It’s right in the middle of Ireland and a last minute addition to our itinerary. The city of Athlone has a cathedral, a castle, the largest shopping center in Ireland, a small museum, the Shannon River running through town and Sean’s Pub reportedly, built in AD 900!
This is a view of the Cathedral from our room this morning.
We couldn’t believe our eyes when we walked into our room at the Raddison Blu! We came from a hit-your-head-on-the-sloping-ceiling room in Galway to a family-sized, two-room space with a King-sized bed, 3 twin beds, 5 chairs, 2 sofas and lots of space to move around without bumping into each other! It was quite comfortable!
We found this cute shop for breakfast and we’re lucky enough to arrive just when the orange poppyseed scones were coming out of the oven. They were served with with butter and blueberry jam! The coffee was great too!
There is a nice river walk in Athlone (pronounced Ath-lone as the lone in the Lone Ranger is pronounced. )
The streets of Athlone look a little dreary but walking into the city’s slick, new mall felt like entering an alternate universe! It has very modern shops, like Marks & Spencer, H & M, Zara, Starbucks and many more!
I also visited the small museum and was really impressed by the educational programs available to the public! The Museum itself is free.
Friends at the Pitts Theology Museum might find this shop interesting! Liturgical Book Restorers!
Athlone was a fun destination with surprises around every corner!
