10 days in Ireland: itinerary

The 10-day route runs west from Dublin, then south along the coast, and ends at an airport that is not Dublin. That single choice — fly into Dublin, out of Cork or Shannon — saves you a full day of backtracking and is the main reason 10 days works here.

Distances are short on paper and slow in practice. Two-lane roads, tractors, tour buses and sheep add time, so plan on an average of 60 km/h outside motorways and never schedule more than about 3 hours of driving in a day if you want to stop.

Days 1–3, Dublin. Trinity College and the Book of Kells, Kilmainham Gaol, the National Museum and a Georgian streets walk. Book the Book of Kells and Kilmainham online before you arrive; both sell out in summer. Use one afternoon for Glendalough or Newgrange if you have a car, otherwise stay in the city.

Days 4–5, Galway. Train from Heuston takes about 2 h 30. Galway is the base for Connemara, Kylemore Abbey and the Aran Islands ferry at Rossaveal. One full day in Connemara, one day in the city for the market and music.

Day 6, Clare. Drive south through the Burren to Doolin or Lahinch. Cliffs of Moher in the late afternoon or early morning, when the coach groups thin out. One night is enough here.

Days 7–8, Dingle. Cross on the Tarbert–Killimer ferry rather than driving through Limerick. Slea Head drive, the Blasket centre and a pub with music. Two nights is the minimum that makes the drive worthwhile.

Days 9–10, Killarney. An hour from Dingle. Ring of Kerry or the Gap of Dunloe, then a short drive to Cork or Shannon for the flight home. If your flight leaves early, sleep in Cork the last night.

Train and bus cover Dublin–Galway and Dublin–Cork well. Beyond that, timetables thin out and many of the places on this route — Doolin, Slea Head, the Gap of Dunloe — have no useful public transport. Rent a car from Galway and drop it at Cork or Shannon airport; one-way fees apply, so compare before booking.

Drive on the left. Narrow roads outside towns are often single-lane with passing places. If you are not used to this, take the smallest car you can fit your bags into, and avoid collecting the car in central Dublin — pick it up at the airport or in Galway instead.

Five bases in 10 days is the practical limit. If that is too much packing, cut Clare and give the extra night to Galway or Killarney — the route still works.

Dublin: anywhere within walking distance of the south city centre or on a Luas line. Galway: city centre, not Salthill, if you want to walk to dinner. Doolin or Lahinch: small guesthouses and B&Bs; book early for June–August. Dingle: town centre, so you can walk back from the pubs. Killarney: town, not the lakes, unless you have a car and want the quiet.

A mid-range 10-day trip runs about €1,200–2,000 per person, excluding flights (2026 estimate). That assumes guesthouses and B&Bs, a rental car split between two or more people, pub meals and a few paid sites. Self-catering and hostels bring it closer to €900; hotels and restaurants push it past €2,500.

If you have less time, the 7-day version drops Clare and Dingle and stays Dublin–Galway–Connemara. If you have more, the 14-day route adds Belfast, the Causeway Coast and Donegal — note that Northern Ireland needs a UK ETA or visa for non-Irish, non-British travellers, and you must tell the rental company you are crossing the border.

Other swaps that work: replace Killarney with Kinsale and West Cork for a food-focused trip, or replace Dingle with the Aran Islands if you want a night on Inis Mór. Both keep the same airport logic.