12-day Ireland road trip: the ultimate route along the Wild Atlantic Way and Dublin

Day 1: Arrival and County Wicklow

After arriving in Dublin, you pick up your rental car and drive to County Wicklow in about an hour. Your first stop is Powerscourt Gardens, with Italian terraces, a Japanese garden and a lake with fountains, set against the Wicklow Mountains. You then continue to your hotel in the area.

Day 2: Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains

In the valley of Glendalough, St Kevin founded a monastery between two lakes in the 6th century. The round tower, a cathedral and several small churches still stand. From the monastery, a path follows the lake to the Upper Lake, further into the valley. In the afternoon, you can taste whiskey at the Powerscourt Distillery, on the estate you visited the day before.

Day 3: Kilkenny and the Rock of Cashel

You head south to Kilkenny, a medieval town with narrow streets, small shops and a 12th-century castle on the River Nore. In the afternoon, you continue to the Rock of Cashel, a limestone hill that was once the seat of the kings of Munster. On top stand a round tower, a 13th-century cathedral and Cormac's Chapel, a Romanesque chapel from the 12th century. You then drive on towards the south coast.

Day 4: Cork and Kinsale

In Cork, you visit the English Market, a covered market where local cheese, fish and meat have been sold since 1788. You then drive to Kinsale, a harbour town known in Ireland for its restaurants. If you like, you can join a guided foraging walk along the coast to learn which plants and seaweeds are edible. In the afternoon, you drive to County Kerry via the Caha Pass, a mountain road with short tunnels cut through the rock.

Day 5: The Ring of Kerry

Today you drive the Ring of Kerry, a route of around 180 kilometres around the Iveragh Peninsula. From the Kerry Cliffs, you look out over the Skellig Islands, where the stone huts of an early medieval monastery still stand on Skellig Michael. A little further on, you can stop at Skelligs Chocolate, a small chocolatier on St Finian's Bay. In Killarney National Park lies Ladies View, a viewpoint over the lakes of Killarney, named after Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting, who visited in 1861.

Day 6: The Dingle Peninsula and Adare

After breakfast, you drive to the Dingle Peninsula. First you pass Inch Beach, a beach of around five kilometres that stretches far into the bay. You then follow the Slea Head Drive, a coastal road past cliffs, small coves and stone beehive huts built by early Christian monks. Via the Conor Pass, one of the highest mountain passes in Ireland, you continue towards County Limerick. The day ends in Adare, a village with a street of thatched cottages.

Day 7: The Cliffs of Moher and the Burren

Today you drive to County Clare. The Cliffs of Moher rise more than 200 metres above the Atlantic Ocean. A path runs along the edge, and the further you walk from the visitor centre, the quieter it gets. You then drive through the Burren, a limestone plateau where Arctic, Alpine and Mediterranean plants grow side by side. In Lisdoonvarna, you can stop at the Burren Smokehouse, where salmon is still smoked the traditional way.

Day 8: Connemara

Today you head into Connemara, a region of mountains, lakes and bogland. Your first stop is Kylemore Abbey, a 19th-century castle on the shore of a lake, home to Benedictine nuns since 1920. The abbey has a walled Victorian garden. You then drive to Killary Harbour, a narrow, deep inlet between the mountains, where you can taste Atlantic shellfish at a local farm. On the way back, you stop at a sheep farm, where a shepherd shows how his dogs round up the sheep in the hills.

Day 9: Inishmore, Aran Islands

From Rossaveel, you take the ferry to Inishmore, the largest of the three Aran Islands. The crossing takes about forty minutes. On the island, the easiest way to get around is by rental bike or minibus. You pass stone walls and small villages on the way to Dún Aonghasa, a prehistoric fort on the edge of a cliff above the ocean. Not far away is the Wormhole, a rectangular rock pool carved out by the sea. On Inishmore, most residents speak Irish among themselves.

Day 10: Through the Midlands to Dublin

Today you drive back to Dublin through the heart of the country. On the way, you can stop at Clonmacnoise, a monastery founded in the 6th century on the River Shannon, with two round towers, small churches and Celtic high crosses. Another possible stop is Birr Castle, where the world's largest telescope at the time, the Leviathan, was built in 1845. In the evening, you arrive in Dublin.

Day 11: Dublin

You start the day at Trinity College, home to the Book of Kells, a richly decorated manuscript of the four Gospels from around the year 800. You then walk through St Stephen's Green. In the afternoon, you can visit the Guinness Storehouse, at the brewery where Guinness has been brewed since 1759. The visit ends in the bar on the top floor, with views over the city. In the evening, many pubs have live traditional music.

Day 12: Departure from Dublin

After breakfast, there is still time for a final walk, for example along Grafton Street or through the redeveloped Docklands. You then drive to the airport, where you return your rental car.

What budget should you expect?

For this trip, you can expect prices from €9,500 for two people. This includes flights, bed-and-breakfast accommodation and a rental car. The exact price depends on when you travel, your final choices and any extras.

Frequently asked questions about this round trip in Ireland

Do you need a car for this round trip?

Yes. Many nature areas, coastal routes and villages lie outside the cities. With a rental car, you can follow the route at your own pace and stop wherever you like.

Are the distances on this trip long?

Most drives take between one and three hours. Along the west coast, they often take longer than the distance suggests, because of the narrow, winding roads and the many viewpoints.

Is this round trip suitable as a first introduction to Ireland?

Yes. You see the Wicklow Mountains, the south coast, Kerry, the Cliffs of Moher, Connemara and Dublin, which gives you a good picture of the country.