What is the best Ireland itinerary? After many trips to Ireland and 12 years as a resident in this beautiful island, here are my recommendations to make the most of 7, 10 days or 2 weeks in Ireland.
The first time I visited Ireland, I had very clear ideas about what I wanted to see.
I had less than two weeks to explore the whole country and I wanted my Ireland itinerary to work really hard and include the landscapes and atmospheres I had been dreaming of: high cliffs plunging in the oceans, windswept beaches with crashing waves and screaming birds, mysterious round towers and cozy pub atmospheres to warm up after a day out.
To ask any trip to deliver all this without becoming a marathon is hard.
However, Ireland was the perfect destination for this kind of ambitious plan and my Ireland road trip itinerary delivered.
Ireland was all I had expected it to be and it left quite a mark: since that first trip, I have moved here, married an Irish man and had two kids who are growing up in Dublin.
I thought it was therefore high time for me to share some of my best tips and advice for perfect Irish vacation itinerary.
In this post you will find:
- Practical tips about visit Ireland: when to go, what to expect, what to pack
- 7-day Ireland itinerary: what to see with one week in Ireland
- 10 day Ireland itinerary
- 2-week Ireland itinerary
How to use these itineraries: the itineraries are meant as a guideline to help you plan your trip to Ireland, gauge distances and feasibility of an Ireland road trip with kids. Many stops are the same among the three options so if you already know how many days you are likely to have in Ireland, just scroll down to the relevant part of the post.
Prefer a video overview? Have a look at our 1-min itinerary video summary at the end of this post
Please note:this post contains affiliate links and, should you make a purchase though them, I might make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
A cute corner in Dingle town
Traveling to Ireland tips
Ireland travel resources:
Click here for a list of available hotel rooms at the best price
Find here a great selection of B&Bs in Ireland
Click here for vacation rentals and self catering options in Ireland
Find here for our selection of family hotels in Ireland
Click here for tickets to main Irish attractions and day tours
The best time to visit Ireland: weather and what to expect each season
Considering how far North it is, Ireland has a more moderate climate than many people expect. The presence of the sea and of the gulf stream keeps the temperature from spiking to extremes. In winter the temperature averages around 5 C / 41F (January being the coldest month) and in summer around 15 C/ 61F.
How often does it rain in Ireland?
Irish people joke that in Ireland the different seasons are marked by cold rain (winter) and hot rain (summer). However, it doesn’t rain as much as you may think or as frequently. Aside from some very wet days and frequent gray sky, you can expect showers more than solid rain for hours.
The driest months are usually August and September and these are a lovely time to visit the country also because of the long hours of daylight.
The wettest and darkest months are from November to February, when at 4.30pm darkness starts to set it.
If you travel by car in the winter, be aware that occasionally you do have snow especially in the mountains and some higher roads get closed. Always check road conditions and, if the season requires, do have snow chains on board.
More than the actual numbers and precipitation forecast however, what is really important to know when visiting Ireland is that the weather is very changeable and you can never really count on it.
Maybe it’s because of the wind, maybe it is for some other mysterious climate reason, but it is a very common occurrence for a sunny day to quickly turn into a very cold and wet one!
The best time of year to visit Ireland is the summer (May to September): these are the month with the longest hours of daylight and the driest climate.
What to pack for Ireland
When packing for Ireland, layers is the name of the game.
In winter, wear warm, comfortable, waterproof shoes
, a proper winter coat
(don’t get fooled by people wearing trendy little jackets to go out in Dublin: they do it for the fashion statement and it’s a shortcut to pneumonia!) and a jumper.
In summer, you can usually spend the warmest hours of the day in a t-shirt but may need a light cardigan and possibly a light jacket early in the morning or at night, or if the weather turns. Find our full packing list here.
Driving in Ireland
For official information and updates on driving conditions in Ireland, please refer to the Irish Road safety Authority and local rules of the road.
Find our practical tips fro driving in Ireland here, based on our own experience
In Ireland, you drive on the left side of the road.
In the last few years main roads and motorways have started crossing the country making travel faster, but if you want to really enjoy your time here I highly recommend you take the smaller, winding roads.
They are slow and narrow so you must allocate enough time and be prepared to slow down for oncoming traffic (two-way roads do not always equal roads wide enough for two cars in Ireland!). These are the roads that will give you that quintessential Irish country experience you are most likely looking for in your trip.
If you are planning a road trip to Ireland, Auto Europe offers a good selection of vehicles: check prices here
How many days to spend in Ireland? How long do I need for an Ireland road trip?
I believe it is possible to get a first idea of the country with as little as a 7-day itinerary but ideally, I would advise staying in Ireland a couple of weeks.
Neither of these lengths will be sufficient to see ‘everything’, but with one to two weeks you should be able to get a nice feel for the place and touch some of the most famous and beautiful attractions.
Below, you will find my suggestion for an Ireland itinerary for 7, 10 days and two weeks by car.
I am assuming you will start and finish your itinerary from Dublin, although international flights also leave and arrive in Cork and Shannon, both equally good options to cover most of the locations in this post.
7, 10 day and 2 week itineraries in Ireland for the whole family to include most of Ireland’s must-see attractions including Dublin, The Cliffs of Moher, Connemara Donegal and Northern Ireland. 1 week itinerary Ireland, how to see Ireland in two weeks and how to make the most of 10 days in Ireland
Suggestions for best Ireland itinerary
Ireland travel itinerary 7 days – 1 week itinerary Ireland
A 7-day Itinerary though Ireland requires some compromising and some popular location will inevitably be left out.
However, if you don’t mind driving a good bit, even with only one week in Ireland it is possible to include some of the most spectacular parts of the country.
For this length of trip, I can think of two hypothesis, depending on how much terrain you want to cover and how long you are prepared to drive.
Day 1 – Arrival in Dublin and first night
Depending on the arrival time of your flight and level of tiredness, you can spend your first day / night in the city or plan a first stop already in the country.
Dublin has convenient airport hotels and a vast choice of accommodation you can reach by public transport/car/taxi.
You can find a list of my favourite hotels in Dublin here.
If you prefer not to stay in the city, you can find accommodation in the countryside immediately outside of Dublin or farther out.
A lovely place that comes to mind is Hunters Lodge, in Ashford Co Wicklow or you can drive all the way to Kilkenny.
The best type of accommodation in Ireland is B&Bs, where you usually get a lovely welcome and get to chat with your local host. You can find many B&B options with photos and reviews here.
Day 2 – Kinsale
The South of Ireland is gorgeous and Kinsale is a great base to discover the area.
On the way there you have a great choice of locations to explore which include among others the lovely city of Kilkenny, Cashel, which has an incredible medieval rock and Cobh, which is an interesting village with a good heritage centre with memories of the ill-fated Titanic and the Lusitania.
If travelling with kids, they are likely to enjoy a visit to Fota, which is a wildlife park with animals almost free to roam. Kinsale makes a lovely overnight stop.
Discover our favourite hotel in Kinsale, offering wonderful views over the waterfront here
Day 3 – Killarney
There are two possible ways to get to Killarney from Kinsale: one is to take the fastest road and the other one to take the slower but scenic N71.
Make yourself at home in our favourite BnB in Killarney town
If you prefer to limit the driving and take it easy in Killarney, there is plenty to do here including Ross castle and Muckross house which is a lovely stop also with kids thanks to it beautiful gardens and traditional farms.
Check out the best things to see in Killarney to plan your day here at best
Day 4 – Clare
This stretch of Ireland is full of beautiful spots including Ennis, the Burren and the famous cliffs of Moher.
Especially if travelling with kids, a stop at Bunratty Castle and Folk park can be really interesting and a good place to spend the night is the lovely town of Ballyvaughan.
Also in the area, there are the interesting Ailwee Caves and a Bird of Prey Educational centre that is sure to please adults and kids alike.
Experience the famous Irish welcome in our favourite hotel in Galway
Day 5 – Galway and Connemara
Galway is a lovely university town, with a friendly vibe, but what makes is special is its position at the entrance of Connemara and close to the Aran islands.
If you are not tired of driving a day trip to Connemara is definitely worth it. If you need a break, Galway has no shortage of shops and cafes to relax.
Experience the famous Irish welcome in our favourite hotel in Galway
Day 6 and 7: Dublin
The drive between Galway and Dublin is not long.
Depending on your interest you may either come directly to the city or stop en route to see the monastic site of Clonmacnoise.
Unless your flight is early, you will have the end of day 6 and part of day 7 to visit Dublin. While this is not enough to see the city, you can still very much enjoy its vibe.
With only one day in the city I would just take it easy and stick to taking stroll in the city centre streets.
Grafton street, Trinity college and Dublin castle are all worth seeing and they are a short distance from each other and will anyway leave you with plenty of time to then head to the airport.
Check my favourite Dublin itinerary here
If travelling with kids, make sure you check our family guide to Dublin to pick the attractions most suitable to you and your children.
Ireland in 7 days itinerary – option 2
If you prefer to stay put for more than one night, a good way to visit Ireland with kids is to set your base for 3 days in Dublin and 3 days in Galway.
This way you will miss the southern part of the island but you will be able to include some gorgeous stops. If you choose this option, I would suggest taking day trips from Dublin (Glendalough and Kilkenny) and 2 from Galway (Cliffs of Moher and Connemara)
Glendalough is a fantastic excursion from Dublin and one of the stops I recommend during a road trip in Ireland, thanks to its round tower, monastic site and romantic lakeside location.
Ireland itinerary 10 days
Ten days is a good length of time to visit Ireland and will allow you a more relaxed pace than the 7-day itinerary outlined above.
With ten days, I would recommend you include a visit to County Wicklow and the Ring of Kerry that I believe would be a stretch during a shorter trip. Here is my favourite 10-day itinerary.
Day 1 – Arrival in Dublin and drive to Wicklow
Gorgeous County Wicklow lies just to the South of Dublin: driving there from the airport should take about 1 hour (motorway) and then you can relax in one of the many family-friendly hotels in the area.
Things you shouldn’t miss in Wicklow are Glendalough monastic site and the scenic road to it, passing the sally Gap.
Make sure you drive this stretch during daylight: depending on the time of your arrival and level of tiredness, you may prefer to plan the visit to this area early on your second day and spend the first night in Dublin.
Stay at Tinakilly House Hotel and Restaurant for old world elegance
Day 2 – Glendalough to Kilkenny
This day brings you to Kilkenny which is a pleasant city about 1.5 hours from Dublin with a beautiful castle and a lovely town centre with an artsy vibe.
Stay at the Ormonde hotel for a relaxing night in the city
Day 3 – Kilkenny to Kinsale
The South of Ireland is gorgeous and Kinsale is a great base to discover the area.
Places of interest are Cashel, which has an incredible medieval rock worth seeing, and Cobh, which is an interesting village with a good heritage centre with memories of the ill-fated Titanic and the Lusitania.
If travelling with kids, they are likely to enjoy a visit to Fota, which is a wildlife park with animals almost free to roam. Kinsale makes a lovely overnight stop.
In Kinsale, stay at the Trident hotel for views over the beautiful waterfront
Day 4 – Kinsale to Killarney
There are two possible ways to get to Killarney from Kinsale: one is to take the fastest road and the other one to take the slower but scenic N71. The decision very much relies on the weather and how long you are happy to be in the car.
Make yourself at home in our favourite BnB in Killarney town
If you prefer to take it easy in Killarney, there is plenty to do here from Ross castle to Muckross house which is a lovely stop also with kids thanks to it beautiful gardens and traditional farms that will show how rural Ireland lived and changed over the course of the decades.
Especially if travelling with kids, I would suggest to try and plan this day and the following one together: both areas to be fully enjoyed require a good bit of driving so my advice is to plan one of the days on the road and another one when you stay local.
Day 5 – Ring of Kerry
One of the most famous areas of Ireland is the ring of Kerry, a loop scenic road famous for incredibly beautiful landscapes. The Ring of Kerry takes about one day so if you are interested in driving it I would suggest spending two nights in the area: the traditional base for the ring of Kerry are Killarney and Kenmare
What to consider when driving the ring of Kerry
Talking about the ring of Kerry one question comes up more often than other: should you do it clockwise or anti-clockwise?
People have different and surprisingly strong feelings about one option over the other, mostly reasoning over not wanting to be stuck behind tourist buses (the area is incredibly touristy, especially in summer) but I believe the best way to look at it is this: the road is narrow and scenic so unless you enjoy driving on the edge of a cliff with buses coming in front of you behind blind corners, drive anticlockwise so you have the mountain on your side! if you are worried about tourists buses, leave early.
High season alternative: the ring of Kerry is so popular it can become frustrating, so I suggest an alternative: the Dingle Peninsula. Located to the north of Kerry, this is one of the many Irish peninsulas stretching into the Atlantic in the west of the country and it is spectacular and, in parts, remote.
Day 6 – Killarney to Clare
This stretch of Ireland is full of beautiful spots including Ennis, the Burren and the famous cliffs of Moher.
What is truly special here is the scenery so especially on a beautiful day, it is worth to take your time and explore the Burren and walk along the cliffs.
If travelling with kids, a stop at Bunratty Folk museum can be really interesting and a good place to spend the night is the lovely town of Ballyvaughan.
Experience the famous Irish welcome in our favourite hotel in Galway
Day 7 – Aran islands
I love the Aran island and you have the time (and the good weather) to take the boat trip out from Doolin on the coast of Clare, this is likely to be one of the highlights of your Ireland trip.
Day 8 – Galway and Connemara
Galway is a lovely university town, with a friendly vibe, but what makes is special is its position at the entrance of Connemara and close to the Aran islands.
If you are not tired of driving a day trip to Connemara is definitely worth it while if the kids need a break, you have the option of staying in town where you’ll have no shortage of shops and cafes to relax
Day 9 – Galway to Dublin
The drive between Galway and Dublin is not long, and depending on your interest you may either come directly to the city or stop en route to see the monastic site of Clonmacnoise.
Day 10 – Dublin
Unless your flight is early, you will have the end of day 9 and part of day 10 to visit Dublin. While this is not enough to see the city, you can still very much enjoy its vibe.
With only one day in the city I would just take it easy and stick to taking stroll in the city centre streets.
Grafton street, Trinity college and Dublin castle are all worth seeing and they are a short distance from each other and will anyway leave you with plenty of time to then head to the airport.
Find my favourite Dublin itinerary here. If travelling with kids, make sure you check our family guide to Dublin to pick the attractions most suitable to you and your children.
2 weeks in Ireland: 2 week Ireland itinerary
With 2 full weeks, you can see a lot of Ireland and will give you the chance to visit Donegal, too remote to make it in my previous itinerary.
Donegal is, I believe, the Ireland of dreams: large, sandy, tidal beaches swept by polar winds, crashing waves and screaming seagulls, and some of the highest cliffs in Europe. With two weeks, you can also stretch to Northern Ireland to Derry and the rightly famous Giant Causeway.
Day 1 – Arrival in Dublin and drive to Wicklow
Gorgeous county Wicklow lies just to the south of Dublin: driving there from the airport should take about 1 hour (motorway) and then you can relax in one of the many family-friendly hotels in the area.
Things you shouldn’t miss in Wicklow are Glendalough monastic site and the scenic road to it, passing the sally Gap.
Make sure you drive this stretch during daylight: depending on the time of your arrival and level of tiredness, you may prefer to plan the visit to this area early on your second day
Stay in the elegant Tinakilly House Hotel and Restaurant for great welcome and food
Day 2 – Kilkenny
This day brings you to Kilkenny which is a pleasant city about 1.5 hours from Dublin with a beautiful castle and a lovely town centre with an artsy vibe.
Sta in the Ormonde Hotel for a great night in town
Day 3 – Kilkenny to Kinsale
The South of Ireland is gorgeous and Kinsale is a great base to discover the area.
Places of interest between Kilkenny and Kinsale are Cashel, which has an incredible medieval rock worth seeing, and Cobh, which is an interesting village with a good heritage centre with memories of the ill-fated Titanic and the Lusitania.
If travelling with kids, they are likely to enjoy a visit to Fota, which is a wildlife park with animals almost free to roam. Kinsale makes a lovely overnight stop.
In Kinsale, stay at the Trident hotel for views over the beautiful waterfront
Day 4 – Kinsale to Killarney
(Also see above) There are two possible ways to get to Killarney from Kinsale. One is to take the fastest road and the other one to take the slower but scenic N71. The decision very much relies on the weather and how long you are happy to be in the car.
If you prefer to take it easy in Killarney, you may enjoy Muckross house which is a lovely stop also with kids thanks to it beautiful gardens and traditional farms that will show how rural Ireland lived and changed over the course of the decades.
Especially if travelling with kids, I would suggest to try and plan this day and following one together: both areas to be fully enjoyed require a good bit of driving so my advice is to plan one of the days on the road and another one when you stay local.
Stay at the Old Weir Lodge in Killarney town centre
The colourful houses of Dingle town
Day 5 – Ring of Kerry
One of the most famous areas of Ireland is the ring of Kerry, a loop scenic road famous for incredibly beautiful landscapes.
The Ring of Kerry takes about one day so if you are interested in driving it I would suggest spending two nights in the area: the traditional base for the ring of Kerry are Killarney and Kenmare
What to consider when driving the ring of Kerry: talking about the ring of Kerry one question comes up more often than other: should you do it clockwise or anti-clockwise?
People have different and surprisingly strong feelings about one option over the other, mostly reasoning over not wanting to be stuck behind tourist buses (the area is incredibly touristy, especially in summer) but I believe the best way to look at it is this.
The road is narrow and scenic so unless you enjoy driving on the edge of a cliff with buses coming in front of you behind blind corners, drive anticlockwise so you have the mountain on your side!
If you are worried about tourists buses, leave early.
High season alternative: the ring of Kerry is so popular it can become frustrating, so I suggest an alternative: the Dingle peninsula.
Located to the North of Kerry, this is one of the many Irish peninsulas stretching into the Atlantic in the West of the country and it is equally spectacular and, in stretched, remote.
Something special. With two weeks in Ireland you may have the time to fit in a trip to Skellig Michael, Unesco World Heritage site and spectacular location of an ancient monastic setting.
The island is not suitable to visit with very young kids or people with mobility issues but it is special and one of those site that leaves a strong impression on visitors because of its uniqueness and beauty.
Because of limited accessibility, if you plan to go to Skellig Michael it is better to keep a very loose schedule for all other stops as you may be delayed in your visit by unsuitable weather.
Day 6 – Killarney to Clare
This stretch of Ireland is full of beautiful spots including Ennis, the Burren and the famous Cliffs of Moher. What is truly special here is the scenery so on a beautiful day, it is worth to take your time and explore the Burren and walk along the cliffs.
Especially if travelling with kids, a stop at Bunratty Folk museum can be really interesting and a good place to spend the night is the lovely town of Ballyvaughan.
Experience the famous Irish welcome in our favourite hotel in Galway
Day 7 – Aran islands
I love the Aran island and you have the time (and the good weather) to take the boat trip out, this is likely to be one of the highlights of your Ireland trip.
To maximise your time there, I do recommend spending a night: the atmosphere in pubs in the evening is lovely and cozy and you are likely to find live Irish music that kids will love too
Day 8 – Galway
Galway is a lovely town and after all the driving the days before, I believe it is worth taking a day to simply chill on its lively streets. If you are travelling with kids, there are several family activities available in and around town
Day 9 – Connemara
Connemara is a short drive north of Galway and one of the most photographed parts of the whole if Ireland. A great way to explore Connemara with kids is a farm stay, where you are sure to be welcome with the
Day 10-11 – Donegal
Donegal is a remote and stunning part of the country and especially for lovers of the outdoors it is worth spending at least two nights here.
Must see attractions and activities here include surfing in Bundoran (considered one the best surfing spots in Ireland), Slieve League (three times higher than the most famous cliffs of Moher, in the photo above) and Malin head, the most northerly point in Ireland.
Day 12 – Northern Ireland
It takes well over one day to visit Northern Ireland but if you can, I would add the extra stretch to see this part of the coast and try to visit at least its most famous landmarks such as Derry and the Giant Causeway. Plan one night in the area to make the most of your time here and check out our Northern Ireland weekend itinerary for inspiration and photos!
Dunluce castle, Northern Ireland
Day 13 -14 Dublin
Dublin is better explored on foot so if you rented a car, it is a good idea to return it before you settle into the city.
If budget allows, I would suggest you settle into the city centre and spend a couple of days between Dublin beautiful shops, cafes and museums. If you are travelling with kids, you can pick some of your favourite activities from this list.
I hope you enjoyed reading my suggestions for the perfect Ireland itinerary and that this post will help you plan a great family vacation in my beloved adopted country.
Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links and if you make a purchase through them, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites
