Home Travel Irish Traitors star and keen traveler Anna Duke reveals an underrated place in Ireland that ‘should be a wonder of the world’ and the Dublin ‘tourist trap’ to avoid

Irish Traitors star and keen traveler Anna Duke reveals an underrated place in Ireland that ‘should be a wonder of the world’ and the Dublin ‘tourist trap’ to avoid

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Anna Duke, Irish star of BBC's The Traitors, has revealed her top tips for exploring her country. Here, he is pictured in Sligo, his favorite part of Ireland.

“You won’t find the magic of Ireland in Dublin.”

So says Anna Duke, Traitors star and enthusiastic TikTok tour guide from her home country of Ireland.

The 29-year-old has published several videos about the hidden gems of Ireland and here he reveals even more, starting with the reasons why tourists should skip visiting the capital if they want to experience the Emerald Isle at its most magical.

She says: “Dublin is a really great city, I even lived there for a decade, but it’s where the most overrated place in Ireland is: Temple Bar.”

“I think, aesthetically, it looks like old Ireland: there’s traditional music playing and there’s a really good atmosphere. But it’s not really authentic and my goodness the pints in there are so expensive!

“It’s where every tourist wants to go and I understand that. I also want to go to tourist places when I’m on holiday, but I can guarantee you that there isn’t a single Irishman drinking there.”

Instead, Anna recommends renting a car (“one of the obstacles in Ireland is that we don’t have public transportation”) and heading to the west of the country, where “the magic of Ireland lies.”

“We have some of the most amazing landscapes in the world and really ancient history,” he adds. ‘But almost everything can be found along the west coast.

Anna Duke, Irish star of BBC’s The Traitors, has revealed her top tips for exploring her country. Here, he is pictured in Sligo, his favorite part of Ireland.

Irish Traitors star and keen traveler Anna Duke reveals an

“You won’t find the magic of Ireland in Dublin,” declares Anna, who says the Temple Bar area of ​​the city (above) is the most overrated place in the country.

Pictured: Anna on the west coast of Sligo, which she says has

Pictured: Anna on the west coast of Sligo, which she says has “some of the most amazing scenery in the world and really ancient history.”

Anna in a promotional photo for this year's The Traitors series.

Anna in a promotional photo for this year’s The Traitors series.

‘It has the best sunsets, the best cliffs, the best sea. “I’m very proud of it.”

Anna’s favorite part of Ireland is Sligo, a three-hour drive from her hometown Wicklow, which is just south of Dublin on the east coast.

He adds: “I always say that when I’m in Sligo I feel like I never worry about anything.” I could be going through the most stressful thing in my life, at home, and then I go to Sligo and it’s gone.

‘I love it because it’s absolutely stunning and it feels like old Ireland. When you walk into a pub, everyone turns around and says, “Who are you?” And everyone will want to chat with you.

“When you drive, you feel like you should put on the Riverdance soundtrack, because you’re driving through the most magical place in the world, with all these stone walls and magical little places.

“There’s also plenty to do in Sligo, because it’s on the sea, so you can do all the water sports, like rowing, kayaking and canoeing, and then enjoy sunsets that are absolutely out of this world.”

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“I could be going through the most stressful thing in my life, at home, and then I go to Sligo (pictured) and it’s gone,” Anna says.

Anna is originally from Wicklow, just south of Dublin on the east coast. Above is one of the waterfalls in the area.

Pictured: Fairy doors in the trees of a forest near Wicklow.

Anna is originally from Wicklow, just south of Dublin on the east coast. The area has waterfalls (left) and forests dotted with fairy doors (right).

Pictured: Anna's partner standing outside a sweater shop in Sligo.

Pictured: Anna’s partner standing outside a sweater shop in Sligo.

If you head further south along the coast to County Clare, Anna says you’ll find the most beautiful natural landscapes in Ireland, including the Cliffs of Moher, where a Harry Potter scene was filmed.

She says: “They are these absolutely magnificent cliffs and they make you feel very small.” It feels like you’re on the absolute edge of the world when you’re standing on them.’

Anna also mentions The Burren, which can also be found in County Clare.

“It’s a strange area in Ireland that has its own flower, all this lime and also some ancient burial sites,” he reveals. ‘I love the pagan history of Ireland. So that’s really cool.”

Although Anna loves the west of Ireland, she believes the country’s most underrated place is the Unesco World Heritage Site in the east.

“I’m obsessed with Newgrange,” she says. ‘I think it should be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It’s famous in Ireland, but it should be famous worldwide!’

Anna says you'll find Ireland's most beautiful natural landscapes in County Clare, including

Anna says you’ll find Ireland’s most beautiful natural landscapes in County Clare, including the “magnificent” Cliffs of Moher (pictured). She says: ‘They make you feel so small. It feels like you’re on the absolute edge of the world when you’re standing on them.

Anna believes Newgrange (pictured), a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the east,

Anna believes Newgrange (pictured), a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the east, “should be one of the Seven Wonders of the World.”

Newgrange is an ancient temple, surrounded by stones (pictured), built during the Neolithic period, around 3200 BC, making it older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids.

Anna believes the best time to visit this monument is during the winter or summer solstice, when the sun sets (above). She explains: 'It's so amazing. There is a small door through which you can enter the monument, and sunlight bounces off each wall and illuminates the entire chamber.

LEFT: Newgrange is an ancient temple surrounded by stones that was built during the Neolithic period, around 3200 BC. C., which makes it older than Stonehenge and the pyramids of Egypt. RIGHT: Anna believes the best time to visit this monument is during the winter or summer solstice, when the sun sets. She explains: ‘It’s so amazing. There is a small door through which you can enter the monument, and sunlight bounces off each wall and illuminates the entire chamber.

Anna loves The Burren in County Clare (pictured).

Anna loves The Burren in County Clare (pictured). “It’s a strange area in Ireland that has its own flower, all this lime and also some ancient burial sites,” he reveals.

Located in County Meath, overlooking the River Boyne, Newgrange is an ancient temple built during the Neolithic period, around 3200 BC. C., which makes it older than Stonehenge and the pyramids of Egypt.

Anna believes that the best time to visit this monument is the winter or summer solstice, when the sun sets.

She explains: ‘It’s so amazing. There is a small door through which you can enter the monument, and sunlight bounces off each wall and illuminates the entire chamber.

‘It also has these 12 stones around it and, each month, the sun changes to shine on a different stone, making it one of the oldest calendars in the world.

‘This is ancient, ancient, pre-pyramid Ireland, so the maps they would have had to make to determine where exactly to place each stone to track a ray of sunlight… I don’t know how they did it. We were smart!’

Another place Anna recommends as a “really good place” to visit is Dingle on the south-west coast, partly because “it always feels very Christmassy”.

Anna recommends going to Dingle (pictured) on the south-west coast, partly because

Anna recommends heading to Dingle (pictured) on the south-west coast, partly because “it always feels very Christmassy”.

The Dingle coast is an attraction (pictured).

The Dingle coast is an attraction (pictured). “I think people go a little crazy about salt, but in the best way, where they are the best fun,” he says.

He continues: “There are lots of really small pubs and restaurants that you can pop in and out of, but in some ways it’s an area that’s still untouched.” For example, one of the pubs is heated by an Aga (an antique oven) situated in the center of the room.

‘It’s also a surf town, which is really cool. Anywhere by the sea, I think people go a little crazy about the salt, but in the best way, where they are the best fun and always up for anything.’

While Ireland is notoriously expensive, especially Dublin, Anna says you don’t have to spend a dime to see the country’s “rich history,” thanks to free walking tours, “really interesting churches” and free entry to museums. .

And when it comes to accommodation, Anna recommends staying on Airbnb, which “has some really good options in Ireland,” or heading to Groupon to get a deal on a hotel stay.

He adds: “Hotels in Ireland can be a bit expensive, so it’s a cheaper way to get around.”

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