20 Attractions to Explore Near Swiss Cottage

Cahir Castle is one of Ireland’s largest and best-preserved castles. It stands proudly on a rocky island on the River Suir. So effective was its design that it was believed to be impregnable, but it finally fell to the earl of Essex in 1599 when heavy artillery was used against it for the first time. Granted to the powerful Butler family in late 14th century, the castle was enlarged and remodelled between the 15th and 17th centuries. It fell into ruin in the late 18th century.

Ardfinnan Castle, is the sister castle of Lismore Castle and was built circa 1185 to guard the river crossing at Ardfinnan in County Tipperary, Ireland. The Anglo-Norman castle is positioned on a large rocky incline and it looks out over the Suir valley with the Knockmealdown Mountains to the south, and the Galtee Mountains to the northwest. The castle is a parallelogram in shape with square battlements at the corners and a fortified entrance gateway.

Burncourt Castle is situated near Burncourt off the M8 five miles south west of Cahir. It is a fortified house and a National Monument. The castle comprises a rectangular central block with a four storey square tower at each corner. The interior was lit by mullioned windows. It is one of the iconic attractions in this area and there are so many opportunities to study about the history.

The historic well of San Patrizio is a structure built by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger in Orvieto , between 1527 and 1537 , at the behest of Pope Clement VII , a veteran of the Sack of Rome and eager to protect himself in the event of a siege of the city in which he had withdrawn. During Antonio da Sangallo's absences the works were entrusted to Giovanni Battista da Cortona, while the decorative parts are by Simone Mosca.

Marlfield Lake is a wild bird sanctuary located to the south west of Clonmel and just north of the village of Marlfield. It supports a large population of water birds including swans, mallard duck, coots, and herons. The birds are, in fact, quite tame and will approach visitors expecting food to be thrown to them. There is a road along one side of the lake which makes access very easy.

St Berrihert’s Kyle is one of Tipperary’s best hidden treasure. It is a stone enclosure containing a variety of stone monuments: 72 slabs, fragments of a bullaun stone, four wheel crosses, the head and base of a high cross, the head of a small cross and a slab with an incomplete inscription on it. The site is located in the townland of Ardane, in the parish of Templeneiry. A vast collection of stone cross slabs and other monuments were placed in the Kyle.

A beautiful mountain peak located in the Knockmealdown Mountains on the border between County Tipperary and County Waterford. It offers a beautiful trek in the middle of nature and also there are so many beautiful views from here.

The Vee is predominantly famous because of the breathtaking panoramic views afforded to travellers and sight seers going through the pass. A spectacularly beautiful drive, where the scenery climbs and dips and changes constantly to delight the eye at every turn in the road.

This is a mixed woodland in Ireland. It is situated on Old Red Sandstone on the southern slopes of the Galtee Mountains. It is mainly a coniferous forest with Sitka Spruce being the main species. The area also contains approximately 50 hectares of native Oak, Birch and Alder. Animals present include fallow deer, foxes, badgers, hares and red squirrels. Birds include pheasants, hawks, kestrels, ravens, herons and many song birds.

Lake Muskry was formerly known as Lough Béal Sead . Legend tells that the lake was once home of beautiful maidens who every second year were metamorphosised into birds, one becoming the most beautiful in the world. To mark her pre-eminence she was allowed to wear a golden necklace which had a sparkling jewel in it.

Carey's Castle, is an absolutely charming and picturesque 18th century structure situated in a glen beside the Glenary River in a scenic woodlands near Clonmel. There is a small lawn with picnic site close to the car park. A walk of about 500m takes you to Carey’s Castle, through mixed woodland and there is a pleasant walking path along the river bank for about 600m.

This is one of the most spectacular caves in Europe. It is situated on the Cork-Tipperary border. Mitchelstown Cave is a world without sun, without time, a world where man almost feels an intruder, stumbling on a past age, and an era where nature reigns supreme. Take a stroll through three massive caverns in which you are surrounded by indescribable dripstone formations, stalactites, stalagmites, graceful calcite curtains hang from sloping roofs.

Athassel Priory is the largest medieval priory in Ireland, stretching over a 4-acre site. The priory dates back to the late 12th century. The priory was burnt twice, once in 1329 by Brian King of Thomond and again in 1581 by John Fitzgerald of Desmond. A large town had grown up around the priory but was destroyed during the two raids. The priory was finally dissolved in 1537 and the lands given to Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond, who neglected the abbey, and it subsequently fell into ruin.

Knockmealdown is the highest peak of the Knockmealdown Range of mountains, located on the border between Co Tipperary and Co Waterford. The peak is easily accessed from the west, via the layby overlooking Bay Lough on the Vee Gap. The route we intended to walk up to the top of Knockmealdown is a basic straight up and down and should be done within 3 hours with good weather conditions permitting.

Old St. Mary's Church, also known as St. Mary's Church of Ireland Church, is a medieval church in Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland. The Church's main features are a 27 ft square, 84 ft high bell tower, the eastern tower house, and ornate 16th Century east and west windows. The Tower had, at one time, a wooden spire and belfry, which has not been restored. Crenellated parapets suggest that this was a fortified structure.

The Main Guard situated on Sarsfield Street is one of Clonmel’s most recognisable landmarks. It was built at the behest of James Butler the 1st Duke of Ormonde in 1674 to provide the town with a courthouse. The previous building which had served as a courthouse had been destroyed during the Siege of Clonmel in 1650.

Galtybeg is a mountain summit in the region in the county of Tipperary. They run roughly east-west across the border of County Tipperary and County Limerick. The highest point is Galtymore at 918 metres , one of the highest mountains in Ireland. It is a good trekking destination and also it offers so many views from here.

The Glen of Aherlow is a valley located between Slievenamuck and the Galtee Mountains. It is a wqalkers paradise. There are five looped walking trails in and around Gortavoher. All start & finish around Christ the King car park. All offer wonderful views and a chance to take time out in nature. This large continuous block of forestry is over 3500 acres in size and provides a home to a selection of animals including pine martins and red squirrels.

Galtymore is the highest of the Galtee Mountains, a range that stretches for 30 kms between Tipperary and Limerick. It is one of Ireland's highest mountains, being the 12th-highest on the Arderin list, and 14th-highest on the Vandeleur-Lynam list. Galtymore has the 4th-highest topographic prominence of any peak in Ireland. The mountain and its deep corrie lakes are associated with various Irish folklore tales regarding Saint Patrick and serpents.

The Rock of Cashel is one of Ireland’s most visited attractions and is a spectacular archaeological site. A collection of medieval ecclesiastical buildings set on an outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale. The 12th-century round tower is the oldest surviving building on the Rock, which also include a high cross and the ruins of a Romanesque chapel.