Coast & beaches Family-friendly Rainy-day options Walking
A different kind of landscape
Nowhere else in Ireland looks like the Burren. Its grey limestone hills are bare and terraced, with cracks running between the rocks like a giant paving stone. It looks barren from a distance, but up close it’s full of life: in late spring the cracks fill with wildflowers, including Arctic, Alpine and Mediterranean species growing side by side, and nobody is entirely sure why.
On the coast, the Cliffs of Moher rise more than 200 metres above the Atlantic. Put them together with Doolin’s music pubs, caves you can walk into and some of the best small food producers in the west, and you’ve got one of the great long weekends in the country.
Seeing the Cliffs of Moher
The official visitor experience has the main viewing platforms, O’Brien’s Tower and an exhibition built into the hillside, with a ticket that covers parking. It’s busiest in the middle of the day, so go early in the morning or late in the evening, when the light is better anyway.
For a quieter view, walk part of the Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk, which runs along the clifftop between Doolin and Hag’s Head via the visitor centre. Doolin to the visitor centre is a popular stretch of about two hours each way. Stay well back from the edge: it’s unfenced along much of the route, and the wind can be strong. In season, you can also see the cliffs from below on a boat trip from Doolin, which gives you a real sense of their scale.
The Burren on foot
Burren National Park, near Corofin, has waymarked trails over limestone pavement and around turloughs (seasonal lakes). The Mullaghmore loop is the classic, with its folded, layered hill. Start at the information point in Corofin for maps. The best wildflower displays are usually from May to early June.
- Poulnabrone dolmen: a portal tomb more than 5,000 years old, a short stop off the R480.
- Caherconnell Stone Fort: a well-preserved ring fort with a visitor centre and sheepdog demonstrations.
- Corcomroe Abbey: the ruins of a Cistercian abbey in a quiet valley, with carved capitals.
- Black Head and Fanore: a coastal loop past a lighthouse to a sandy beach backed by dunes.
Caves for rainy days
Under the Burren lies a network of caves. Aillwee Cave near Ballyvaughan has guided tours, a birds of prey centre and a farm shop. Doolin Cave is home to the Great Stalactite, one of the longest free-hanging stalactites in Europe, at over 7 metres. Both are good with children.
The Burren food trail
The Burren has a cluster of excellent small food producers. Visit the Burren Smokehouse in Lisdoonvarna for oak-smoked salmon, the Burren Perfumery near Carran for its tea rooms and garden, and look out for local cheeses, lamb and seafood on menus in Ballyvaughan, Kilfenora and Doolin. Many producers are part of the Burren Food Trail.
Doolin and the music
Doolin has long been known as a centre for traditional music, and its pubs have sessions most nights in season. It’s a spread-out village rather than a town, so if you’re staying a bit outside, plan your lift home. Nearby, Lisdoonvarna hosts its famous matchmaking festival every September, Ennistymon has a lovely main street and cascades on the river, and Lahinch is a big surf town with a long beach and surf schools.
In season, ferries also run from Doolin to the Aran Islands, with Inis Oírr only about half an hour away.
When it rains
Aillwee and Doolin caves, the Burren Centre in Kilfenora, the Cliffs of Moher exhibition and a long lunch in Ballyvaughan are your friends. Ennis, 40 minutes away, has shops, cafés and pubs.
Good to know before you go
- Cliffs of Moher tickets are cheaper online, and you can book a time slot.
- Boat trips and Aran ferries from Doolin run mainly from spring to autumn and depend on the weather.
- Never walk on the cliff edge or step over barriers. Gusts can be sudden.
- Don’t remove stones or plants from the Burren: the landscape is protected.
Which area to stay in
Doolin has B&Bs, guesthouses, hostels and a few hotels, and puts you close to the cliffs and the music. Ballyvaughan suits those who’d rather be in the heart of the Burren, on Galway Bay. Ennistymon and Lahinch have more choice when Doolin is full.
A two-night plan
Friday: arrive in Doolin and find a session.
Saturday: walk from Doolin to the Cliffs of Moher in the morning, then Doolin Cave and the Burren Smokehouse.
Sunday: Poulnabrone, Caherconnell and Burren National Park, then lunch in Ballyvaughan before heading home.
The Burren is at its best for the May and June bank holidays, when the flowers are out. Combine it with Galway or Loop Head and Kilkee.
Frequently asked questions
Can you walk the Cliffs of Moher for free?
The coastal walk is a public path, but the main visitor centre charges for entry and parking. Some sections cross private land, so stick to the marked trail.
When are the Burren’s wildflowers at their best?
Usually from May to early June, though different species flower from April into summer.
Which is better, Aillwee Cave or Doolin Cave?
Both are excellent. Aillwee has more for families, with a birds of prey centre and farm shop; Doolin Cave has the Great Stalactite and a nature trail.
Can I visit the Burren without a car?
Yes, if you plan around the bus. Bus Éireann route 350 links Galway and Ennis via the Burren, Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher, and day tours run from Galway.
Where we’d stay
Quiet country house deep in the Burren, known for its food.
Good base for the cliffs and the music pubs.
Search the village's guesthouses for the best-value beds in the area.
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Getting there without a car
Possible without a car if you plan around the bus timetable.
- Train or coach to Galway or Ennis, then Bus Éireann route 350, which links them via the Burren, Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher.
- Day tours run from Galway in most seasons.
- In season, ferries run from Doolin to the Aran Islands and along the base of the cliffs.
Timetables change, especially on bank holidays, so check with the operator before you travel.
