Ireland's Most Famous Wonders

Ahhh… The Emerald Isle, is there anything like it? The lush, breathtaking beauty of Ireland with its rolling green hills and picturesque wilderness makes it a dream tourist destination for many. Beyond exploring historic castles and iconic sites like Cliffs of Moher, Ring of Gullion, and Giant's Causeway, there are spectacular hikes to embark upon, buzzing cities to lose yourself in and some of the world’s best whiskey (and of course, Guinness) to be sampled. A destination that should be experienced at least once in your life, travel to some of Ireland’s most famous wonders with these virtual tours. 
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Blarney Castle 
There’s no shortage of historic castles in Ireland but the medieval stronghold in Blarney near Cork is one to mark on your must-see list. Dating back to before AD 1200, it was famously destroyed in 1446 but subsequently rebuilt and today remains in partial ruin with some accessible rooms and approximately 60 acres of gardens with arboretums and waterways. The real reason to visit though is to kiss the Blarney Stone, which if the legend has it right, you’ll emerge post-kiss with the gift of the gab. Tour Blarney Castle and other famous Irish Castle with this virtual tour hosted by Ireland Virtual Tours.

Cliffs of Moher
Stretching for 8 kilometers along Ireland’s famed Wild Atlantic Way, the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher will leave you awestruck with its towering beauty. On a clear day, these cliffs rich with fossil formations reach as high as 214 meters, offering vantage views of the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, and the Maum Turk mountains. A historic spot formed some 320 million years ago, it has inspired numerous Irish folktales and featured in several movies like The Princess Bride, Far and Away and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Find out more about it on this virtual tour that’ll cover other scenic sites like Sheeps Head, Rings of Kerry and the Caha Peninsula.

Ring of Gullion 
Designated in 1991 as the finest expression of a ring dyke in the British Isles, this unique geological landform comprises a great circle of hills — Crosslieve, Mullaghbane Mountain, Slievenacappel, Anglesey Mountain, Flagstaff, Sugar-loaf Mountain — with Slieve Gullion Mountain, at its center. A landscape rich with archaeology and mythology, ancient churches and castles, The Ring of Gullion contains the remains of some 20 large stone tombs, the South Cairn found on Slieve Gullion is the highest surviving passage tomb (a megalithic tomb of the Neolithic and Copper or early Bronze ages) in the British Isles. Learn more about it and other historic sites like Newgrange, The Hill Of Tara, and Loughcrew Cairns on this virtual tour.

Giant’s Causeway 
Lying at the foot of the basalt cliffs along Northern Ireland’s picturesque sea coast is one of Ireland’s seven wonders, the Giant’s Causeway. A World Heritage Site, over 40,000 basalt stone columns make up this awe-inspiring, and oddly symmetrical geological wonder formed from cooled lava some 65 million years ago. This unusual staircase-shaped site has inspired many Irish folktales, and locals will happily share that its mysterious hexagonal columns were formed after a stone-throwing fight between an Irish giant Finn McCool and a Scottish giant Benandonner. Learn more about Ireland’s historic sites on this virtual tour.

Dunluce Castle 
If this abandoned medieval castle looks familiar, it’s because you’ve seen it featured in HBO’s Game of Thrones as the House of Greyjoy. Sitting on the top of a cliff overlooking the sea in County Antrim, its dramatic setting was built in the early 1500s by the McQuillan clan and held for 55 years before it fell to the warrior MacDonnells who still own it till today. Fun fact, it was once owned by Winston Churchill who is related to the Earl of Antrim. In 1928, he signed the deed transferring his share to the Northern Ireland government. Learn more about Ireland’s ancient castles with this virtual tour hosted by Ireland Virtual Tours.