Scenic Dingle Peninsula & Tralee

OVERVIEW

Drive through the Dingle Peninsula following the gorgeous Slea Head loop and enjoy free time in Tralee, a wonderfully authentic center of culture. The natural beauty along Slea Head will be inspirational, which is why so many revered Irish writers lived along the peninsula’s beautifully rugged coast and on the Blasket Islands just offshore. While browsing the Blasket Centre, you will learn about the unique subsistence fishing and farming community that lived on those remote islands until their forced evacuation in 1953. Artifacts include wicker baskets used to carry turf and heather on the backs of donkeys and dried seaweed that was boiled in milk as a cold remedy. Historical photos and documents reveal just how self-reliant the islanders had to be. In contrast, Tralee is the bustling capital of County Kerry and although it is more urban, it is no less down-to-earth. You will find plenty of exquisite Irish woolens in the shops.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Follow the circular Slea Head road around the spectacularly beautiful Dingle Peninsula.
• Browse a cultural center that shows what life was like on the remote Blasket Islands just offshore.
• Discover why the fiercely independent people that lived on the islands were forced to leave.
• Spend free time exploring Tralee, the capital of County Kerry.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.