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Killarney, Ireland
Killarney sits at the entrance to Killarney National Park, Ireland's oldest and most visited, and the town's compact center is a lively base for some of the country's finest walking. The national park encompasses three lakes, ancient oak woodlands, and the 15th-century Ross Castle on the lakeshore. Muckross House, a Victorian mansion in the park, offers garden walks and access to Torc Waterfall, a popular short hike. The Gap of Dunloe, a dramatic mountain pass, is one of Ireland's great walking experiences, with rugged scenery and hardly a car in sight. In town, the pedestrian streets buzz with traditional pubs hosting live music sessions nightly, and craft shops sell Kerry woolens and local produce. The Ring of Kerry, one of Ireland's most famous scenic drives, begins and ends here, and many sections can be walked for a more intimate experience of the dramatic coastal and mountain scenery.
explore by interest
The national park is free to enter and criss-crossed with walking trails — pick up a map at the visitor center and choose from lakeside, woodland, or mountain routes.
May through September offers the best weather for park walks, with June providing the longest days and rhododendrons in spectacular bloom.