4 Reasons to Visit Naas
After visiting Naas on a work trip, my coworker and I have decided to share our visit to Naas Co. Kildare, because besides the relief of getting out of the city for a day, Naas has some perks every Irish native and visitor would love!
- Friendly locals
Granted, every city and town across the world has their fair share of welcoming and unpleasant people, but in Naas, we’d say the pleasant outweigh the rude. When we walked into Swans on the Green, a farmers market on the south side of downtown, we were only granted with smiles and hellos from the workers. The market was small but very lively, with a deli and tables to eat in. Many locals were there enjoying coffee and a treat, it seemed like the place to be. We were even welcomed to sit down and stay awhile from one of the employees, we didn’t take the offer but we appreciated his hospitality. On the way out we purchased a Naas Newbridge — The Nationalist newspaper and was told to try a delicious complimentary nectarine from one of the employees. Our two minute experience in Swans on the Green farmers market gave a good taste of the town, and made our days a whole lot better!
2. Tons of Cafes
If you are coffee lovers like us, you appreciate a good cafe. Around every corner in Naas is a coffee and treat shop just waiting to be discovered. From a common chain like Costa coffee, to a homegrown cafe like The Harvest Kitchen, Naas is every coffee and tea lovers dream! Coming from the U.S. with a Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts around every corner, it’s nice to see local cafes! During our time spent here, we tried out The Convent Tea Rooms at McAuley Place and each enjoyed a lovely bowl of cream of butternut squash soup with brown bread out in the courtyard by the Church of our Lady and Saint David.
3. Shopping
Along the main strip in Naas, numerous shopping stores can be found. From pharmacies and grocery stores like SuperValu to retail clothing, shoes and household stores like Browne’s of Naas, Fabucci Footwear and Meadows and Byrne. Moreover, if shopping secondhand is your thing, there are a few thrift shops in town as well. On our trip, we stopped into a few of the thrift shops, our favorite being McAuley Place’s Renaissance shop on Sallins road, where we each found something that fancied us; a belt for 1 euro and a book on the American sitcom Friends for 2 euro! You know what they say, “one man’s trash is another’s treasure”.
4. Walkability
One favorable aspect of Naas is the walkability of everything in the town. The main street has everything you need, within walking distance! Downtown Naas has various pharmacies, groceries, hair salons (lots of them), cafes, pubs and eateries, technology stores and nice retail and thrift shops. Not to mention, getting to Naas from Dublin is a simple bus ride on the Bus Eireann 126 service for 8 euro, and the bus drops you off right in the heart of town.
After visiting Naas, we can see why it is a large commuting town for Dublin. It is a charming town growing in character. From it’s easy accessibility from Dublin and walkability throughout the town, to the many fanciful cafes, delightful shops and pleasant people, Naas is worth the trip to see!
