Things to do and see in Limerick Ireland

The city of Limerick is located in the southern Irish province of Munster, a three-hour drive from Dublin. Every year it welcomes hundreds of tourists to its streets and thousands of students move to the university town to study. Whether you’re a student or a tourist, be prepared because there’s plenty to see in Limerick.

Limerick isn’t just a technology and science powerhouse, it’s also the country’s third largest economic powerhouse behind Dublin and Cork, and a place with a great history behind it. Despite the wars, the city still retains its city walls and castle, plus a few more buildings of Viking origin, which we’ll tell you about below.

What are the must-see places in Limerick?

Limerick has a fascinating history. In the 8th century the Vikings came to Ireland, initially to plunder, and later to colonise lands already inhabited by Circassian peoples. Of all the buildings to see in Limerick, many make reference to these events, either through their architecture, paintings or history.

1. Hunt Museum

The Hunt Museum brings together over 2,000 artefacts that tell the story of the city from Neolithic to contemporary times. A large collection of pottery, jewellery and sculptures of medieval origin helps us to reconstruct the life of the city at that time, as well as the religious rites of the time. The museum also houses a surprising collection of paintings signed by such prestigious artists as Picasso, Henry Moore and Renoir.

The entrance to the museum costs 8€, 6€ for students, and is open Monday to Saturday from 10:00h to 17:00h and Sunday from 14:00h to 17:00h. Admission includes a guided tour, but you can also visit on your own if you prefer. Tourists spend an average of two hours in the museum.

2. King John’s Castle, a must-see in Limerick

On the banks of the River Shannon, King John’s Castle is a must-see in Limerick. Its construction dates back to the 12th century, and its walls have survived Viking attack over the years. The museum tells the story of one of the most important Norman castles in Europe, commissioned by King John I. The interior of the castle has recently been modernised, and the visit is very interactive, especially for children. In addition to the museum, you can also kayak along the river.

The entrance fee to the castle is 10€, 5€ for children under 16. Visiting hours are from 10am to 4pm and it is open all year round.

3. Milk’s Market, the best market to see in Limerick.

This is the largest and liveliest market in the city. There are 50 stalls and 21 permanent shops, plus a café or two. Every day of the week you can browse and shop at the stalls for vegetables and fruit, fresh fish, ready meals and artisan cheeses, as well as other local produce. However, the best day to visit is Saturday, when it is busiest and the stalls are most crowded.

The market is open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays and from 8am to 6pm on Saturdays.

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4. Frank McCourt Museum

Have you heard of the famous novel Angela’s Ashes? This Pulitzer Prize-winning utobiographical work was written by Frank McCourt, who lived in this very house during his childhood. The book recounts the struggles of a poor family in early 20th-century Ireland, and in the museum you can see the rooms where this beautiful and moving story takes place.

The museum is open from 11:30am to 5pm on weekdays and from 2pm to 4pm on weekends. Admission costs €4 for adults and €2 for children.

5. People’s Park

People’s Park is the best park to see in Limerick. It sits on the banks of the River Shannon, and although it’s not very big, it’s a very pleasant place to stroll through its flower gardens and large trees planted in the last century. The best time to visit is in spring, when the cherry trees are in bloom and the flowers fill the grounds with colour.

6. St. Mary’s Cathedral

You can’t miss St Mary’s Cathedral on your visit to Limerick. The cathedral is even older than King John’s castle, and interestingly, it was built on top of a palace, so its 37-metre tower is more reminiscent of a fortress than a church. This stone monument stands on St. Nicholas Street and was not only a palace, but also a stable in the 17th century.

The cathedral is open daily from 9am to 5pm. Saturdays from 9:00h to 16:00h and Sundays from 13:30h to 16:00h. Access to the cathedral costs 2€.

Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.

What to see around Limerick

There is much to see in Limerick, but also in the surrounding area. Leaving the city you’re confronted by a hilly landscape, full of green hills and small lakes. The two closest excursions are to Loch Gur and the Ballyhoura Mountains.

1. Lough Gur

This horseshoe-shaped lake is situated at the foot of Knockadoon Hill, between the towns of Herbert Town and Bruff. It’s a great place for cycling and hiking in the woods surrounding the lake. Next door is a visitor centre where you can rent audio guides for €5. It’s well worth it as they tell you about the legends of the place and the history of the ruins near the lake.

The lake is a 30-minute drive from Limerick, however, it’s not easy to reach by public transport. It’s best to go by bus to Bruff town and from there take a taxi to the visitor centre.

2. Ballyhoura Mountains

This mountain range stretches for 10km in the west of the county and is the ideal place for hiking and cycling. The highest peak at 528m is Seefin, and there are five other peaks above 300m for the mountaineering enthusiast.

Cycling is a favourite activity for visitors to these mountains, as they have the largest set of trails in Ireland with 98km to cycle. By road it’s a 1-hour drive from Limerick.

What to see in Limerick in 1 day

The city of Limerick can be visited in one day without any problems. It’s a question of getting organised. The best way to start the day is with an Irish breakfast in one of the cafes we recommend later in this post. Afterwards, you can visit King John’s Castle and St Mary’s Cathedral.

For lunch, and if the weather is good, we recommend buying a sandwich and having a picnic in People’s Park, or if not, visit The Milk Market, where you’re sure to find a stall where you can have a good meal. The afternoon can be spent at the museums of your choice: Hunt museum, Limerick City Art Gallery or Frank McCourt’s house.

At the end of the day we encourage you to find a nice pub where you can have dinner and enjoy the local beer and good atmosphere. If you’re lucky, you might even find some live music.

If you decide to spend more days in Limerick, it’s best to organise excursions into the surrounding area to visit Loch Gur and the Ballyhoura Mountains.

Where to stay in Limerick

When it comes to accommodation, Limerick is very well suited to students, however, for tourists it is not so easy to find good value accommodation. The most recommended neighbourhood for accommodation due to its proximity to the main attractions is the historic city centre, although there are also cheaper options around the university.

• Limerick City hotel: this is a four-star hotel in the city centre, 5 minutes from the station. It has a restaurant, parking and room service. It costs around €120 per night.
• Brennan Court Guest Accommodation: Here you can book whole flats for around €70 per night. It is close to the university and very well connected to the city centre.
• Hostels and hostels: In the city there are several hostels at very good prices (€20 per night) such as Sheilas Hostel, Woodquay or Killarney Railway. All of them have a very good backpacker atmosphere.

Best restaurants for eating in Limerick

Despite not being one of the most acclaimed cuisines in the world, Irish cuisine has a lot to offer, and in fact, in County Munster and the township of Limerick you’ll find some very good restaurants where you can sample their hearty stews and casseroles. Here’s our pick of some of the best restaurants in the city

• Freddy’s Bistro is a very pleasant place to eat. In the heart of Limerick’s historic centre, this stone-walled, wooden-floored, candlelit restaurant offers authentic traditional Irish dishes based on top-quality meat and seafood. They also bake their own bread and make their own desserts. The restaurant isn’t the cheapest, but it’s not the most expensive either, at around €20 per diner.
• The Curragower: Located on the banks of the River Shannon, this restaurant has exceptional views of the medieval quarter and serves delicious seafood and fish dishes. The price is similar to the previous one.
• Coqbull: this restaurant serves more international food but with quality and at very affordable prices. We are talking about salads and various starters, although their speciality is hamburgers.
• Aroma Coffe House: it is a very cosy and cheap café, ideal for breakfast or a sandwich. Prices range from €3 to €6 and they have vegan and vegetarian options.

How to get to Limerick Ireland

Near Limerick there are three airports: Shannon Airport, Galway Airport and Kerry Airport. Shannon is the closest and is well connected to major cities in Spain. However, some people choose to fly to Galway or Kerry and hire a car for itinerary or price reasons. Shannon Airport is 25km from Limerick, and there are two ways to get to the city.

–Taxi: can be taken from the airport entrance and cost around €35.

–Bus: this is the cheapest option. Buses run from the airport to the city centre every 20/30 minutes. The journey takes 40 minutes and costs €6.

Another option is to fly to Dublin and from there take a train to Limerick (2h30) or the bus, which although the journey takes between 2h and 4h, is more convenient because it can be taken from the airport itself.

Travel tips for visiting Limerick

• The currency in Limerick is the Euro.
• Be prepared for medical emergencies: travel insured.
• The best time to visit the city is in summer, when the weather is at its most pleasant.
• The tap water is safe to drink.
• The city is safe, but as with any tourist destination, it’s best to be careful with your belongings.
• Wear rain gear and closed-toe shoes. Even though it’s summer, it rains.
• It can get cold in the evenings and mornings in summer, so bring something warm.
• Don’t miss anything to see in Limerick; try to buy tickets online to avoid queues.

Organise your trip to Limerick

Register or download the Passporter App and discover all the possibilities.

• Get inspired by the experiences of other travellers.
• Create your own itinerary and add the app’s suggestions to it.
• Add the stops that interest you most, as well as the restaurants and bars where you want to eat (you can use the points of interest listed in this post as a reference).
• Organise your itinerary by route days according to their location on the map (you can take inspiration from the routes we present in the post)
• Check the travel budget that the app calculates according to your travel stops, restaurants, and leisure activities.
• Make the modifications you need and you’ll be all set for your trip.
• Share your experience. Upload photos of the places you visited on your trip to the app and recommend other travellers what to see in Limerick Ireland.

If you have doubts about how to do it, you can check our post: How to create a travel itinerary in Passporter.

Frequently Asked Questions about Limerick