Ireland Itinerary | A Foolproof 7 Day Road Trip [2022]

Making an attempt to craft that excellent Eire itinerary? I’ve acquired you lined with a foolproof, “all-done-for-you” 7 days in Eire itinerary which is able to fulfill even probably the most choosy traveler!

Why every week? Nicely, it’s simply sufficient time to cowl the highlights of Eire and get style for the Emerald Isle. Plus, it makes it straightforward to increase or contract this itinerary for these readers with solely 5 or greater than 10 days in Eire.

Why go to Eire? Although I’m famously not a fan of in style journey locations, I’ll confess I’ve fallen in love with Eire. And I need to show you how to fall in love too!

What’s on this Eire journey planner:

Let’s get planning:

7 Day Eire Itinerary

7 days in Eire provides you time to comfortably see quantity of the nation. My 7 day Eire itinerary takes you to three strategically-situated bases (Galway, Killarney, Dublin) for exploring the nation.

I personally adopted this itinerary once I visited Eire, which I fastidiously crafted from suggestions from my Irish social media followers. And, wow, it was simply the excellent route for exploring Eire! After all, I at all times encourage vacationers to forge their very own path. So on the finish I’ll offer you strategies for different street journey stops to think about.

🚗 Observe: this itinerary might be achieved as an Eire street journey or utilizing public transportation (see the journey planning part under for sensible information).

Day 1 – Galway

You most likely thought you had been going to begin your Eire itinerary in Dublin proper?

Loosen up, you’ll get there!

However I feel Galway is the higher introduction to Eire as a result of its strategic place means it’s an important base for day journeys to 2 of Eire’s gorgeous nationwide parks, plus you’ll save time by avoiding going out and in of Dublin visitors upon touchdown!

In case you arrive in time, take a drive to go to Connemara National Park. Admission into this gorgeous nationwide park is free and it’s full of trails that take you thru mountains, forests, bogs, shoreline, and extra.

Alternatively, wander town streets and soak within the festive ambiance of Galway. Meander down Quay Avenue, round the Latin Quarter, and take a stroll in direction of the Spanish Arch. In case you want extra actions to maintain you busy in Galway, check out this useful article.

Within the night, have a conventional Irish dinner at The Quay Avenue Kitchen after which seize a pint at O Connel’s Bar.

Greatest Locations To Keep in Galway

Professional tip: lodges in Eire replenish quick. You could find the finest Galway lodges on Reserving.com and use their beneficiant cancellation insurance policies to lock in an important resort now even in case you’re not 100% certain of your precise itinerary.

Day 2 – Cliffs of Moher

On day 2, let’s take a day journey to the Cliff of Moher! These huge cliffs are Eire’s hottest vacationer attraction. And, regardless of the rising crowds, they’re actually unbelievable. You possibly can go to by yourself when you’ve got a rental automotive, or in any other case one of the simplest ways to do it’s as a part of an organized day tour.

If going by tour, that is undoubtedly the most effective one to decide on as it’s fairly reasonably priced and it’ll break up the journey to the Cliffs of Moher by stopping on the unbelievable 500 12 months previous Dunguaire Citadel, the attractive rolling hills of The Burren, and the Celtic Crosses at Kilfenora.

After your tour, return to Galway and dine on the Michelin-starred Aniar Restaurant or, in case you’re within the temper for pub grub, at The Entrance Door on Cross Avenue. Alternatively, in case you rented a automotive, it can save you a little bit of journey time by persevering with on immediately from the Cliffs of Moher to our subsequent cease …

Day 3 – Killarney Nationwide Park, Ballybunion

From Galway, drive or hop the three hour bus to Killarney (by way of a change in Limerick). In Killarney, you’ll be greeted by a captivating city whose major avenue is lined with pubs, eating places, and an assortment of uniquely Irish retailers.

The very first thing it is best to do is go to Killarney Nationwide Park, a stunning park that’s free and accessible just by strolling from the Outdated City (you may additionally go cycling and hiking in Killarney National Park). The spotlight of the park is certainly the attractive Ross Citadel on the southern finish.

👉 Recommended Day Journey: In case you have time on Day 3 of your Eire itinerary, take into account a facet journey to the quaint seaside city of Ballybunion. An hour or so away from Killarney lies this charming outpost on the Wild Atlantic Approach, the place you’ll be able to spend the day mountaineering alongside gorgeous cliff walks. If the climate is true, you would possibly even have the ability to catch some rays on the dramatically-situated seashore. And whenever you tire your self out, you’ll be able to merely stroll into city, seize a seat at a pub, and order up a pint or shepherds pie.

🍽️ Again in Killarney for the night, seize a desk at native favourite Treyvaud’s Restaurant.

🍺 In case you nonetheless have power afterwards, saddle as much as a bar stool for a pint at The Laurels Pub.

Greatest Locations To Keep in Killarney

Day 4 – Ring of Kerry

The enduring 179 kilometer lengthy Ring of Kerry loop takes you thru inexperienced fields, panoramic lookouts, coastal cliffs, villages, and tons of historical historical past. Even in case you didn’t hire a automotive on your whole Eire 7 day itinerary (you actually ought to – right here’s an important Irish road trip route), that is undoubtedly the someday that it’s value taking a street journey!

👉 Want a rental automotive? Be sure you search Uncover Automotive Rent, my favourite rental automotive search engine, now to ensure you lock in your automobile for the epic Eire street journey.

🚌 Hate driving? You possibly can nonetheless do the Ring of Kerry by way of this group tour.

Standard stops alongside the Ring of Kerry embrace:

• Skellig Rocks – a UNESCO protected monastery smash on some dramatic jagged-rock islands.
• Portmagee – a seaside village with brilliant and lovely buildings.
• Torc Waterfall – one of many many in style waterfalls alongside the route.
• Kenmare – an adorably picturesque city with brilliant coloured buildings.
• Staigue Fort – a really previous stone fort the place the rocks have managed to lock collectively for ages with out mortar or any sort of binding.
• Ross Citadel – a fifteenth century construction in Killarney Nationwide Park (pictured in Killarney part above).
• The Hole of Dunloe – a slim mountain move carved by glaciers.

See this article for a full itemizing of what to see alongside the Ring of Kerry.

👉 Professional tip: If driving the Ring of Kerry, go counterclockwise to keep away from the tour buses alongside the street.

🍽️ 🍺 Within the night, return to Killarney and exit and benefit from the vintage eating room at Bricín Restaurant earlier than testing Murphy’s Bar Killarney.

Day 5 – The Dingle Peninsula

In your fifth day in Eire, you’re going to it’s westernmost half – the Dingle Peninsula. The Dingle Peninsula is without doubt one of the extra gorgeous spots alongside the Wild Atlantic Approach, the place attractive inexperienced fields high jagged cliffs guarding wild seashores.

🚌 From Killarney, Dingle is about an hour drive.

🚌 Desire a tour? be part of this highly-rated tour from Killarney. The tour will take you to Inch Seashore, a stretch of golden sand made well-known in a number of films, together with Playboy of the Western World. You’ll additionally tour Slea Head, arguably one of the vital stunning stretches of Eire’s coast line, earlier than ending within the fishing city of Dingle.

🐬 Enjoyable Reality: Dingle is the house port for a dolphin named Fungi who is understood to actively hunt down human associates. Perhaps in case you luck out, you’ll be Fungi’s newest buddy!

🍽️ 🍺 You possibly can return to Killarney or in a single day in Dingle. If the latter, seize dinner at Out of the Blue or The International Village Restaurant.

Greatest Locations to Keep in Dingle

Day 6 – Dublin

On Day 6, drive or take the practice to Dublin. If driving, alongside the best way see the Rock of Cashel in your approach to see a historic twelfth century tower and fortress.

Settle into your Dublin resort (👉 reserve asap, by the best way, as the nice Dublin lodges replenish quick). Be part of one among GuruWalk’s free Dublin strolling excursions (reservations required, works on a ideas foundation) to rapidly soak up a few of the most necessary websites.

Don’t miss the Trinity Faculty Library. Nestled in the course of town, Trinity Faculty is a retreat from the bustle of Dublin correct, and the enduring Trinity Faculty library is a well-liked spot to snap these Instagram photographs. In any case, how else will folks know that you simply even visited Eire within the first place?

🍺 Within the night, seize a drink at The Temple Bar. This in style bar is undeniably a little bit of a vacationer lure. Nevertheless it’s so in style that the whole surrounding nightlife district bears its title. So be part of the opposite journey lemmings for a pint or 4 and see the place the evening takes you.

👉 Professional tip: In case you like group excursions, this can be a good itemizing of the most well-liked ones in Dublin. It might probably undoubtedly take the stress out of navigating town.

Greatest Locations To Keep in Dublin

Day 7 – Dublin

Finish your Eire 7 day itinerary with a go to to the Guinness Storehouse. In all probability the most well-liked factor to do in Dublin, the Guinness Storehouse is a multi-level exhibition devoted to the darkish stout which is so closely ingrained in Eire’s tradition. The self-guided tour concludes with the prospect to study to pour an ideal pint of Guinness on the Guinness Academy.

🎫 Tickets value 26 euros for an grownup and might be purchased on-line upfront if you wish to skip the road.

Within the night, take this glorious and reasonably priced strolling tour that explores the spooky and haunted facet of Dublin.

🍽️ To your final dinner on the town, guide a desk for an evening of positive eating on the posh Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud.

Choices to Prolong Your Eire Itinerary from 7 to 10 Days

Whereas I feel that the above 7 day Eire itinerary is ideal for sampling of what Eire has to supply, you actually don’t must do what I did and there’s a lot extra to discover in your Eire street journey if you wish to craft your individual journey.

In case you have a bit extra time for a ten day Eire itinerary, different in style locations in Eire embrace:

• Doolin and The Aran Islands – A tiny village close to the Cliffs of Moher, Doolin was one among my favourite locations in Eire. You possibly can hike the cliffs from right here, or use it as a base for visiting the Aran Islands, windswept islands off the coast the place you will get round by pony cart.
• Belfast, Northern Eire – Take a detour as much as Northern Eire. Often called the house of the Titanic (an odd distinction, however one town claims nonetheless), Belfast can be utilized as a base to go to many Game of Thrones filming locations, in addition to the gorgeous Large’s Causeway. Foodies may also love the various glorious Belfast restaurants to select from.
• Cork – A comparatively massive metropolis by Irish requirements, Cork sits alongside a stunning waterfront. From right here, you’ll be able to take a day journey to kiss the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle.
• Waterford – The oldest metropolis in Eire. Waterford is in style as a spot to take pleasure in Eire’s rural attraction.
• Limerick – I briefly handed by Limerick and need I had extra time to discover. The river working by town makes it look stunning.

After all, there are various extra locations to go to in your Eire itinerary. In case you had a month, you most likely nonetheless couldn’t cowl all of Eire. However simply know that oftentimes the most effective journey experiences are those you don’t plan – so go away a bit room in your itinerary for spontaneity!

Issues to See in Eire in a Week

Nevertheless you precisely construction your Irish 7 day itinerary, you’re going to need to just be sure you take within the following important Eire experiences a technique or one other:

Lush Greenery within the Irish Countryside

They don’t name it the Emerald Island for nothing. The whole island is roofed is dozens of shades of inexperienced, and also you’ll be hard-pressed to discover a nook of Eire that’s not Instagram-ready — it’s simply that fairly of a rustic!

In case you’re questioning what to see in Eire in 7 days, look no additional than out your window!

Castles and Historical past

Eire has been inhabited for 1000’s of years, and has the historical past to show it. Historical past buffs will probably be spoiled in Eire’s Historic East, whereas those that dream of previous lives as princes or princesses will really feel at house in Eire’s many majestic castles. No Eire itinerary is full with out a minimum of a pair fortress visits.

Pub Tradition and Hospitality

The Irish individuals are famed for his or her heat, their cheer, and their joviality (you’ve most likely heard of a bit vacation referred to as St Patrick’s Day).

You’ll really feel proper at house in Eire’s welcoming tradition, whether or not it’s watching a conventional dance to Irish music, listening to a storyteller regale an viewers with centuries-old fables, or simply saddling as much as a bar stool for that excellent pint of Guinness (or Eire’s different stout – Murphy’s!).

Unimaginable Coastal Walks and Hikes

Eire is surrounded by three thousand kilometers of jagged shoreline, giving guests entry to attractive and sometimes empty seashores, in style browsing spots, and loads of strolling trails above and round dramatic cliffs.

Eire Highway Journey Planning

Transportation is Eire is plentiful and comparatively reasonably priced. Let’s speak concerning the three major methods to discover Eire:

1. 🚗 Lease a automotive – Renting a automotive in Eire is shockingly low cost, and excellent for making an Eire street journey itinerary. It’s a good way to provide the freedom to discover the attractive countryside by your self.
   • 👉 Professional tip: Try the Discover Car Hire search engine to compare various Irish rental agencies and get the best price.
2. 🚆 Train – Ireland’s trains are really excellent in quality, but the network unfortunately doesn’t go quite everywhere you might need to make a full Ireland itinerary. A train from Killarney to Dublin ran me 33 euros.
3. 🚌 Bus – For routes where the train doesn’t run, this is the only option for those without a car. There are decent buses between most destinations, however. I paid 20 euros to go from the Dublin Airport direct to Galway, and 19 euros to go from Galway to Killarney (with a change in Limerick).

Driving in Ireland

In general, driving in Ireland is easy, but there are a few things to know:

• Ireland drives on the left side of the road.
• Get the smallest car possible as country roads can be very narrow.
• Roads are safe, but make sure you have travel insurance for Ireland.
• Rentals are often cheaper away from Dublin (another reason this Ireland road trip itinerary starts in Galway!).

Tips for Your Ireland Trip

Be sure to check out my separate article with 17 Ireland travel tips, but here is a quick summary of the highlights:

• 💰 Money: Ireland uses the Euro. Credit cards are widely accepted, though some places operate on a cash-only basis.
• 🗨️ Language: English is the dominant language, though Irish (or Gaelic) is sometimes used as a written language — though it will almost always be paired with English writing as well.
• ☔ Weather: All that green grass has to come from somewhere. So you should always have a raincoat or an umbrella handy (read our review of the best travel umbrellas for recommendations!). And if visiting the Wild Atlantic Way, be prepared for high winds along the cliffs (they don’t call it “Wild” for nothing!). Still, if you can handle some rain and a little chill, Ireland is one of those European destinations that can be visited year round.
• ✈️ Getting to Ireland: Dublin and Shannon airport have frequent flights to Europe and North America. Irish budget carrier Aer Lingus has recently begun heavily expanding it’s direct routes to the United States, meaning that round trip flights can often be found for $500 USD or less.
• 📚 Ireland Guidebooks: If you want more detailed information on other options for what to see in Ireland in 7 days, use this trick to get a free copy of Lonely Planet’s Ireland guide.
• 📱 Communication: Wifi is ubiquitous in Ireland. If you have an unlocked cell phone, you can purchase a local SIM card to get cellular data.
• 🍻 “Enjoy the Craic!”: You’ll hear the Irish use the word “craic” frequently, often saying something like “enjoy the craic.” For the un-initiated, the word roughly means “fun,” “party,” or “atmosphere.”

How Much Does Ireland Cost?

As with any destination, how much you spend in Ireland depends a lot on your travel style. You could splash out drop hundreds of euros a night on a super posh castle hotel like this one, or you could get away with spending 12 euros a night on a hostel dorm bed.

With that said, here are some rough guidelines for how much it costs to travel Ireland:

🏘️ Housing Costs

• 🛏️ Bed in hostel dorm room: 15-20 euros/night (more in Dublin on a weekend)
• 🛎️ Private room, shared AirBnB, or budget hotel: 40-60 euros/night
• 🏘️ Airbnb (entire house): 80-200 euros/night
• ✨ Luxury hotel: 200+ euros/night

🍽️ Food and Dining

Figure 15-20 euros/day if eating at supermarkets, fast food places (try SuperMacs – the Irish version of McDonald’s) and street vendors, 30 euros or more if eating at restaurants.

🍺 Drinks

4-6 euros for a pint of Guinness, 6+ euros for a cocktail at a bar

🚗 Transportation

20-30 euros for bus or train ticket between cities, though with prices starting at just 30 euros per day, renting a car may be competitive economically (👉 pro tip: use Discover Car Hire to compare costs at various rental agencies).

🤸 Entertainment

There are many free or affordable options, including coastal walks, public performances, and more. Entrances fees for castles and sites typically range from 2 to 15 euros.

⚠️ Travel Insurance for Ireland

One place you definitely don’t want to skimp on is travel insurance. I used World Nomads, although it’s also possible to use this web site to check lots of of corporations and discover the most effective journey insurance coverage supplier for you.

👉 Professional tip for saving cash: The very first thing you must notice when planning to tour Eire on a finances is that Dublin is considerably costlier than the remainder of the nation.

Whereas hardly any traveler goes to need to skip Dublin altogether, it can save you cash by limiting your time there. So remember to save your euros and finish your journey with a bang by exploring this thrilling metropolis.

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That’s it for this mega 7 days Eire street journey itinerary information!

Didn’t get to soak up all the pieces right here? Be sure you bookmark this excellent Eire itinerary for later.

Get pleasure from your journey to Eire! And when you’ve got different concepts for what to see in Eire in 7 days, simply let me know within the feedback!