We are going on a Transatlantic cruise ending in Dublin in May and are looking for some suggestions.
After an early morning arrival we will be spending three nights in Dublin. One day we will do a day trip tour up to Belfast with friends. This won’t be an all-of-Ireland trip but we’d like to spend the six days we have left visiting the Dingle Peninsula. I was thinking of picking up a car Wednesday and taking two days driving to Dingle, two nights in Dingle and then two full days driving back to Dublin. We have a hotel reservation near the airport Monday for our noon Tuesday flight home. We are interested in scenery,history, music and small hotels or B&Bs. Some of the towns along the way might include Kilkenny, Ennis? We will visit Cork, Kinsale and Waterford on the cruise. I have reservations for Friday and Saturday night in Dingle but am pretty flexible. We have rented cars and traveled extensively in England, Scotland, France and Spain but never Ireland. I always have been pleased with Rick’s itineraries. We will save the rest of Ireland for another trip.
Posted by
Last Frontier aka Alaska 🏔️
3212 posts
Did you have a specific question??
Posted by
OP
44 posts
Sorry to be so vague. I’d love suggestions for a two day drives between Dublin-Dingle. Would it be better to take two nights to drive or just one night and spend three nights in Dingle? Would it be better to go north to Galway? We have six days. I am looking for some ideas of how long it would actually take to drive and where to stop along the way.
Posted by
Last Frontier aka Alaska 🏔️
3212 posts
Since you are flying into and out of Dublin, but still trying to see Dingle, you will be rushed with your short time frame.
It would have been better to fly into Dublin and out of Shannon.
Most people head straight across the island (Trim) or slightly south through Kilkenny etc. You will have several one night stays and lots of driving.
I think I would just drive and drive and get to Dingle in one night and then have 3 nights in Dingle. At least you would have a short break from all that driving.
Posted by
bedford, indiana
459 posts
I would not take two days to get to Dingle and two days to return, it is just a four hour drive from Dublin. I would go directly out to Dingle and get settled and spend a day wandering the town, visiting pubs, etc. No driving that second day there. Then I would spend a day cruising the peninsula and seeing the sights ending up back in Dingle for dinner. For me I would prefer to set my base in Dingle and venture out on a couple of trips each day rather than doing a couple of short drives and stops on the way to Dingle. I might even consider hiring a private tour of the Ring of Kerry on one of the days with Dingle as your base. My thoughts!