Any recommendations on where to stay in the Connemara region or things to do? We will have 2 nights in the area. I am open to staying 2 nights in one location that is more central or splitting the time in 2 different areas to be able to explore more. Roundstone looks very quaint, but it's not very central.
Posted by
Colorado Springs
2980 posts
Depends on your particular interests. Our personal favorite base is Clifden - on the N59 and with easy access to the Sky Road scenic drive, Connemara National Park for hiking, great little pubs,etc., and a much more mellow experience than staying in Galway itself.
Connemara is terrific - our favorite area in Ireland in fact. Suggest checking Tripadvisor for ideas on things to do that might be of interest to you.
Posted by
Texarkana, AR
15 posts
We stayed in Clifden last summer. Easy drives to most of the sites in Connemara and good pub and restaurant selection.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
Another vote for Clifden! Cute little town, and centrally located (and it's my ancestral family home).
Posted by
Missoula, Montana
511 posts
Clifden is one of my two favorite places in Connemara. The other is the village of Leenane, located in the NE corner of Connemara at the end of Killary Harbor (with Ireland's only fjord) and with County Mayo just across the way. It's surrounded by the Partry Mountains in what I think is the most beautiful setting in Ireland. An adventure center is just down the road, and you can take take a boat cruise around the harbor.
Between the two, Clifden certainly has more going on, whereas Leenane offers tranquility and oodles of natural beauty. All depends on what you want.
The village has its own website now:
http://www.leenanevillage.com/
There are a number of B&Bs and hotels from which to choose in Leenane, as well as the excellent Blackberry Restaurant (formerly called "The Field" after the movie made in the area), which serves high quality, reasonably-priced dinners - and now breakfast too. The website, complete with menus, is: