Welcome to your Sligo journey info.
Sligo is a hidden gem on Ireland‘s lovely west coast and after merely spending an prolonged weekend there, I am so excited to share all the best spots and places I’d advocate in your Sligo journey. On this weblog publish, I will share the best points to do in Sligo, the best places to eat and the best places to soak up the unbelievable Irish historic previous and custom.
Positioned inside the province of Connacht, Sligo is a coastal metropolis surrounded by breathtaking landscapes and a rich cultural heritage. Sligo boasts a vibrant meals scene, offering modern seafood, typical Irish dishes, and a rising craft beer and whiskey custom that will depart your coronary coronary heart and tummy very utterly glad. Nonetheless larger than that, Sligo is the right base location for exploring the Wild Atlantic Method, searching the world-famous surf breaks and the grand landscapes surrounding it.
Sligo’s tapestry of custom and historic previous is rich, alive and well-preserved. You might immerse your self inside the native traditions, native delicacies, uncover historic Celtic web sites, and go to landmarks linked to the renowned poet W.B. Yeats, whose have an effect on can nonetheless be felt all via the world.
Being solely a one-hour flight from the UK and a 2.5-hour drive from Dublin, Sligo makes for an easy, no-hassle weekend break full of a plethora of improbable meals and journey.
Proceed learning for all my biggest points to do in Sligo!
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Top-of-the-line time to go to Sligo?
Top-of-the-line time to go to Sligo, Ireland, depends in your pursuits and motive for visiting. Summer season (June to August) provides delicate temperatures averaging spherical 15-20°C so once you’re keen on hikes and outside actions, this could be an excellent time to plan to go to. However on the flip side, spring and autumn current fewer crowds and it’s possible you’ll get greater gives on flights and lodging.
Winter might be chilly with temperatures spherical 5-10°C nonetheless nonetheless pleasurable once you pack correctly as there’s nonetheless heaps to keep up you occupied (see the rest of publish!). Surfers are prone to flock to Sligo inside the autumn and winter months for optimum wave conditions, though searching is possible year-round and for freshmen – the summer season season is also a larger risk.
Bear in mind timing your go to with an annual event identical to the Sligo Keep Music Competitors, Sligo St. Patrick’s Day and Fleadh Cheoil. Many others all yr lengthy add cultural attraction to your go to! The Irish sure know throw a celebration!
Lastly, for the best time to go to Sligo, take into accounts what your priority is to experience and choose the time that aligns, whether or not or not its for searching, outside adventures, or experiencing native festivities.
We stayed at The Glasshouse Lodge all through our preserve in Sligo. It was an insane location to have as a base. Correct on River Sligo, strolling distance from all the best consuming locations and pubs and solely a 20-minute radius from most of the actions on this info! Oh and they also have FREE underground parking too for resort firm!
Top-of-the-line places to eat and drink in Sligo
We expert some unbelievable meals and drinks all through our time in Sligo. I wanted to make a little bit of half proper right here for recommendations!
Eala Bhan £££
Positioned in a charming riverside setting, Eala Bhan provides a numerous menu centered on modern seafood and Irish delicacies. Elegant atmosphere and attentive service. One for a memorable consuming experience.
Shell’s Café £
Positioned on Strandhill Seaside, Shell’s Café provides lovely views and healthful dishes like handmade soups, gourmand sandwiches, and freshly baked gadgets. Very good takeaway espresso and bakery inside the retailer too!
Hargadon Bros £
An excellent pleasing pub with good Guinness stew!
Lillie’s Cocktail Bar ££
A shocking cosy spot to grab a cocktail and some keep music! Pornstar martinis had been fab!
Otto Pizza ££
Most interesting pizza in town! Wow. Enticing vibes, Neapolitan pizzas and small plates. Good date night spot!
Thomas Connolly Bar £
Supposedly the best Guinness in Ireland! It must be tried!
Milligram Espresso £
Very good little espresso retailer with sweet treats too. Few indoor seats.
Baker Boys £
Current baked good, need I say further!
Stoked ££
Cocktails and tapas with mates vibes. We didn’t get time to go nonetheless had been extraordinarily actually helpful by many people!
The Little Cottage Cafe £
Lovely little cosy cafe with an open fire capable of serve you scorching drinks and meals after an prolonged stroll or outside train!
Hooked ££
Informal riverside restaurant with domestically sourced and delicious meals! I would say they do their Asian dishes biggest! The slow-cooked pork and Korean fried rooster had been the show-stoppers!
Sligo, Ireland is a hidden gem on the west coast, offering lovely landscapes and a rich cultural heritage. When you occur to’re planning a go to, listed below are the best points to do in Sligo:
1. Uncover one in all many Benbulben hikes / trails
When you occur to’re up for an issue and breathtaking views, don’t miss the prospect to climb Benbulben Mountain, it’s most likely the best points to do in Sligo. Reaching the summit itself is a fairly troublesome hike nonetheless there are completely different decisions (listed beneath) that will imply you may profit from the views at a further leisurely tempo.
- Benbulben Summit (6km spherical journey): Essentially the most well-liked hike to the summit of Benbulbin is thru the Gortarowey Path. From the summit, you’ll be rewarded with lovely panoramic views of the encircling countryside, along with Sligo Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Pack for the local weather – it could be windy and uncovered up there!
- Gleniff Horseshoe (10km loop): This looped path provides breathtaking views of Benbulbin and the encircling valleys. The trail in all fairness troublesome and takes you through numerous terrain, along with lush forests and open moorland.
- Benbulbin Forest Stroll (5km loop): This gentle stroll by Benbulbin Forest means which you can immerse inside the woodland and enjoy epic views of Benbulben as a backdrop. Typically takes 1.5-2 hours.
2. Take the scenic drive as a lot as Eagles Rock
If climbing isn’t your issue, concern not. So plenty of Sligo’s unbelievable surrounding landscapes might be beloved from the comfort of your automotive and simply driving throughout the plush inexperienced landscapes is among the many biggest points to do in Sligo.
You need to take into consideration taking the scenic route alongside the Dartry Mountains, passing Eagles Rock viewpoint, which supplies panoramic views of Benbulbin and the encircling panorama.
One other selection is to drive spherical Mullaghmore Head (you probably can drive correct throughout the shoreline) after which the road once more to Sligo gives pretty superior views of Benbulbin Mountain. You might lengthen the journey by driving by among the many side roads to get views identical to the one pictured beneath!
3. Uncover Sligo’s Custom and Historic previous
Immerse your self in Sligo’s rich cultural heritage when you’re proper right here! There’s SO rather a lot to see and be taught.
Begin your journey by stepping once more in time at Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, an expansive site that holds the secrets and techniques and strategies of historic rituals and beliefs.
Proceed your exploration on the historic Sligo Abbey, a medieval friary that provides a glimpse into the lifetime of the earlier. You might wander by the well-preserved ruins and let your creativeness transport you to a bygone interval of knights and monks. Then there’s the pilgrimage to Drumcliffe Churchyard, the place legendary poet W.B. Yeats rests in eternal peace. The long-lasting and postcard backdrop of Benbulben Mountain supplies an ethereal contact to your go to, as you take a second to duplicate on his timeless phrases.
4. Profit from the world-famous waves rolling in at Mullaghmore Head
Top-of-the-line time for searching (once you’re expert) or watching the surf at Mullaghmore Head is in the midst of the winter months when Atlantic swells are at their peak.
Expert surfers journey from across the globe to soak up the towering cliffs proper right here, the rugged environment, and the extremely efficient Atlantic waves. However, you may too profit from the gorgeous wonderful thing about Mullaghmore Head year-round by climbing alongside the coastal trails and marvelling on the majestic Classiebawn Fort (pictured beneath).
5. Experience St. Patrick’s Day in Sligo!
Sligo is renowned for its vibrant festivals and there are only a few to pick out from inside the calendar! The best points to do in Sligo is to experience The Sligo Keep Music Competitors, held in October, bringing collectively renowned musicians for an unbelievable week of keep performances all through various venues inside the metropolis.
One different one which I merely expert myself, is St. Patrick’s Day. Yearly on March 17, all through Ireland you’ll uncover cities and communities coming collectively to rejoice inside the kind of parades, music and occasions.
St. Patrick’s Day in Sligo was unbelievable!! That they’d a stage inside the centre of metropolis with keep music all weekend, the whole metropolis acquired involved with the St.Paddys Day parade, pubs had been full of native Irish experience and the town was 50 shades of inexperienced! There was pleasing and standard Irish dancing spherical every nook and it was so superior to experience.
I’d say most likely the best points to do in Sligo is to time your go to with Paddy’s Day!
6. Surf the Wild Atlantic Waves
Shopping is among the many biggest points to do in Sligo as its shoreline is a haven for surfers of all abilities.
There’s no greater technique to start the day than immersing your self inside the ocean after which grabbing a freshly roasted espresso!
Head to Mullaghmore, Strandhill, Easky, or Streedagh to get out inside the surf and experience the Wild Atlantic waves. When you occur to’re a beginner, you probably can lease instruments and take surf courses with native surf schools (I extraordinarily advocate Rebelle Surf in Strandhill). For the additional superior surfers, Mullaghmore is renowned for its huge waves!
When you occur to surf in Strandhill, you will need to seize breakfast at Shell’s Cafe afterwards!
7. Take pleasure in Pub-Crawling in Sligo
Immerse your self in Ireland’s beer custom by occurring a pub crawl, it’s indisputably most likely the best points to do in Sligo.
Sample native brews, tuck into an iconic Guinness, and soak up the great and comfy and hospitable pub atmosphere that Ireland does so correctly. Hopping throughout the pubs in Sligo is a nice technique to satisfy new people, chat with the locals and experience the colorful pub custom.
Connolly’s Bar is a popular spot for an real Irish pub experience – it’s moreover talked about to serve the best Guinness in Ireland! You’ll ought to let me know! Shoot the Crows is one different great spot and Fiddlers Creek.
8. Loosen up at Voya Seaweed Baths on Strandhill Seaside
For a singular and rejuvenating experience, most likely the best points to do in Sligo is to go to Voya Seaweed Baths.
Immerse in pure wellness and restore your vitality after a night on the town or an enormous hike. Their baths, infused with hand-harvested Irish seaweed, current therapeutic benefits for the pores and pores and skin and physique, promoting deep leisure, remineralisation and detoxing. Seaweed treatment is a centuries-old customized that will depart you glowing and nourished from the inside out.
We booked a 2 particular person spa room that had two seaweed baths and a steam room. We then had a 50-minute session to have the benefit of sooner than inserting on our robes and heading to the reduction room the place we lay on the spa beds and beloved views all through the seashore with pure tea and water.
9. Fowl-Watching at Sligo’s Nature Reserves
Sligo is a paradise for hen watchers with its quite a few differ of habitats that attraction to fairly a couple of hen species. When you occur to like nature, visiting nature reserves like Lough Gill, the place you probably can spot numerous waterfowl and wading birds is among the many biggest points to do in Sligo.
- Head to the Caves of Kesh to take a look at raptors hovering inside the skies.
- The Sligo Bay Estuary is one different great spot for bird-watching, notably all through migratory seasons once you probably can see unusual species passing by.
10. Information a yoga class or sound tub at Salt And Soul Studio
There are so many bodily demanding adventures and actions to work together in whereas in Sligo, you’re spoilt for choice.
When you occur to’re in search of to stability out your physique, get a full-body stretch in and restore on an full of life and non secular stage, there’s a gorgeous little studio I’d extraordinarily advocate – Salt and Soul.
The beautiful studio the place you probably can breathe switch and play won’t be too faraway from Strandhill and they also provide numerous classes and immersions to swimsuit any stage of Yogi. This was the right reward to a morning inside the water! Information a class proper right here.
11. Go to 1 amongst Sligos Market
When you occur to’re on the lookout for an real model of Sligo and want to attempt some native produce, don’t miss the Sligo Markets! Proper right here’s just some to find all through your time in Sligo:
- Head over to Rathcormac Nation Market, a hidden gem the place you probably can uncover handmade gadgets and native crafts. From freshly baked pastries to gorgeous artisanal merchandise, this market exudes attraction and warmth.
- Beltra Nation Market, positioned inside the picturesque village of Beltra, provides a nice combination of native produce, baked gadgets, and handmade crafts. Don’t miss the prospect to find the stalls and meet the nice distributors.
- Drummartin Market, nestled inside the serene countryside, is an actual gem. It choices modern produce, handmade treats, and distinctive crafts.
12. Take pleasure in a sunset sauna and sea dip at Scorching Discipline Saunas
Scorching Discipline Saunas in Sligo are most likely the best points to do once you love a panorama and likewise you’re into your cold and warm treatment.
You might information a slot to profit from the wood-fired saunas and they also even have moreover a cold plunge (pictured beneath). The saunas are positioned correct on the water so there’s fast entry to the ocean to alternate your temperature immersion.
The combination of intense heat from the sauna and invigorating chilly plunges provides fairly a couple of effectively being benefits, along with improved circulation, lowered irritation, and enhanced psychological readability. It’s most likely the best points to do in Sligo on account of it’s not local weather dependant! Perhaps an excellent moist day train once you’re caught with points to do in Sligo!
Have you ever ever been to Sligo?
What are the best points to do in Sligo? One thing you’d add to this Sligo bucket document?
Love as always and utterly glad adventuring…