The Blarney Castle is most famous for its storied Blarney Stone, the one that people from all over the world climb the steps to kiss, but the landmark has much more to offer than one piece of rock.
The grounds around Blarney Castle are a wonderful spectacle of carefully crafted courtyards, gardens and rolling hills that are a quite a sight to behold. There are tours offered, of course, but the castle is really best experienced by wandering around on your own accord, in my opinion. The nearby Badger’s Cave is a must-see while attempting to discover the various passages soldiers escaped through when the castle was under siege.
© Michael Walsh | Dreamstime
The gardens are beautifully laid out around the estate and the grounds make for the perfect place for a picnic in the middle of the day. One of the highlights of a trip to the castle is hearing all of the myths surrounding its history. You’ll hear tales of a witch still living among the rubbles as well as try your hand as performing the proper ceremony on the Wishing Steps.
Of course, you have to climb the battlements in order to kiss the Stone. Is it a little gross to think about putting your lips on something that’s been smooched by thousands of people? Yeah, a little. But it’s still a lot of fun.
Read This Next
All Reads on This Topic
Read Them All
#TrazeeTravel
Insta FeedHotel
Aug 26, 2024This Hotel is Your Unexpected NYC Accommodation
Situated by Hell’s Kitchen and Times Square, Kimpton Hotel Theta offers a one-of-a-kind experience for travelers visiting New York City. With its giant rooms, pet-friendly options, prime location, and a new rooftop restaurant and bar inspired by the Amalfi Coast, guests won’t be disappointed.
Sponsored Content
Feel at Home in Madrid
Feel at Home Five-star hotels that are havens of luxury and sophistication, urban hotels with swimming pools (The Madrid EDITION), hotels in palaces (Palacio de los Duques Gran Meliá), boutique hotels, hotels that have rooftop bars with 360-degree views of the city (Hotel Montera Madrid, Curio Collection by Hilton), hotels with music (UMusic Hotel Madrid), hotels with private gardens (Rosewood Villa Magna) … these are just a few examples of the unique services hotels in Madrid offer. Wherever you choose to stay, you’ll feel at home right from the start and you’ll receive the warmest possible welcome.
Food & Drink
Aug 23, 20246 Rooftop Hotel Bars in Charleston, South Carolina
On your next visit to Charleston, South Carolina, head to these rooftop hotel bars for a libation or two.
Trends / Top Trends
Aug 23, 2024Skipping Alcohol can Transform Travel Experiences
In those lusty years of my twenties, travel was the ultimate excuse to party like a rock star. Booze-fueled nights in strange cities; midnight taxis from nightclubs directly to the airport; a dizzying blur of dive bars, honky-tonks and pubs from Topeka to Taipei — I still get queasy recollecting those raucous misadventures. Eventually, adult responsibilities and health priorities proved incompatible with such Hemingwayesque rambling. The time came to seal off the taps, to embrace sober tourism. To my great surprise, sobriety made travel even more rewarding. Nowadays, I return home refreshed instead of exhausted, and my travel memories, the most precious souvenir of all, remain crystal-clear.
Sponsored Content
Sunflower Accessibility Program Featured at O’Hare and Midway Airports
Travelers with invisible disabilities passing through O’Hare and Midway International Airports can now discreetly signal they need assistance thanks to a new Chicago Department of Aviation partnership that helps create more accessible and inclusive spaces.
Products
Aug 23, 2024Expedia Introduces 2 Travel-Focused Credit Cards
If you’re a member of Expedia’s One Key loyalty program, you may want to check out the program’s brand-new, travel-focused credit cards: One Key Card and the One Key-plus Card from Wells Fargo.
ShareThis