Tralee is one of those towns that you might not necessarily think of first when planning a tour of Ireland. But Tralee is actually a great stop for your trip…
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Intro
I’ve stayed in Tralee a few times on my various trips to Ireland. At first I just stayed overnight – nothing more. I arrived late in the evening and travelled on again in the morning. The small town on the was always practically on my way when I was travelling along the southwest coast – nothing more.
Nothing more? On subsequent visits, I realised more and more that I like coming to Tralee. The small town is friendly and I always felt at home here. On closer inspection, it also has its own charms that make it attractive not just for an overnight stay, but also for two or three!
There are some lovely things to see and do in Tralee and there is a lovely great setting for nice day trips. Sometimes beautiful things are right under your nose – you just have to notice them!
So let’s take a closer look:
Sightseeing
Kerry County Museum: I’m fascinated by the Middle Ages, are you? Then you’ve come to the right place. This museum has a medieval exhibition and lots of history about County Kerry. The museum is housed in the beautiful Ashe Memorial Hall. It is surrounded by the Rose Garden and the beautiful city park. The previous website of the museum ( https://kerrymuseum.ie/) is not active at the moment, maybe there is a new one? You can also find the Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/CoMuseumKerry/.
Blennerville Windmill: The largest working windmill in Ireland with a visitor centre. See: https://blennerville-windmill.ie/.
Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre: A nature reserve/centre with a viewing tower and interactive exhibitions. There is an activity park for children. See: https://www.traleebaywetlands.org/.
St John’s Church: A rather impressive neo-Gothic church in the town centre. See: https://stjohns.ie/.
Rathass Church: The ruins of an early Christian church from the 10th century lie in the middle of an old graveyard on the eastern edge of Tralee. Here you will find an ancient Irish Ogham stone (rune stone) and many Celtic crosses.
Music and Culture
Siamsa Tíre: Ireland’s national theatre for folk art and folklore with regular performances. It is located near the Kerry Museum in Tralee Town Park. See: https://siamsatire.com/.
Tralee Town Park: A beautiful park in the town centre with the Rose of Tralee Garden.
The Rose of Tralee International Festival: An annual festival honouring Irish culture and traditions. THE event in Tralee – see: https://roseoftralee.ie/.
Irish live music in the pub in Tralee, for example: https://www.facebook.com/paddymacs.tralee, https://www.sean-ogs.com/traditional-irish-pub/, https://thebrogue.ie/.
Food and Drink
Kirby’s Brogue Inn: A traditional Irish pub with live music and good food. See: https://thebrogue.ie/.
Cassidy’s Restaurant: Small, nice and fine dining. See: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063544691690.
Gally’s Bar and Restaurant: See: https://www.gallysathome.com/.
Yummy Cafe Market: Rustic and family-friendly, see: https://www.yummycafemarket.com/.
Spa Seafoods: Fresh fish and seafood as a takeaway, see: https://www.spaseafoods.ie/.
Il Pomo Doro: Italian restaurant, see: https://www.ilpomodoro.ie/.
Guided Tours
Kingdom Guided Tours: Take a private day trip by minibus. Your personal guide Annie grew up here and she will show you the highlights of the south-west. See: https://kingdomguidedtours.com/.
Tralee and Brandon Bay Eco Marine Tours: Whales, dolphins and beautiful coastlines. This operator is located not far from Tralee on the north coast of the beautiful Dingle Peninsula. See: https://www.facebook.com/tandbecomarinetours/.
Tralee Walks offers guided walks through Tralee. The most beautiful corners to discover and the story(s) behind them – see: http://traleewalks.ie/.
Tralee Bay Boat Tours: This provider takes you to Fenit Lighthouse, offers harbour tours, eco-tours (marine life) and fishing trips. See: https://traleebayexperience.com/.
Self-guided Tours and Outdoors Activities
Tralee Heritage Trail: Walk in the footsteps of history through Tralee. Siehe: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/7047eff138064ba89b47174432e810f6.
Tralee Canal Walk: Beautiful walk along the canal. See: https://www.komoot.com/highlight/845923.
Ballyseedy Woods: A beautiful forest on the outskirts of the town with lovely walking trails. See: https://www.alltrails.com/ar/trail/ireland/county-kerry/ballyseedy-wood.
Tralee Golf Club: A challenging links golf course with sea views. See: https://traleegolfclub.com/.
Banna Beach: A beautiful large sandy beach north of Tralee, ideal for surfing and walking.
Derrymore Beach: Another beautiful sandy beach near Tralee.
Hike to Caherconree Fort and Peak near Tralee. See: https://www.alltrails.com/ar/trail/ireland/county-kerry/caherconree-fort-and-peak–2.
Hire a bike and follow the Tralee to Fenit Way to Fenit. See: https://traleebikerental.ie/book-your-bike/, or: https://likebikes.ie/.
More Activities
Crag Cave: An impressive stalactite cave near Tralee. See: https://cragcave.com/.
Kerry Writers’ Museum: A museum celebrating Kerry’s rich literary tradition (in Listowel, near Tralee). https://www.kerrywritersmuseum.com/.
Ardfert Cathedral: The ruins of a medieval cathedral near Tralee. See: https://heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/ardfert-cathedral/.
Fenit Lighthouse: A picturesque lighthouse on the coast of Tralee Bay. See: https://www.fenitwithout.ie/fenit-lighthouse-tours.
The Blasket Centre: A cultural centre that tells the story of the Blasket Islands (near Tralee). https://www.blasket.ie/.
Conclusion
The south-west of Ireland offers many wonderful landscapes and coastlines. Tralee is a nice little town for one or more overnight stays and a good starting point for various day trips.
Eat well, drink well, sleep well and then start the new day full of energy – what more could you want?
I wish you lots of fun in Tralee.
More interesting articles for you
The town of Killarney – things to do and see
THE CITY OF LIMERICK – SIGHTS AND ACTIVITIES
Killarney Mountains and the Ring of Kerry
The ancient stone-houses of Dingle
Cover picture: Blennerville Windmill near Tralee (Photo: Daniel Zbroja on Unsplash)
