Why Honeymoon in Killarney
Killarney gives you Irish scenery without hours of driving. The lakes, mountains, ruined abbey and restored castle are all inside or beside the national park. Much of it can be covered by bike, on foot or in a horse-drawn jaunting car.
There is a love story built into the landscape too. Muckross House, the Victorian mansion on the lakeshore, was finished in 1843 for Henry Arthur Herbert and his wife Mary Balfour Herbert, who decorated it for a royal visit from Queen Victoria in 1861. The gardens around it are planted with rhododendrons and azaleas that turn the paths pink and purple in May.
Killarney also makes a practical base. Trains run direct to Dublin Heuston, Kerry Airport is close and the Dingle Peninsula is about an hour away, so it slots easily into a longer Wild Atlantic Way trip.
When to Go
May and June are the best months. The rhododendrons and gardens are in bloom, evenings stay light until well after 10 pm and the coach tours on the Ring of Kerry have not reached their peak. September is close behind, with fewer crowds and often settled weather.
July and August are the warmest months but also the busiest. Traffic on the Ring of Kerry backs up behind tour buses, jaunting car queues form at Muckross and hotel rates climb. The Ring of Kerry Cycle takes over the road on the first Saturday in July, so avoid driving that day.
October can be beautiful, with autumn color in the oak woods and red deer stags roaring during the rut. From November to March days are short and wet. Some boat trips stop running. Hotels stay open, though. A winter weekend of fires and lake walks has its own charm.
Where to Stay
The best honeymoon stays sit outside the town center, on the lakes or the hills above them.
The Europe Hotel and Resort, on the shore of Lough Leane at Fossa, has wide lake and mountain views and a large spa. Aghadoe Heights, on a hill north of town, looks straight down over the lakes and is known for its spa and couples treatments. Both are about ten minutes by car from the center.
If you prefer to walk to dinner and the pubs, stay in town near the cathedral and the park entrance, where several four-star hotels and guesthouses sit within a short stroll of the lakeshore.
For something quieter, many couples split their time with Kenmare, 35 minutes south over the mountains. The Park Hotel Kenmare and Sheen Falls Lodge are both long-established luxury choices there. The town has a well-regarded food scene.
Romantic Things to Do
The classic day is the Gap of Dunloe. Start at Kate Kearney's Cottage, then walk, cycle or take a jaunting car seven miles through the narrow pass, past five small lakes and the Wishing Bridge, where tradition says wishes made on it come true. At Lord Brandon's Cottage, board a small boat for the trip through the Upper Lake, Long Range and Lough Leane to Ross Castle. Book the combined boat and transfer tour in advance in summer.
Rent bikes in town and cycle the flat lakeside paths to Muckross House, Muckross Abbey and Torc Waterfall. The abbey, founded in 1448, has a yew tree growing in its cloister that local tradition says is as old as the building.
At Ross Castle, a 15th-century tower house, hire a boat to Innisfallen Island and its monastic ruins. End the day at Ladies View on the road to Kenmare, ideally around sunset.
Getting There and Around
Kerry Airport at Farranfore is about 20 minutes away by car, with flights from Dublin and some European cities. Most Americans fly into Shannon, roughly two hours north, or Cork, about 90 minutes east. Killarney's train station has direct services to Dublin Heuston, a little over three hours away, as well as to Cork.
In town and around the lakes you do not need a car. Jaunting cars wait near the park entrance and Muckross, bike rental shops line the main streets and several companies run Gap of Dunloe and Ring of Kerry day tours.
A car is useful for Kenmare, the Ring of Kerry and Dingle. The Ring is about 110 miles and most drivers go counterclockwise like the tour buses. Going clockwise from Kenmare, or simply starting very early, means less time stuck behind coaches on narrow sections.
Food and Drink
Kerry cooking leans on lamb from the mountain farms, beef, smoked salmon, Atlantic shellfish and farmhouse cheese. In Killarney you can eat well at every level, from hotel dining rooms with lake views to busy bistros on High Street and College Street.
For a special dinner, many couples drive to Kenmare, a small town with an outsized number of good restaurants within a couple of streets. Book ahead in summer, since tables fill quickly.
Pubs are part of the evening plan. Several in the town center have traditional music every night in season. The atmosphere is friendly rather than rowdy. Order at the bar, find a seat near the musicians and keep your voices down during the slow airs.
For a picnic on the Gap of Dunloe or a lakeside walk, stock up at a local deli with Kerry cheese, brown bread and a flask of tea. Midges can be fierce on still summer evenings, so bring repellent.
Honeymoon Tips
- Book the Gap of Dunloe boat trip and any jaunting car tour ahead in July and August. Confirm departure times the day before since boats can be canceled in high winds.
- Ask your hotel for a lake-view room by name when you book. Mention the honeymoon. Rooms on the town side of some hotels look onto car parks.
- Jaunting car drivers set prices by distance; agree on the route and fare before you climb in.
- Allow a full day for the Ring of Kerry with stops. Rushing it in half a day misses the point.
- If you want the Skellig Michael landing tour, it leaves from Portmagee on the Ring, runs only from late spring to early autumn and has a strict daily cap on visitors, so book months ahead and keep a backup day in case the sea cancels it.
- Pack waterproof shoes. Park paths can be muddy even when the sky looks clear.
