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

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Tralee is the county town of Kerry, and its centre packs a lot of Irish story into a few streets: a song that became a world festival, a hunger striker, a folk theatre and a Georgian street. This walk starts at the museum and ends at the station named after a rebel. About two hours on flat streets; in late August the Rose of Tralee festival fills the town.

A short history of Tralee

Tralee was founded in the 13th century by the Normans, and for centuries it was the stronghold of the FitzGerald Earls of Desmond. In the Desmond Rebellion of the 1580s their castle was destroyed, and their lands passed to English settlers. The town was rebuilt and became the county town of Kerry. In 1959 the Rose of Tralee festival was held there for the first time, named after a 19th-century song, in which a woman of Irish descent from anywhere in the world is chosen, and it is still held every August.

The ten best sights in Tralee

1
Kerry County Museum
The county's history from the Stone Age to the 20th century, with a walk-through medieval Tralee
2
Siamsa Tíre
The National Folk Theatre; summer evening shows of music and dance
3
Tralee Town Park
Large park with a rose garden, at its best in July and August
4
Rose of Tralee statue
The statue in the rose garden, for the song and the festival
5
Denny Street
The Georgian main street from the museum to the town centre
6
Dominican Church
The Holy Cross church of the Dominicans, near the park
7
Aqua Dome
Indoor waterpark, the answer to a rainy Kerry afternoon
8
Tralee Bay Wetlands
Boardwalks, a viewing tower and boats on the lake, at the edge of town
9
Blennerville Windmill
Restored windmill on the bay, 5 minutes west; walk there along the canal
10
Fenit
Harbour village at the mouth of Tralee Bay with a lighthouse islet and seafood

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How we choose

What is an audio walk?

Tours in Tralee →

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 Tralee:

Free walking tours in Tralee

Roses and rebels

Kerry County Museum · The museum is in Ashe Memorial Hall, named after Thomas Ashe, a Kerry republican who died after being force-fed on hunger strike in 1917.
Rose of Tralee statue · The song 'The Rose of Tralee' was written by William Mulchinock in the 19th century about Mary O'Connor, a servant girl he loved, and inspired the festival first held in 1959.
Tralee Town Park · The festival is open to young women of Irish descent from around the world, and its 'Roses' come from Irish communities as far apart as New York and Sydney.
Siamsa Tíre · Siamsa Tíre, founded in 1974, is the National Folk Theatre of Ireland, and its shows tell rural stories through music and dance rather than words.
Denny Street · The wide Georgian street was laid out on the site of the old Desmond castle of Tralee, seat of the earls who once ruled most of Munster.
Tralee Casement Station · In 1966, for the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising, Irish stations were renamed after its leaders, and Tralee's took the name of Roger Casement, captured nearby in 1916.

Down the canal to Brendan's bay

Tralee once had its own sea port, reached by a canal across the marshes to Blennerville, and from there emigrant ships left for America during the Famine. Further out on the bay is the country of Saint Brendan the Navigator, said to have sailed west across the Atlantic. This route follows the water from town to the open bay. Half a day by car, or walk and cycle the first part along the canal.

Tralee Bay Wetlands · The wetlands are part of a protected bay where thousands of Brent geese from Arctic Canada spend the winter.
Tralee Ship Canal · The canal was opened in 1846 so that ships could reach Tralee, but it silted up and the port moved out to Fenit within a few decades.
Blennerville Windmill · Blennerville was Kerry's emigration port, and the Jeanie Johnston sailed from here to North America from 1848, famous for never losing a passenger.
Fenit · Tradition holds that Saint Brendan the Navigator was born near Fenit in the 5th century, and a large statue of him stands on the harbour.
Little Samphire Island Lighthouse · The lighthouse on the islet has guided ships into Tralee Bay since the 1850s and is still working.
Ardfert Cathedral · Brendan is said to have founded a monastery at Ardfert, and the roofless cathedral built here later was the seat of the bishops of Kerry.

Casement's coast and north Kerry

On Good Friday 1916 a German submarine put Roger Casement ashore on a beach north of Tralee, three days before the Easter Rising. He was caught within hours, and the beach and the fort where he hid are now memorials. Beyond them lies north Kerry, with its surf beaches and a market town of writers. A day by car, about 110 km.

Banna Strand · Casement landed here from a German U-boat on 21 April 1916, and a memorial on the beach marks the spot.
Casement's Fort · Casement was arrested in this ancient ring fort, then known as McKenna's Fort, and was later tried in London and hanged for treason.
Ballyheigue · Ballyheigue sits at the north end of the long beach that runs unbroken from Banna, one of the longest strands in Kerry.
Ballybunion · Bill Clinton played its famous links course in 1998, and the town put up a statue of him with a golf club on the main street.
Lartigue Monorail · From 1888 to 1924 a monorail ran between Listowel and Ballybunion, its carriages slung on both sides of a single raised rail; a restored stretch runs again in Listowel.
Kerry Writers' Museum · Listowel was the home of the playwright John B. Keane, whose pub still stands on William Street, and of other writers the museum celebrates.

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Getting to Tralee and getting around

Kerry Airport · Small airport at Farranfore, 20 minutes away; flights to Dublin and some European cities
Tralee Casement Station · End of the line from Dublin via Killarney, about four hours from Heuston
Tralee Bus Station · Beside the railway; buses to Dingle, Killarney, Limerick and Cork

Cheap eats in Tralee

Kerry eats from the sea and the hills: fish and chips from boats landed at Fenit and Dingle, mountain lamb, and Kerry dairy in everything from butter to ice cream. Tralee is a busy county town, so lunch is easy on The Mall, Castle Street and Bridge Street. A café lunch costs about €10-15 and a fish supper about €12-16.

Quinlan's Fish · Fish and chips about €12-15
Flower Power Café · Café and deli on Denny Street; sandwiches about €8-11
Christina's Café · On The Square; breakfast about €9-13
The Daily Grind · On The Mall; coffee and a scone about €5-7
Roti Indian Street Kitchen · Wraps and curries to go on Rock Street, about €10-13
Brio Brunch · Brunch plates about €11-15

Museums in Tralee

Kerry County Museum · Give it an hour and a half
Siamsa Tíre · Folk theatre; check the summer programme
Kerry Writers' Museum · Listowel, 30 minutes north-east
Ardfert Cathedral · Seasonal opening; 15 minutes north-west

Nature and day trips near Tralee

Banna Strand · Miles of sand and dunes
Inch Beach · 35 minutes south-west on the Dingle road
Conor Pass · Narrow; give way at the passing points
Tralee Bay Wetlands · Birds and boardwalks at the edge of town
Castlegregory · Windsurfing and kitesurfing on the Maharees beaches

Things to do in Tralee with kids

Aqua Dome · Indoor slides and wave pool
Crag Cave · 25 minutes east; tours about 30 minutes
Tralee Town Park playground · Playground beside the rose garden
Blennerville Windmill · Seasonal opening; check before you go

Where to eat in Tralee

Bella Bia · Italian on Ivy Terrace by the park
Chez Christophe · French bistro off Ashe Street
Il Pomo D'oro · Italian restaurant on Prince's Street
Cassidy's · Steaks and Irish dishes on Abbey Street
Seán Óg's · Traditional music pub on Bridge Street
The Pikeman's Inn · Pub on Denny Street for a late pint

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Frequently asked questions about Tralee

What is there to see in Tralee?

The top sights in Tralee are Kerry County Museum, Siamsa Tíre and Tralee Town Park. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.

How many days do you need in Tralee?

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

Is there a free walking tour in Tralee?

Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Tralee, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Roses and rebels.

How do you get to Tralee and get around?

The main ways are Kerry Airport, Tralee Casement Station and Tralee Bus Station. Full details are in the transport section on this page.

Where to stay in Tralee, and for how much?

sleepntrip shows only rooms in Tralee 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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