Ireland is one of the great road trip destinations in the world. The roads are quiet, the scenery is spectacular, and every small town has a pub worth stopping in. This 7-day itinerary takes you from Dublin through the south coast, around the Ring of Kerry, up to the Cliffs of Moher, and finishes in Galway — covering the very best of the Emerald Isle.
Day 1: Dublin — Arrival and the Capital
Fly into Dublin Airport and collect your hire car. Spend your first day exploring the Irish capital.\n\nMorning: Check into your hotel and walk to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells — one of the world\'s most beautiful illuminated manuscripts, dating from around 800 AD. The Long Room library is extraordinary.\n\nAfternoon: Walk through Grafton Street and into St Stephen\'s Green for a picnic lunch. Then head to the National Museum of Ireland (free entry) for an introduction to Irish history and archaeology.\n\nEvening: Head to the Temple Bar area for your first Irish pub experience. The cobbled streets are lively and the atmosphere is electric. Try a pint of Guinness at The Palace Bar or Mulligan\'s — two of Dublin\'s most historic pubs.\n\nStay: Dublin city centre — the Grafton Street area or Temple Bar are the most atmospheric locations.
Day 2: Dublin to Wicklow and Kilkenny
Morning: Drive south from Dublin into County Wicklow — the Garden of Ireland. Stop at Powerscourt Estate (about 25 minutes from Dublin) for the magnificent formal gardens and waterfall. Then continue to Glendalough — a stunning glacial valley with a 6th-century monastic settlement. The round tower and the two lakes are beautiful.\n\nAfternoon: Continue south to Kilkenny (about 1.5 hours from Glendalough). Kilkenny is Ireland\'s best-preserved medieval city. Walk the Medieval Mile from Kilkenny Castle to St Canice\'s Cathedral. The castle is magnificent and the grounds are free to walk.\n\nEvening: Kilkenny has an excellent food and pub scene. Kyteler\'s Inn (Ireland\'s oldest pub, dating from 1324) and Marble City Bar are both excellent.\n\nStay: Kilkenny — a compact, walkable city with good accommodation options.
Day 3: Kilkenny to Cork via the Rock of Cashel
Morning: Drive west from Kilkenny to the Rock of Cashel (about 45 minutes) — a dramatic limestone outcrop topped with medieval ruins including a round tower, a Romanesque chapel, and a Gothic cathedral. One of Ireland\'s most iconic sights. Allow 1.5–2 hours.\n\nAfternoon: Continue south to Cork (about 1 hour from Cashel). Cork is Ireland\'s second city — a vibrant, food-obsessed city with a strong independent spirit. Visit the English Market — a covered food market dating from 1788, one of the finest in Europe. The stalls sell local cheeses, charcuterie, fresh fish, and artisan bread.\n\nEvening: Cork has an excellent restaurant scene. Farmgate Café (above the English Market) is a Cork institution. The Shandon area has good pubs with traditional music.\n\nStay: Cork city centre.
Day 4: Cork to Killarney via Kinsale
Morning: Drive south from Cork to Kinsale (about 30 minutes) — a beautiful harbour town with colourful houses, excellent seafood restaurants, and a historic star-shaped fort (Charles Fort). Walk the harbour and have coffee in one of the excellent cafés.\n\nAfternoon: Drive west along the coast to Killarney (about 1.5 hours). Killarney is the gateway to the Ring of Kerry and one of Ireland\'s most popular tourist towns. Check in and take a jaunting car (horse-drawn carriage) through Killarney National Park to see the lakes and Ross Castle.\n\nEvening: Killarney has a lively pub scene. O\'Connor\'s and The Laurels are both excellent for traditional Irish music.\n\nStay: Killarney — book in advance as it fills up quickly in summer.
Day 5: The Ring of Kerry
The Ring of Kerry is a 179km circular route around the Iveragh Peninsula — one of the most scenic drives in Europe. Allow a full day.\n\nClockwise route (recommended): Start in Killarney and drive clockwise to avoid the tour buses (which go anti-clockwise).\n\nKey stops: Killorglin (home of the Puck Fair), Cahersiveen (the birthplace of Daniel O\'Connell), Waterville (a beautiful beach village), Caherdaniel (Derrynane House and beach), Sneem (a colourful village), and Kenmare (an excellent lunch stop with great restaurants).\n\nDon\'t miss: The Kerry Cliffs near Portmagee — arguably more dramatic than the Cliffs of Moher and far less crowded. The views over the Skellig Islands (where Star Wars was filmed) are extraordinary.\n\nStay: Killarney (return) or Kenmare for a quieter base.
Day 6: Killarney to Galway via the Cliffs of Moher
Morning: Drive north from Killarney through County Clare to the Cliffs of Moher (about 2.5 hours). The cliffs rise 214 metres above the Atlantic and stretch for 8km — one of Ireland\'s most spectacular natural sights. Arrive early (before 10am) to beat the crowds. Allow 1.5–2 hours.\n\nAfternoon: Continue north through The Burren — a unique limestone karst landscape unlike anywhere else in Ireland. Stop at Poulnabrone Dolmen — a 5,000-year-old portal tomb in the middle of the limestone plateau.\n\nEvening: Arrive in Galway (about 1 hour from the Burren). Galway is Ireland\'s most vibrant city outside Dublin — a university city with a brilliant pub and music scene. Walk Shop Street and Quay Street, and find a pub with live traditional music.\n\nStay: Galway city centre — the Latin Quarter is the most atmospheric area.
Day 7: Galway and Departure
Morning: Explore Galway at a relaxed pace. Visit Galway Cathedral, walk along the Salthill Promenade by the sea, and browse the independent shops on Shop Street. The Galway City Museum (free entry) is excellent for local history.\n\nOptional extension: If time allows, drive 45 minutes west to Connemara — one of the wildest and most beautiful landscapes in Ireland. The drive through Connemara National Park past Kylemore Abbey is spectacular.\n\nAfternoon: Drive back to Dublin Airport (about 2.5 hours) for your return flight, or fly home from Ireland West Airport Knock (30 minutes from Galway) if available.\n\nTip: Return your hire car with a full tank — fuel stations near airports charge a premium for refuelling.
