Ireland has been full of beautiful scenery and wonderful surprises. I realized I could easily spend months here just slowly coasting around the entire country just for the scenery alone. I spent a good portion of my 15 days along the Wild Atlantic Way stopping at one incredible coastal town after another.

There is one place in particular that just seemed to get better and more beautiful every second I explored, the Dingle Peninsula.

The scenic coastal drive along the Dingle Peninsula is probably one of my favorite experiences from my Ireland trip. Best done by car you could easily spend an entire day stopping along the drive for breathtaking views, ancient ruins, petting sheep, and of course eating scrumptious Irish cusine. Words and photos cannot serve this drive justice, but I will try anyway.

There are many of the country’s oldest ruins and sites scattered along the way including the prehistoric beehive huts. It’s fascinating to think these small huts were used as single family homes made out of stacked flat stones. It is said there was once around 400 of these huts along the hillside, but today only a few remain on display.

Another ancient structure you can check out would be Gallarus Oratory. This ancient stone building over 1200 years old was used as a place of worship for the local farmers.

Along with ancient structures are stops including mystical fairy or ring forts. We stopped at one where you could pet and feed sheep. Fairy Forts are circular grass mounds that are said to have special powers that even the most skeptical locals respect. It is said the fairy forts are a way to the other world and if you damage, disrespect, or build on top of one you will be cursed. There are actually several different local stories about how these forts have affected others in the past.

Besides historical, cultural, and mystical stops there are the incredible cliff and seaside views to take in. It seemed as if we were making stops every kilometer for photos. We really couldn’t get enough of the vantage points.

One of the best and most popular stops would be Slea Head Beach. Watch the wild waves, or as locals call them White Horses at the shore of the Dingle Peninsula. There are great photo opportunities down here as the waves crash on the rocks, cliffs, and beach.

And if you’re a Star Wars fan you can check out the fantasy-like views from Ceann Sibeal where the set to recreate the island of Skellig Michael took place to film scenes for The Last Jedi.

Dingle town is a must while visiting the Dingle Peninsula. One of Ireland’s last surviving Gaeltacht areas, an area that the Irish language and culture still exist and a fishing town. You will notice signs not only in English but also in Gaelic.

The colorful town has alot of character and flavor, we ended up spending most of our time in Dingle town eating meals but you could easily spend a day exploring the shops and just taking in this adorable town. By night you can hit the local pubs and listen to local Irish music.

I also happened to stumble upon Dingle town a day before their annual food festival. It’s a shame we had a strict itinerary this trip because we easily could have spent another day or two here just living the slow life and taking in the local Irish vibes here.

Give yourself a full day if not two to really explore the area. It took us a day and a half to see everything mentioned in this post.

Dingle Peninsula is one of those places you will pinch yourself to make sure you’re not in a dream. You’ll also understand why Ireland says they have forty shades of green while you’re here. Another highlight would be the roaming sheep who seem to rule the roads.

The place is truly unique, and it absolutely stole my heart.

If you’ve ever left a piece of your heart in Ireland tell me about it in the comments below! You might also find 5 Galway Pubs to Visit Before You Die to be an interesting read. If you’re visiting Ireland soon, enjoy 20% off any Viator tour booked through this link.