A Beautiful Drive To Sligo, Ireland.

Ireland is often referred to as one of the most beautiful places on earth but if you were born and raised on the Emerald Isle it is easy to take our island for granted. Living abroad in the concrete jungle of New York city made me appreciate my country and vow to see more of it. (Read about my trip to Donegal HERE.) A few weeks ago I took a road trip to Sligo, a place I admittedly didn’t know much about. I was surprised to see how much there was to do both in Sligo and along the way there from Dublin. Below is a little recap of my road trip that you might find useful if you are thinking of doing the same. It’s perfect for a weekend trip or even a night away.

For more inspiration on Irelands most beautiful drives, take a look at Chill.ie series of eBooks about different types of drives around Ireland, which can be found HERE.

The Beautiful Drive

We started our drive to Sligo from Dublin which takes approximately three hours without any stops. Taking the M4 and N4 is the safest and fasted route with the best roads.

Along the way, you will see stunning landscapes of mountains, lakes and beaches.

 

The Pitstops

We had planned to stop in Carrick-On-Shannon for food but we weren’t yet hungry so continued on to the small town of Collooney for lunch. We chose Nook Cafe which I had seen had raving reviews on TripAdvisor. Everything on the menu looked delicious and is all made with healthy and fresh ingredients. We loved every bite! They also have baked goods and sweets to take for the road.

Our second stop was in Drumcliffe Graveyard, County Sligo, an area which is also known as Yeats County for its Irish history and the poems of W.B Yeats. Visit Yeats grave at St. Columba’s parish church where you will also see a picture perfect view of the table-top like Benbulben mountain.

Where To Stay

We choose to stay in the Clayton Hotel in Sligo, which boasts spectacular views of the Benbulben Mountain. The extraordinary building dates from 1848 but holds modern bedrooms inside. With free parking and only a four-minute drive into Sligo town, it was perfect for our stay.

Where To Eat & Drink

Abit small, Sligo town hosts plenty great restaurants, cafes and bars. For dinner, we choose Bistro Bianconi which had exceptionally good Italian food at reasonable prices. After dinner, we ventured across the bridge to The Blind Tiger for really delicious and unique cocktails.

Relax

A trip to Sligo is not complete without visiting the VOYA Seaweed Baths. Based in the beautiful coastal village of Strandhill, the seaweed baths will relax you and are known for an extensive amount of properties such as anti-aging and pain relief. The seaweed releases a gelatinous substance that leaves your skin feeling so soft and smooth for the rest of the week. I highly recommend this treatment, just remember to book in advance on their website.

See

Other highlights and areas of interest include:

• Lough Gill Scenic Loop
• Lissadell House Sligo
• Glencar Waterfall
• Sligo Abbey
• Knocknarea Mountain, where you can hike an hour to the top to see Queen Maeve’s Cairn.
• View the Isle of Inisfree and coast past the table-top like Benbulben mountain.
• Fresh seafood in Mullaghmore village.

This is a collaborative post with Chill.ie

Thanks for reading!

Sophie x