My husband and I are headed to Dublin in September. We have mapped out a pretty do-able itinerary that enables us to see the whole island (including Northern Ireland) in 15 days. I've been to Ireland before (2 years ago), so I know a few areas I'd like to explore more, and some I'm open to skipping since I've already experienced them. Our car driving generally has short drives, with no more than 3 hours of driving total each day (and that is with stops several times to explore). I do see value in digging deeper in an area, but there is a lot I'd like to see too. We are really active so I don't think it's too much. But I also love a good hotel and unpacking and settling in for a few nights. I don't want to have regrets that we are doing too much, but I also don't want to miss anything either. Thoughts?
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7937 posts
Draw a line from Galway in the West, and Dublin in the East. That will split the island of Ireland into a North and South area for the purpose of this suggestion. In 2018, we drove, just the north part, Galway up thru Connemara, to Achill Island for a couple of nights, up to Dunfanaghy, into Northern Ireland for a few nights, down to Trim for the Boyne Valley sights, then to Dublin for the finish. That took 2 weeks.
Last spring, we toured the area south of that line, and didn’t see everything in about 2 weeks. I’d say plan on a wonderful 15 days, but don’t expect to be able to “drive it all.” Or you could complete a loop of the whole Island, but you won’t be stopping very many times to explore, and certainly won’t be unpacking and settling in for a few nights. One night stands? You can do it that way, but would you want to?
Posted by
Mountains of S. Oregon
741 posts
Even if you decide on one night stands, 15 days is way too short to see everything. We've made four trips using the one-night stand approach and a map of our routes covers the entire country. I have our next two 3week trips planned already, and they follow Cyn's suggestion more-or-less, with 2 and 3 night stays in most places and neither trip visits Dublin. After those two trips, we'll have logged 15 weeks in Ireland, and there will still be many places we've missed and only a few places we've seen twice.
Posted by
Cleveland
350 posts
I think either way you'll have a great time! Personally I love both fast paced travel and seeing it all and also I like slowing it down and lingering in fewer, choicer spots. Too much is never enough but then enough is plenty!