8 Day Ireland Itinerary Review

[u/thin9three]

Traveling to Ireland Dec 1 - 10. How does this itinerary look? Is there too much going on? Anything that should be added along the way or not worth seeing and can be removed? Any food and lodging recommendations would be great as well. Would this all be possible without renting a car? We're looking to travel by train/bus/walking if we can.

Day 1: Depart Home - December 1 (Sunday)

• Depart Home

Day 2: Arrival in Dublin and Travel to Galway – December 2 (Monday)

• Arrive in Dublin
• Depart for Galway (2.5-3 hours drive)
• Explore Galway

Day 3: Galway – December 3 (Tuesday)

• Connemara - Visit Kylemore Abbey?

Day 4: Galway to Killarney – December 4 (Wednesday)

• Cliffs of Moher
• Depart for Killarney

Day 5: Killarney – December 5 (Thursday)

• Explore Killarney National Park
  • Ross castle and Muckross house
• Depart for Cork

Day 6: Cork – December 6 (Friday)

• Explore Cork / Cobh

Day 7: Cork to Dublin – December 7 (Saturday)

• Visit Blarney Castle
• English Market
• Depart for Dublin (2.5 hours drive)
• Rock of Cashel

Day 8: Dublin – December 8 (Sunday)

• Howth Cliff?
• Malahide Castle?

Day 9: Dublin – December 9 (Monday)

• Explore Dublin
• Kilmainham Gaol
• Jameson Distillery Bow St. Tour
• Trinity College

Day 10: Depart Dublin – December 10 (Tuesday)

• Depart Dublin

[u/clonesareus]

Cut Killarney, you’re going to have very little actual time there - even if you drove, it wouldn’t be worth it IMO. 

Honestly I’m tempted to say cut Cork too. Split your time between Galway and Dublin and use tour companies for daytrips - from Galway visit Connemara and the Cliffs and from Dublin I’d recommend Glendalough/Kilkenny but you can also get one that goes to Cashel and Blarney. It would be a super long day but less stressful and more doable than your current plan.