2 Best Sights in The Southwest, Ireland

The subtropical gardens teeming with ferns and exotic plants date from 1838, and have been fully restored and greatly improved by the present owners, Billy and Penn Alexander. The Skywalk rope bridge is the longest in Ireland and takes half an hour to walk. The front-gate waterfall and the giant Chilean wine palm compete for your attention with carved wooden dinosaurs and giant Dicksonia antarctica (Tasmanian fern trees) dating from the 1890s, so allow at least an hour for the rest of the garden. Penn, a former chef, has opened a Thai restaurant that is very popular locally and opens for lunch, dinner, and takeaway. Do not let the rain put you off visiting: Kells receives more than 60 inches of rain annually, and it actually enhances the plants and the waterfall. But do wear sensible shoes as it is usually damp underfoot.

Hidden away behind tall walls in the center of town for many years, Killarney House is the official visitor center to Killarney National Park. Dating from the early 1700s, the house was originally the stable block of a more imposing manor that burned down in 1913. Today it contains a museum with information about Killarney Town and an interactive exhibition about the flora and fauna of Killarney National Park, as well as changing art exhibits relating to the area. The long-established formal gardens, spread over 30 acres, have been restored to their original 1720s French layout, and are enhanced by the natural backdrop of Killarney's wild mountains under a huge, ever-changing sky. There are easily accessible walks laid out in the grounds, and free guided tours every half hour.