quite a distance from Killarney town if you are on foot. (This is why renting bikes would’ve been ideal). Roughly 7 kilometres from the town centre is the fabulous waterfall. Approximately 20 metres high and even more magnificent after a heavy downpour.

Take a Boat Ride on the Killarney Lakes

The Killarney lakes are absolutely breath-taking. If you have enough time it’s certainly worth doing a boat tour. There is plenty around, whether you’re interested in a heated boat tour, recommended in the autumn/winter months, or for the more adventurous there’s tours available on kayak.

The park in general is free to visit, but again it depends on what you wish to visit and how you wish to do so. Most attractions are free like the waterfall, lakes and gardens. So if you look to explore by foot your day may be relatively cheap. However, from walking around I personally think renting bikes or kayaks would have been much more enjoyable and quicker to explore the park.

Dinner

For dinner we booked the Tan Yard Restaurant in our hotel. It had been recommended by a friend and really did not disappoint. The atmosphere in the restaurant is classy-casual. The low lighting and comfortable seating is ideal for couples and makes for the perfect intimate dining experience.

We were really impressed with our experience, even with new Covid-19 procedures. We were guided to our table, offered sanitiser upon entry and were introduced to our server for the evening. Everything was run really smoothly and not once would you worry about hygiene or sanitisation it was completely under control.

The menu was wide-ranging from soups to salads to wings. We ordered the pan fired prawns and chicken wings to start, then both opting for the burgers to finish. And if I could drive those 3 hours just to have those prawns again today I would. The food was so unbelievably tasty and really good value too. The only thing that is unfortunate, but completely due to Covid and not the hotel was the time limit of an hour and a half. But in saying this, the bar allows you to bring your drinks with you back to your room, so it was definitely a nice work around if you ask me and it makes the experience seem a little longer.

Day Two

Waking up with slightly sore heads, we decided to book breakfast at the last possible time, which coincided with our checkout at 11am. I have to say, for a breakfast that was included in the package there was such a variety on the menu again. From porridge, full Irish breakfasts, smoked salmon bagels to eggs benedict it was really hard to decide what to order. Once again completely complying with Covid-19 restrictions, tables were 2 metres apart, we were guided to our dining area and introduced to our server.

The Gap of Dunloe

To clear the heads before the drive home we decided to trek the Gap of Dunloe. One of Ireland’s most famous landmarks and 100% worth the visit if you find yourself in Killarney. Located in the MacGuillicuddy Reeks mountain range and renowned for the river ‘Loe’ that flows through the gap. This is a great day out, the Gap is about 12 kilometres in distance. We chose go by foot by often people explore the gap by car, bike or even by horse drawn wagon.

After making our way back to the start we stopped for lunch in Kate Kearney's Cottage, which is always buzzing with people. With a choice of seating indoors and outdoors, there is plenty of room for any tourists who visit. We ordered the special toasties and chips and they were exactly what was needed after such a long walk. The price is so reasonable too!

If you’re interested in exploring a new place outdoors and embracing yourself in the local scenery Killarney is the perfect place to visit.