There’s no secret why so many tourists come to Ireland every year. The craic, the pubs, the warmth of the welcome, increasingly the restaurants but most of all the incredible scenery. There is so much choice scenery for the visitor new to Ireland to enjoy that we, at Travelodge Ireland Hotels, thought it would be a good idea to short circuit all that reading of guidebooks and scanning of blogs and narrow it down to just five scenic destinations that a tourist visiting Ireland just has to include on their Irish itinerary.

Here is our choice of Five Scenic Tourist Destinations in Ireland that you simply must go to.

1: Glendalough near Dublin

Wicklow Mountains National Park is an incredible place in itself but Glendalough, where the ancient monastic settlement of St. Kevin is located, is the beating heart of this beautiful part of the Irish scenic landscape. The perfect day trip from Dublin city. Glendalough combines historical sites with breath-taking scenery and an activity site for families. Deep in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains National Park, there are rolling hills to climb, two lakes where you can ponder on your pristine reflection and flowery meadows to run through. And you can easily reach Glendalough from any of Travelodge Ireland’s 5 budget hotels in Dublin.

2: The Giant’s Causeway close to Belfast City

You simply can’t come to Ireland and not visit the unique Giant’s Causeway, a scene of spectacular nature at work. Only an hour from Belfast city is a natural wonder that is also a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site with 40,000 polygonal basalt rock columns formed by the ancient volcanic landscape. Those rock columns stretch along the Northern Ireland coastline like giant stepping stones and according to Irish myth, that’s exactly what they were. It is said that Fionn mac Cumhaill used them to step his way across to Scotland to fight a giant. For the more normal visitor the Giant’s Causeway provides amazing views of the Scottish mainland, only 12 miles across the sea. Once you’re done, step back to our Travelodge Belfast Central Hotel for a comfortable rest.

3: The Burren, a Day Trip from Limerick

Just under an hour away from Limerick city and the two budget hotels of Travelodge Ireland Hotels is the landscape of the Burren in County Clare, a unique scenic spot in Ireland. The Burren is spread over 1500 hectares and contains many Irish native species of plants and many flowers and insects that are unique to its limestone landscape resembling the surface of the moon. The Burren is also a great place for sporting activities like caving, climbing, hiking and running as well as more gentle pursuits like bird watching.

4: Connemara National Park in County Galway

The Connemara National Park, an ideal day trip if you’re staying at the Travelodge Galway City Hotel, is a scenic highlight. Not only do you get the wild countryside around the Twelve Bens mountains with its huge array of climbing, hiking and walking paths but you get Connemara ponies and Kylemore Abbey, a former castle, a former monastery, a former school and now a fabulous craft and food shop. After all that scenic excitement, you’ll definitely have to lie down on one of Travelodge Ireland Hotels’ beds!

5: Binevenagh, a Trip from Derry City

Breathe in deep the clean mountain air of Binevenagh in County Derry on the Antrim Plateau. Gaze across Scotland and gaze down on Lough Foyle and Donegal when you take the short forest path and energetic climb to the top of these ancient mountain cliffs. The cliffs extend for six miles and Binevenagh has rightly been nominated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You can even see it in the hugely popular TV series, Game of Thrones as the chosen location for the Dothraki Sea. A short journey from our Derry budget hotel, Binevenagh can provide scenic drama at its very best.