Before you go

Your trip to Sligo.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Sligo – Sligo Destination Westport, Mayo and Sligo Capital

How to get there

Aeroporto de Ireland West (Ireland West Airport Knock) (NOC) Knock · 55 km
Estação de Sligo (Sligo Mac Diarmada Station) 1 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Confirm before booking. Ireland West Airport (NOC), in Knock, is about 55 km away. The train from Dublin Connolly reaches Sligo station in the centre in about 3 hours. Buses link Sligo with Westport, Galway and Donegal.

How many days

Two days: one for Drumcliff and Benbulben and another for Carrowmore, Knocknarea and Strandhill, with Sligo Abbey in the centre. With only one day, do Drumcliff and Carrowmore by car.

When to go

From May to September the days are long and Carrowmore and Sligo Abbey operate on seasonal hours. In June, around Yeats's birthday, there are usually events linked to the poet, and in July and August the Yeats summer school runs. In winter the wind is strong and it gets dark early.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

It helps. The town centre is walkable, but Drumcliff, Carrowmore, Knocknarea and Strandhill are outside; there are buses to Strandhill and Drumcliff at certain times. In Ireland you drive on the left.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Sligo

Morning
Drumcliff and Benbulben
Head to Drumcliff, 8 km away, and visit Yeats's grave, the high cross and the round tower, with Benbulben in the background.
Afternoon
Carrowmore
Return to the south of the town to visit the megalithic cemetery of Carrowmore, with a visitor centre.
Late afternoon
Knocknarea and Strandhill
Climb Knocknarea to the tomb of Maeve in about 45 minutes, and descend to watch the evening on Strandhill beach.
Evening
Sligo town centre
Have dinner in the centre on the banks of the Garavogue River, and stop by the illuminated Sligo Abbey.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

What is Yeats's connection to Sligo?

W. B. Yeats spent his childhood holidays in the region, which appears in many of his poems, and asked to be buried in Drumcliff at the foot of Benbulben. His statue stands in the town centre, near the bridge.

Is Strandhill nearby?

About 8 km to the west, with a surf beach, dunes and the foot of Knocknarea.

How to get from Westport to Sligo?

It's about 105 km via the N5 and N17, around an hour and a half by car, with regular buses.

What is the lago Gill?

The lake to the east of the town, with the island of Innisfree from Yeats's poem. There are boat trips for part of the year.

Back to Sligo