If I told you that Instagram didn’t sometimes have a little bit of an impact on where I decide to travel, or what to see, or what to eat – you could tell me to put soap in my mouth because I’d be lying.

Instagram is a wondrous thing. It’s a completely visual platform that you can search by keyword for all the eye candy your heart desires. I’m gonna be honest, though.

Sometimes Instagram socks me with intense FOMO (fear of missing out) – especially since a good chunk of what I see is amazing places to travel and really, really sinfully delicious items of food that I constantly want to chow on. But for the most part, it’s a great tool for sharing neat places, doing research and connecting with people.

As you know by now, all of my travel guides are very photo-heavy (especially my overview of Ireland - feast your eyes on all 31 photos!). Part of my goal with each and every guide I put together is for you to make the most of your time traveling. Check out this list I put together for 28 of the most Instagram-worthy photo spots in Southern Ireland!

Anywhere on the Wild Atlantic Way

The Wild Atlantic Way actually starts in Kinsale and winds its way all the way up the western coast of Southern Ireland. Filled with hills, dips, valleys, peaks, sweeping vistas, farm animals and other wildlife, scenes of fog, sea cliffs and more, you are sure to get some stunning pictures on this. Highly recommend renting a car and driving it if you can! Life pro tip: we opted to get an international plan for $10/24 hr period and us our phones for navigation rather than paying extra for the car navigation and then spending 3 hours trying to figure it out. We could NOT have survived without these KMASHI rechargeable battery packs - they were a huge lifesaver!

Galway

• High Street - the street performers are SO fun to watch.
• The Pie Maker restaurant - even if you don’t eat here, it’s too cute not to snap!
• Taaeff’s Pub – the ceilings are higher and the lighting is better than some of the other pubs we went in – plus, it’s an old pub with a LOT of character!

Cliffs of Moher

• Everything. Literally all of it. You can’t get a bad shot.
• Burren Way – turn to the right when you reach the first fork from the visitor’s parking lot, away from the actual Cliffs of Moher. You’ll get WAY better views of the cliffs instead of just walking on them! Check out more details about the cliffs in my guide to Galway, Bunratty and the cliffs here.

Bunratty

• Bunratty Castle – because real life GOT is cool
• Blarney Woolen Mills – this shop is so bright and airy you could definitely get some great shots of Irish wool and cashmere!
• Durty Nellie’s pub – definitely sneak a shot of “The Snug”!

Adare

Similar to the Cliffs of Moher, you can’t get a bad shot in this adorable little town. Thatched roof cottages fa DAYZ.

Dingle

• Downtown Dingle – every building is basically painted a different color. Swoon.
• Dingle Bay – the moody, misty landscapes will give you ALL the feels
• Slea Head Drive – this is actually part of the Wild Atlantic Way so again, no bad shots
• Coumeenoole Beach – please go for the beach and stay for the views. Also be sure to hike up to the first parking lot area from the beach – there’s a cute little picnic spot you can’t miss!
• Conor Pass – if you don’t get out and take pics, you’re doing it wrong. Please make sure the driver is not the one taking pictures though!
• Gap of Dunloe – really unique landscape and tons of wildlife. Wait until you’ve walked for about 20 minutes for the best scenery!

Kenmare

• Downtown square – adorable collection of brightly-painted buildings!
• Top of the hill – be sure to catch a shot down the sloped street.
• Druid circle – this is a hidden gem that has allll those drum circle vibes.

Ring of Kerry

Again, you really can’t go wrong with anything here - it all turns out well on Instagram. If you want to work toward a certain destination, make sure you go counterclockwise and hit up Portmagee. On your way back, you’ll see the most gorgeous views of Skellig Michael EVER.

Kinsale

• Top of the hill – there are a number of different staircases that will lead you up – you can’t miss the stunning views of this tiny fishing village!
• St. Multose Church – at the top of this hill, you’ll find this ancient, adorable church dedicated to seamen, fishermen and others. The stained glasswork is stunning!
• Kinsale Harbor – you can’t miss the gorgeous walk along the River Bandon – tons of sights, sailboats and natural scenery!
• Man Friday – even if you don’t eat at this hot spot, you should still grab a drink on the outdoor patio and take in the views!

Blarney Castle

Obviously if you go all the way to Blarney Castle, you should probably kiss the stone. They’ll take your picture for you with a professional umbrella-covered camera… but you’ll definitely want to have a friend or someone else snap a shot with your own phone or camera!

Dublin

• Grafton Street – a can’t miss scene of bustling activity, you’re sure to capture some great shots here
• Trinity College Campus – though we toured the campus when it was absolutely pouring, I still came away with some beautiful shots.
• Long Room – the famous gigantic library that looks like it’s straight out of Beauty and the Beast. You’ll need to see the Book of Kells exhibit to get to the library though.
• Gravity Bar – yes, you can get Guinness anywhere in the country, but the views are pretty neat from 7 floors up.

Did I miss one? Let me know in the comments! Have questions about a certain spot? Shoot me and email or leave a comment below. Happy photographing!