We will be heading to Ireland for the first time in about a month. This is our tentative itinerary. I haven't written down all that we will do at each stop but just wanted to get an idea from others if this is a good route or if we should make some changes:
Day 1: arrive in Dublin, spend the day sightseeing as best we can coming off an overseas flight
Day 2: Bus tour to Belfast/Giants Causeway
Day 3: Get car and head for Galway, stop at Clonmacnoise, See some of Galway, Spend night there
Day 4: Galway, Connemara, spend night in Galway
Day 5: Burren, Cliffs of Moher, Stay in Doolin or Ennis or Dingle? * (We are considering driving straight to Dingle and staying the night there but are concerned about time and distance)
Day 6: Head to Dingle Peninsula, then back to Killarney, night in Killarney
Day 7: Ring of Kerry, spend night in Killarney
Day 8: Head back to Dublin, several stops along the way (Blarney Castle, Rock of Cashel, Cahir Castle?)
Day 9: Flight home in the morning
Posted by
Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
255 posts
My suggestions: Remember......You don't go as fast in Ireland as you think you will and you shouldn't.
Day 1. Hop on hop off bus.
Day 5. Stay in Doolin for a music night.
Day 6. Killimer ferry South of course. Conor Pass to Dingle. Stay in Dingle for the night. Why go back to Killarney?
Day 7. Explore more of Dingle...boat ride etc. Then Killarney area. Spend night there. No need to do both Dingle and Ring of Kerry. You will just be blowing through both.
Day 8. Blarney Castle is a big tourist trap. But if you must.....
Posted by
Fairfax, Virginia
348 posts
I think you will find driving from Galway to Dingle in a day with stops at Moher and the Burren to be a bit ambitious. I've driven through the Burren to Galway in each of the last two summers, once from Limerick and once from Ennis. Both times we filled the day with stops including the Cliffs of Moher. Look at what Rick S. has to say about the Ring of Kerry and avoiding the hordes of iron elephants (tour buses). It's good advice. On the drive bacxk to Dublin, I'd suggest Rock of Cashel, or perhaps Glendalough. I'd skip Blarney Castle. I liked Cahir Castle, but would not go too far out of the way for it.
Posted by
San Diego, CA, USA
237 posts
You don't say that where you are picking up the car but remember that taking a car between North Ireland and "South" Ireland is probably "problematic" (it used to be impossible) so I would be sure you're renting the car in the country you want to drive it in and return it in.
Towards the end of your trip I think you're trying to do way too much. Much of the charm of rural Ireland is to slow down and get caught up in the rhythm. I think you need to do less driving and more visiting. I would suggest something like:
Day 4: End on Doolin rather than Galway.
Day 5: Burren, Cliffs of Moher, Stay in Dingle (This is a long day - Tralee is possible stop before Dingle)
Day 6: Dingle
Day 7: Dingle Peninsula
Day 8: Head to Dublin, two sites in this day is doable but long - Cahir and Rock of Cashel (good but touristy)
Or concentrate on Ring of Kerry instead. I don't think you can do either of them justice with a partial day each so I would choose one and commit to it. I would suggest Dingle is more approachable but that decision is up to you.
Have a great trip,
=Tod