Rick Steves Says To Avoid One Of Europe's Worst Tourist Traps (And Where To Visit Instead)

Travel pro Rick Steves has been helping people find the best places to go, and which tourist traps to avoid around Europe, for decades. On his website, Steves has steered people away from generic torture museums, the Mamertine Prison in Italy, and the Blarney Stone, which he calls the worst place to visit in Ireland. But if you're going to the Emerald Isle, he has another place for you to avoid, and that's the town of Killarney. Steves explains, "This is a place where most tourists wear nametags — a traffic jam of tour buses. If you have the misfortune to spend the night in Killarney, you'll understand what I mean. The town is a sprawling line of green Holiday Inns and outlet malls littered with pushy shoppers looking for plastic shamrocks." That's not exactly encouraging if you're trying to get a real feel for this beautiful country.

Steves' perspective may come as a surprise if you've been planning to take a drive around the Ring of Kerry, the 111-mile, somewhat circular route that you can take in County Kerry in the southwest of Ireland, as Killarney is generally the starting and stopping point on the route. It isn't that you won't find great things to see around the Ring of Kerry. It's just that, as the beginning and end of the Ring, Killarney famously caters to tourists. While it's been reinventing itself recently with sustainability initiatives, Steves has some better ideas for visitors, from the best way to explore the Ring of Kerry to visiting the Dingle Peninsula, a place he says feels "traditionally Irish." 

The Ring of Kerry has some fascinating places of interest. However, in another post, Rick Steves says, "It seems like every tour bus in Ireland makes the ritual loop around the Ring," starting in Killarney and going counterclockwise. (You may want to head in the opposite direction to avoid crowds.) However, he argues that a better place to start (and stay) is Kenmare, about 26 miles away. One place he suggests visiting near Kenmare is the Muckross House, a Victorian mansion where Queen Victoria herself once stayed. It sits inside Killarney National Park, another place Steves recommends. The house itself was completed in 1843, and it's beautifully decorated. Outside, you can explore the lovely gardens created for the queen's visit. There is a restaurant on site, with indoor and outdoor seating so you can dine in the pretty scenery.

Steves says you can do the Ring of Kerry in a single day and suggests stopping along the drive at places like Staigue Stone Fort, which is thought to date back to roughly 400 BCE. It's an unguided site, meaning you can just walk up and see it. Near Portmagee, you can see the island of Skellig Michael, which you may recognize from the Star Wars movies, where it doubled as Ahch-To, home of the bird-like creatures called porgs. Steves says you should stop at the Skellig Experience Visitors Centre, slightly off the Ring route, where you can take a boat tour to see the island a bit closer, or even land and climb the steps to the top. There are other forts to see as well, including the Steves-recommended Cahergal and Leacanabuaile, both of which are unguided, just like Staigue Stone Fort. It's roughly a 10-minute walk from one to the other, but note that Leacanabuaile is on private land.

About an hour northwest of Killarney is the Dingle Peninsula, a place Rick Steves loves. This is the westernmost tip of Ireland, he explains in another post, and if you're skipping Killarney, this is where to go instead. The guidebook author explains, "It's a scenically gorgeous area perfectly suited to long walks and bike rides, and it's dotted with fascinating remnants of prehistoric Ireland." He says you can find everything you need in the town of Dingle, located in the Gaeltacht, where you may actually hear Irish spoken. Take a driving tour around the 30-mile Slea Head Loop Drive, and visit the Gallarus Oratory church made of stacked stone from between the seventh and ninth centuries. You can also take a tour of the Dingle Distillery, which involves a whiskey tasting, and spend some time in one of Dingle's town pubs for some live, traditional Irish music and a pint.

If you want to explore outdoors, there is Coumeenoole Beach, and while it's dangerous to swim because of the strong currents, the scenery is gorgeous. You can see the stone marking the filming of the 1970 film "Ryan's Daughter" and marvel at the cliffs rising above the sand. A short drive away is Dunquin Pier for some amazing vistas, and you can take a ferry from there to nearby Blasket Island.

The closest airport to Dingle is Kerry Airport (KIR), about 31 miles from Kenmare and roughly the same distance from the town of Dingle. Meanwhile, Dublin Airport (DUB) is over 200 miles away. You'll need a car if you don't want to end up on a tour bus. Finally, while you're visiting the Dingle Peninsula, take Steves' advice and try his favorite cozy accommodation, a bed-and-breakfast.