Carlingford, Co. Louth, Ireland – Come Visit Us

Carlingford, the place to visit!

Carlingford in County Louth in the North East of Ireland is an Irish town like no other, a magical place, full of character and heritage, one of the best preserved medieval towns in Ireland.

Carlingford, just over an hour’s drive from Ireland’s two major cities of Dublin and Belfast is situated in a natural haven on the shores of Carlingford Lough. The town is at the heart of the Cooley Peninsula in County Louth nestled under Slieve Foy where the mountain sweeps down to the sea, just as the Mountains of Mourne do on the northern shores of the Lough.

It’s narrow medieval streets offer the visitor a close up view of the town’s historic past with fine examples of 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th century buildings at every turn while enjoying all that modernity has to offer. (Visit the Carlingford Heritage Centre for more of the History of Carlingford). Carlingford is renowned for its Oysters which are available in the local eateries, award winning restaurants & cosy cafés, boutique shopping, traditional pubs, visitor accommodation and also for it’s events and festivals (Carlingford Events).

Carlingford voted “Best place to live in Ireland!”

Carlingford and the Cooley Peninsula have received many accolades over the years with Carlingford having been voted the “Best Place to Live in Ireland 2011” while more recently the Cooley Peninsula has been ranked alongside Ireland’s best known beauty spots in the Huffington Post’s – “10 of the Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Ireland“.

Carlingford and the Cooley Peninsula were named the “European Destination of Excellence 2008“, the theme was “Tourism and local intangible heritage“. This award was an acknowledgement to the local businesses and communities for the valiant efforts made to develop tourism and provide the visitor facilities required for tourism to thrive alongside the preservation of the historical heritage and rich folklore tradition that persists in the region.

“Resounding legends, myths and folktales await travellers to Ireland’s east–coast town of Carlingford. Just one hour’s drive from both Dublin and Belfast, it is perfectly located for a quick stop over. Given its beauty, however, time should not be a constraint. The place is known for its Lough whose sweeping backdrop of Slieve Foye – the highest mountain in County Louth – gives it unrivalled natural appeal”. – EDEN adjudicator’s comments.

Carlingford, the perfect base for your Holiday!

Carlingford is a perfect base from which to explore and discover the many gems that the northern part of the country has to offer the visitor. Sightseeing or seeking adventure, Giant’s Causeway, Belfast, The Titanic Quarter, Armagh City, Stangford Lough, Downpatrick & Mourne Mountains are all within a couple of hours drive away.

Within an hours drive or so the whole of Counties Armagh, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Cavan and Dublin are there to be explored including Brú na Bóinne, Trim Castle, Hill of Tara, Navan Fort, Monasterboice, Battle of the Boyne Centre & Mellifont Abbey.

Visiting Carlingford and the Cooley Peninsula

We have so much to offer visitors with an A to Z list of activities for all to enjoy including kicking back and just taking in the beautiful scenery. A popular destination for Families, Walkers, Cyclists, Mountain Bikers, Sightseers, Shoppers, Group Outings, Weddings, Hens and Stags.

Families are well catered for and the younger members will be enchanted by Carlingford’s most popular attractions. We highly recommend a visit to The Leprechaun and Fairy Cavern – with Carlingford being the home of The Last Leprechauns of Ireland they can visit The Leprechaun and Fairy Cavern at the Carlingford Folk Park and meet the “Leprechaun Whisperer”.

There are many ways to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Cooley Peninsula while at the same time participating in activities or visiting the many places of interest throughout . One of the Cooley Peninsula’s most appealing attributes is its compactness.

Visit our Activities page for more on what is available.