The Ultimate 10 Day Ireland Road Trip Itinerary
This ten day Ireland itinerary is the perfect guide for planning your trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland. Ireland is the ideal country for a road trip with many hikes and outdoor attractions to stop at along the way. It includes stops at the highlights like the Blarney Castle, Cliffs of Moher, and Giants Causeway. It also highlights lesser visited attractions like Slieve League, Aran Islands, and Skellig Islands.
2 week Ireland itinerary
The best way to see Ireland is to drive and see the countryside. To see the most, I'd recommend driving around the whole country rather than staying in one place and taking day trips.
Day 1
Dublin
I started out by telling you that we're not big city explorers. You can't go to Ireland without stopping in Dublin though. We were supposed to have a day in Dublin at the beginning of the trip, but because of our flight delay, we squeezed everything into our last day. These are the things I enjoyed the most.
Saint Stephen's Green
This is a great place to come and enjoy a picnic lunch. The park itself is open and provides great views for lunch. There are lakes, bridges, gazebos, gardens–everything you would want from a park.
Kilmainham Gaol
This was once a jail, but is no longer in operation. The tour is incredibly informative about the political history of the area and the role the jail played in it. The architecture of the jail is also very interesting. Make sure to buy tickets in advance because they will be sold out if you wait until you get there.
Book of Kells
This is a little misleading because the Book of Kells is a famous manuscript that you can view. You have to go through that exhibit to get to the real attraction: The Old Library. This is the most beautiful library. It looks like something straight out of Harry Potter. Tickets are a bit pricey, but it is worth it. I'd recommend buying your tickets online ahead of time so you don't have to wait in line.
Guinness Storehouse
I'm not a beer drinker, but I really enjoyed the self guided tour here. You start out by getting a brief history of the brewery from one of the workers before they send you off on your self guided tour. There's a lot of information about how the beer is made. The tour comes with a beer that you can get at a couple places throughout the tour or at the bar on the top level at the end. I'd recommend getting tickets online ahead of time.
Day 2
Blarney Castle
This medieval castle was built almost 600 years ago. It's become famous for the Blarney Stone, but the grounds have much more to offer.
The Blarney Stone
Legend has it that kissing the Blarney Stone will bring you good luck. The stone is located at the top of the castle. Based on the signs they had up, it seems like it was common to have a 1-2 hour wait to kiss the stone. We were there in the off season, so we didn't have a wait, but if the wait were that long, I would skip it.
The best part is the views of the grounds from the top of the castle. On the way up, you can also explore the different rooms of the castle which is pretty interesting.
In order to kiss the stone, you have to lay down and shimmy backwards over a large gap (leading down to the ground far below) all while grasping onto some metal bars hoping you don't slide down to the ground. To make matters worse, they put down a slippery plastic mat to make it easier for you to slide back, but also easier to slip. They do have people holding onto your legs, but I'm skeptical that this would help if you fell. Only one person in our group was actually able to kiss the stone.
The bottom line: the views are good and the castle is interesting, but kissing the stone feels like a dangerous, hyped up tourist trap.
The grounds
There are 60 acres of gardens and parkland to explore. The gardens are divided into several different sections. I think this is the best part of the castle. It's easy to get lost exploring the beauty of it all. You'll need at least an hour to explore the groups, but it would be easy to spend more time here.
Cost
16 euros if you book in advance, 18 euros otherwise.
Booking
It shouldn't be necessary, but you can book online.
Day 3
Killarney National Park
This popular stop on the famous Ring of Kerry was Ireland's first national park. In it you'll find plenty of lakes, castles, and mountain views.
Torc Waterfall
There are several hiking trails here. From the parking lot, it's only a few hundred meters to get to the waterfall. The waterfall itself is very pretty. It's a good size waterfall surrounded by a beautiful forest. You can turn around and go back to your car after seeing the waterfall, but I'd recommend going a bit farther on one of the trails.
The yellow trail is about a 1.5 km loop. You'll do a bit of uphill climbing but nothing too strenuous. Higher up on the mountain, you'll get some good views of the lakes in the surrounding area.
Meeting of the Waters
This is the point at which the three lakes in the national park meet. You can walk about a kilometer or so along one of the lakes from where you park your car to get back to a tea room. Behind the tea room you'll find another one of the lakes with a picturesque bridge. You can continue on the trail if you like.
Lady's View
At Lady's View you'll find a gorgeous overlook of the lakes and a large portion of the park. It's just a viewpoint, so there's no hiking involved with this one. There's a shop and restaurant there as well.
Cost
Free
Gap of Dunloe
You'll find this narrow mountain passage just outside of Killarney National Park. Known for its stunning mountain and lake views, the gap stretches for 11km.
Getting there
There are several ways to experience the gap. You can take a boat tour of the lakes, starting at the Ross Castle in Killarney National Park. This will end at the Gap of Dunloe where you can hike or take a jaunting car (horse carriage) back to Kate Kearney's cottage. From there, you can catch a shuttle back to your car at Killarney National Park. This option requires most of the day as boats only leave in the morning.
You can rent bikes in Killarney and bike the gap. This will require biking through the city on busy streets in order to get to/from the gap. They do allow you to take your bike on the boats that leave from Ross Castle, so this option can be combined with the first option.
Finally, you can drive to Kate Kearney's cottage where you can hike the gap or hire a jaunting car. Hiking is a popular option, but also requires a good amount of time given the length of the gap. The jaunting car takes about 1.5 hours. We were short on time since we combined this with our visit to Killarney National Park, so we hired a jaunting car.
The gap
Our horse, Charlie, took us into the gap. It was a small carriage, but we were able to squeeze 4 people plus the driver into it. The views along the entire gap are outstanding. You'll pass several lakes along the way. Our driver gave us a nice history of the area during the trip. The horses can't quite make it all the way to the end of the gap when they have to make an immediate return trip, but you get to go most of the way back. When you get to the end, you take a short break to get out and enjoy the view before heading back.
Cost
It may vary by jaunting car, but we paid about 35 euros each. There's no booking in advance, you just walk up to a driver and ask them to take you.
Day 4
Skellig Michael
This is a world heritage site that was recently made famous by Star Wars. You'll see Skellig Michael featured as the island on which Luke is staying in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. While I've seen the recent Star Wars movies, they were not my motivation for wanting to go. The Skellig Islands (Skellig Michael and Little Skellig) are craggy rocks jutting out of the Atlantic Ocean about 12 miles off the coast of County Kerry. There's a monastery on Skellig Michael where monks lived for a few hundred years.
Getting there
The islands are only accessible via tour. There are 15 boats licensed to bring 12 passengers each on the Skellig Michael Landing Tour. Due to weather conditions, tours operate mid-May through late-September. All tours are subject to cancellation based on the weather–typically only about 65% of tours made the trip. Most of the boats depart from Portmagee. There is also a Skellig Michael Eco Tour that runs much more frequently but does not land on the island.
The tour
Our tour left from Portmagee around 9:45 am and returned around 3 pm. Most boats leave between 9-10 am–you're given your departure time the day before your tour. The boat ride was fairly choppy. If you get motion sick, I recommend taking Dramamine before you leave. We were told that we had one of the calmest days and it's common for people to throw up on the trip.
Before we docking on Skelling Michael, you'll drive around Little Skellig. Because it is craggier than Skellig Michael, it is impossible to dock. You'll see an abundance of birds on the island and we saw a couple of seals as well. Then you'll drive around Skellig Michael to see the lighthouse and the rest of the island. The boat ride is about 1.5 hours.
Upon docking, you walk up a path where guides meet you. They give you the run down before you are free to climb the 600 steps to the monastery. The stairs are narrow and–if wet–slippery. There are no railings, so you need to watch your step. If you're deathly afraid of heights, this part will probably scare you.
Once you get to the monastery, there is a guide that gives a short talk on the history of the island and the monks that lived there. There's no eating allowed at the monastery, but there is a nice break about halfway up to relax and eat. You're given about 1.5-2 hours to explore the island before heading back to the boat.
Thousands of puffins inhabit the island in the spring and summer. Unfortunately, we were there in September, so we didn't get to see them. The birds seen in the Star Wars movies were actually puffins. It was cheaper to use CGI to transform the birds than it was to remove them entirely.
There's no food or restrooms on the island or boats, so come prepared.
Cost
It costs 85 euros per person. You pay once you board your boat and they only accept cash. There is an ATM in Portmagee if you need one.
Booking
We booked three months in advance and at least half of the boats were already completely booked. I recommend using SkelligMichael.com to inquire about booking. They have a form you can fill out to contact different boats as well as a partial list of boat operators with websites/phone numbers/emails if available. It's quite difficult to get a complete list, so I would recommend starting early.
Day 5
Kilkee Cliffs
Also located in County Clare, these sea cliffs are much less popular than the famous Cliffs of Moher, but they should not be missed.
The cliffs
These cliffs were gorgeous. They are a hidden gem of Ireland. We didn't see a single other person there. There is a trail you can hike along.
If I had to pick between the two, I would definitely see the Kilkee Cliffs over the Cliffs of Moher. I think the views are better and you can enjoy these cliffs in peace and quiet, which you will not find in the zoo of people at Cliffs of Moher. The Cliffs of Moher was much more of a tourist attraction.
Cost
Free
Cliffs of Moher
These are the most famous sea cliffs in Ireland. Located in County Claire, they stretch for about 14km.
The cliffs
We were a little unlucky with the weather the day we went. When we first walked out to the cliffs, it was incredible foggy and we could barely see two of them. We went into the visitor's center for a bit and when we came back out, the fog had lifted some. We got a much better view at that point.
You can walk down along the cliffs for quite a ways. We turned around where the park ends because it was incredibly muddy and the views still weren't great because of the fog.
While the views were pretty, I was very turned off by the number of people. I find it hard to enjoy nature when surrounded by a sea of people. It was very touristy and I enjoyed the other secluded cliffs we saw more.
Cost
8 euros per person
Day 6
Aran Islands
You'll find the Aran Islands located at the mouth of Galway Bay. Three islands make up the Aran Islands–Inis Mor, Inis Meain, and Inis Oirr. Inis Mor, the largest of the three, is the most popular to visit.
Getting there
There are ferries that leave from Doolan and Rossaveal. The ferry from Rossaveal is shorter and also closer to Galway, where we were staying, so we opted for that one. It says it's a 40 minute ferry ride, but I think it was closer to an hour for us. There were three departure times in September–morning, lunch, and evening. We left in the morning at 10:30 am since we were just going for the day. There were four return times–morning, lunch, and two early evening times. We came back at 4 pm which was the earlier of the two evening times.
The ferry ride was fairly choppy. We were told it was one of the rougher days because it was so windy and I felt little sick by the time we got there.
Getting around
Once on the island, I recommend renting bikes to get around. You can also walk or book tours to take you around the island, but biking is the most popular mode of transportation.
Dun Aonghasa
This is a prehistoric fort on the cliffs of Inis Mor. It's about 8km from the dock. We biked along the coast on the way there and stopped at several spots where there were good views. There is also a cute spot with a couple of shops–including a great ice cream shop–just before you get there.
No bikes are allowed inside the fort. From the visitor's center, it's about a 1km walk up to the fort. The view of the cliffs along the coast is beautiful. There's also a great view of the rest of the island from up there.
This was the only attraction we saw on the island. We spent the rest of our time enjoying the views along our bike ride and checking out some of the shops in town.
Cost
If you book online in advance, the ferry is 22.50 euros per person (10% discount). We rented bikes from Inis Mor Bike Hire which was 10 euros per bike for the day. There are two bike hires right by the dock, we just picked the first one that wasn't busy. Admission to Dun Aonghasa is 2 euros.
Booking
The only thing we booked in advance was our ferry tickets. While not strictly required to book in advance, I would recommend it because some times were sold out when we picked up our tickets that day. You can book online with Aran Island Ferries.
Day 7
Great Western Greenway
In County Mayo, you'll find a 42km greenway that is a great place to go for a bike ride. The greenway is divided into three sections–Westport to Newport, Newport to Mulranny, and Mulranny to Achill. I read that the Newport to Mulranny section was the best one, so we started in Newport, where we were staying, and biked towards Mulranny.
Getting there
You can rent bikes in the town of Newport and ride through town to get to the start of the greenway. The bike shop gave us good directions for finding the start of the greenway, but it's hard to miss.
The greenway
The Newport to Mulranny section of the greenway is 18km. You can bike as much as you want before turning around. The scenery is very pretty along the greenway. It's what you would think of when you think of traditional Irish countryside. There are many sheep along the way. You will periodically come across gates to keep the sheep from getting out. There are also a couple of scenic bridges along the ride. The greenway is sloped slightly uphill from Newport to Mulranny.
Cost
The greenway itself is free. You can rent bikes from Greenway Bicycle Hire in Newport. It is 20 euros per bike for the day. They also offer a shuttle service for an additional 10 euros, but you have to make it all the way to Mulranny where they pick you up. The bikes were very nice for rentals.
Day 8
Benbulbin
This large rock formation/mountain is one of the greenest things we saw in Ireland. It stands out in the flat surrounding area due to its unique shape and flat summit.
Getting there
Google Maps can help you get there, but locating the hike is a different story. We found a small parking lot at Luke's Bridge which we thought looked like where the hike to the summit would start. We couldn't easily locate a trail though. A local park ranger came by and told us that you cross the bridge to get to the hike and climb the hill before eventually crossing another bridge. Although we followed these instructions, we never did figure out exactly where we were supposed to go to get to the summit.
The hike
Although we ultimately failed to find the path that lead to the summit and turned around, this is still one of the most scenic hikes we did. The whole area is gorgeous. We started out along a stream. There are views back along the coast and the entire meadow area and rock formation are incredibly green.
Once we crossed the second bridge, there were several forks. We tried a couple different options, but at the end, I think we figured out we needed to go left at the first fork to find the trail we wanted. If you are interested in making it to the summit, I would recommend looking up detailed directions ahead of time because it is not well marked and it's easy to go the wrong way.
All in all, even if you never make it to the top, this is still a gorgeous area to explore.
Cost
Free
Day 9
Slieve League
Slieve League, also referred to as Sliabh Liag or Slieve Liag, is a mountain/cliffs on the coast of County Donegal along the Wild Atlantic Way. They are some of the highest sea cliffs in the world.
Getting there
We used Google Maps to navigate there with a bit of help from different online forums. There's supposedly a visitor's center, but we were never able to find it. There are some different hikes you can take to get to the top, but they sound quite strenuous. We followed Google Maps and signs towards the Viewing Point. You'll come across a parking lot with a gate at the far end. Many people park here and continue the 1.5km walk up the road the rest of the way. The gate at the far end of the parking lot is misleading because it's there to keep sheep from getting out, not to stop cars from getting through. You can get out of your car, open the gate, and then close it after you drive through. The road will lead you up to a second parking lot at the top of the cliffs.
The cliffs
The view of the cliffs from the parking lot is nothing short of amazing. There is a great view of the surrounding bays and the cove. From the parking lot, you can walk out closer to the coast. You can also hike up the mountain for an even broader view of the surrounding area. There are quite a few rock steps to climb. There's not a clear end to the hike which I believe is because it leads directly into the hike that comes from the very bottom of the mountain.
Cost
Free
Day 10 - Northern Ireland
Dunluce Castle
This is my favorite castle from the trip. It's hard to beat the beauty of the old castle along the shore.
The castle
To get the best view of the castle, walk along the road for a ways. You'll get an incredible view of the castle along the coast.
You can get tickets and explore the inside of the castle as well, but we were happy enjoying the view from the outside.
Cost
5 euros if you go inside, free to enjoy the views outside
Giant's Causeway
This World Heritage Site is made up of tens of thousands of black basalt columns coming out of the water. Admission includes a self-guided tour which tells the legends of the giants that once inhabited the area.
Getting there
It's very accessible via car. Follow Google Maps and you should find it without any problems. Once there, there's a visitor's center where you can buy tickets or print pre-purchased tickets. It's about a 1km walk from the visitor's center to the causeway. There is also a shuttle, but I would recommend walking because there are great views along the way.
The causeway
I'm not usually a fan of audio guides, but the self guided tour included with admission is interesting. The views across the entire path are gorgeous. There is about a 2-3km loop you can walk that goes down to the causeway and then back up on top of the cliffs with awesome views. We saw many basalt columns when we visited Iceland, but the shear number of columns up against the sea is quite spectacular and unlike anything I have ever seen.
Cost
Tickets are 10 pounds each if purchased in advance online. It's 1.5 pounds more if you purchase on-site.
Booking
You can buy tickets online at Giant's Causeway Tickets. You have to select an hour time window that you will arrive, so we purchased the night before.
Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
This is a famous rope bridge in Northern Ireland. Originally built by fisherman in 1755, it links the mainland to the small Carrick-a-Rede Island.
Getting there
It's easy to get there with Google Maps. Once you park and get tickets, it's about a 1km walk along the coast to the bridge.
The bridge
The bridge is about 20 meters long and is suspended about 30 meters above the water below. We waited about 10 minutes to cross the bridge. It's narrow, so people can only cross in one direction at a time. It was raining and windy when we were there. I wouldn't typically say I'm afraid of heights, but for what it's worth, no one in our party found crossing the bridge to be scary. You definitely need to hold on with the wind though.
Once you cross the bridge, you are free to explore the island on the other side for as long as you want. It's a very small island, so unless you pack a lunch, you probably won't be over there for that long. The island itself is gorgeous and there are great views of the coast.
On the mainland, you can walk up a hill just past the bridge to watch people crossing the bridge and get some good pictures. The views along the entire trail are very scenic.
Cost
8 pounds if you purchase online in advance, 9 pounds in person. If you don't want to cross the bridge, you can still walk out to the bridge to watch others in your group cross the bridge free of charge.
Booking
You can book online in advance. We chose not to do this because you get a one hour window to cross the bridge and we didn't know what time we would be arriving from the Giant's Causeway. We were there during the off season, so getting tickets wasn't an issue. They do sell out when it's busy, so buying tickets in advance is probably a good idea if you're there in the summer.
Dark Hedges
This avenue of beech trees was made famous when Game of Thrones filmed here.
Getting there
Google Maps will get you there, but you won't find parking. We just parked along the side of the road. I've read this is difficult to do when its crowded though. It's about 20 minutes from the Giant's Causeway, so it's easy to add to your day.
The trees
The tree canopy is quite unique and visually stunning. Once you park on the side of the road, you can get out and take some pictures. You can walk down the road a bit to enjoy the view, but you can't leave your car parked for long. This is a quick stop, but worth it to see.
Cost
Free
Where to eat in Ireland
You'll find a lot of hearty cuisine (think stew) and seafood (think fish and chips). One of my favorite things that I hadn't heard of prior to our trip was a boxty (a kind of potato pancake). There is also a fairly large Indian influence in the cuisine. You definitely can't skip out on an Irish pub with live music (Galway was good for that).
The Boxty House
Dublin, County Dublin
This place is known for its boxties and the chicken and pulled pork ones were delicious. It is like a cross between a crepe and a potato pancake filled with delicious toppings. They also have boxty fries which are much better than normal french fries.
Dinos Restaurant
Kinsale, County Cork
This town is a nice place to visit if you're staying in Cork. The restaurant has great seafood. The Fish and Chips, Seafood Chowder, Fish Cakes, Cajun Salmon, and Lemon Sole are all delicious. Don't skip the Banoffee Pie for dessert.
Murphy's Bar
Killarney, County Kerry
This is a traditional Irish pub in Killarney. The Guiness Stew is a must try here. It can get busy, so make a reservation if you don't want to wait.
Murphy's Ice Cream
Dingle, County Kerry
You'll find this ice cream shop in several cities throughout Ireland, but this one is the original. There are actually two right down the street from each other in Dingle. They let you sample as many flavors as you want. The Dreamy, Creamy, Caramel sundae creation was everyone's favorite.
The Pie Maker
Galway, County Galway
This is a very small, cozy restaurant that specializes in pies. The Irish Sausage Pie and a Summer Vegetable Pie are both unique and quite delicious. For dessert, try the Banoffee Pie and the Rhubarb Ginger Pie.
Killybegs Seafood Shack
Killybegs, County Donegal
This is a food cart parked along the side of the road in Killybegs. This was my favorite meal of the trip. Get the seafood box which comes with calamari, scampi, haddock, cod, and chips. The calamari and scampi were the best I've ever had. It's cash only, but there are ATMs around.
Saffron
Londonderry, Northern Ireland
This was the only Indian restaurant we went to on the trip (there are many Indian inspired dishes at Irish restaurants as well). We got the Makhan Tikka (butter masala) with chicken and the Karahi Curry with lamb. They were somewhat spicy and incredibly flavorful. They were both so good I couldn't pick a favorite.
Getting to and around Ireland
I recommend flying into Dublin since it's the biggest international airport, but it's possible to fly into Galway as well. From the US, you don't need anything other than a passport to get to Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Renting a car is the best way to travel around the entire island. It is challenging to make sure you stay on the left side of the road at the beginning. Ireland also has the narrowest roads I have ever seen. Most roads are barely wide enough for one car but are two ways. You will frequently have to pull off the side of the road to let a car pass or drive on the edge of the road when a car is passing the other direction. Add in plenty of tour buses and you will definitely be afraid of hitting another vehicle the whole time. There are a few interstate-like roads between major cities, but we were only on those a handful of times. If you don't have a car, you're going to be limited to tours/day trips leaving from Dublin which won't get you to the more remote areas.
The best way to navigate is to download Google Maps offline. I downloaded the entire country of Ireland and Northern Ireland before we left.Google Maps was enough for us to be able to get around without getting lost too many times.
Where to stay in Ireland
I recommend finding Airbnb's to stay in while in Ireland. There are plenty to choose from in the small towns around the country. For this itinerary, I recommend staying in:
- Dublin - 1 night
- Cork - 1 night
- Killarney - 2 nights
- Galway - 2 nights
- Newport - 1 nights
- Killybegs - 1 night
- Londonderry - 1 night
- Belfast - 1 night
Best time to visit Ireland
Most people visit in the summer, making it the peak season and the most crowded. I'd recommend going in May or September. The weather will still be warm enough and there won't be nearly as big of crowds. Average temperatures in September were mid 50s to mid 60s depending on where we were.
We were prepared for a lot of rain, but it actually didn't rain that much. It was frequently overcast and would sprinkle on and off occasionally, but it only rained the entire day a couple of times on our trip. Waterproof gear is helpful because it will likely be raining at times when you want to explore.