Travel

TripAdvisor Choice Awards reveals best Irish experiences and attractions

A scenic view of mountainous landscape and lake with Carauntoohil mountain in the distance, County Kerry, Ireland. A popular hiking and tourism route.

TRAVEL WEBSTE Tripadvisor has revealed the top overall experiences and attractions for people to try out in Ireland and across the world in its latest list from the 2022 Best of the Best Travellers' Choice Awards.

Spanning 11 categories, from Top Experiences and Top Attractions, across Ireland and the world, the awards are full of inspiration for any trip, particularly if a destination has not yet been decided.

The site previously revealed the best hotels in Ireland, which can be found here, with the latest list showing off what else the Emerald Isle has to offer.

Top of the list is the Dark Dublin Guided Walking Tour, which allowed visitors to discover the spooky side of Dublin will a small-group walking tour focused on the city's dark history.

Hear stories about murder, grave robbing, and brothels during a sightseeing stroll that includes popular city landmarks like Dublin Castle and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, go inside St. Michan’s Church, known for mummified remains, and explore the neighbourhood of Smithfield.

A scenic view of mountainous landscape and lake with Carauntoohil mountain in the distance, County Kerry, Ireland. A popular hiking and tourism route.

In second place is the Guided Climb of Carrauntoohill, which is located in the MacGillycuddy Reeks of Kerry. On the day of the climb, hikers are provided with a qualified and highly experienced mountain guide who will share a wealth of information on the history, geology, flora and fauna, along with lots of entertaining and interesting tales from the mountains, gained through many years spent climbing their slopes along with all important local knowledge.

In third place is the Cliffs of Moher Tour including the Wild Atlantic Way and Galway City, with Windmill Lane Recording Studios visitor experience in Dublin placed in fourth.

The top attractions in Ireland have also been revealed by travellers, with 14 Henrietta Street taking the top spot. A social history museum of Dublin life, from one building’s Georgian beginnings to its tenement times, visitors can connect the history of urban life over 300 years to the stories of the people who called the museum home.

One of the rooms of the tour of 14 Henrietta Street.

In intimate group tours, guides bring to life the stories of the humans who lived in the house, their changing circumstances, their experience of family life, of politics, and the impact of world affairs.

In second place is Kilmainham Gaol Museum, which, for over 100 years, held thousands of men, women and children fro crimes that ranged from minor offences to being involved in some of the most momentous events in Irish history.

A visit to the museum will allow you to discover the stories of people held here as ordinary criminals alongside those who fought for Irish independence. From the 1798 rebellion, to the 1916 Easter Rising, the Anglo-Irish War (1919-21), to the devastation of the Irish Civil War (1922-23) all these important events have a chapter in the story of Kilmainham Gaol.

Kilmainham Gaol, historic old prison in Dublin

In third place is the Book of Kells and the Old Library Exhibition. Located in the heart of the city centre in Trinity College Dublin, the exhibition displays the Book of Kells, a 9th century manuscript that documents the four Gospels of the life of Jesus Christ. The Book of Kells is Ireland’s greatest cultural treasure and the world’s most famous medieval manuscript. The exhibition also features access to the Long Room, one of the world’s most beautiful libraries, that houses 200,000 of Trinity College’s oldest books.

The Michael Collins Centre in Clonakilty, Cork, came in fourth place, while the Cliffs of Moher took the fifth spot.

The full list of both experiences and attractions can be found below.

Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Top Attractions - Ireland