Welcome to our Travel Community, where travelers from all over the world come together to share experiences, ask for advice, and connect with others far and wide!
Ireland advice Please.. The last two years we went to Scotland and he freaking loved it. We love renting a car and traveling the backroads, stopping where we want, seeing random monuments and historical sites, villages, etc. but also some of the cities as well. I have been to Dublin, Cork, Waterford, and Kilkenny so we will not be going to those places.
Here are my initial thoughts:
Day 1 - Land in Dublin in the AM, get rental car, drive to Killarney
Day 2 - Dingle
Day 3 - Doolin (and Aran Islands)
Day 4 - Galway
Day 5 - Westport
Day 6 - Sligo
Day 7 - Kingscourt
Day 8,9 - Dublin
Day 10 - fly home early AM.
Thoughts?
Some items:
Originally had Limerick on the list but heard it was "OK, but not great, very touristy".
Is the drive from Dublin to Killarney too much for one day? Thoughts about stopping in Roscrea Day 1, then going to Killarney the next day.
I second a lot of what Aisling said. The South Pole inn and pub is cool (no pun intended). Galway is a great town, lots to do. Brogan's not far off Eyre Square is a nice pub. The Wild Atlantic Way is very nice, but can get breezy and cool even in June. So beautiful though - the west coast is probably the only place in Ireland that competes with the Scottish Highlands for impressive scenery. Doolin and Lisdoonvarna are great for music.
Dublin airport to killarney is 4.5 hours driving, it's easy motorway.
Suggest stopping at Rock of Cashel on way down as it would be the perfect break during the day and gives you a chance to see something that day. You will be short of time to see much of Killarney though, I'd suggest 2 nights (I live here though so I'm biased!).
Going Killarney to Dingle stop off at Inch Strand and The South Pole Inn in Annascual which has fascinating history. In Dingle you want to drive the Conor Pass and slea head.
Re Dingle to Doolin it's a decent drive to the Cliffs even if you are taking the ferry, and give yourself 2+ hours there as interpretative centre is great. You won't fit Aran Islands (they really need a full day or overnight) but I'd strongly suggest o briens ferry at base of the cliffs, brilliant trip for 1.5 hours and Doolin is a great night of live music in local pubs.
From Doolin you could explore some of the Burren before you go on - it's really amazing geology, and the burrenn perfumery is a great stop. A lot of great archeology on the Burren too, and very few tourists. I think you are squeezing in a lot of long drive days going up to Sligo, would suggest a slightly slower pace and maybe Galway for 2 nights, using a full day to head out to Connemara and Cong.
You have a lot of travel time built into these days so I'd consider slowing it down a bit if you can. Also suggest planning the trip along the Wild Atlantic Way, it's nicely signposted and you'll be driving a good chunk anyway. Just some ideas - hope they help.
Aisling gave some good advice. I always suggest people not forget about the Wild Atlantic Way up into Donegal, which is some of the best landscape in Ireland.