Doolin: what to see, where to stay and how to get around

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Doolin sits at the northern end of the Cliffs of Moher, where the limestone of the Burren drops straight into the ocean. From the village a coastal path runs south along the top of the cliffs, and on a clear day you see the Aran Islands and the mountains of Connemara. This route can be walked in part or driven, ending at the village where the inventor of the submarine was born. Allow a day; the wind on top is strong in any season.

A short history of Doolin

Doolin is a small village on the coast of County Clare, near the Cliffs of Moher, which rise 214 metres above the Atlantic Ocean. In 1835 the landowner Cornelius O'Brien built the viewing tower on the cliffs, already then for visitors. Above the village stands Doonagore Castle, a round tower from the 16th century. In the 1960s and 1970s Doolin became a centre of traditional Irish music, thanks to local musicians who played in the village pubs. Ferries leave the harbour for the Aran Islands.

The ten best sights in Doolin

1
Doolin Pier
Ferries to the Aran Islands and cruises under the cliffs, roughly March to October; weather cancels sailings
2
Fisherstreet
The old fishing hamlet of Doolin with thatched cottages, craft shops and O'Connor's pub
3
Gus O'Connor's
The best-known music pub in Doolin; sessions most evenings, food all day
4
Doonagore Castle
A round tower house on the hill above the village; private, photograph it from the road
5
Doolin Cave
Home of a huge free-hanging stalactite; guided tours only, about an hour
6
Cliffs of Moher
Ten minutes south; walk the coastal path from Doolin or park at the visitor centre
7
Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre
Built into the hillside; the parking ticket includes the exhibition
8
O'Brien's Tower
The viewing tower on the highest part of the cliffs
9
Ballinalacken Castle
A ruined tower house on a crag over the coast road north of Doolin
10
Lisdoonvarna
Old spa town 10 minutes inland, home of the September matchmaking festival

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What is an audio walk?

Tours in Doolin →

A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Doolin:

Free walking tours in Doolin

The edge of the Atlantic

Fisherstreet · Doolin's fame as a home of Irish traditional music grew from the Russell brothers of Fisherstreet; Micho Russell, the tin-whistle player, made the village known to the world.
Doonagore Castle · Local tradition says that survivors of a Spanish Armada ship wrecked on this coast in 1588 were hanged at Doonagore.
Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre · The centre was dug into the hillside and roofed with grass so that it would not break the line of the cliffs.
O'Brien's Tower · Cornelius O'Brien, a local landlord and MP, built the tower in 1835 as a viewing point for the visitors who were already coming to the cliffs.
Hag's Head · At the southern tip of the cliffs stands Moher Tower, a signal tower built during the Napoleonic wars to watch for a French fleet.
John P. Holland Centre, Liscannor · John Philip Holland, born in Liscannor in 1841, designed the first submarine bought by the US Navy, commissioned in 1900.

Over and under the Burren

The Burren is a plateau of bare grey limestone, cracked into slabs, where Arctic and Mediterranean flowers grow side by side in the gaps. Rain has dissolved the rock into caves below, and the first farmers left their tombs on top. This route crosses the plateau by car with short walks, about 70 km in all. Spring, when the gentians bloom, is the best season.

Doolin Cave · Its Great Stalactite is about 7.3 metres long, one of the longest free-hanging stalactites in Europe; cavers found it in 1952.
Ballinalacken Castle · The tower house on the crag was a stronghold of the O'Briens, the family that ruled this corner of Clare for centuries.
Fanore Beach · Fanore is one of the few sandy beaches on the Burren coast, where a river and dunes break the line of limestone terraces.
Aillwee Cave · A local farmer, Jacko McGann, found the cave in 1944 when his dog chased a rabbit into it; the bones of brown bears were later found inside.
Poulnabrone Dolmen · When the tomb was excavated in 1986, the remains of more than 30 people were found under the capstone, buried over several centuries around 5,500 years ago.
Corcomroe Abbey · The Cistercians founded the abbey around 1194 and named it for Saint Mary of the Fertile Rock, a fitting name in the middle of the Burren.

An island and the matchmakers

Two worlds lie within half an hour of Doolin: the Aran Islands across the sound, where Irish is still the language of daily life, and the inland spa towns where farmers once came to find a wife after the harvest. The first half of this route is a ferry day to Inis Oírr; the second half is a short evening drive inland. Check the ferry the night before, because the sea decides.

Doolin Pier · Inis Oírr is only about 8 km across the sound from this pier, which makes Doolin the closest mainland port to the smallest Aran island.
Inis Oírr · The island is part of the Gaeltacht, and Irish is the first language of most of its few hundred residents.
MV Plassy wreck · The cargo ship ran aground in 1960 and a later storm threw her up onto the rocks, where she has rusted ever since; she appears in the opening titles of Father Ted.
Gus O'Connor's · The pub has stood in Fisherstreet since 1832, and its sessions became the gathering point for musicians when Doolin's fame spread in the 1970s.
The Matchmaker Bar, Lisdoonvarna · Lisdoonvarna has held a matchmaking festival every September for generations, and the bar is home base for its traditional matchmaker.
Kilfenora Cathedral · Kilfenora is called the City of the Crosses for the carved high crosses around its small cathedral; the village also gave its name to one of Ireland's oldest céilí bands, founded in 1909.

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Getting to Doolin and getting around

Shannon Airport · The nearest airport, about an hour's drive; car hire desks in the terminal
Ennis Station · The nearest railway, 45 minutes away, on the Limerick–Galway line
Doolin bus stop · At Fitz's Cross in the village; buses along the coast to the Cliffs of Moher and Galway

Cheap eats in Doolin

Clare's coast cooks with what is close: smoked salmon from the Burren, mussels and crab from the Atlantic, lamb from the limestone hills and soda bread with everything. Doolin is a village, so the counter is a handful of cafés between Fitz's Cross and Fisherstreet, busy at lunch in summer. Prices are Irish: soup and bread about €7-9, a sandwich or a bowl of chowder €9-14.

Doolin Café · Breakfasts and lunches near the upper village, about €8-14
Stone Wall Café · Café and pizzeria at Fitz's Cross; coffee and cake €5-7, pizza €12-16
The Ivy Cottage · Thatched cottage café in Fisherstreet; soup and brown bread about €8
Doolin Deli · Sandwiches to take on the cliff walk, about €6-9
Doolin Cave Café · Coffee, scones and soup, about €5-10
Burren Smokehouse · Smoked salmon packs from about €8

Museums in Doolin

Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre · Exhibition on the cliffs and seabirds, built into the hill
Burren Centre, Kilfenora · Good first stop to understand the Burren
John P. Holland Centre · In Liscannor, 15 minutes south
Poulnabrone Dolmen · Free; early morning before the coaches

Nature and day trips near Doolin

Cliffs of Moher · Coastal path from Doolin; keep behind the fences
Fanore Beach · Sand and dunes under the Burren hills
Burren National Park · Marked trails over bare limestone; no visitor facilities on site
Hag's Head · Quieter end of the cliffs; walk from Liscannor

Things to do in Doolin with kids

Doolin Cave · The giant stalactite and a farm walk
Aillwee Cave · Cave plus birds of prey; half a day
Fanore Beach · Dunes and rock pools at low tide
Doolin Pier ferries · Cliff cruise about an hour

Where to eat in Doolin

Cullinan's · Restaurant and guesthouse by the river; local fish, book in summer
Glas · Modern Irish cooking at Fitz's Cross
Oar · Restaurant with rooms in the upper village
McGann's · Music pub with seafood chowder
McDermott's · Pub food and sessions in the upper village
Fitzpatrick's Bar · At the crossroads; a pint after dinner

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Frequently asked questions about Doolin

What is there to see in Doolin?

The top sights in Doolin are Doolin Pier, Fisherstreet and Gus O'Connor's. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.

How many days do you need in Doolin?

Three to four days are enough to see the best of Doolin without rushing, including at least one walking tour.

Is there a free walking tour in Doolin?

Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Doolin, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: The edge of the Atlantic.

How do you get to Doolin and get around?

The main ways are Shannon Airport, Ennis Station and Doolin bus stop. Full details are in the transport section on this page.

Where to stay in Doolin, and for how much?

sleepntrip shows only rooms in Doolin that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.

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