Ireland is a unique country with its green landscape, history, and culture. It’s no wonder that it’s on many people’s bucket lists. For those lucky enough to plan an Irish vacation, I’ve put together my ideal Ireland itinerary for someone with 7 to 10 days to spend on their trip.
Day 1:
The easiest and most affordable airport to fly into is most likely Dublin Airport. After your arrival, you can pick up your rental car and start making your way into the city.
We found ourselves tired and in need of a more relaxing day after our travels. If you think you will be in a similar situation, I’d recommend waiting on heavy sightseeing in downtown Dublin and driving to Greystones.
Greystones is a beautiful, small town on the coast just south of Dublin. You can go for a walk on the beach, take a stroll along the colorful shops, and grab lunch at our favorite spot, The Happy Pear. The Happy Pear is a vegetarian/vegan restaurant that has something for everyone. The flavor is unmatched and worth stopping at regardless of your dietary preferences.
End the day by checking into your lodging, strolling some more streets, and enjoying dinner with a cold pint.
Day 2:
Day 2 of your Ireland Itinerary is the day for Dublin’s must-sees. Since everyone has personal preferences, I will list some of the things I would recommend checking out.
- Take a tour of The Guinness Storehouse
- Tour Dublin Castle
- Check out Trinity College and the Book of Kells
- Go shopping on Grafton Street
- Stop by St. Patrick’s Cathedral
- Take a break at Stephen’s Green
- Visit Phoenix Park
Day 3 (10-Day Itinerary):
Day 3 consists of visiting areas surrounding Dublin. If you are following the 7-day itinerary and find something here appealing, maybe consider swapping it out for Greystones on Day 1.
Start your day by heading to Powerscourt Waterfall. It’s an impressive waterfall with hiking trails nearby. Down the road from the waterfall is Powerscourt House and Gardens. Here, you can take a tour of the gardens and even venture over to the distillery on-site for a tasting.
Next, make your way to Howth, a harbor town north of Dublin. This can be a great stop for a meal, shopping, or a leisurely car ride. We found plenty of walking trails along the coast with beautiful views, as well as areas to take a dip in the water (if it is summer or if you can brave the cold).
Finish your day with dinner, drinks, or anything else you would like to add to your Dublin visit, as we move on to the next destination on Day 4.
Day 4:
Day 4 is a good day to head to your next destination. I would recommend heading to Killarney, which is the starting point of the Ring of Kerry. The drive is just shy of 4 hours. If you want a relaxing morning and evening, you could definitely make this trek the main part of your day. If you are more like us and want to cram as much into the day as possible, I’d recommend making a pit stop in Cork.
If you leave at a reasonable time, you can make it to Cork in time for lunch (it’s a 3-hour drive). After lunch, take a quick stroll through the variety of shops before continuing on your journey.
Next, make your way to Blarney Castle to see the castle, kiss the Blarney Stone, and explore the gardens (don’t skip on this!) since it is nearby. When we went, there was almost no one there. We were able to do all of this in a reasonable amount of time. Keep an eye on the time, the closing time, and crowds to judge how much time to spend here, as the last leg of the trip is about 1.5 hours.
Once you have completed your time at Blarney Castle, make your way to lodging in Killarney, which will be the starting point of the Ring of Kerry.
Day 5:
Day 5 consists of driving the Ring of Kerry. This trek is an absolute must-do when in Ireland. It is such an important piece to an Irish trip that I have broken down our recommended itinerary here.
Day 6 (10-Day Itinerary):
Day 6 is another optional day that consists of visiting the Dingle Peninsula. If you are short on time and want to see the standard main highlights of Ireland, I understand that this may not make your list.
If you have the time, I highly recommend adding Dingle to your Ireland itinerary as it is one of my favorite locations in Ireland. It is similar to the Ring of Kerry with the drive being along the coast and having beautiful scenery. I’d argue it is more beautiful and less traveled, which makes it extremely enjoyable.
For lodging, you can stay in downtown Dingle or find an Airbnb on Slea Head Drive that may give you a one-of-a-kind view. If you are interested in what all there is to do here, check out this blog.
Day 7:
Start Day 7 with some breakfast and then hit the road toward the Cliffs of Moher (roughly a 3-hour drive). Hopefully, you have nice weather to take in the views, but if not, it will be great nonetheless. Enjoy your time at the Cliffs before continuing on to Galway. Do some exploring downtown, enjoy some dinner and the nightlife, and get ready for Day 8.
Day 8:
Day 8 is dedicated to the nearby day trips around Galway. These areas are breathtaking and worth seeing if you have already made your way to Galway! Some of the places I’d recommend are the following:
- Kylemore Abbey
- Hike Connemara National Park
- Drive Sky Road
- Dogs Bay
If you would like to find out more about these locations and if they are something you would like to add to your day, check out this post.
Day 9 (10-Day Itinerary):
Day 9 is another optional day in the itinerary and is dedicated to downtown Galway. It is a lively town with much to do and see. If you enjoy shopping and seeing different downtown areas, I’d recommend exploring this area a bit more. If you were able to see the downtown area to your liking on your first day after the Cliffs of Moher, you may be able to pass on this.
Day 10:
The final day of this Ireland itinerary is the journey back to Dublin, which is about a 2-hour drive. You can drive straight there and continue exploring Dublin or make a pit stop in a different town such as Athlone. Athlone is a town located on the River Shannon and has some restaurants, the Athlone Castle that you can tour. Once you’ve made it back to Dublin, I’d recommend ending your trip at the Temple Bar district. Explore the different pubs, find some live music, and take in the Irish lifestyle one more night before heading home