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For a small island, Ireland has so many places to see and visit! There are quaint villages, colorful small towns, lively cities, castle ruins, and stunning coastal drives a plenty. I could have spent months in Ireland and still not seen enough of the country.
If you’re limited on time like me, this 2 week Ireland itinerary is great for getting a feel for the country and seeing a little bit of everything.
Note: This Ireland itinerary involves renting a car and driving yourself around the country. Luckily renting a car in Ireland is easy and painless. I’ve written a guide to renting a car in Ireland to with everything you need to know. Read it here.
2 Week Ireland Itinerary
Days 1 -3: Explore Dublin
This itinerary begins and ends in Dublin. As the capital and largest city of the country, Dublin has a large international airport making it the perfect place to start an Irish adventure. Dublin is a fun city to spend a few days in. On your three days in Dublin, make sure to check out Dublin’s top 10 activities!
There is so much to do in Dublin for all interests. Interested in history? Visit EPIC – The Irish Emigration Museum, Dublin Castle and Christ Church Cathedral. Interested in Irish folklore? Visit the National Leprechaun Museum. Interested in Ireland’s beer and whiskey? Visit the Guinness Brewery and Storefront, the Jameson Whiskey Distillery, and/or the Irish Whiskey Museum. The city is very walk-able with a tram that runs through the city center and stops near many of the major sights to visit. I bought a Go City Pass for my 3 days in Dublin and used it to get free admission and skip lines at most places I visited.
With so many sites to see, Dublin is a fantastic first city to visit on any trip to Ireland!
Spend 3 nights in Dublin.
Day 4: Explore Kilkenny
On the morning of Day 4, pick up your rental car and drive South to the town of Kilkenny. Kilkenny is an old medieval town that is very fun to explore for a day. The town is built along the River Nore with a castle atop a small hill overlooking both the river and town. Spend the morning touring Kilkenny Castle, a medieval castle built around the year 1195. The castle’s interior is worth spending some time exploring the old residences. Outside of the castle as well is a large park great for spending some time walking around the grounds.
After visiting the castle, head into town to grab food at any one of the old pubs in town. I opted to have lunch at the Kytelers Inn which has a long and unique history! Kyteler Inn was established in 1324 by a witch! Yes, you read that correctly. Dame Alice Kyteler, the original owner of the pub, was accused of witchcraft and forced to flee Ireland. Her legacy and history live on at Kyteler Inn.
After lunch spend the rest of the day wandering around town. There are plenty of cute shops and pubs to pop into as well as a cathedral and round tower to visit. If you like beer, the Smithwick’s Experience provides tours of the Smithwick’s Brewery, one of Ireland most famous beers.
Spend the night in Kilkenny.
Driving Time from Dublin to Kilkenny: 1 hour 30 minutes
Distance from Dublin – Kilkenny: 77 miles (124 km)
Day 5: Visit the Rock of Cashel and the Blarney Castle
Day 5 of your Ireland itinerary involves quite a bit of driving but it’s worth it since you’ll stop at two gorgeous castles! I would recommend getting an early start to make sure you have enough time to explore at each stop.
First, drive from Kilkenny to the Rock of Cashel. The Rock of Cashel, located in Co. Tipperary, isn’t actually castle. The Rock of Cashle resembled the ruins of both a castle and an abbey. Whatever it is, it is stunning. Located on top of a hill, it is a bit of a climb to reach the entrance from the parking lot. Once you’ve made it up the hill, though, the ruins are very much worth the effort to see. There is a chapel, round tower, abbey ruins, and a cemetery with many Irish High Crosses on the hill, all making up the Rock of Cashel. I’d recommend spending about an hour here to have time to walk through all the buildings still standing. The small town of Cashel down the hill is also very cute to walk through to shop or grab a bite to eat.
Ticket Price: 8€ per adult
Driving Time from Kilkenny to Rock of Cashel: 50 minutes
Distance from Kilkenny to Rock of Cashel: 38 miles (62 km)
After leaving the Rock of Cashel, drive another hour to the Blarney Castle. Blarney Castle is one of Ireland’s most famous castles. Located in Co. Cork, the Blarney Castle is situated on a 60 acre grounds. There is so much within the grounds to see. I spent about 2 hours here and did not get to see everything.
The most famous location on the grounds is the Blarney Castle. Blarney Castle is a large Tower House style castle. It’s open for self-guided tours but be warned that to reach the top of the tower you’ll have to climb very steep, narrow stairs. Each room of the castle is labeled and provides great information about the room’s purpose and what life was like living there.
Once you reach the top of the castle, you’ll find one of it’s most famous landmarks – the Blarney Stone. Old Irish legend says that anyone who kisses the Blarney Stone will receive the gift of gab and elegance. The Blarney Stone is built into one of the rocks that make up the wall at the top of the castle, but it’s on the underside of one of that wall. You actually have to hang upside down over the edge of the castle’s roof to kiss the stone. It can be a bit scary but is fun nonetheless! Lines to reach the top of the castle can be up to 90 minutes long! I arrived at the castle about 2 hours before closing time and had no wait at all.
After visiting the castle, don’t miss spending some time exploring the grounds. There are numerous gardens like an Iris Garden, Fern Garden, Water Garden, and a Poison Garden (yes, a garden filled with poisonous plants), as well as may other distinctive areas with unique vegetation. It’s a beautiful place to spend a few hours getting lost in nature.
Ticket Price: 18€ per adult, includes admission to all the gardens and the castle
Driving Time from Rock of Cashel to Blarney Castle: 1 hour 12 minutes
Distance from Rock of Cashel to Blarney Castle: 62 miles (99 km)
After leaving the Blarney Castle, you’ll make the short drive into Cork. On this itinerary you’ll spend the next four nights in Cork. After checking into your hotel, find a local pub to grab dinner and wander around town a bit if time allows. Don’t worry about trying to see too much this evening, though, you’ll have all day tomorrow to explore Cork!
Driving Time from Blarney Castle and Gardens to Cork: 20 minutes
Distance from Blarney Castle and Gardens to Cork: 6 miles (9 km)
Day 6 – 8: Explore Cork, Cobh, and Kinsale
After all the driving yesterday, today’s Ireland itinerary allows you to take a break today and explore Cork on foot. The city of Cork is Ireland’s second largest city. It’s a lively city with plenty to see. Key sites of interest include: The English Market, St. Anne’s Church, St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, St. Patrick’s Street, Elizabeth Fort, and the old Cork City Goal, to name a few. The University College Cork is a beautiful old campus to wander around.
You could easily spend a few days just within Cork city, but there are some really cute towns nearby to Cork that are worth a day trip. The towns of Cobh and Kinsale are close to Cork and easy to get to for a day. If you want to spend an extra day in Cork, you could take just 1 day trip to either Cobh or Kinsale.
Cobh is a short, 30 minute train ride away from Cork. This is a port town located South of Cork, along the River Lee and Cork Harbor. Cobh is famous for being the last port of call for the Titanic ship, before it set sail across the Atlantic. The Titanic Experience museum is a fun and educational way to learn about the Titanic and the passengers who boarded the ship in Cobh.
Another highlight of Cobh is how colorful the town is. The buildings in town are all painted in vibrant colors. There is a famous row of houses on a hill overlooking the town called the Deck of Card houses. After a short climb up the hill, you can see these colorful houses with St. Colman’s Cathedral towering in the background.
Another day trip option from Cork is to visit the town of Kinsale. It takes about an hour by bus to reach Kinsale from Cork. This is another adorable colorful town with vibrant buildings throughout the town. One of the top sights to visit is the Charles Fort, a 17th century start shaped fort great for learning history of the area. You can also stroll along Kinsale Beach or shop in town before heading back to Cork for the night.
Day 9: Drive the Dingle Peninsula
Today’s Ireland itinerary is another long day in the car, so I’d recommend an early start. Today you are driving from Cork to the Dingle Peninsula in Western Ireland along the Wild Atlantic Way.
It’s a bit of a drive from Cork to the town of Dingle, where your drive along the Dingle Peninsula will begin. The Dingle Peninsula is known for it’s scenery and small villages, and driving the peninsula will take you past all of this. Note that the ring road that goes along the peninsula, Slea Head Drive, is very narrow. It is a two way road so passing is possible, but it feels very tight while driving. Take it slow and use caution when needed. There are plenty of turn outs to pull over for views and to let cars pass. Driving the peninsula will take anywhere from 1+ hours depending on how many stops you make along the way.
Notable stops along the Dingle Peninsula include Inch Beach, beehive huts, Dunquin Pier, and the Dunbeg Fort. There is one main town on the peninsula – the town of Dingle. This is a very cute town to stop in for lunch and shopping. Driving the Dingle Peninsula was one of my favorite days in Ireland! Take your time and be prepared for some amazing scenery.
After driving the peninsula, this Ireland itinerary has you drive to the town of Killarney where you’ll be spending the night. Another option is to spend the night in Dingle and drive to Killarney in the morning.
Driving Time from Cork to Dingle town: 2 hours 10 minutes
Distance from Cork to Dingle town: 97 miles (156 km)
Driving Time from Dingle to Killarney: 1 hour 10 minutes
Distance from Dingle to Killarney: 40 miles (65 km)
Day 10 – 11: Explore Killarney and the Ring of Kerry
I would recommend spending day 10 in Killarney and Day 11 driving the Ring of Kerry, just to get a break from driving for a day. The town of Killarney is a quint town with plenty of shops, restaurants and pubs to spend your day popping in and out of. Killarney is also located just outside of Killarney National Park on the banks of Lough Leane. After exploring the town, driving into the National Park is a great way to experience some of Ireland’s lush nature. The Ring of Kerry does go through a portion of the park but other sections, like the Gap of Dunloe, are missed on the Ring of Kerry and worth a visit if you have time after exploring Killarney.
The Ring of Kerry is one Ireland’s most famous ring roads and recommended in almost every Ireland itinerary and tour guide. The drive along the entire road can take anywhere from 3+ hours to drive, depending on how many stops you make along the way. Notable stops along the drive include Ross Castle, Muckross Abbey and the Muckross House, Torc Waterfall, and the colorful town of Kenmare, to name a few.
I actually opted not to drive the entire ring just to get more of a break from the car, so I spent extra time in Killarney. I did visit Ross Castle and Muckross Abbey. Muckross Abbey actually ended up being my favorite ruin that I visited in Ireland. On my next trip I will absolutely drive the entire Ring of Kerry.
Day 12: Visit the Cliffs of Moher
Today you’ll leave Killarney and make your way to Galway, stopping at the famous Cliffs of Moher on the way. The Cliffs of Moher are a very popular stop for tourists visiting Ireland, and numerous tour buses stop here while touring the country. I’d recommend getting an early start leaving Killarney to try to beat some of the crowds as you make your way to the cliffs.
The Cliffs of Moher are known for their stunning scenery and the dramatic vertical drop straight down into the wild Atlantic Ocean. The views are amazing on a clear day. Looking out over the cliffs you can see the Aran Islands in the distance, which are supposed to make for a really fun and interesting tour from the cliffs. Even on a cloudy day, the views of the cliffs are still gorgeous. The ocean is so blue, the grass on the hillsides so green, and clouds just add a fun moody feel to the already dramatic landscape. Spend some time walking along the cliffs and taking in the views from all the different angles.
This is a great bird-watching spot so don’t forget to bring your binoculars and keep an eye out for puffins and other birds as you explore. Other than admiring the views, there really isn’t too much to do at the Cliffs of Moher. I spent about an hour walking around and taking in the views and thought that was the perfect amount of time.
Driving Time from Killarney to Cliffs of Moher: 2 hours 40 minutes
Distance from Killarney to Cliffs of Moher: 116 miles (187 km)
After exploring the Cliffs of Moher, continue driving a bit further North to the city of Galway where you’ll spend the next two nights and have a full day to explore tomorrow.
Driving Time from Cliffs of Moher to Galway: 1 hour 40 minutes
Distance from Cliffs of Moher to Galway: 47 miles (76 km)
Day 13: Explore Galway
Today, take a break from driving and spend the day exploring the charming city of Galway, Ireland. Galway is Ireland’s fourth largest city. The city is very lively with music streaming out of the pubs and hosts numerous festivals through Galway each year like the Galway Arts Festival and the Galway Film Festival.
While in Galway, check out some of the cities most well-known sights like the Latin Quarter, the Spanish Arch, the Galway City Museum, and Galway Cathedral to name a few. Quay Street is where you’ll find the most pubs and restaurants. This street reminded me of Temple Bar in Dublin. There were people everywhere and the pubs and restaurants were always packed. At night, many pubs start playing trad music (traditional Irish music). This was my favorite way to end the day – with a pint of Guinness listening to trad music.
Day 14: Return to Dublin
On your final full-day of this Ireland itinerary, spend one last morning in Galway before driving back to Dublin. I left this day pretty open to see anything you may have missed the previous day. It’s a great chance to have a lazy morning getting ready before grabbing lunch at a pub in Galway. Or, if you’re up for more sightseeing this is a great morning to drive out to Kylemore Abbey West of Galway to tour one of Ireland’s most gorgeous monasteries.
After lunch, it’s time to drive back to Dublin where you’ll spend one last night in Dublin before leaving Ireland.
Driving Time from Galway to Dublin: 2 hours 20 minutes
Distance from Galway to Dublin: 130 miles (208 km)
Day 15: Depart from Dublin Airport
And with that, your 2 week Ireland itinerary has come to an end. Drop off your rental car at the Dublin Airport as you get ready to head home or on to your next destination.
I am already of dreaming of returning to Ireland to see places I missed on this first 2 week Ireland itinerary. Let me know what I should add to my next itinerary in the comments!
