My Perfect 14 Day Ireland Itinerary
Let’s be honest: even if you DID a 21 day road trip around Ireland, you’d still want to come back to do and see even more. There is so much to do and so much to see that even my bucket list is still more than overloaded with ideas and plans.
I have done my best to squeeze an exciting and beautiful adventure into this itinerary. It is NOT a final plan, it is not the perfect plan for everyone (it is for us though) and it is not necessarily a plan you should follow. You are special and unique and so is your road trip. Feel free to be inspired by our perfect Ireland itinerary! Use it, customise it, do it different, whatever suits you best. You do you. If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email or a DM on instagram.
If you have more than 14 days on your hand, check out our itinerary for 21 days (coming soon!), and if you have less than 14 days to spend in Ireland, check out our itineraries for 7 days, 3 days and 10 days (coming soon!).
Let’s get started!
Day 1+2 Dublin
Let’s assume you’re flying into Dublin (customise it if you are flying into Shannon, Cork or Kerry Airport or send us an email) and are arriving late in the afternoon. If you are like me (fellow highly sensitive persons, where are you?), you’ll want to get used to the vibes of a new country, new city and new people around you. That’s why I personally love spending the first afternoon and evening exploring the area, going out for dinner and enjoying some live music in a pub - without any schedule or to-do-list.
Dublin is a great city with so much to see and do but it is a city after all. I think it is great for one or two days, but trust me - you’re going to love driving out into the countryside after that and finally getting to know the “real“ Ireland.
Back to Dublin for day 2 now though. If you’re a fan of seeing as much as you can, the Hop on Hop off buses are probably great for you to do a sightseeing tour of Dublin (you’ll see the bright green busses everywhere, book online to save some money). In case you love city trips and cities in general, extend your stay in Dublin to have more time to see everything. Or, if you’re only here for a few days, check out our blog post Our Perfect 3 Day Ireland Itinerary (coming soon!).
Start your morning right with a breakfast in one of Dublin’s amazing vegan places like Cornucopia Dublin. Then split your morning between the magnificent National Museum of Ireland and Trinity College. Make sure to book tickets in advance for the Book of Kells Exhibition, it’s really worth it. You’ll recognise the Long Room of the Old Library of Trinity College from instagram and I highly recommend to visit it. The main chamber of the Old Library is filled with 200,000 of the Library’s oldest books and is one of the most impressive libraries in the world. Being a book nerd, this is probably my favourite place in Dublin.
If there’s still time before lunch, do a tour of Dublin Castle and visit the Chester Beatty Library right next to it - a winner of the European Museum of the Year. Both Trinity College and Dublin Castle lie in the heard of the city, so there are many and lovely lunch options around. If you’re just getting a snack somewhere, maybe enjoy it in the beautiful St Stephen’s Green park. It’s right next to one the city’s main shopping streets, Grafton Street - it’s filled with gorgeous shops and places in case you’re more into that than history and exploring.
St Patrick’s Cathedral, around the corner from the Chester Beatty Library, is the largest church (not cathedral) in Ireland. For me, it isn’t a must see, but if you’re around and have some time on your hands, or if you’re a huge fan of churches - go!
No trip to Dublin would be complete without a visit to the Guinness Storehouse, so be sure to spend some hours here learning about Guinness, pull your own pints and enjoy the spectacular 360 panoramic views of the city from the Gravity Bar in the 7th floor. In case you don’t like Guinness (although I highly recommend it, especially because of the views from the 7th floor), maybe do a tour at the Jameson Distillery instead.
After that, say hi to the Molly Malone statue, explore the Temple Bar District and finish your night with a pint in one of the pubs. Grogans in William St is a great choice and one of Dublin’s most loved pubs.
Day 3 Kilkenny - Wicklow Mountains
Head south out of Dublin towards Kilkenny. Take it slow on your first day on the road if you aren’t used to driving on the left side of road. Powerscourt Estate is a country estate with beautiful house and gardens located in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains and it’s perfect for exploring. If you’re hungry, visit The Happy Pear in Greystones before heading deep into the Wicklow Mountains. After that, enjoy the views on your route through the Wicklow Mountains. There are more than enough amazing spots to pause en route, so be sure to have your camera ready.
Spend the afternoon and evening exploring Kilkenny, home to Ireland’s Medieval Mile which links Anglo-Norman Kilkenny Castle to St Canice’s Cathedral. Visit the Medieval Mile Musem situated in the St Mary’s Cathedral. Kilkenny is also a very lively city, with many pubs and loads of live music and a great food culture.
Day 4 Rock of Cashel - Blarney Castle - Cork City - Cobh
Start your day with a visit to the Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary. Continue your road trip to Cork with a quick stop at Blarney Castle to secure the gift of the gab.
Stop in Cork City for a short lunch and then head for Cobh to spend the afternoon exploring the town. Be sure to visit the Titanic Experience (the Titanic was certainly the most famous ship to pull out of Cobh). Take photos of the colourful and picturesque houses “The Deck of Cards“ and visit St Colman’s Cathedral. You can visit the Cobh Heritage Centre to learn more about the town’s history or just enjoy the views of the harbour while having a drink. It’s totally up to you. Finish your day with taking a stroll around Cork City, before spending the night there.
Day 5 Cork City - Kinsale - Bantry - Kenmare
Start the morning with a trip to Cork’s English Market, where you can have some breakfast and enjoy the lively vibes. Maybe pick up a picnic lunch as well for your day ahead. The food and fresh produce are amazing here. Then leave Cork City and head for Kinsale. Kinsale is a historic port and very picturesque and lovely fishing town. Spend some time exploring the town and the colourful streets.
When you’re done with that, travel along the coast towards Bantry. Bantry is one of my favourite towns and has so much to offer. Visit Bantry House and Gardens and explore the town itself. You’ll find plenty of places to eat and lovely little shops that cherish the arts and crafts West Cork is famous for.
Follow the road towards Glengarriff and then take the stunning trip over the Caha Mountains to Kenmare and spend the night there. If you’re excited to explore more of the beauty of West Cork (learn more about it in our blog posts about Beara and West Cork ), customise your itinerary and spend more than one day in West Cork. We highly recommend it. In case you prefer to skip the English Market or Kinsale, use the time to drive to Castletownbere on the Beara Peninsula, enjoy a late lunch at MacCarthy’s Bar there and enjoy the most beautiful views the peninsula has to offer.
Day 6 Ring of Kerry - Skellig Michael
Kenmare is a great base for driving and exploring the Ring of Kerry. It’s a lively and lovely town and offers a great range of places to eat. Stop at Jam, a lovely café/bakery/deli with gluten-free options, and get some take away for your drive. Now it’s time to enjoy the spectacular scenery of the Ring of Kerry, maybe stop at two or three villages whenever you feel like it. If you’re a fan of Star Wars or a fan of puffins or love exploring islands - take a boat trip to see Skellig Michael. Spend the night in Killarney.
Day 7 Killarney - Killarney National Park
Spend the morning exploring Killarney National Park with Torc Waterfall, Muckross House and Gardens and Ross Castle and spend the afternoon strolling around Killarney town. It’s another one of Ireland’s charming and lively cities. Find out more about Killarney National Park and Killarney town in our Killarney blog post.
Day 8 Dingle Peninsula
Spend the day driving around the beautiful Dingle Peninsula. You probably know we absolutely love it here and as a child, I used to spend the summer holidays here. Stop in Dingle for lunch and the lovely shops before saying hi to Fungie and exploring the Slea Head Drive. If you’re interested, here’s more info about the Dingle Peninsula, The Slea Head Drive, Dingle Town and a trip along Conor Pass - Cloghane - Brandon Point. There are lovely B&Bs and hotels around Dingle, so I recommend spending the night here.
Day 9 Cliffs of Moher - Burren National Park
Next morning, follow the coastal roads through Kilkee, Doonbeg, Spanish Point and Lahinch until reaching the Cliffs of Moher. As I love boat trips, we usually take the car ferry operating between Tarbert and Killimer to cross the Shannon (it comes we a chance to see the famous Shannon dolphins). Book your tickets online to save some money.
Explore the spectacular Cliffs of Moher and then head for Doolin, home to some excellent traditional music and great places for lunch. Spend the afternoon exploring The Burren with its unique and beautiful landscape. I recommend spending the night in Ennis, a lively and charming town.
Day 10 Galway - Connemara National Park or Aran Islands
Spend the morning driving to Galway City and exploring the city. It’s a colourful, modern and beautiful city and I bet you’ll enjoy it here. I recommend spending the afternoon exploring the beautiful Connemara National Park (featuring Clifden and the impressive Kylemore Abbey). I recommend spending your night in the lovely little town of Westport. If you’re more into islands and a little adventure, skip Galway City and the Connemara National Park and spend the whole day exploring the Aran Islands.
Day 11 Northern Ireland
Next morning, head to Achill Island - the spectacular landscapes are a must if you’re around. Then follow the road to Sligo, maybe have lunch there and visit the Sligo County Museum (W.B. Yeats!). Spend the rest of the day driving along the coast of Donegal, one of the least visited and most remote areas of Ireland. Have your camera ready as the scenery is just spectacular. Spend the evening and night in Derry and be sure to visit the Derry Girls mural there.
Day 12 Causeway Coast
I recommend spending the day exploring North Antrim’s beautiful coastline. Stop at Portstewart Beach, visit Dunluce Castle and/or do a tour at the Old Bushmills Distillery. The highlight of your day is probably the magnificent Giant’s Causeway. If you love adventures, be sure to squeeze a trip to the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge in. We loved it! Spend the night in Belfast.
Day 13 Belfast
Spend the morning strolling down St George’s Market, another lovely traditional Victorian market. It’s 100 years old and booming in recent years. I recall it being a weekend only market, so be sure to check that before you arrive.
My number one tip for Belfast is doing a Black Taxi Tour. These tours are a good craic, the drivers are fun and informative and it gets you on a very personal level.
Be sure to visit the Titanic centre. The Titanic was built in Belfast and the Titanic Belfast showcases how the ship was built and who the people were that faithfully boarded the ship, not knowing it was their last adventure. It’s one of the best centres we’ve been to so far. Enjoy your evening in Belfast, there are great places to eat and drink.
Day 14 Newgrange - Boyne Valley
On your last morning, leave Belfast and travel south to explore Newgrange and the Boyne Valley. It’s amazing to visit the cradle of the Irish civilisation with its ancient passage tombs and the Hill of Tara close by. Take your time here as the area is really amazing. Head back to Dublin in the afternoon and enjoy a good dinner and maybe some drinks on your last evening in Ireland.
Wow - we made it! This is it. I can’t believe how short 14 days can be, especially in Ireland. There is SO much more I’d love to show you. So be sure to come back and extend your stay and add another seven days to it, so you can do the 21 days Road Trip. I highly recommend it! And you know what they say, the body needs this time to really reboot and relax. If it’s not for you, be sure to check out our shorter itineraries for 7 days, 3 days and 10 days.
Stay safe and don’t stop dreaming!