If you’re planning to visit Ireland, you may be wondering which cities to visit to experience this amazing country. While you could easily spend longer, many travelers only have a week! For that reason, we wanted to share this 7 Day Ireland Itinerary to show how much of Ireland you can see in just a short amount of time. This itinerary will give you a good overview and allow you to see many of Ireland’s highlights in just one week. This itinerary is based on a guided group tour we took, but with a few tweaks. Though we traveled with a tour group, you can also visit Ireland independently which is why we wanted to share this itinerary with you. However you prefer to travel, we know you’ll love it! We absolutely loved our visit to the Emerald Isle and would highly recommend a visit to this beautiful country.
How to Get to Ireland
For North American travelers, the best way to get to Ireland is to fly into Dublin. Other airports may also be an option, but Dublin (being Ireland’s capital and largest city) will be the most affordable and have the most flight options. Therefore, our 7 Day Ireland Itinerary starts and ends in Dublin!
Day 1: Arrival to Dublin
Upon arrival to Ireland, you’ll want to go to your hotel and settle in. You may want to take some time to rest, but be sure to keep to a good schedule (and try not to nap) to help reduce jet lag. Plus, I’m sure you’ll want to get out and see some of Dublin today! Depending on what time you arrive, we recommend visiting the famous Guinness Storehouse for a brewery tour or visiting Trinity College to see the Book of Kells. Make a visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral, take a drive along O’Connell Street or go shopping on Grafton Street.
Hotel: Royal Marine Hotel in Dún Laoghaire
Day 2: Dublin to Kildare, Cashel and Limerick
Depart from Dublin this morning and make your way to Kildare for a visit to the Irish National Stud. Here you can take a tour to learn about the horses and the history of horse racing in Ireland.
The Irish National Stud also has beautiful Japanese Gardens to explore during your visit.
Then, continue to the famous Rock of Cashel, which is where St. Patrick preached. We suggest you stop for lunch at a restaurant in Cashel – we ate at Mikey Ryan’s and loved it. Continue on to Limerick to your hotel.
For a fun night out, enjoy a medieval banquet at Bunratty Castle. Here you’ll enjoy a medieval feast with musical entertainment and storytelling from your medieval hosts.
Hotel: Limerick Strand Hotel
Day 3: Limerick to the Cliffs of Moher and Galway
Depart from Limerick this morning and travel to the Cliffs of Moher. The Cliffs of Moher is one of the most famous spots in Ireland. A visit to this gorgeous scenic viewpoint is a must!
Continue the scenic drive through the Burren to the famous city of Galway. Spend some time enjoying this lively seaside town and visiting its colorful shops and cafes.
Then, this afternoon you can make a visit to Rathbaun Farms. During a visit to this traditional Irish sheep farm, you can experience farm life, see a border collie round up sheep and even feed the lambs. We also made Irish scones during our visit here!
Hotel: Limerick Strand Hotel
Spend a second night at the Limerick Strand Hotel.
Day 4: Limerick to the Ring of Kerry and Killarney
Depart Limerick this morning for your scenic day of driving through the Ring of Kerry. From Dingle Bay, begin a 100-mile panoramic drive through this famous scenic area. There are plenty of places along the Ring of Kerry to stop and enjoy the viewpoints or take photos!
Next, continue on to Killarney, a popular resort town, to spend the night. One popular thing to do here is take a jaunting horse carriage ride to Ross Castle, which takes you through the Killarney National Park.
Hotel: Killarney Plaza Hotel
Day 5: Killarney to Blarney and Waterford
This morning, depart Killarney and make your way to Blarney (near Cork). Here, you can visit Blarney Castle and have the opportunity to kiss the famous Blarney stone. This is a famous tradition, as kissing the Blarney Stone is said to give you the ‘Gift of Gab’ (eloquent speech). Be sure to arrive early, as the line can get quite long. If you don’t want to kiss the stone, you can also enjoy the castle and gardens.
Then, continue on to Waterford where you can take a tour of the House of Waterford Crystal. A factory tour lets you go behind the scenes to see the process of creating these beautiful crystal pieces.
While in Waterford, we made a visit to Jack Meade’s pub. This traditional Irish pub was established in 1705 and still maintains its traditional character and charm.
Hotel: Granville Hotel
Day 6: Waterford to Glendalough and Dublin
Today, depart from Waterford and make your way back to Dublin. Along the way, you can stop at Avoca, Ireland’s oldest hand weaving mill to see the process of creating beautiful woven blankets.
Continue on to Glendalough, where you can explore this early Christian monastic site.
Return to Dublin and enjoy one final evening before your departure. We suggest enjoying one last supper in a local pub!
Hotel: The Gibson
Day 7: Dublin Departure
Depending on what time your flight departs, you may have time to do a bit more sightseeing in Dublin before you leave. Visit one of the attractions you missed on the first day! Whatever you choose to do, make the most of your final hours in Dublin before returning to the airport for your departing flight home!
Planning Your Own Ireland Adventure
We hope you find this 7 Day Ireland Itinerary helpful as you plan your own exciting adventure. Whether you follow our itinerary exactly or just use it for inspiration, we know you will have an amazing time! Ireland is such a beautiful country with so much to offer tourists. Let us know if you have any questions about the destinations or attractions in this itinerary!
This itinerary was modified from the tour we experienced with Globus. If you are considering a guided group tour with Globus or another tour company, we recommend contacting a travel agent. If you are looking for a travel agent, Josh works at Wish Upon a Star with Us travel and would be happy to assist you with your vacation plans!
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