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Check out Guidester’s favorite County Clare experience.
Lisdoonvarna and the World’s Best Salmon
Many visitors and lovers of Ireland may not have heard of the tiny village of Lisdoonvarna. I stumbled onto this gem in the west of Ireland on a road trip a few years back, and now I recommend it to everyone passing through the area.
Lisdoonvarna lies in the heart of The Burren, which takes its name from the Irish word ‘bhoireann’ meaning, ‘a stony place’ or ‘a rocky place’. Stretching across County Clare, from the Atlantic coast to Kinvara in County Galway, it’s a unique limestone landscape that was shaped beneath ancient seas, then forced high and dry by a great geological cataclysm.
This gorgeous area of Ireland is famous for its unique karst landscape, rare flowers, and rich archaeological sites. Let’s dive in and see what this gorgeous place has to offer!




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Many historians and Tolkien lovers actually hold that it was the Burren that served as the true inspiration for much of the Lord of the Ring series, namely Gollum’s cave and the Shire. This has been a great debate over the decades as many local Irishman hold firm that Tolkien got his inspiration in rural Ireland, rather than England as traditional history tell us. Either way it’s easy to see how a young Tolkien might have been moved by the inspiring landscape and rich history. It was by pure chance that we decided to stop here which ended up being one of the highlights of the trip, not only because of the neat little town and the beautiful surrounding landscape, but also for the locals we met while visiting. Right along the main drag, which is nothing more than a wee street, lies the one and only Roadside Tavern. The Roadside Tavern has been run by the Curtin Family since 1893 making it one of the oldest pubs in the Burren. The current proprietor, Peter Curtin, also owns and operates the nearby Burren Smokehouse. The tavern’s famously laid-back atmosphere and guaranteed craic (fun) makes it attractive to visitors and locals alike. When we walked in Peter was behind the bar pouring a pint as we looked around the historic tavern. We sat down and he quickly started to chat us up. We were clearly not from around here as my friend’s French and German accents were a dead giveaway along with my obvious American lingo. I don’t remember exactly how the conversation got going but before we knew it we were best friends with Peter; hanging out behind the bar, chatting with the local patrons, and even going behind the scenes to see his little brewery. We stayed there for hours shooting the breeze and learning about the history and folklore of the Burren. Peter told us about the history of the Roadside Tavern and the nearby Smokehouse, which he claimed was the ‘best salmon in the world.’ That was a bold claim and the Irish are known for exaggerating but after sampling it for myself I would have to agree this was the best salmon I ever had in my life. We learned about the ancient Irish art of oak-smoking salmon, tried some tasty salmon and other fish in myriad forms which were offered as a free tasting. I later learned that this was the same smokehouse that the White House and Buckingham Palace order their salmon from, so it really is world renown. Lisdoonvarna is also well known for an annual festival called the ‘The Matchmaking Festival’, an Irish tradition of bringing thousands of single people together in rural Ireland to meet and mingle. Every August/September the area around Lisdoonvarna explodes for an entire month of music and dancing from 11 am until late featuring Ireland’s top country musicians. Matchmaking is an Irish tradition that’s as old as time that began when visiting gentry came to ‘take the waters’ at this spa town and looked to match their children with someone suitable from the upper classes. The opening of the West Clare Railway in 1887 meant Lisdoonvarna increased in popularity as a tourist destination and the matchmaking tradition grew exponentially. With the harvest safely in and September being the peak holiday month, many bachelor farmers began to flock to Lisdoonvarna for a spa town vacation and in search of a wife. After what seemed like days of drinking, eating, and mingling we said our goodbyes to Peter and the Roadside Tavern and pressed on from Lisdoonvarna up toward our final stop in Galway. But, I’ll never forget the quaint village in the middle of nowhere Ireland, and making friends with the owner of one of the coolest pubs in the country. Cheers to rural Ireland!

Jack Baumann
Hi, my name is Jack Baumann, and I have a passion for helping independent travelers unlock the wonders of Europe. I founded Guidester - we build personal mobile guidebooks sourced from local experts - so travelers could cut through the noise and dive deeper into the wonders of Europe. I hope you enjoy my stories and tips!

Jack Baumann
Hi, my name is Jack Baumann, and I have a passion for helping independent travelers unlock the wonders of Europe. I founded Guidester - we build personal mobile guidebooks sourced from local experts - so travelers could cut through the noise and dive deeper into the wonders of Europe. I hope you enjoy my stories and tips!
Play Around
Explore County Clare with interactive maps.
Explore the Cliff of Moher
Wander around Doolin
Hike around Burren National Park
Explore Lisdoonvarna
Wander around Bunratty Castle & Folk Park
Video Tours
Discover County Clare through virtual walks and tours.
Start Planning
Begin planning your next adventure to County Clare.
Local Tips
Having access to a car to explore County Clare is helpful. Bus and train don’t easily reach the remote areas and the best moments happen when you stumble onto some tiny little village while driving through the countryside.
Get to Cliffs of Moher early, when they open if possible, to avoid crowds. Having the cliffs devoid of crowds will make your experience more enjoyable plus your photos will come out more natural.
The best views of the Cliffs of Moher can be found at the top of O’Brien’s Tower. You can climb to the top of this small tower within the grounds of the natural attraction for unobstructed views of the coastline and surrounding landscape.
Where To Stay
The village of Lisdoonvarna is the perfect place to explore many of the greatest sites in County Clare. Sheedy’s Country House Hotel is a long established family run four star hotel situated in Lisdoonvarna, just a ten minute drive from the Cliffs of Moher.
Guidester Favorites

The Roadside Tavern
The Roadside Tavern has been run by the Curtin Family since 1893 making it one of the oldest pubs in the Burren area. The tavern’s famously laid-back atmosphere and guaranteed craic (fun) makes it as attractive to visitors and locals alike. The current proprietor is Peter Curtin, who also owns and operates the nearby Burren Smokehouse.

Burren National Park
The Burren takes its name from the Irish word 'bhoireann' meaning, 'a stony place' or 'a rocky place', which is a good description for this large plateau in North Clare. Stretching across northern Clare, from the Atlantic coast to Kinvara in County Galway, the Burren is a unique striated limestone landscape that was shaped beneath ancient seas. Plenty of opportunity for hiking and walking in the area.
County Clare By Interest
We know you don’t want a cookie-cutter vacation, so for whatever reason you’re going we have the “must-sees”, tours, and day trips you can’t miss – so you have the experience you want.
- Art & History
- Foodie
- Outdoorsy

Piazza del Popolo
Literally meaning ‘People’s Square’, this is one of the most famous squares in Rome. In addition to an Egyptian obelisk of Ramses II, Piazza del Popolo is famed for its twin churches: Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto.
Tip: Another must see is the Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo, famous for its Renaissance art by some of the greatest artists ever to work in Rome: Pinturicchio, Raphael, Carracci, Caravaggio, and Bernini.

Baths of Caracalla
These ancient baths were opened in the 3rd century as a bathing complex that spread over 11 hectares. They were named after Emperor Caracalla and at one point could hold 1,600 guests bathing inside. The building used to be highly decorated with decorative mosaics and rich bricks, many of which are displayed within.

Day Trip to Tivoli
These ancient baths were opened in the 3rd century as a bathing complex that spread over 11 hectares. They were named after Emperor Caracalla and at one point could hold 1,600 guests bathing inside. The building used to be highly decorated with decorative mosaics and rich bricks, many of which are displayed within.

Horseback Ride Ancient Rome
If you love horses, nature and history, a walk on horseback along the spectacular Appian Way and surrounding Park will be an experience you will never forget.
With expert guides and horsemen, Sandro Bernardini and Andrea, you will see archaeological treasures, some of which would be difficult to reach except on horseback. 1hr, 2hr, 3hr riding tours.

Ziplining
Situated 730m above sea level in the small medieval town of Rocca Massima, the world’s fastest and longest zip line course is only an hour’s drive from central Rome. Travelling from sweeps from the Lazio coast in the Alban hills to the mountains of Abruzzo, the route passes through vast olive groves and karst areas gliding up the slopes of Monte S. Angelo Cradle of Falco Pellegrino.
Local Eats

This part of Ireland is known for...
