Perfect 7-Day Ireland Road Trip Itinerary — A Free Guide

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A week in Ireland is enough to fall completely in love with it. This free itinerary follows the Wild Atlantic Way and takes you from Dublin through the west — castles, coastlines, cliffs, and quiet villages that most visitors never find.

Before You Go: Practical Notes

• Driving is on the left — take your time on narrow rural roads
• Roads in the west are narrow and winding — add 30 minutes to any estimated journey time
• Book accommodation in advance for July and August
• Get a car with a manual gearbox — automatics are scarce and expensive to hire
• Download offline maps (Google Maps or Maps.me) — mobile signal is patchy in the west
• Petrol (not “gas”) stations are rare in Connemara — fill up in towns

Day 1: Dublin → Kilkenny (1.5 Hours)

Start your trip in Dublin. Spend the morning walking the cobblestones of Temple Bar and visiting Trinity College to see the Book of Kells (book tickets online — queues can be long). Then drive south to Kilkenny, Ireland’s medieval capital.

See: Kilkenny Castle (rebuilt 12th century, beautifully restored), the Medieval Mile Museum, Smithwick’s Brewery (family-run since 1710 on the same site).

Stay: Kilkenny town — easy walking distance to everything, excellent traditional pubs.

Driving tip: Leave Dublin after 9am to avoid morning rush traffic on the M7.

Day 2: Kilkenny → Cork → Kinsale (2.5 Hours)

Drive to Cork — Ireland’s second city and its food capital. Stop at the English Market (a covered food market that has been running since 1788) for lunch. Then continue 30km south to Kinsale, one of Ireland’s most beautiful harbour towns.

See: Charles Fort (1682, dramatic clifftop fortification), Kinsale Harbour (wonderful for an evening walk), Desmond Castle (now the International Wine Museum).

Stay: Kinsale — small enough to walk everywhere, outstanding seafood restaurants.

Day 3: Ring of Kerry (Full Day Loop, ~3 Hours Driving)

The Ring of Kerry is a 179km coastal road around the Iveragh Peninsula. Drive anticlockwise (away from the tour coaches, which all go clockwise). Stop at Moll’s Gap for sweeping mountain views, Derrynane Beach (usually quiet, wild and beautiful), and the village of Sneem for lunch.

See: Cahersiveen (heritage town with a fascinating Butler Arms Hotel), Derrynane National Historic Park, Ladies’ View (photogenic mountain panorama), Moll’s Gap.

Hidden gem: Staigue Stone Fort — a 2,500-year-old stone ring fort off the main road near Castlecove. Free to enter. Almost no tourists despite being extraordinary.

Stay: Killarney or Kenmare (Kenmare is smaller, more atmospheric, and great for dinner).

Day 4: Dingle Peninsula (Day Loop or Overnight)

Often overlooked in favour of Kerry, Dingle is wilder and more authentically Irish. The Slea Head loop offers the most dramatic coastal views in the country. The Beehive Huts (Clochán) at Slea Head are 1,500 years old and still standing.

See: Slea Head and the Blasket Sound, Blasket Islands (boat trip from Dunquin Pier — runs weather permitting), Dingle town, Gallarus Oratory (an astonishing 1,300-year-old stone church that has never needed restoration).

Local knowledge: Dingle has the highest concentration of traditional music pubs per capita in Ireland. Any evening session in An Droichead Beag is memorable.

Stay: Dingle town — best base for the peninsula.

Day 5: Dingle → Cliffs of Moher → Galway (4 Hours Driving)

Drive north via Limerick and make the essential stop at the Cliffs of Moher (214 metres high, 8km long). Go early — before 10am — or late in the afternoon (after 4pm) to beat the crowds. The coastal walk north of the visitor centre gives the best views and is far less busy than the main platform.

Continue north to Galway for the night — Ireland’s most vibrant city outside Dublin.

See: Cliffs of Moher, Doolin village (famous for traditional music, 15 minutes from the Cliffs), Galway city’s Latin Quarter in the evening.

Stay: Galway — excellent restaurants, lively streets, and a great base for Connemara the next day.

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Day 6: Connemara (Day Loop from Galway)

Connemara is what people picture when they imagine the west of Ireland — bogland, mountains, stone walls, and small lakes reflecting the sky. Drive the Sky Road from Clifden for the finest coastal view in Connacht. Visit Kylemore Abbey, built in 1868 as a romantic gift from a wealthy Victorian merchant to his wife.

See: Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Walled Garden, Sky Road (Clifden), Connemara National Park and Diamond Hill walk (2 hours, outstanding views), Roundstone village.

Hidden gem: Ballyconneely beach, 10km south of Clifden — white sand and clear water, almost always quiet even in summer.

Stay: Galway (or Clifden for a quieter night closer to the national park).

Day 7: Westport → Dublin (3.5 Hours)

Drive north to Westport — consistently rated one of Ireland’s most beautiful towns, built around a Georgian mall and the tree-lined banks of the Carrowbeg River. Allow an hour to walk the town and have a final Irish coffee before the long drive east to Dublin.

See: Westport town centre (walk the mall and the quayside), Westport House (Palladian house with grounds open to visitors), Croagh Patrick — Ireland’s holy mountain (2-hour round trip climb if you have time and energy).

Drive tip: Leave Westport by 2pm to arrive in Dublin comfortably by 6pm, with time to return your hire car before the evening flight.

What to Pack for a Week in Ireland

• Waterproof jacket — absolutely essential, year-round
• Layers — Irish weather changes within the hour
• Walking shoes with grip — not trainers, especially for coastal paths
• Cash — small towns and car parks often cash-only
• Offline maps — mobile signal patchy across the west
• Plug adaptor — Ireland uses Type G (same as UK), different from mainland Europe

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days do you need to see Ireland?

Seven days is enough to see the highlights of the Wild Atlantic Way, Dublin, and the west. For a more leisurely pace that includes the north or the south-east, allow 10–14 days.

What is the best time to visit Ireland for a road trip?

May, June, and early September offer the best combination of long daylight hours (18 hours in June), lower crowds than July and August, and mild weather. July and August are busiest and most expensive for accommodation.

Do I need to book activities and accommodation in advance?

Yes, especially for July and August. The Ring of Kerry, Dingle, and Galway fill up weeks in advance in peak season. The Cliffs of Moher visitor centre also requires timed entry tickets booked online in summer.

Is it safe to drive on narrow Irish roads?

Very safe, but it takes adjustment. Rural roads in the west are often a single lane with passing places. Drive slowly, be prepared to reverse for oncoming traffic, and never rush. Irish drivers are patient and accustomed to this — follow their lead.

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