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Donegal & The North West Holidays 2024/2025
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TOP 10 REASONS
TOP 10 REASONS
TOP 10 REASONS
Why travel to Donegal & The North West: Find out the top 10 reasons to visit
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01
A SNEAK PEAK
A SNEAK PEAK
A SNEAK PEAK
A Sneak Peek into Donegal & The North West
- Donegal is one of Ireland's most memorable counties with its rugged mountains and wave-hewn sea cliffs.
- Donegal has 1,134 kilometres of sandy beaches, cliffs, and craggy inlets to explore, but its highlands and mountain valleys are equally impressive and invite you to go wild.
- Donegal town serves as an excellent base for visiting the surrounding attractions and should be regarded as such rather than as a bustling tourist destination.
- Visitors will find plenty of pleasant places to eat, drink, and have fun and plenty of places to rest their tired heads.
- The town itself will provide curiosities and distractions for a day of exploration, but the region's most exciting attractions may be outside the towns themselves.
- If you want a relaxing or action-packed holiday, the North West of Ireland counties, including Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, Mayo, Roscommon, and Sligo, can meet your every need.
- These counties provide various the best accommodations, restaurants, and lively evening hotspots to keep you entertained during your visit.
- The region has excellent sporting amenities, including some of Ireland's best golf links courses, horseback riding, mountaineering, mountain biking, river and sea cruises, famous surfing beaches, and much more.
- Capital: Lifford
- International Airport: Donegal Airport (CFN/EIDL)
- Population: 5.1million & 64,832
- Currency: euro
- Time: UTC+01:00
- Driving Side: Right
- Main Electricity: 230v
- Official Language: English and Irish
- Religion: Roman Catholicism
02
HIGHLIGHTS
HIGHLIGHTS
HIGHLIGHTS
Top Tourist Attractions in Donegal & The North West
- A visit to the Doagh Famine Village allows you to take a step back and experience what life was like in Donegal.
- The tallest peak in County Donegal, close to the Gaeltacht area of Gaoth Dobhair, is one of the county's most recognisable landmarks.
- Arranmore, near Burtonport Harbour, is Donegal's largest inhabited island, combining the peace of its outdoor attractions with a buzzing nightlife.
- Slieve League Cliffs are located on County Donegal's southwest coast. It is one of Europe's highest sea-facing cliffs.
- Let Sligo welcome you into its maze of pedestrian streets, where small, independent shops will guide you from one entertaining diversion to the next.
03
SEASONS TO TRAVEL
SEASONS TO TRAVEL
SEASONS TO TRAVEL
Best Months to Visit Donegal & The North West
- The months of February to July are ideal for visiting Donegal Town.
- In May and July, the highest temperature recorded in Donegal is 73.4°F. In January and February, the lowest temperature recorded in Donegal is 30.2°F.
- December is the wettest month in Donegal.
- If you want to visit Ireland's Northwest and Lakelands during the hottest months, the hottest are July, August, and June.
- The warmest time of year is typically late July, when highs average around 66.2°F (19°C), and lows rarely fall below 52.8°F (11.6°C).
04
WORTH A VISIT
WORTH A VISIT
WORTH A VISIT
The Best Places to Visit in Donegal & The North West
Slieve League
- Visit Slieve League to blow away the cobwebs with a visit to some of Europe's highest sea cliffs (Sliabh Liag).
- This holy mountain has been a Christian pilgrimage site for over 1,000 years, and it's easy to see why it was revered.
- From 600m above, the waves take breathtaking views of the Donegal and Sligo coastlines.
- Sliabh Boat Tours offers a quick trip from Teelin Pier to see the cliffs from the sea.
- The Rusty Mackerel, a local favourite, is the ideal place to warm up after.
Fanad Head Lighthouse
- A visit to Fanad Lighthouse, one of the most beautiful lighthouses in the world, is the perfect way to end a visit to Fanad Head, where the views are unrivalled.
- Since 1817, the lighthouse perched on a rocky outcrop at the mouth of Lough Swilly has assisted seafarers in navigating the local waters.
- Take a tour and climb the 76 granite steps to the top of the tower, following in the footsteps of previous lightkeepers.
Tory Island
- Tory Island is a magical place steeped in ancient myths and legends, with a rich heritage, deep culture, and a genuine sense of community.
- The island's remote location is likely to have aided the preservation of old Gaelic customs, such as the appointment of an island king.
- A trip to Tory is an opportunity to experience a unique way of life, from its renowned traditional musicians to the breathtaking scenery.
05
DISCOVER MORE
DISCOVER MORE
DISCOVER MORE
Donegal & The North West Off the Beaten Track
The Céide Fields
- The remarkable neolithic site of Céide Fields in County Mayo contains the world's oldest known stone-walled fields.
- They are the oldest agricultural site in the world, dating back nearly 6,000 years.
- The Céide Fields look out over the Atlantic Ocean, pounding against the cliffs below.
- Over millions of years, the dramatic upheaval of the earth's crust and the ferocious winds that frequent this exposed coast have shaped the landscape.
- And they have created a landscape that is both frugal and beautiful.
- Our neolithic ancestors came here to build their fields, plant crops, and raise their families.
Doagh Famine Village
- Doagh Famine Village in Donegal is set in a traditional thatched hamlet that was inhabited until 1983 by the family of owner-tour guide Pat Doherty.
- This is a nostalgic and slightly melancholy time travel adventure. It takes place during a period when life in Ireland was difficult, but life on the outskirts of the Atlantic coast was unbearably difficult.
- Because life expectancy was so low, most families had many children. If they survived against all odds, the family lands would be divided again and again until the fields were too small to farm.
- As a result, plot sizes became so small that poverty and food scarcity became endemic throughout much of the country.
- Despite these hardships, life went on, and music, poetry, and education were vital.
- Pat Doherty's family's previous generations created the Doagh Famine Village, a rare treasure.
- Because Pat Doherty was there before us, it is a living museum and the story of a family that survived.
- They did, however, survive, and Pat is happy to tell the story, from those tragic days to the present.
The Glengesh Pass
- This part of Ireland has some beautiful country roads, and self-drive visitors to Sligo and Donegal will have plenty of photo opportunities.
- The Glengesh Pass, which connects Ardara and Glencolumbcille, is sure to please.
- Passengers with sensitive stomachs should take their travel sickness medication before embarking on this narrow and tumbling sequence of tight hairpins.
- Still, if you keep your camera handy, you'll have plenty of excuses.
06
CULTURE & TRADITIONS
CULTURE & TRADITIONS
CULTURE & TRADITIONS
Donegal & The North West Culture and Traditions
- The Northwest of Ireland may have the most vital connection to Ireland's "old world" vision. County Donegal is home to 25% of the Irish-speaking world.
- It was, along with the West, the region most affected by mass emigration during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
- Many towns and villages were abandoned by their youth and thus left without inhabitants.
- Abandoned stone settlements can still be found scattered throughout the countryside.
- The remaining people harvested a culture to keep Irish music and art traditions alive and well from these desolate surroundings.
07
FOOD FUN FASHION
FOOD FUN FASHION
FOOD FUN FASHION
Donegal & The North West: Food, Fun & Fashion Guide
The Lemon Tree – Letterkenny
#Food
- The Lemon Tree is in the heart of Letterkenny and focuses on serving the best local and sustainable produce, meat, and fish.
- Everything is made to order, including a variety of Donegal-brewed beers, whiskey, and gin.
Little Mamma's – Letterkenny & Donegal Town
#Food
- Little Mamma is the place to go for delicious gelato and Italian-style sorbet.
- The shop can be found on Port Road on the way into Letterkenny and in Donegal Town.
- Little Mamma serves excellent coffee, crepes, waffles, and hand-crafted sorbets. Parma Violet and Raspberry White Chocolate are two flavours.
Chandpur
#Food
- Chandpur, located in Donegal Town, has been named Yes Chef's Best Indian Restaurant of the Year and The Restaurants Association of Ireland's Best World Cuisine for Ulster.
- They also received another Gold Star for Great Places to Eat from the renowned Lucinda O Sullivan.
- Chandpur serves award-winning dishes made from the freshest, local ingredients and infused with Asian spices.
Letterkenny Shopping Centre
#Fashion
- All enjoy a little retail therapy, so what better place to combine your favourite pastime with some shopping than one of the many retail outlets available? Letterkenny has a variety of independent retail outlets as well as cutting-edge High Street brands.
- On Letterkenny Main Street, you'll find clothing stores, sportswear stores, chemists, gift shops, home accessories stores, shoe stores, and much more.
- There is plenty of parking available, as well as some excellent coffee shops and restaurants.
- The Clanree Hotel is a great place to stay if you want to get a well-deserved pick-me-up before hitting the shops again or if you want to sit back and enjoy the atmosphere and vibrancy of Letterkenny.
- There are many independent retailers, high street names, cafes, and restaurants along Main Street for that well-deserved pick-me-up.
- Take some time to observe the passing of time and enjoy the atmosphere and vibrancy of Letterkenny.
- To name a few, TK Maxx, Next, Tempest, Argos, Harry Corry, New Look, River Island, and M&S. This shopping area is close to a movie theatre so you can rest your feet; after all that shopping!
- Letterkenny Shopping Centre is 105,000 square feet on a single level, with over 36 stores and over 660 free parking spaces.
- Prepare for some serious retail therapy and be spoiled by Derry's selection for the most professional shopaholic! The city is a shopper's paradise, with something for everyone's taste and budget.
- The Foyleside Shopping Centre, which has been named the Best and Biggest Shopping Centre in Northern Ireland, the Richmond Shopping Centre, and the one-of-a-kind Craft Village are among the many places to shop.
Bundoran Adventure Park
#Fun
- Bundoran Adventure Park is a fantastic family day out. Our vast array of rides, attractions, Ocean Cafe, and The Candy Shack will keep you entertained for hours.
- Try our Adventure Golf, Bumper Cars, Go Karts, and other activities. We are easily found on the Seafront Bundoran and only a stone's throw from the main beach.
- Bundoran is an excellent family destination because it has so much to offer.
- The Bundoran Eye is a significant attraction at Bundoran Adventure Park.
Glow Bowling
#Fun
- Bundoran Glowbowl has eight lanes of bowling.
- There can be up to 48 players, six per lane, active at once. Children pay €5.50 for each game, while adults pay €7.50.
- This is the largest family entertainment centre for people of all ages.
- They are entirely wheelchair accessible, with ramps to the Bowling Area and Ball Ramps that allow wheelchair play.
- Disabled Wheelchair access is available from the rear parking lot.
08
NATURE & SAFARI
NATURE & SAFARI
NATURE & SAFARI
Donegal & The North West: Natural Beauty & Safari Adventures
- The lush green reserve of Ards Forest Park, with over 481 hectares of woodland and beaches, is best for a romantic stroll or a fun day with the family.
- This biodiverse park provides a unique combination of landscapes and habitats teeming with local wildlife.
- This tranquil oasis has numerous relaxing walks to choose from and picnic and play areas.
- This ascent will necessitate more than just your walking boots: mountain safety knowledge and possibly the services of a local guide may be required, especially on days when the weather is less sunny and dry.
- Errigal Mountain, at 752 metres, is a pleasant but challenging climb for any amateur hillwalker, and the main paths are not of the highest quality.
- A hike up Errigal Mountain can distinguish your Ireland tour.
09
EVENTS & FIESTAS
EVENTS & FIESTAS
EVENTS & FIESTAS
Donegal & The North West Must-Attend Festivals and Events
- Learn Irish with Oideas Gael's adult Irish language courses and cultural activity holidays in the breathtaking Donegal Gaeltacht.
- This has attracted thousands of participants to its highly regarded adult Irish language courses and cultural programmes in northwest Ireland since its inception in 1984.
- With its breathtaking scenery, rich heritage, and welcoming people, the Donegal Gaeltacht is the ideal setting for a one-of-a-kind holiday learning experience.
- Our summer programme runs from June 4th to August 27th, 2022.
- Learn the Irish language with our engaging, practical courses for all levels, from beginners to advanced speakers.
- Their bilingual cultural activity programmes include Irish traditional music, hill walking, environmental exploration, art and craft traditions, archaeology, geology, and many other activities. Our tutors are subject matter experts.
- Participants of all ages travel from all over Ireland and more than 20 countries worldwide each year to learn in an immersive and informal setting.
FAQs to Plan Your Best Donegal & The North West Holiday
Places similar to Donegal & The North West to visit
Places similar to Donegal & The North West to visit
Places similar to Donegal & The North West to visit