Town centre
First-timersPubs, restaurants and B&Bs, with the park a five-minute walk away.
Killarney city guide
Things To Do In Killarney
A small, busy town on the edge of Ireland's first national park, with lakes, mountains and a waterfall within cycling distance. Touristy in July, superb in May, and the base for the Ring of Kerry.
3
Hostels in the city
6.0
Average, from 7,834 reviews
1932
Ireland's first national park
1,038 m
Carrauntoohil, highest in Ireland
179 km
The Ring of Kerry
A tourist town next to a national park
Killarney has been welcoming visitors since the eighteenth century, and it shows. The town is full of pubs, B&Bs and horse-drawn jaunting cars, and in July and August it is very busy.
The reason is on its doorstep. Killarney National Park, the first national park in Ireland, starts at the edge of town: three lakes, old oak woods, a herd of native red deer, and the MacGillycuddy's Reeks behind them, including Carrauntoohil, the highest mountain in the country.
The town is also the base for the Ring of Kerry, the Gap of Dunloe and, in summer, the boats to Skellig Michael. Three days is a good stay, and you can see a great deal of it by bike.
Where to stay
The town centre is small and walkable, and the park starts at its edge.
Station area
Arriving and leavingNext to the bus and train stations, on the edge of the centre.
Muckross Road
Nearer the parkThe road south towards Muckross, with guesthouses and the park on one side.
Fossa
Lakes and quietA village west of town near Lough Leane, towards the Gap of Dunloe.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 3 top-rated hostels. Map © MapTiler © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Killarney
Hire a bike in town and ride into the national park. The road to Muckross House, a Victorian mansion on the lake, is flat, and Torc Waterfall is a short climb beyond it. Ross Castle, a fifteenth-century tower house on Lough Leane, is on the other side of town, and boats leave from it for the lakes.
The Gap of Dunloe is the classic day: a narrow mountain pass that you walk or cycle through, then a boat back across the lakes to Ross Castle. It takes most of a day and it is the best thing in the area.
The Ring of Kerry, a 179-kilometre loop round the Iveragh peninsula, is best done by car or on a day tour from town. Drive it anticlockwise, as the tour buses do, or you will meet them on the narrow bends.
From mid-May to September, boats leave Portmagee for Skellig Michael, a sixth-century monastery on a rock in the Atlantic. Landings are limited and weather-dependent, so book months ahead and expect cancellations.
Free things
Free things to do in Killarney
The national park is free, and it is the whole point. You can walk or cycle to Muckross House, Muckross Abbey, Torc Waterfall and Ross Castle without paying anything; only the house interiors charge.
Muckross Abbey, a fifteenth-century friary with a yew tree growing in its cloister, is free and one of the best-preserved in Ireland.
The walk to the waterfall and along the lake shore is free, and so is the Kerry Way, the long-distance path that passes close to town.
Trad music in the town's pubs is free most nights in summer.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Killarney
Killarney is a tourist town and prices reflect it, but the food is good. Kerry lamb, seafood from the coast and a full Irish for breakfast are the standards.
Pub food is the everyday option, with carvery lunches and stews. A meal in a restaurant is €20 to €30; pub food less.
Supermarkets on the edge of the centre and hostel kitchens are the cheapest way to eat, and a picnic in the park beats most lunches in town.
Nightlife
Going out in Killarney
Killarney is small but lively, and in summer it has music in the pubs every night. Trad sessions and ballad singers fill the bars along the main streets, mostly for visitors but none the worse for it.
It is a pub town rather than a club town. Pubs close around 23:30 during the week and 00:30 at weekends.
A pint is €5.50 to €6.50.
Getting around
Getting around Killarney
The town is small and walkable, and the bus and train stations are next to each other on the edge of the centre.
Trains run to Dublin, usually with a change at Mallow, and to Cork. Buses go to Cork, Tralee, Dingle and Limerick. Kerry Airport, at Farranfore, is about twenty minutes away.
The best way to see the national park is by bike, hired in town. For the Ring of Kerry, the Gap of Dunloe and the Skelligs, either drive or take a day tour from town, which costs €30 to €45.
Jaunting cars, the horse-drawn carts that wait at the park entrances, are a tourist ride; agree the price before you get in.
Costs
What Killarney costs
Killarney is mid-priced. Dorms typically run €22 to €35, climbing in July and August.
A careful day is €55 to €70. The costs that add up are tours and car hire, the Skellig boats, which are expensive, and eating out in the town centre.
The park is free. Hire a bike instead of a car for the local sights, use the hostel kitchen, and visit in May, June or September.
Safety
Staying safe in Killarney
Killarney is very safe.
The risks are outdoors. Carrauntoohil and the MacGillycuddy's Reeks are serious mountains with fast-changing weather and mountain rescues every year; the Devil's Ladder route is loose and dangerous. Go with a guide unless you are experienced.
On the roads, the Ring of Kerry is narrow and busy with tour buses in summer. Cyclists share the park roads with jaunting cars and traffic.
Emergency numbers are 112 or 999.
Day trips from Killarney
The best scenery in Ireland is within a day of Killarney.
Gap of Dunloe
A narrow mountain pass between the Reeks and Purple Mountain, then a boat across the three lakes to Ross Castle.
Ring of Kerry
A 179-kilometre loop of the Iveragh peninsula: coast, mountains and villages like Sneem and Portmagee.
Skellig Michael
A sixth-century monastery on a rock in the Atlantic, reached by 600 steep steps. Mid-May to September, weather permitting.
Dingle
A lively harbour town and the Slea Head Drive around the peninsula.
Kenmare
A pretty town at the head of Kenmare Bay, over Moll's Gap.
What's on
What is on while you are there
August in Kerry has two of the country's oddest and best-loved festivals.
Staff pick
19 Nov – 3 Jan
Christmas in Killarney
Christmas in Killarney transforms Killarney, Co. Kerry, Ireland, into a festive wonderland filled with enchanting holiday experiences for all ages. Visitors can enjoy dazzling…
Staff pick
15–18 October
Kerry International Film Festival
The Kerry International Film Festival in Killarney, Co. Kerry, brings together film lovers for a celebration of Irish and international cinema, showcasing a thoughtfully…
Staff pick
28 Nov – 19 Dec
Christmas in Killarney’s Magical Parades
Experience the wonder of Christmas in Killarney as the Magical Parades transform the town’s streets into a festive celebration filled with dazzling floats, cheerful…
11 Jul – 6 Jan
Comedy at the Gleneagle Arena
Comedy at the Gleneagle Arena brings a lineup of some of the funniest comedians for nights filled with laughter and witty humor. You can…
4 October
A Race Festival For The Purist
The October Festival offers two days of National Hunt and Flat racing in the crisp autumn air. It draws racing purists and provides a…
17 October
Ed Sheeran Experience
The Ed Sheeran Experience brings you all the hits with ballads, beats, and loop pedal magic, now enhanced by a live band. Jack Shepherd…
23 October
Abbaesque
Abbaesque, Ireland's premier ABBA tribute band, recreates the look, sound, and spirit of the legendary Swedish pop group at the Gleneagle Arena. Expect a…
23–24 October
Quilt Ireland: National Quilt Expo
Quilt Ireland: National Quilt Expo brings together the rich tradition and artistry of Irish quilting for two days of exhibitions, education, and events. You…
Hostels
Where to stay in Killarney
Killarney has a handful of hostels in and near the town, some close to the bus and train stations. These are the top-rated right now, live from Hostelworld.
When to go
May, June and September are ideal. July and August are very busy, and winter is quiet and wet.
Jan
Wet and very quiet
Feb
Quiet and cheap
Mar
Spring arrives in the park
Apr
Good. Days lengthen
May
Excellent. Race meeting, Skellig season opens
Jun
Busy and bright
Jul
Peak season. Book ahead
Aug
Very busy. Puck Fair and the Rose of Tralee
Sep
Excellent and quieter
Oct
Autumn colours in the woods
Nov
Wet and quiet
Dec
Quiet, festive
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs. Kerry is mild but wet, and the mountains are much colder and windier than the town.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
Transport assumes bike hire for the park. Day tours are €30–45; Skellig boats cost considerably more.
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- Doing things—
Killarney travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
How many days do you need in Killarney?
Three: one for the national park by bike, one for the Gap of Dunloe, and one for the Ring of Kerry.
Do I need a car in Killarney?
Not for the town or the national park, which is best by bike. For the Ring of Kerry, a car or a day tour.
Which way should I drive the Ring of Kerry?
Anticlockwise, the same direction as the tour buses, so you do not meet them head-on on the narrow roads.
How do I visit Skellig Michael?
Boats leave from Portmagee from mid-May to September. Landings are limited and cancelled in bad weather, so book months ahead and have a back-up day.
Is the Gap of Dunloe worth it?
Yes. It is the best day out from Killarney: a walk or cycle through a mountain pass and a boat back across the lakes.
Is Killarney too touristy?
In July and August it is busy. In May, June and September it is very pleasant, and the national park never feels crowded once you leave the road.
Can I climb Carrauntoohil?
Yes, but it is a serious mountain with changeable weather. Go with a guide unless you are an experienced hill walker.
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