I'm planning a two week trip in late May/early June, specific dates flexible around optimal flight prices. I've been to London before but many years ago. It's pretty low in terms of my European travel wish list. My travel partner has not been to London, but it's very high on his list. We both very much want to take in Ireland.
Ireland is a given, and our plan is 2-3 days in Dublin, then renting a car and driving the southern coast to hit Cork, Dingle, Cliffs of Moher and possibly Galway (as well as any high priority spots based on research yet to be completed - my RS Ireland guidebook has been ordered). We do not want to be rushed, as both sightseeing and relaxing along the way are definite priorities.
I'm seeking feedback on whether our time would be better spent savoring Ireland over the two weeks or whether we can still take in our preferred sites in a relaxed manner and hop over to London for a couple of days with a potential day trip to Bath in our two week window. Or would London/Bath best be enjoyed on a separate trip (acknowledging that a return to the UK would be a slim chance, given that our European wish list is quite long and we'd likely opt for Switzerland and Italy as destinations on a future trip). I really want to accomodate my travel partner's desire to explore London, but we're both in agreement that we don't want it to short change our experience of Ireland.
I also welcome must-see spots that I've overlooked on our proposed Ireland itinerary above. We will definitely be skipping the interior and Northern Ireland, so I'm seeking tips on our existing road trip path on the southern and western coasts.
Thanks in advance. Happy travels!