With the summer weather heating up, holidaymakers are once again flocking to Irish towns and villages for well-deserved staycations.
From Achill Island to Valentia and Tramore to Strangford, the 20 Best Places to Holiday in Ireland have been announced, including popular seaside towns, cities, lakes and mountainous regions.
Several town including Drumshambo, Co Leitrim, Westport, Co Mayo and Kells, Co Meath made this year’s list.
Three islands features in the best places to holiday list - Achill Island in Co Mayo, Inisbofin Island in Co Galway and Valentia Island in Co Kerry.
While the best regions to holiday in Ireland were given to the Ards Peninsula and Strangford in Co Down, Bundoran and Rossnowlagh in Co Donegal, and the Enniskillen and the Fermanagh Lakelands.
Only one lake made this year’s list for best holiday destinations, which was awarded to Lough Derg, spread across counties Galway, Tipperary and Clare.
Other popular regions in the race for the best holiday destination in Ireland included The Burren in Co Clare, Portrush and the Causeway Coast in Co Antrim, St Mullins and the Barrow Way in Co Carlow and the Inishowen Peninsula in Co Donegal.
Two cities ranked in the best holiday destinations – Dublin and Kilkenny – while other towns which proved popular with voters included Strandhill in Co Sligo, Tramore in Co.Waterford and Carlingford in Co Louth.
Competition
The Irish Times ‘Best Place to Holiday in Ireland’ competition, in association with Bord Fáilte, began in late April when members of the public were invited to nominate their favourite holiday destination on the island of Ireland.
Over the last couple of months, close to 1,200 members of the public nominated hundreds of locations in every county in Ireland for the title of ‘The Best Place to Holiday in Ireland 2022”.
The five finalists will be named on July 22nd, with the overall winner announced a week later on the August Bank Holiday Weekend.
The competition last took place in 2013 with the Loop Head Peninsula in Co Clare emerging as the eventual winner.
