Colosseum & Forum Ruins

Not much really needs to be said about the Colosseum and the Forum Ruins. Their history and stories are legendary and they are must visit places when in Rome. A ticket for one includes the other, which is convenient.

However, be aware the line to get tickets can get extremely long, even in the off season. We highly recommend getting tickets online prior to coming to expedite the process. We were able to purchase the tickets on our phone while waiting in the line for the Colosseum.

There are signs in the in the queue with a QR code that takes you to the ticket website, however, you are charged a nominal fee for the convenience. That said, the extra couple of Euros was OK with us to not have to stand in the very, very long line. Tickets can be bought in advance and printed at home as well so you're not fumbling on your cell phone while in line.

Newgrange & Knowth

One of the most famous sites in all of Ireland is Newgrange. This ancient site is over 5,000 years old and you can really get the sense of that when visiting. There's also the option to visit Knowth from the same Visitor's Center. Buses operate to take people to the sites and all tours are scheduled. Keep in mind, it can get busy and tours do sell out, so plan your day accordingly.

The sites are large and the majority of them are outdoors, so wear comfortable shoes. 

We highly recommend seeing these two sites when in Ireland.

Trim Castle

The site of Trim Castle was used during the filming of Braveheart. While being a film set for an Oscar award winning movie can make it fun to visit, the site stands as a top notch stop without that modern portion of its history. Built back in the 12th century, the ruins of the castle are an excellent site to see today. The grounds are kept up quite nicely.

There is a tour option that takes you into the castle and gives you a view from the top of the remaining tower, but we decided to skip it for our stay and to just concentrate on taking in the view of the grounds, which was a great experience.

There are two spaces to take in, the main castle grounds and then across the creek and up to the bell tower on the hill. Be sure not to miss the tower on the hill, which gives visitors a great sweeping view of Trim Castle.

Loughcrew

Loughcrew was one of our favorite sites in Ireland. This ancient site, which is largely intact and has not been excavated, offers visitors a glimpse into what life was like about 5,500 years ago (which is 2,000 more than the Egyptian pyramids). You can see original petroglyphs inside, which are fascinating.

Only a few people are allowed inside the passage tomb at any one time, and it is very tight at some points. A tour guide also joins tourists into the passage to tell stories and show the petroglyphs on the walls as well as how to sun rise comes through the passage and lights the main space.

In addition the site itself offers gorgeous views of multiple counties in Ireland from its high vantage point.

It is a bit of a hike to get up there, so this isn't something for people who have difficulty doing uphill hikes. However, the hike is well worth it. On the climb up though, beware of all of the animal droppings.

Hill of Tara

Of the ancient sites we went to in Ireland in County Meath, the Hill of Tara was probably the most underwhelming and overwhelming of the sites.

Heading up the walk to the hill, there is an aerial picture of the Hill of Tara and information about the natural landscape. However, as we walked up the path to the Hill, we realized quickly that from the ground you would not be able to fully appreciate the landscape and the concentric circles that are a natural feature of the land, from the ground.

The best view of the area from the ground is from the center of the closer circle (the one in the front in the picture above) as it is the highest point.

Warning: The walk up the path and at the site itself during our visit was covered with animal droppings, so expect to walk gingerly.