Aran Islands Ireland Inishmore-Inishmaan-Inisheer
Ireland

1 Cruises availables At departure or passage at this port

Silversea Cruises (1 Cruises)


Frequently Asked Questions

Nowhere: ships anchor off Inishmore, the largest of the three islands, and tenders land passengers at Kilronan, the only harbour village. The Aran Islands close the Atlantic horizon off Galway Bay.
Three options wait at Kilronan pier: bicycles rented on the spot; minibuses running guided circuits; or pony traps, a survival from a time when the island had no other transport. Any of them works; the choice depends on your legs and your schedule.
A prehistoric fort of semicircular stone walls clinging to the edge of a cliff a hundred metres above the Atlantic, nine kilometres from Kilronan. It is one of the best-preserved prehistoric monuments in Europe, and its age is measured in millennia.
None. The concentric walls open straight onto the drop and the waves strike the rock far below. It is striking, and it calls for care: go near the edge knowing exactly what you are doing, especially in strong wind or with children.
Yes. From the minibus car park and the small visitor centre, a rocky path climbs to the fort in about twenty minutes. Closed shoes make the climb considerably more pleasant.
Allow half a day for the round trip to Dún Aonghasa, whatever transport you choose, then an hour to wander the village between wool shops and waterfront. Keep a margin before the last tender: the island is covered slowly, and that is exactly right.
Because the islanders literally manufactured their farmland. The walls, built stone by stone over generations, clear the ground and break the wind, and the people mixed sand and seaweed over the bare limestone to make a little soil.
Yes. Irish remains the everyday language of many residents and appears first on the signs: the islands are part of the Gaeltacht, where the Gaelic language is still passed on. English is understood everywhere without difficulty.
In the wool shops of Kilronan, around the pier, where sweaters are knitted to the traditional patterns. It is the island's emblematic souvenir, and buying it here means something the same garment sold in Dublin does not.
Absolutely, and it is a pleasant choice. Walk the coast from the village: coves alternate with salt meadows, ruined medieval churches dot the surroundings, and the pale sand of Kilmurvey beach offers a break in this stony landscape.