While you can’t stay in the following three lighthouses, they’re certainly worth a look as they encompass sensational scenery in seriously striking corners of counties Kerry and Cork.
5. VALENTIA ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE, COUNTY KERRY
With a vantage point over some of the most exceptional County Kerry sights on the Wild Atlantic Way, nestled in the Southern Peninsulas, a trip to Valentia Island Lighthouse is a serene slice of island life.
With a guided tour of the lighthouse tower and balcony you’ll encounter astonishing panoramas over UNESCO World Heritage Site Skellig Michael and the remote, wave-thrashed Blasket Islands. For more information on the utterly unique Skellig Michael, a trip to the nearby visitor centre is a must. The rocky island is so otherworldly that some of the recent Star Wars films were even shot there.
For a small island, Valentia certainly makes its historical mark. It was from Valentia Harbour in 1866 that the world's first transatlantic cable was laid, stretching an incredible 1,686 nautical miles to Newfoundland. Discover more about this engineering feat at the home of the Valentia Cable Station's first supervisor, James Graves. And after all that sightseeing, don't forget to embrace the ocean views from the beautifully rugged discovery points of Geokaun Mountain and Bray Head.