Best Areas to Stay in Limerick, Ireland

Limerick’s City Centre is the oldest quarter in the city and as such it holds most of the medieval and historic tourist attractions in town.

The absolute must-see attraction in this ancient area is King John’s Castle, a 13th-century castle located on King’s Island, right on the banks of the River Shannon. Although the first settlement dates back to 922 A.D., the fortification itself was ordered by King John in 1200. This incredible site is considered one of the best-preserved Norman castles in Ireland.

Other interesting sights in the area around the castle include Thomond Bridge, the Bishop’s Palace and the beautiful gothic-style St. Mary’s Cathedral.

South of King’s Island you find the main commercial centre of Limmerick. This part of town is home to lively nightlife, great restaurants and some of the best hotels in town. The Milk Market, located on Mungret Street is the ideal place to go shopping for local delicacies or sit and enjoy some wine at one of the many restaurants around it.

The Hunt Museum, Arthur’s Quay Park and photogenic Harvey’s Quay are all located in the City Centre, right by the River Shannon.

Most local bus lines have their terminus in the City Centre, connecting this area to every corner of Limerick and other towns. Additionally, Limerick Colbert Station is located a 5-minute-walk away.

Limerick City Centre is the best area to stay for visitors interested in culture and history. It is also where most public transport options are located.

Castletroy, located about 4 km east of the city centre, is one of the suburbs that make up the city of Limerick.

It started as a sleepy township with little development apart from the hamlets of Annacotty and Monaleen, but that changed when the University of Limerick was established here in 1972. That fact, plus the sprawling growth of Limerick itself caused this once sleepy suburb to turn into one of the most dynamic areas in the city.

Castletroy’s two main commercial areas are around the University itself and Dublin Road, the suburb’s main thoroughfare concentrating most of the pubs, restaurants, banks and bus stops in the area.

This area is also home to the Castletroy Shopping Centre, a local mall with several high-street shops and a food court.

If you want to go off the beaten path, in Castletroy you can find a small and little-known Jewish graveyard dating back to the late 19th century.

Castletroy is connected to the city centre by bus.

The accommodation in this area is not as abundant as in the City Centre. That said, being a university town on the main road connecting Limerick to Dublin, there are a few business hotels by local and international chains in the area.

Bunratty is a small village in County Clare. It is located 13 km northwest of Limerick and 7km southeast of Shannon, off the main road (N18) that links both cities.

Bunratty is known for being home to Bunratty Castle & Folk Park Advertised as “the most complete and authentic medieval castle in Ireland“, this landmark is a large 15th-century tower house and tourist attraction.

Bunratty Folk Park is an impressive 26-acre theme park featuring the buildings and lifestyles of 19th-century rural Ireland. Farmhouses, village shops, streets and interior decorations are recreated to take visitors in a journey through time.

This small village is connected to Limerick City Centre by frequent bus services. You can catch line 300 from Arthur’s Quay 15 towards Friar’s Walk and get off at Bunratty Castle & Folk Park stop.

Because Bunratty Castle & Folk Park is a very well-known attraction, there are several hotels, guest houses and B&Bs in the area.