Aran Islands Photos
Recommended Reviews - Aran Islands
Start your review...
Reviews With Photos
We absolutely loved our visit to Inishmore! It was well worth our day. We took advantage of the tour guides who meet you at the dock and were not disappointed. Make sure to bring cash as the guides do not take cards. You will find shops away from the docks where they sell hand-crafted woolen items. We found some beautiful scarves we didn't see anywhere else in Ireland. The history of the island was very interesting as well. Make sure to have meds if you get motion sickness -- the 45 minute boat trip is very active!
I read really great things about visiting the Aran Islands, so we booked a ferry trip for the day from Rosaveel when we were staying in Galway. We booked online in advance. It looked like you could get tickets there the day off, but some of the times were sold out. We took the ferry over to Inis Mor at 10:30 and came back at 4. It was about a 1-1.5 hour ferry ride. It was really windy when we went and the ride was very choppy. I managed not to get sick, but others did. They said it's not normally that rough. When we got there, we rented bikes at one of the bike hires. It is 10 euros to rent a bike for the day with a helmet. The bikes were really nice for rental bikes. We biked along the coast and tried to see the seals at the lookout point, but there weren't any there. We stopped at an ice cream shop that was very good before going to the Dun Aonghasa fort. Dun Aonghasa was really pretty. It's right along the shore and there is a great view of the cliffs. After that we biked back to the city and hung out for a bit before catching our ferry back. It's mostly bikes, walkers, and horse carriages on the island. Biking was pretty safe on the roads, but there were a decent number of tour buses trying to run you over. It is a bit hilly, so you'll get a workout. I would highly recommend taking a day trip out to the Aran Islands. They are really pretty and biking around is a lot of fun!
Inis Mór is the largest of the three Aran Islands. It has a population of around 840, and probably gets more tourists than there are residents on any given day. This place is literally an island off the coast of a larger island. The Irish culture and language maintain strong roots here. As you travel away from Kilronan, the main settlement where ferries disembark, you'll find that the road signs are all in Irish. Fortunately, tour companies will provide you with a map! Visitors explore the island via horse-drawn carts, shuttles and bicycles. If you are able, biking around the island is unparalleled in allowing you to enjoy the sights at your own leisure. Everywhere you go, there are grassy pens, often with cows and sheep, surrounded by low stone walls. Away from the tourist spots, there are pretty much no people. Nothing but a narrow road, stone walls, animals, the expansive island landscape and the ocean behind it. Complete serenity. There are several popular tourist attractions: * Dun Aonghasa: An old fort on the edge of a cliff, with structures thought to have been built in the Bronze and Iron Ages * The Worm Hole: A large rock formation which completely fills up with water when the waves crash over it * The Seven Churches: Ruins of two (not seven) churches surrounded by old graves; opinions differ on why this place is so named There are many more lesser-known places of interest. The wife and I visited the Clochan na Carraige, an ancient beehive-shaped hut built completely with stone and no mortar. There was nobody else around as far as the eye could see. Sadly, we only had time to explore a fraction of what Inis Mór has to offer. If we had the luxury of more time, we'd explore every bit of the island and the two other Aran Islands. It is well worth the visit.
The windswept allure of the Aran Islands has bewitched me ever since my first trip to the west of Ireland back in 1992. I finally made it there with Jamie W. as part of a day-long Galway Tour Company package that included the Cliffs of Moher. We booked it at the last minute with the front desk receptionist at the Clayton, our Galway hotel, and because it was shoulder season and a particularly cold one at that, we fortunately got in without a hitch. The half-hour ferry ride from Doolin was quite cold and choppy, giving me a rude flashback to an even choppier trip I made in the Galapagos Islands when I could barely come out of my cabin on our first day out. There are three Aran Islands, and most daytrippers travel to the largest one, Inishmór. However, much to our surprise, we landed at the smallest island, Inisheer (or Inis Oírr in Gaelic) where less than 300 people live. As quaint and atmospheric as it is, the island is not as isolated as you would think since there is a small airport with flights to and from Connemara three times a week. There were also some cars on the road presumably owned by the local residents. So here was the catch. We only had one hour to explore the two mile long mile island. A small wisp of land indeed but just one hour? What to do, what to do... Our three choices for transport were riding bikes (yeah, right...in that weather?); taking a pony cart (photo: http://bit.ly/2orrKlB - quaint but tick-tock, tick-tock), or boarding one of the two tractor wagons available at the quay (photo: http://bit.ly/2nMMHEL). We went with the tractor wagon for €10 per person as we thought it would be the Fast & Furious of Inisheer. Nope but it gave us the sense that we were on the move. Our driver and guide Frank was a nimble-tongued local who has obviously been doing this for quite some time (photo: http://bit.ly/2orvBPp). He gratefully provided blankets to protect ourselves from the wild Atlantic winds. Making his way through narrow, winding roads bordered by high drystone walls (photo: http://bit.ly/2orEMj4), Frank made three stops. The first was at the rusted shipwreck of the PMV Plassey. Ever since 1960, it's been quite a dramatic sight on the rocky shore, and much of the hull remains intact (photo: http://bit.ly/2o18URD). The second was the hilltop Inisheer Graveyard (photo: http://bit.ly/2nQa55U). Amid a sea of Celtic crosses and tombstones, the 10th-century Temple Kevin is the centerpiece the remains of which are buried mostly below ground level (photo: http://bit.ly/2ozlyou). The final stop was the ruins of O'Brien's Castle at the island's highest point (photo: http://bit.ly/2oP63bl). You can take in pretty much the whole island from there (photo: http://bit.ly/2nN39EV). Frank assured us it was an easy five-minute walk to the quay where our ferry would be awaiting, and we had about twenty minutes to the departure. On the way up the hill, Jamie saw Radharc an Chaislean B&B and thought it would be nice to partake of the baked goods and hot chocolate served there (review: http://bit.ly/2ozJeZZ). Indeed it was and everything was freshly made, but the downside was that it took us almost fifteen minutes to get through our sojourn. We ended up huffing and puffing our way to the quay, cursing Frank's claim that it was a five-minute stroll. Sweating bullets, we barely made it the ferry just as the departure horn blared its final warning. Back on the boat, we were able to recover from our act of inadvertent folly and take in the Cliffs of Moher at sea level, quite a treat since I've only seen them from the cliffs before (photo: http://bit.ly/2nQv48t). We would like to come back to the Aran Islands but on our own clock next time. Inishmór has an actual town, Kilronan, and the middle island Inishmaan is known to be the most untouched of the Arans, so that may be the experience I had in mind. But a return to Inisheer would also be most welcome if just to tell Frank he has a touch of the blarney in him.
Please make the time to take at least a day trip to the Aran Islands. We went to Inishmore and it was amazing. Sadly we were unable to ride bikes as the weather was cold, rainy and windy the day we went, so much so that if we got on bikes, they probably would have slid off the island and into the ocean. No kidding. We ended up going against our no bus tours rule and hired a driver for the day. It was just our group and our driver, Birdie was entertaining and informative. Showed us all the sites on the bike map and then some. You are seriously missing out of you are in Galway or Doolin and do not take a trip to the Islands.
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE The Aran Islands. Went here in October of last year. The glamping was really a nice feature to the island. They have a kitchen you can use to cook your own food. Plus a place to sit down and enjoy your meal. There's a shop called the Spar on the Island. Expensive but definitely worth the money. Climbed up to see the beautiful spectacular view on the Dun Aengus. Loved every minute of it up there. Heights isn't my thing but that view was worth my fears. On the island there's two restaurants you can eat at. Both expensive but delicious food. The one we ate was Joe Watty. A pub restaurant the waiter didn't recommend the children's meal so if you have kids, I would be warned about that. But the burger and chips were delicious. The ferry to and from Galway was comfy. Bumpy on the water but relaxing. You can buy snacks on the boat which made it feel even more relaxing. You can park in the parking lot and then walk two blocks to the ferry terminal. Will definitely visit here again. Loved every minute of that trip.
Early in the 1970s, I saw an article in National Geographic about this set of 3 islands in Galway Bay. "Ive got to go there someday" I swore. In less than 5 years in was on a small plane from Galway city to Inishmore, the largest of the islands. All of Ireland is beautiful, but Inishmore was absolutely stunning. We passed on the horse and buggy ride and made our way on foot to the north side. Thousands of miles of stone walls line the roads and fields. We stopped at the stone hut that was used in the filming of "Man of Aran." At this point, we realized that we had to get back to the plane, so we managed to use a crank phone to put in a request to the island's one cabbie. We had enough time to take one more walk to the cliffs on the west side of the island. In 2008, we managed to go back and see Inisheer, the smallest and most southerly of the chain. At dinner, we had the only truly great steak I'd eaten in Ireland (usually better to stick to the lamb). I'd hoped to get a sunset shot, and the one I got showed all three islands at once. High on my bucket list is visiting the third island someday. read more
OMG - this is an often overlooked, but MUST see island if you are visiting Ireland. Use Aran Island Ferries to get out to the large island (Inis Mór), and then rent a bike when you get there. Skip the first bike place on the pier, and walk toward the left and look for Aran Bike Hire. No deposit required and they were 10 Euros for each bike. They had PLENTY of bikes to choose from, but pick one and ride it a short distance to make sure it is working ok. Check the gears, the breaks, etc. The first bikes we chose worked perfectly and we rode them for 20 miles with zero problems. Be aware, if you are from the states, that the front and rear brakes are opposite from what you expect in the U.S. I recommend taking the 10:30AM ferry out there and returning on the 5:00PM ferry. Even if you are renting a bike, it will take you ALL day to see the island. There are also guided van tours if you are pressed for time. If you are riding a bike,and trying to tour the entire island, you won't have time to check out the couple of restaurants or bars that are on the island. Instead, you should check out the "7 Churches" (from the 8th, 9th, and 15th century). They are very well preserved and an awesome site to behold. Another cool site to see (although it is an extra charge) is to park your rental bike and hike the mile and a half to view the pre-historic fort called Dun Aonghasa. You actually have to pay a couple of extra bux to walk up to view this fort, but it's worth it. It includes a great view of the Atlantic Ocean. This is an AWESOME bike ride. The weather was kind of misty when I was there, but I wouldn't trade the experience for ANYTHING in the world! I'm struggling with the decision, but it just MIGHT have been better than my visit to the Cliffs of Moher. DON'T GET STUCK ON THE ISLAND FOLKS! Get on the last ferry out at 5pm! read more
We absolutely loved our visit to Inishmore! It was well worth our day. We took advantage of the tour guides who meet you at the dock and were not disappointed. Make sure to bring cash as the guides do not take cards. You will find shops away from the docks where they sell hand-crafted woolen items. We found some beautiful scarves we didn't see anywhere else in Ireland. The history of the island was very interesting as well. Make sure to have meds if you get motion sickness -- the 45 minute boat trip is very active! read more
8 years ago
I read really great things about visiting the Aran Islands, so we booked a ferry trip for the day from Rosaveel when we were staying in Galway. We booked online in advance. It looked like you could get tickets there the day off, but some of the times were sold out. We took the ferry over to Inis Mor at 10:30 and came back at 4. It was about a 1-1.5 hour ferry ride. It was really windy when we went and the ride was very choppy. I managed not to get sick, but others did. They said it's not normally that rough. When we got there, we rented bikes at one of the bike hires. It is 10 euros to rent a bike for the day with a helmet. The bikes were really nice for rental bikes. We biked along the coast and tried to see the seals at the lookout point, but there weren't any there. We stopped at an ice cream shop that was very good before going to the Dun Aonghasa fort. Dun Aonghasa was really pretty. It's right along the shore and there is a great view of the cliffs. After that we biked back to the city and hung out for a bit before catching our ferry back. It's mostly bikes, walkers, and horse carriages on the island. Biking was pretty safe on the roads, but there were a decent number of tour buses trying to run you over. It is a bit hilly, so you'll get a workout. I would highly recommend taking a day trip out to the Aran Islands. They are really pretty and biking around is a lot of fun! read more
Inis Mór is the largest of the three Aran Islands. It has a population of around 840, and probably gets more tourists than there are residents on any given day. This place is literally an island off the coast of a larger island. The Irish culture and language maintain strong roots here. As you travel away from Kilronan, the main settlement where ferries disembark, you'll find that the road signs are all in Irish. Fortunately, tour companies will provide you with a map! Visitors explore the island via horse-drawn carts, shuttles and bicycles. If you are able, biking around the island is unparalleled in allowing you to enjoy the sights at your own leisure. Everywhere you go, there are grassy pens, often with cows and sheep, surrounded by low stone walls. Away from the tourist spots, there are pretty much no people. Nothing but a narrow road, stone walls, animals, the expansive island landscape and the ocean behind it. Complete serenity. There are several popular tourist attractions: * Dun Aonghasa: An old fort on the edge of a cliff, with structures thought to have been built in the Bronze and Iron Ages * The Worm Hole: A large rock formation which completely fills up with water when the waves crash over it * The Seven Churches: Ruins of two (not seven) churches surrounded by old graves; opinions differ on why this place is so named There are many more lesser-known places of interest. The wife and I visited the Clochan na Carraige, an ancient beehive-shaped hut built completely with stone and no mortar. There was nobody else around as far as the eye could see. Sadly, we only had time to explore a fraction of what Inis Mór has to offer. If we had the luxury of more time, we'd explore every bit of the island and the two other Aran Islands. It is well worth the visit. read more
4 years ago
The windswept allure of the Aran Islands has bewitched me ever since my first trip to the west of Ireland back in 1992. I finally made it there with Jamie W. as part of a day-long Galway Tour Company package that included the Cliffs of Moher. We booked it at the last minute with the front desk receptionist at the Clayton, our Galway hotel, and because it was shoulder season and a particularly cold one at that, we fortunately got in without a hitch. The half-hour ferry ride from Doolin was quite cold and choppy, giving me a rude flashback to an even choppier trip I made in the Galapagos Islands when I could barely come out of my cabin on our first day out. There are three Aran Islands, and most daytrippers travel to the largest one, Inishmór. However, much to our surprise, we landed at the smallest island, Inisheer (or Inis Oírr in Gaelic) where less than 300 people live. As quaint and atmospheric as it is, the island is not as isolated as you would think since there is a small airport with flights to and from Connemara three times a week. There were also some cars on the road presumably owned by the local residents. So here was the catch. We only had one hour to explore the two mile long mile island. A small wisp of land indeed but just one hour? What to do, what to do... Our three choices for transport were riding bikes (yeah, right...in that weather?); taking a pony cart (photo: http://bit.ly/2orrKlB - quaint but tick-tock, tick-tock), or boarding one of the two tractor wagons available at the quay (photo: http://bit.ly/2nMMHEL). We went with the tractor wagon for €10 per person as we thought it would be the Fast & Furious of Inisheer. Nope but it gave us the sense that we were on the move. Our driver and guide Frank was a nimble-tongued local who has obviously been doing this for quite some time (photo: http://bit.ly/2orvBPp). He gratefully provided blankets to protect ourselves from the wild Atlantic winds. Making his way through narrow, winding roads bordered by high drystone walls (photo: http://bit.ly/2orEMj4), Frank made three stops. The first was at the rusted shipwreck of the PMV Plassey. Ever since 1960, it's been quite a dramatic sight on the rocky shore, and much of the hull remains intact (photo: http://bit.ly/2o18URD). The second was the hilltop Inisheer Graveyard (photo: http://bit.ly/2nQa55U). Amid a sea of Celtic crosses and tombstones, the 10th-century Temple Kevin is the centerpiece the remains of which are buried mostly below ground level (photo: http://bit.ly/2ozlyou). The final stop was the ruins of O'Brien's Castle at the island's highest point (photo: http://bit.ly/2oP63bl). You can take in pretty much the whole island from there (photo: http://bit.ly/2nN39EV). Frank assured us it was an easy five-minute walk to the quay where our ferry would be awaiting, and we had about twenty minutes to the departure. On the way up the hill, Jamie saw Radharc an Chaislean B&B and thought it would be nice to partake of the baked goods and hot chocolate served there (review: http://bit.ly/2ozJeZZ). Indeed it was and everything was freshly made, but the downside was that it took us almost fifteen minutes to get through our sojourn. We ended up huffing and puffing our way to the quay, cursing Frank's claim that it was a five-minute stroll. Sweating bullets, we barely made it the ferry just as the departure horn blared its final warning. Back on the boat, we were able to recover from our act of inadvertent folly and take in the Cliffs of Moher at sea level, quite a treat since I've only seen them from the cliffs before (photo: http://bit.ly/2nQv48t). We would like to come back to the Aran Islands but on our own clock next time. Inishmór has an actual town, Kilronan, and the middle island Inishmaan is known to be the most untouched of the Arans, so that may be the experience I had in mind. But a return to Inisheer would also be most welcome if just to tell Frank he has a touch of the blarney in him. read more
Please make the time to take at least a day trip to the Aran Islands. We went to Inishmore and it was amazing. Sadly we were unable to ride bikes as the weather was cold, rainy and windy the day we went, so much so that if we got on bikes, they probably would have slid off the island and into the ocean. No kidding. We ended up going against our no bus tours rule and hired a driver for the day. It was just our group and our driver, Birdie was entertaining and informative. Showed us all the sites on the bike map and then some. You are seriously missing out of you are in Galway or Doolin and do not take a trip to the Islands. read more
8 years ago
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE The Aran Islands. Went here in October of last year. The glamping was really a nice feature to the island. They have a kitchen you can use to cook your own food. Plus a place to sit down and enjoy your meal. There's a shop called the Spar on the Island. Expensive but definitely worth the money. Climbed up to see the beautiful spectacular view on the Dun Aengus. Loved every minute of it up there. Heights isn't my thing but that view was worth my fears. On the island there's two restaurants you can eat at. Both expensive but delicious food. The one we ate was Joe Watty. A pub restaurant the waiter didn't recommend the children's meal so if you have kids, I would be warned about that. But the burger and chips were delicious. The ferry to and from Galway was comfy. Bumpy on the water but relaxing. You can buy snacks on the boat which made it feel even more relaxing. You can park in the parking lot and then walk two blocks to the ferry terminal. Will definitely visit here again. Loved every minute of that trip. read more
This is the perfect day excursion for those who want to get away from the mainland. Once you disembark from the ferry, go straight to the nearest bike rental store (there are many). It's only $10 to rent a bike for the whole day (or until the store closes). Unfortunately, road bikes aren't included in the selection, but I got along fine with a hybrid. For those who want to takes things more slowly, cruisers are available. Since the island is pretty small (8 miles in diameter), you will be able to tour all the famous sights at your own leisure in one day. My favorite stops included the Dun Aengus, seal beach, and "the smallest church in the world." The open countryside is gorgeous, and nothing beats riding alongside the coast while taking in the blue ocean expanse. Other notables include cows, horses, cemeteries, and fortresses. It's difficult to get lost since you're riding in a loop, but locals or other tourists are always nearby for any directions needed. The bike store should also provide you with a rough map. One important piece of advice: ride on the left side of the road! For those who don't know how to ride a bike or desire a respite from walking, tour vans are always available for a cheap price. read more
10 years ago
9 years ago
12 years ago
