Ireland Road Trip

November 11, 2022

Ireland Road Trip - unique 7 day itinerary

Ireland road trip options are endless. Some would say Ireland is actually the ultimate road trip destination given how compact it is and the vast variety of landscapes you can cover. 

We consider Dublin our home away from home. We’ve been here for a year now, and we love to explore our own backyard! Ireland, or Éireann in Irish, is a stunning country and home to some of the most wild coastlines, festive pubs, friendly locals, beautiful ballads and unforgettably lush green fields. 

This Ireland road trip itinerary covers some well known locations, as well as some lesser-known spots that aren’t on your typical Wild Atlantic Way road trip. There’s no way to cover all of Ireland in just a week, so we’ve picked some of our favourite spots that we’ve visited so far. You’ll cover three counties: Dublin, Donegal and Galway. Along the way you’ll see some of the most beautiful, rugged and remote landscapes in Ireland that will truly take your breath away.  

If you’re looking for even more detail to plan your trip to Ireland, we have written detailed guides including budgets for Connemara, the Aran Islands and Donegal. 

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Woman walking along boardwalk

Connemara: Diamond Hill in the fog and rain

In this article

7 Day Ireland road trip: Overview

Day 1: Dublin – Historic sites and the best pubs in town

Day 2: Donegal –  Star Wars film location and hiking 

Day 3: Donegal –  Slieve League 

Day 4: Galway – Street performers and traditional rings 

Day 5: Connemara – Wild landscapes and romantic abbey’s 

Day 6: Aran Islands – Cycling and famous sweaters

Day 7: Dublin – Mountains, rugby or Guinness

Ireland Road Trip Route Map

Best time to visit

If you let the weather stop you from doing outdoor activities in Ireland, you’d never get outdoors. If you have flexibility, try to keep an eye on the forecast and adjust your schedule if the weather really doesn’t look good, but otherwise try to embrace the rain if it isn’t so heavy. 

Embrace the rain

We’ve traveled a lot in Ireland even during winter, with rain, low cloud cover and high winds. As long as you’re dressed appropriately, the only negative side to the ‘bad’ weather in our opinion is that you can miss out on some of the beautiful landscapes if visibility really reduces. If you’re super unlucky with the weather, you’ll still be able to explore historical sites, visit local towns and soak up the charming Irish culture. 

Traveling during the summer months is going to give you the best chance of nice weather and longer daylight hours. It’s also going to be the busiest time to travel, because everyone has the same idea. We think if you can aim for the fall months that would be perfect. It won’t be as wet as it is in Spring, you will still have plenty of daylight hours, and it won’t be so cold that you can’t spend all day outside.

Left: Picturesque B&B window in Connemara, Right: Kylemore Abbey

How to get around

To make the most of a week in Ireland, you really need your own transport. You’ll be visiting fairly remote parts of Ireland such as Donegal and public transport won’t get you very far. Driving around Ireland is pretty easy, it’s compact and easy to navigate. Remember that you drive on the left in Ireland. Beware that car hire in the summer in Ireland is absolutely extortionist. Another reason to visit during the shoulder seasons! No joke, car prices will increase 3x in the summer and can be up to €100 a day (with full insurance). 

Tip: Depending on your nationality, an International Driver’s License (IDP) might be required to hire a car in Ireland.

7 day Ireland road trip: Day 1 Dublin

Destination: Dublin 

Day 1: Arrive in Dublin – historic sites and the best pubs in town 

This itinerary assumes that you’re arriving either the evening before or early(ish) in the morning on Day 1. If you are arriving later, don’t stress too much. If you talk to a local, you’ll hear that Dublin is like any other European city. To get the best feel for Ireland, you should really leave the capital city. So we suggest that with only a week in Ireland that you just spend one night in Dublin on your arrival, and head back to Dublin on your final day. You’ll still get a good idea of what Dublin is about in this amount of time (it’s very small).  

Getting around

Dublin is a very walkable city! But to get further afield you’ll need to take public transport, mostly buses. Tickets can be bought on the bus, just have the right amount of change on you. A 90 minute fare for the Dublin area will cost you €2.00 for adults, €1.00 for young adults (19-23) and students, and €0.65 for children. We’ve listed some of the top things to do in the city below in no particular order. We’ve tried to avoid the typical sightseeing suggestions that you will find in most other guides and on TripAdvisor, so this list is in no way extensive. On Day 7 of this itinerary we’ve provided a bunch of other suggestions as well. 

Top things to do in Dublin: 

Phoenix Park

This is one of the largest enclosed public parks in any capital city in Europe. There are huge herds of fallow deer that call the park home,  and Ireland’s President lives here (so you might catch him walking his beautiful Bernese Mountain dogs!). It’s a half an hour walk to the park entrance from Temple Bar. We suggest hiring a bike from Phoenix Park Bikes to explore the park. Aim to spend a couple of hours cycling around and grab a refreshment at Phoenix Café. 

Go to the pub

This is probably an obvious suggestion for Europeans. Dublin has a reputation for being a bucks and hens destination for those in neighbouring continental Europe. The reputation is well earned, but even if you’re not here for a party you should still check out a pub or two. Our top suggestions 1. The Ginger Man (most festive and fun)  2. O’Donoghues Bar (best cultural experience) 3. Mulligans (best trad pub) 4. The Palace Bar (most beautiful). 

Trinity College (Book of Kells)

I highly suggest you make time for the Book of Kells is an illustrated manuscript from 800 CE. The detail in the illustrations is absolutely insane, it’s hard to imagine how a monk managed to draw this by hand. The Book of Kells is the most famous medieval illustrated manuscript. Once a month they change the page (it used to be once a day), so you’ll be looking at a page that won’t be seen for another 56 years!  

National Museum of Ireland 

If you’re going to visit a museum in Dublin, make it this one. It has free admission, covers Irish natural history, Viking and medieval objects and art. Admission will be based on availability at the door.

Glasnevin Cemetery 

There are a large number of prominent names buried at Glasnevin Cemetery including victims of the Great Famine, civilians killed during the 1916 Easter Rising and those who died in the War of Independence and the Civil War. You can take Irish history or women in history tours here.

7 day Ireland road trip: Days 2 Donegal

Destination: Donegal 

Day 2: Depart Dublin for the most northerly point in Ireland

You’ll have a bit of a drive today to get to the first location. So before you get on the road, grab a coffee and pastry at Bread 41 or Shoe Lane Coffee (a couple of our favourites).

Your first destination is Donegal, a 4 hour drive from Dublin. On your drive up to Donegal you will pass through Northern Ireland. You probably won’t even notice when you go over the border, until you realise the speed signs change from metric to imperial. If you have the time, drive through Derry. Derry is widely considered to have been where the conflict referred to as the Troubles began, with an incredibly interesting past.  

Malin Head

Your first stop on this road trip is Ireland’s most northerly point, Malin Head. Scenes from The Last Jedi were filmed here which has increased the popularity of the place but you still won’t find too many people here. It’s only a short walk from the carpark along the cliffs. Unless the weather is really, really bad it won’t matter if visibility is a bit limited here. Some of the most remarkable landscape features here are Hell’s Hole (subterranean cave) and Devil’s Bridge (a natural rock arch). After walking around Malin Head, grab a coffee or hot chocolate at Caffe Banba. This cafe is seasonal and is only open between Easter and September. 

If you’re visiting during winter, Inishowen Peninsula (where Malin Head is located) is a great destination for viewing northern lights in winter. If you’re here during the summer, you can potentially spot basking sharks and dolphins in the sea. So really any time of year is a good time to visit Malin Head. 

Glenveagh

The next stop is 1 and half hours drive south, to Glenveagh National Park. It’s free to get in and there are plenty of walks around the lake that are low difficulty. There’s a shuttle bus that goes to the castle that you can buy tickets for once you arrive, and there are also bike hires if you would prefer to cycle around the lake. We just did a short loop walk (Derrylahan) while we were there as we were tight on time, but found it so peaceful. For those looking for a more intense hike, have a look at the Sturrall or Mt Errigal.

Maghera Strand

End your day at Maghera Strand for sunset. You’ll need to park on the road and walk in. There’s no designated parking and it seems strange to park in front of someone’s home in such a quiet area, but we couldn’t see anywhere else to pull over. The walk to the beach from the road is very quick. There’s caves to explore here too if you head left once you reach the beach.   

We suggest you spend the night in Killybegs, a charming fishing town that is close to your activity for Day 3. For dinner we highly suggest that you book ahead if you are going to be in town over a weekend. We tried to get into several places which had no availability for walk-ins. Honestly, we weren’t expecting this little town to be as busy as it was! We really wanted to go to Andersons Boathouse Restaurant. It was PACKED! It also has great reviews and given that Killybegs is a fishing town, seafood should definitely be your first choice.

7 day Ireland road trip: Day 3 Galway

Destination: Donegal & Galway

Day 4: Slieve League and musical Galway

If you’re going to see anything in Donegal, make sure it is Slieve League. The Slieve League cliffs are three times higher than the Cliffs of Moher and are the second highest in all of Ireland. If low clouds or fog are present, you will not be able to appreciate the full beauty of this place. Try and plan for a clearer day or at least a day with high clouds. Given you have two days in Donegal, just switch them around if needed.  

You have to pay for parking, which will be a steep €5 for only 2 hours. This won’t be long enough if you want to do the walk, which we highly suggest you do. Ask for two tickets to cover you for around the 3 hours it will take to do the whole walk, leaving plenty of time for photo stops because you just won’t be able to help yourself. It’s that beautiful.

Enjoy the panoramic views without crowds

Tour buses do stop here (though we only saw 1 in the couple of hours we were there), but very few people seem to walk past the main viewpoint platform. If you aren’t keen on doing the full walk, we suggest at least walk part way up the first set of stairs if you can. The views from here are worth it I promise. The full walk takes about 90 minutes one way, but note that you will need to walk from the carpark to the start of the hike which adds a bit of time also. 

There is a back way to access the cliffs via The Pilgrim Path which starts just outside of Teelin. This walk is steep and boggy in parts but it will still take around 90 minutes one way and is 3km. Just note that you won’t get the same views over the cliffs for most of the walk. A third option is to approach by sea! This seasonal tour running between June and October will cost you €44 and departs from Killybegs. It only goes for 1 and half hours so the price seems quite expensive, but it offers a unique view of Slieve League that you wouldn’t get otherwise. 

End with a Guinness

After visiting Slieve League be sure to stop in at The Rusty Mackerel. The food was fantastic and the personalised print on the Guiness was unexpected! 

You could spend your entire week in Donegal, many Irish people say that it is the most beautiful county in Ireland. But if you only have a week on the Emerald Isle, you’ll want to cover a bit more ground. So after your walk at Slieve League, it’s time to head to the festive city of Galway.  It’s a 3 and a half hour drive to Galway, so try and get away just after lunch so that you can make the most of your evening here.  

7 day Ireland road trip: Day 4 Galway

Destination: Galway

Day 4: Festive pubs and street performers

The charming Galway gives you a chance to head indoors for the day, relaxing in cozy corners of charming pubs or the opportunity to find some proper coffee! Some of the best things to do in Galway in our opinion include: 

Galway’s Latin Quarter

You’ll get the best feel for this charming city by wandering through the cobbled streets of the Latin Quarter. From pretty boutiques owned by local families, to bars and a huge amount of restaurants, this area is a great place to stay if you’re looking for accommodation in town. 

Street performers

The Galway buskers community is massive. All day and night you’ll see and hear a huge number of performers all throughout the city. Honestly, the buskers might be the thing that makes you fall in love with Galway.   

Visit one of the many pubs 

After spending a night out in Galway you’ll be familiar with all of the popular songs (Galway Girl, Spanish Girl, South Australia). Try out Tigh Chóilí, Taaffes Bar or John Keogh’s Gastropub.   

Pick up a Claddagh ring 

Galway is famous for the Claddagh ring which shows two hands holding a heart that wears a crown. This motif means “Let Love and Friendship reign”. This traditional Irish ring originated in Galway in the 17th century and makes for a sentimental and long-lasting souvenir.  

Galway City Museum 

When we visited Galway we had terrible weather and went into this museum as a backup option. This free museum totally surprised us, we loved it! 

Use Galway as a home base

If you prefer not to move around so much, you can use Galway as a homebase for the trips on Day 5 and Day 6. This way you’ll have plenty of options for dinner and drinks on top of affordable accommodation options  (options are slim in Connemara and on the Aran Islands).

7 day Ireland road trip: Day 5 Connemara

Destination: Connemara

Day 4: High peaks and tragic abbeys

Just over an hours’ drive from Galway is Connemara National Park. Connemara is a culturally rich area, a stronghold for the Irish language and a place where you’ll start to see road signs go from being in English to Gaelic. Due to the time of year when we visited Connemara (December), we didn’t plan to do any of the big famous hikes in the area, opting instead to go to Diamond Hill in Connemara National Park. Our experience was misty and moody, which we loved, but meant we were never going to get the magnificent views over Connemara like you do on a clear day. 

If you’re not into walking, you can still experience the stunning landscapes by driving the Connemara Loop. Make sure to stop at Pine Island. There is actually a track you can take to walk onto the island and I wish we knew that before we went there!
Kylemore Abbey

In the afternoon, head to Kylemore Abbey. Kylemore Abbey was built by a wealthy aristocrat in the late 1800s for his beloved wife who died only a few years after the castle was completed. The Abbey has been the home to a Benedictine order of Nuns for 100 years now. It was opened to the public for visits after the school closed in 2010 as a means to raise funds in order to keep up maintenance of the castle.  

Tickets cost €15 per adult and access is seasonal, with the Abbey closing between around January to March. We went there in December and the crowds started rolling in around 11. So try to get there early, right when it opens to truly appreciate the peacefulness of the property especially during summer.  
Stroll through the gardens

After walking through the castle and learning all about the history of Kylemore (SO interesting!), take a walk to the walled garden. There are shuttle buses as well, included in the price of your ticket. In its heyday this walled garden had 21 heated glasshouses, requiring 40 ground staff to keep it maintained. Even in winter the gardens were serene, but I am itching to get back during spring or summer for a more colourful experience. On the other side of the castle is a neo-Gothic Church, built by the original owner of Kylemore for his wife who died only years after construction was completed on the property. Make sure to try the hand made chocolate, made on site by the Nuns. We ended up buying some to take home with us. It was that good.

You can head back to Galway for the night, otherwise most people stay in Letterfrack or Clifden while visiting this area. Letterfrack is more convenient. It’s only a 7 minute drive to Kylemore Abbey and is where a lot of the hikes in Connemara start (from the visitor centre).

7 day Ireland road trip: Day 6 Aran Islands

Destination: Aran Islands

Day 4: Crystal clear bays and gigantic cliffs

If you’ve been to Ireland before, you’ve probably seen the beautiful Aran Island sweaters. You may have also heard that it’s one of the few places around Ireland where you will still hear people talking the native language Gaeilge (Irish). Before we even stepped foot on Inis Mor, we heard Gaeilge! It was common to hear it being spoken while we waited for our coffee in the morning as all the locals greeted each other. Inis Mor is a visually beautiful,  culturally unique and welcoming part of Ireland well worth your time.

To get to the Aran Islands, you’ll need to take a ferry. We went with Aran Island Ferries departing from Rossaveel which takes just 40 minutes. Two return trips including the shuttle bus costs €78. You can either drive to Rossaveel or take the shuttle bus from Galway. There are seasonal ferries that depart from Galway directly, however on the return trip they detour to the Cliffs of Moher. All up this will cost you €60 per person, so a bit more pricey compared to the €39 per person from Rossaveel, but this does offer a great way to knock out two major tourist attractions in one trip.
Rent a bike

Although you can do various tours of the island, if you are able to cycle we recommend renting a bike to explore (from €20 per day). This was by far our favourite activity of the trip. We spent hours every day just cycling around and stopping wherever caught our eye. The island isn’t too hilly and you can get around the whole thing in a day if you’re pinched for time. 

The tiny fields encircled in stone walls make for a beautiful landscape and there is nothing quite like the green of Irish pasture. Head in a clockwise direction stopping at the seal colony lookout and Kilmurvey Beach, continuing all the way up to the ancient Na Seacht dTeampaill (The Seven Churches). From there, double back and make your way over to Dún Aonghasa, an imposing stone fort located at the highest point on the island. You will need to pay a €5 per adult entry fee (unless you’re staying on the island overnight in a participating hotel and then it’s free). Depending on whether you’re a history buff, this may or may not be worth it. 

The Wormhole

You can certainly get views just as good without the crowds at the next stop on your bike tour, the Wormhole! From the Wormhole you can walk back up the cliffs towards Dún Aonghasa as well, you just won’t be able to get inside the walls. Include a stop at Teach Nan Phaidi for lunch if you haven’t packed a picnic, or just a nice glass of wine, and you have yourself a perfect day on Inis Mor.

You can stay on the island and book your return ferry for the next day or just make it a day trip and stay another night in Galway. If you stay on the island, make sure you head to Joe Wattys in the evening to enjoy some trad music. Our advice, get there for an early dinner. Otherwise, head into the main area of Lower Kilronan for a bite to eat and head up to Joe Wattys at 10pm when the trad music will start. Park yourself up in a cozy corner and enjoy the festive atmosphere!  

A rectangular rock hole with waves crashing into it

7 day Ireland road trip: Day 7 Dublin

Destination: Dublin

Day 4: Guinness and cold swims

It’s a 2 and a half hour drive back to Dublin from Galway. Start your drive back relatively early so that you have some time to explore Dublin a little bit more. We covered some of our favourite Dublin sites in Day 1 of this itinerary, and the following suggestions round out our top things to see and do in and around Dublin (again in no particular order). 

Howth

You can reach Howth by taking a 40 minute train (the DART) from Dublin. The reason to go? The beautiful Howth Cliff Walk. This two hour loop is one of the most beautiful spots close to Dublin, and even has a secret little beach if you’re visiting during summer. The spectacular coastline and idyllic lighthouse make for a perfect sunset location, but any time of day is good to visit this stunning location. 

Croke Park

If you’re visiting during GAA (Gaelic football) or Hurling season (in summer) we highly suggest that you go to Croke Park for a game. The atmosphere is incredible, the games are intense and the locals just go wild. The athletes aren’t ‘professional’ in GAA, they all have day jobs and do it in their spare time so it’s really impressive to watch! You can grab tickets for under €25 usually for general admission. 

Cold swim 

There is a huge culture in Ireland around wild swimming and in particular cold swimming. Our favourite spot for a swim is Vico Baths in Killiney (a 50 minute train ride south of Dublin). Harry Styles famously went here when he toured in Dublin and took a dip. It’s a beautiful spot, but only during calm weather. In summer you might also consider going to Bray where they usually set up a summer festival on the pebble beach and have portable sauna’s set up.  

Guinness Experience 

Okay, so you’ll see this on most Dublin guides. BUT, we really recommend doing this. We went with some friends when they visited us in Dublin and absolutely loved it. Bec doesn’t really drink Guinness, but even she got around this tour. Guinness has done a great job in creating an incredibly engaging and fun experience. You can get tickets here for €26. Keep an eye (and ear) out for the tap dancers in the Gravity Bar at the end of your tour.  

Wicklow Mountains 

If you still have your car, the Wicklow Mountains are definitely worth a day trip from Dublin. The national park includes large areas of mountain blanket bogs and the Glendalough Wood Nature Reserve. There are some beautiful walks, great mountain bike trails and scenic drives. If you’re staying another night in Dublin before flying out, we suggest spending a night in Wicklow rather than the city.

Left: Howth Cliff Loop, Right: Phoenix Park

Thanks for stopping by!

Our 7 day guide is perfect for those that want to avoid crowds, keep costs low and enjoy a more authentic experience. We hope we’ve inspired you to try a unique Ireland road trip and explore parts of the country that are still slightly outside of the main tourist spots. 

Make sure to check out our detailed guides for Donegal, Connemara and the Aran Islands, where we provide detailed budgets, in depth itineraries and plenty more tips to help you plan ultimate Ireland getaway.

If you have any questions, please let us know, and please subscribe! 

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Detailed guides for Connemara, Donegal and the Aran Islands:

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