natural wonder
Benbulben
A distinctive flat-topped table mountain rising over the Sligo countryside, immortalised by poet W.B. Yeats.
11 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeIrelandConnacht
Sligo
Connacht, Ireland · Europe
About Sligo
Sligo is worth a stop: 15 minutes from Ballysadare, 11km from Benbulben.
Sligo is in Connacht, Ireland, with about 19,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Ballysadare, about 7 km away.
Sligo (; Irish: Sligeach [ˈʃl̠ʲɪɟəx]; lit. 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of 20,608 in 2022, it is the county's largest urban centre (constituting 29.5% of the county's population) and the 24th largestRead more
in the Republic of Ireland.
Sligo is a commercial and cultural centre situated on the west coast of Ireland. Its surrounding coast and countryside, as well as its connections to the poet W. B. Yeats, have made it a tourist destination.
Where to Stay in Sligo
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Sligo?
Within an hour or so of Sligo: Benbulben (11 km), Gleniff Horseshoe (15 km), Mullaghmore Head (22 km), Bunglass Point, Slieve League (42 km).
Are there any good drives near Sligo?
The nearest famous roads are Gleniff Horseshoe, Glengesh Pass and Achill Atlantic Drive.
Where is Sligo?
Sligo is in Connacht, Ireland, about 7 km from Ballysadare.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 19,199
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Ireland
- Region
- Connacht
- Timezone
- Europe/Dublin
- Coordinates
- 54.2697, -8.4694
Tags
Worth the detour from Sligo
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
famous road
Gleniff Horseshoe
Six-mile single-track loop under the sheer Dartry cliffs of Benwiskin and Truskmore in Sligo's Yeats country, passing Diarmuid and Gráinne's cave: the highest cave mouth in Ireland. Barely a car on it most days.
15 km · about 30 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Mullaghmore Head
A dramatic Sligo headland with Classiebawn Castle on the skyline and one of Europe's biggest big-wave surf breaks.
22 km · about 25 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Bunglass Point, Slieve League
The lower viewing platform for the Slieve League cliffs, reached by a narrow road through two gates from Teelin.
42 km · about 50 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Slieve League Cliffs
Among the highest sea cliffs in Europe at nearly 600 metres, far less crowded than the Cliffs of Moher and even more dramatic.
43 km · about 50 min drive
natural wonder
Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail
The 'Stairway to Heaven': a wooden boardwalk climbing across protected blanket bog to a 450-step staircase up Cuilcagh's ridge, with views over Fermanagh's lakelands. 7.5km each way from the Marlbank Road car park.
43 km · about 50 min drive
mountain pass
Glengesh Pass
A dramatic horseshoe mountain pass winding down a glacial valley between Ardara and Glencolmcille in Donegal.
50 km · about 60 min drive
natural wonder
Maghera Caves and Beach
Sea caves at the foot of Slievetooey behind a wide dune-backed beach near Ardara. Only safe to enter around low tide.
55 km · about 65 min drive
Driving roads near Sligo
7 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 150km.
- Right hereGleniff HorseshoeSix-mile single-track loop under the sheer Dartry cliffs of Benwiskin and Truskmore in Sligo's Yeats country, passing Diarmuid and Gráinne's cave: the highest cave mouth in Ireland. Barely a car on it most days.
- 22 kmMullaghmore HeadA dramatic Sligo headland with Classiebawn Castle on the skyline and one of Europe's biggest big-wave surf breaks.
- 42 kmBunglass Point, Slieve LeagueThe lower viewing platform for the Slieve League cliffs, reached by a narrow road through two gates from Teelin.
- 43 kmSlieve League CliffsAmong the highest sea cliffs in Europe at nearly 600 metres, far less crowded than the Cliffs of Moher and even more dramatic.
- 50 kmGlengesh PassA dramatic horseshoe mountain pass winding down a glacial valley between Ardara and Glencolmcille in Donegal.
- 58 kmDownpatrick HeadA wave-battered headland near Ballycastle with the iconic Dún Briste sea stack standing isolated offshore.
Driving in Ireland
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.78/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€2.10/100km
When to drive here
April to October
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