Skip to content
Voykit
Set your trip — dates, party, bagsPlanner

Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Major city · Ireland

ListowelLios Tuathail

Give Listowel one night, two if you want Ballybunion beach: it is a literary market town, not a sightseeing base.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
EUR
Best months
May–Sep
avoid Nov–Feb (wet, short days)
Airports
KIR · SNN
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
  • Ireland ↗Ireland is in the EU but not in the Schengen area; it sets its own entry rules and a Schengen visa is not valid for Ireland. Check Irish immigration for your passport.
  • Ireland ↗Ireland and the UK form the Common Travel Area, with no routine checks on the land border. Visitors who are not Irish or British must still meet UK rules (including the UK ETA where it applies) to enter Northern Ireland.
  • Ireland ↗Driving is on the left; rural roads are narrow with hedges and few passing places.

Listowel is the largest town in north Kerry, 28 km northeast of Tralee, known for its writers, its September race festival and the world's first operational monorail. The town itself is small and walkable: a castle, a writers' museum and a monorail museum fill an afternoon. Most travellers use it as a quiet stop between Limerick and Tralee, or as a base for Ballybunion's beaches and golf.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Listowel, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or tea in a café€3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
  • Sit-down mealPub bar meal (main course)€14–22 (≈ US$17–30)
  • BeerPint of stout€5.50–6.50 (≈ US$7–8)
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi across towncheck€8–12 (≈ US$10–14)
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry (Writers' Museum / Lartigue Monorail)Listowel Castle is free.€8–10 (≈ US$10–12) adult
  • Budget bedFamily room (up to 4), a night, per room€150 (≈ US$180)
  • Mid-range bedHotel or B&B double room, a night, per room€150 (≈ US$180)
  • High-end bedHotel or B&B double room, a night, per room€220 (≈ US$300)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget €60 (≈ US$70) · Mid €110 (≈ US$130) · High €190 (≈ US$250)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Kerry Writers' MuseumListowel CastleLartigue MonorailListowel Races Harvest FestivalWriters' Week in June
Airports
KIR Kerry Airport, Farranfore (About 50 min by road via Tralee; bus links are limited, so check connections.) · SNN Shannon Airport (About 1 h 30 min by road; the usual arrival point for the Shannon Ferry route.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Listowel: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

9°C

3°C

18 rd

Feb

9°C

3°C

15 rd

Mar

11°C

4°C

16 rd

Apr

13°C

5°C

13 rd

May

16°C

8°C

13 rd

Jun

18°C

10°C

12 rd

Jul

19°C

12°C

14 rd

Aug

19°C

12°C

15 rd

Sep

17°C

10°C

15 rd

Oct

14°C

8°C

17 rd

Nov

11°C

5°C

17 rd

Dec

9°C

3°C

18 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Listowel and Ballybunion are small and walkable, with buses between them. You need wheels to see the rest of the district: the round tower at Rattoo, Bromore Cliffs, Beale Strand and Carrigafoyle Castle are all off the bus network.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Ballybunion

go

Door to door: About 40 min by bus

Bus Éireann 272 from The Square, or 15 km by car

Two beaches split by a 16th-century tower-house shell; surf school on the south beach.

Rattoo Round Tower

go

Door to door: About 20 min

Car via Ballyduff, about 12 km west

Kerry's only intact round tower, 28 m tall, 10th or 11th century; unguided site.

Carrigafoyle Castle

go

Door to door: About 25 min

Car via Ballylongford, about 15 km north

Tower house of 1490 in the Shannon channel; open May–Sep daily 10:00–18:00.

Tarbert and the Shannon Ferry

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Car to Tarbert Pier, about 20 km north

20-min crossing to Killimer in County Clare, hourly Sep–May and every 30 min Jun–Aug; saves the inland detour through Limerick.

Tralee

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Expressway Bus 13 from The Square, about 40 min

County museum and the gateway to the Dingle peninsula.

Dingle Peninsula

overnight

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min

Car via Tralee and the N86

Too far for a comfortable return day: sleep out on the peninsula.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

The Square and William St

Town centre: castle, pubs, hotel and B&Bs within a 5-min walk. Best for one night without a car.

Ballybunion

Seaside resort 15 km west, with two beaches, a surf school and golf. Best for beach and golf trips; you need a car or the 272 bus.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
€60–90 (≈ US$70–110) excl. bed
Mid
€90–150 (≈ US$110–180) excl. bed
High
€150 (≈ US$180)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Hotel or B&B double room1 × 1 night × €150€150
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × €110€220
Bus Éireann Limerick → Listowel, one way2 × €15 · check€30
Shannon Ferry, car plus passengers, one way1 × €25 · check€25
eSIM, about a week of data2 × €15€30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge€46
Trip total≈ €251 per person per day, bed included€501≈ US$600

2026 estimate in euro; flights and car hire excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee or tea in a café€3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
Pub bar meal (main course)€14–22 (≈ US$17–30)
Pint of stout€5.50–6.50 (≈ US$7–8)
Museum entry (Writers' Museum / Lartigue Monorail)Listowel Castle is free.€8–10 (≈ US$10–12) adult
Taxi across towncheck€8–12 (≈ US$10–14)
Round of golf, Ballybunion Old Coursecheck; book ahead.€150–250 (≈ US$180–300) in season

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Listowel is a small, low-crime town and safe to walk at night. The real risks are Atlantic currents at Ballybunion and Beale, narrow unlit country roads, and festival weeks when every bed is full.
  • Village pubs and restaurants keep short hours outside summer: check before you set out.
  • Beale Strand and the Ballybunion beaches face the open Atlantic: currents are strong, swim between flags only.
  • The N69 and R523 are narrow, unlit country roads: drive them in daylight if you are not used to left-hand driving.
  • Listowel Races week in September fills every bed in town: book months ahead or sleep in Tralee.

Emergency numbers

Police, ambulance, fire, coast guard
112
Police, ambulance, fire (alternative)
999

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

ListowelLios Tuathail

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Chuig an seoladh seo, le do thoilTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, ambulance, fire, coast guard112
  • Police, ambulance, fire (alternative)999

Embassy

No embassies in Listowel: most countries keep embassies in Dublin and consulates in Cork or Limerick. US citizens: the embassy is in Dublin.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Bus 13 Limerick → Listowel: about 90 min, roughly €15 (≈ US$18) (check)
  • Bus 13 Listowel → Tralee: about 40 min (check)
  • Shannon Ferry, Tarbert → Killimer: 20 min, hourly Sep–May, every 30 min Jun–Aug (check fares)

Say or show

  • Dia duit — Hello (jeea gwit)
  • Go raibh maith agat — Thank you (guh rev mah agut)
  • Le do thoil — Please (leh duh hull)
  • Sláinte — Cheers (slawn-cha)
  • Cé mhéad é? — How much is it? (kay vade ay)
  • Cá bhfuil an leithreas? — Where is the toilet? (kaw will an leh-rass)

Town centre has 5G from all Irish carriers; Ballybunion has 4G with a poor signal on the approach roads.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Listowel. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep · avoid Nov–Feb (wet, short days) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 2 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contracts for KIR and SNN: last bus times, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: The Square, William St, the castle and the two museums.
  3. Place pages with verified opening hours and last entry for Listowel Castle, the Writers' Museum and the Lartigue Monorail.
  4. Festival fixtures for Writers' Week in June and the Harvest Festival races in September.

Meanwhile

Back to Ireland

Sources