A Two-Week Guide to Visiting Ireland

If traveling from the United States, I recommend taking a red eye to arrive in Dublin in the morning for jet lag purposes. Head straight to your hotel and have the front desk hold your luggage if your room isn’t available. If it is available, try not to give in to taking a big nap in the room—try to stay up the remainder of the day so you can quickly adjust to the new time zone and feel refreshed for day two.

Grab a coffee (or espresso martini) and head towards St. Stephen’s Green, where all the restaurants and shops are. Dublin is incredibly walking friendly but there is also a very convenient bus that is easy to navigate. To keep the energy up, book your Jameson distillery or Guinness tour for the first day—or both if you’re feeling ambitious. Otherwise, split them up for back-to-back days. For nightlife, check out Temple Bar Pub—the quintessential pub in Dublin—and Porterhouse Brewing, a four-story bar with live music on the weekends. Also check out Brazen Head Pub near the Guinness Storehouse, which is deemed the oldest bar in Dublin.

Since you’ll be well rested today after a full-night’s rest and day of exploring, plan your visit to Trinity College for day two. If you love history, I would recommend a tour here to see the Book of Kells and the Long Room library. We did a half-day tour within Trinity College and had a guide give us a tour around the campus. It was very informative but very long, so if you just want to see the Book of Kells and Long Room, I would recommend the general admission tour vs. a tour service. Head to the Bank on College Green for lunch afterwards and get their fish and chips.

Head towards Galway. There are a handful of stops you can make along the way, including Kilbeggan Distillery (the oldest distillery in Ireland dating back to the 1750s) and the Megalithic Passage Tombs Knowth, a prehistoric passage tomb complex older than the pyramids of Egypt. Truly remarkable to see and experience. Check into your hotel in Galway and get settled. Go to The Huntsman for a cocktail and dinner.

Given the close proximity, use this as your opportunity to visit the Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher. There are charter buses that drive you to Rossaveel, where a ferry to take you to the Aran Islands. The Aran Islands are three rocky isles guarding the mouth of Galway Bay, in western Ireland. With a population of roughly 1,500, it’s one of the only communities that still strictly speak Gaelic. With close proximity, visit the Cliffs of Moher, the picturesque sea cliffs with views of the Aran Islands and the cave featured in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Once you head back to Galway, head to dinner at Hooked for the best mussels.

Use this as your travel day to head south towards the Dingle Peninsula. Stop for the Lough Avalla Farm Looped Walk, a moderate approx. four-mile hike. You’ll find yourself at Harry’s Cottage. He served us delicious cakes and tea and even picked us up midway when we got stuck in a rain storm. Once you check into your stay at Dingle, enjoy the fresh air and beauty. Head into town for dinner at The Boatyard Restaurant or Out of the Blue, and some ice cream at Murphy’s.

Hike on the Blasket Islands or go on a sea safari. Walk around the town of Dingle and enjoy all the shops and restaurants they have to offer. You could make this your last day, or use the next day to travel along Slea Head Drive to spread out activities. Slea Head Drive is a scenic loop on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland, starting and ending in Dingle Town. The drive offers coastal views, offshore islands, cliff-top roads, and various historical and natural attractions, including Gallarus Oratory, Dunquin Harbor, and ancient beehive huts. While it can be driven in about an hour without stopping, allowing at least 3–4 hours is recommended to fully experience the numerous points of interest along the route.

Travel to Killarney and stay in town to enjoy close proximity to restaurants, bars, and shops, or stay just outside to take in lush gardens and greenery.

If you are planning to do the Ring of Kerry, set aside a full day for this trip. The Ring of Kerry, a 111-mile circular route, takes approximately 3.5 hours to drive without any stops, but most will want to dedicate a full day or even 2–3 days to fully experience the scenic sights, towns, and attractions. I recommend getting a driver so you can enjoy the sights and experience without having to worry about driving. Carve out part of your Ring of Kerry trip to visit Valentia Island—it is one of Ireland’s most westerly points. It lies in Dingle Bay off the Iveragh Peninsula in the southwest of County Kerry. It’s home to the Transatlantic Cable Station, where over 150 years ago, the first successful transatlantic telegraph cable was laid between Foilhammerum Bay, Valentia Island in Ireland and Heart’s Content in Newfoundland, Canada.

Take a trip to Killarney National Park or enjoy a round of golf at Killarney Golf & Fishing Club, which has stunning views of the National Park. The park offers many activities, from walking and hiking, to fishing, kayaking, canoeing, cycling, horse riding, and more.

Stay in Cork, Cobh (pronounced “Cove”), or Kinsale and make day trips to the other towns. Cork feels like Dublin as it’s a larger city and tech hub. Cobh has the Heritage Centre, The Titanic Museum (it was the last stop before setting sail across the Atlantic), The Cobh Museum, and The Cathedral. There are great views of the harbor and the town itself is pretty as well. Kinsale is known for its gourmet food scene, colorful streets, and shops. If Blarney Castle or Blarney Stone is top of your list, carve out time on your travels to make a pit stop.

If traveling to Cork, stop by the English Market, offering a wide selection of cheese and artisan products from Ireland and European sources. If traveling to Kinsale, have dinner at Fishy Fishy. Be sure to make reservations in advance! They only accept reservations over the phone and it took us a couple of weeks to get ahold of someone, but it was worth it. If traveling to Kinsale, plan to eat at Supper Club for dinner. Other restaurants to check out are Lemon Leaf Cafe and Finns Farmcut.

Travel to Kilkenny. Use Kilkenny as a home base to visit Rock of Cashel, one of Ireland’s most spectacular and—deservedly—most visited tourist attractions. The Rock of Cashel was first occupied in the 4th or 5th century AD, but its iconic religious buildings were built centuries later, with Cormac’s Chapel completed in 1134 and the present-day St. Patrick’s Cathedral built between 1235 and 1270. The site served as the royal seat of the Kings of Munster for centuries before being gifted to the church in 1101. Add a trip to Kells Priory, one of the largest medieval monuments in Ireland, to soak in the beautiful scenery and many sheep!

Stay another night in Kilkenny or make your way back to Dublin before flying out.