Hello. A group of friends are in the very early stages of planning a trip to Ireland in August 2025. We want to start making an itinerary of what to do and see, but feel a bit overwhelmed about the endless possibilities and the precious time we will have there.
Due to limited vacation time, we can spend only about eight days in Ireland. We want to see Dingle. We want to go to Dublin. We want to go to Galway and possibly Cork and maybe go up to Belfast too.
The thing is we haven’t pinned down exact things we want to see and experience while we are there. We all like the outdoors and nature. We like walking and taking hikes, but are not hard core in those areas. We want to see the ocean and spectacular views.
We would like to avoid organized tours. We want to see some castles, but not museums. We want to rent a car, but haven’t thought logistically about a practical route. We want to see some remote parts, but not get lost entirely.
We want to be frugal, so eating fancy food isn’t our thing. We prefer the atmosphere of pubs, local restaurants, and maybe just making meals at the place where we’re staying. The idea of paying for a B&B appeals to us more than staying in hostels.
As you can see, we have a lot of ideas, but haven’t really thought realistically or practically about much of this. Any ideas on what the best way to plan and scope out an intineary based on the above?
Advice, suggestions, words of wisdom is all very much welcome! Thank you.