The Burren — Lunar landscape by the sea

The Burren (from the Irish Boíreann, "rocky place") is one of the strangest and most fascinating landscapes in Europe: 360 square kilometers of bare limestone, extending in bizarre terraces, crevices, and formations to the Atlantic. It looks like a lunar landscape — but one teeming with life.

The peculiarity: In the rock crevices (Grikes), Arctic and Mediterranean plants grow side by side — a botanical phenomenon unique in the world. Gentians from the Alps, orchids from the Mediterranean, and Arctic mosses thrive side by side because the limestone stores the sun's warmth and the Atlantic's moisture nourishes the plants. In May and June, the seemingly barren landscape transforms into a subtle carpet of blooms.

In the midst of the Burren lies the Poulnabrone Dolmen — a 5,800-year-old portal tomb, whose massive stone slab balances on two thin posts. It is one of the most photographed prehistoric monuments in Ireland and appears in the stark Burren landscape like a portal to another time. Freely accessible, no barriers — you just stand in front of it and marvel.

The Burren National Park (free) offers several marked hiking trails. The Mullaghmore Loop (7 km) is the most beautiful and leads over the typical limestone slabs with wide views over the entire region. The Aillwee Cave (stalactite cave, €16) offers underground insights into karst geology, and the adjoining Birds of Prey area showcases birds of prey in flight demonstrations.