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7 Day Itinerary in Ireland - your feedback please
My husband and I are going to Ireland for the first time in early October 2018. Based on several of the 1 week itineraries I found online, I built the itinerary below and would love to get your feedback. We plan to rent a car on the days outside of Dublin. Are any of the days below too ambitious? Would you pick any different base cities to stay overnight other than what I chose? If possible, I'd like to have fewer "base camps" so that we can settle into each hotel for a short while, without having to pack everything up to leave the next morning but if not possible, that's fine. We are flexible. Did I miss anything? Would you remove anything? Thanks all!
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Just a quick comment -- that is a very aggressive itinerary for folks who like to >> have fewer "base camps" so that we can settle into each hotel for a short while, without having to pack everything up to leave the next morning<<
You are planning more than 20 hours butts in seats over six days (just basic driving without any stops at all) |
Where are you flying from and what time would you arrive in Dublin. No car is wanted or needed in Dublin. Checking in is not always possible early morning so make sure your hotel will store your luggage. I often land and get on a train or bus for my first stop. You could flip your trip and go directly by gobus from the airport to Galway. Rent a car from there on your second day. Exploring Galway city is fun, great food and pubs. .
The Aran islands? Which one? I like Inis mor but it is an all day trip going to catch the ferry and touring the island. You can go to Inisheer (Inis Oirr) from Doolin but still will take the good part of the day taking the ferry, touring and coming back. They do offer a combo tour that takes you to see the cliffs from the water. If you go to Inis Mor the cliffs there are beautiful and you could skip Cliffs of Moher imo. Take the ferry from Rossaveal ferry port. October might not be as long a wait to see Newgrange. They only admit small groups at a time and you could be there waiting for several hours. Mary Gibbons does a tour from Dublin and you are guaranteed entrance. Buy tickets online for Guinness. Stay in Killarney and use as your base for seeing the ROK, National Park, sheep dog farm and Muckross house. Two nights. Base in Cork/Cobh for Blarney and Kinsale. Kinsale is ok if really on your list but we had lunch, walked around for an hour and were done. Stop in Glendalough on your way back to Dublin and drop that car off and then take the bus into Dublin and do all your stops there. My brain is tired tonight but hope this helps a bit. I was trying to get you two nights in each place. |
Thanks for your help! I did try to revise but not sure if I made it better or worse...see below. I increased night in Dublin but now there are more 1 nighters in different places, which is okay, as I don't think there's a way out of that. I removed Aran Islands and moved Dingle Peninsula to the morning of Day 6 instead of doing that at teh end of Day 7 after Killarney National Park. Added Cork as an overnight. Do you think the below is better? Also, I would like to fit in a castle banquet -- I chose Dunguaire over Bunratty because it allows us to stay the night in Kinvarra, which brings us farther along on the road. Open to more suggestions and I'd be interested to hear what you think I can remove, so the we have ore time to enjoy everything in more depth. Thanks!
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[QUOTE=ali_fafa;16747361]Thanks for your help! I did try to revise but not sure if I made it better or worse...see below. I increased night in Dublin but now there are more 1 nighters in different places, which is okay, as I don't think there's a way out of that. I removed Aran Islands and moved Dingle Peninsula to the morning of Day 6 instead of doing that at teh end of Day 7 after Killarney National Park. Added Cork as an overnight. Do you think the below is better? Also, I would like to fit in a castle banquet -- I chose Dunguaire over Bunratty because it allows us to stay the night in Kinvarra, which brings us farther along on the road. Open to more suggestions and I'd be interested to hear what you think I can remove, so the we have ore time to enjoy everything in more depth. Thanks!
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I think you are way underestimating your drive times. Now you have about 24 hours of car time spread over five days. Places like the RoK and Dingle Peninsula you will average about 20 or 25 mph and over much of the rest you are in the 35mph range, 40mph when you really have open roads (which isn't often).
The route from say . . . Glendalough around along the SW/W coast up to Galway with all the places you want to visit would totally fill your almost 8 days and you want to do all that plus squeeze in 3 nights in Dublin. Sort of fitting a size 10 foot into a size 6 shoe . . . I would head straight to Galway on arrival at DUB and do JUST the west coast bits - then back to DUB the evening before your flight out. It would still be a bit rushed but a LOT better paced. Oh - to clarify, I meant taking the bus to Galway and collecting a car until the next day. Then drop it at DUB the evening before your flight. |
janisj is absolutely correct about the drive times.
What gave me a more realistic idea of how long it would take to drive around Ireland the first time I traveled there was to use theaa.com and double whatever they quoted. And that assumes you’re comfortable driving on the left side of the road and with the type of transmission your car has (manual vs. automatic). |
If you’re interested this is the thread from my first trip. It’s was for 12 days and we flew in and out of Shannon and skipped Dublin entirely. The pace was just right. And I was used to driving on the left side of the road and a manual transmission.
https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...stions-541758/ |
Too much!!! You have to cut some things out. It is impossible to do all of that. Maybe you should take a tour and squeezed all of that in but at least your not driving.
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You're right -- it's too much and I must remember this is holiday/vacation, not an episode of the amazing race LOL! So I revised and removed several things: Dingle (is this a huge mistake?), Dunguaire Castle Banquet (going to try to do castle banquet at Bunratty instead, if time allows). Doolin is not on the itinerary -- is that a must? Also, I should add that we are starting in Dublin and flying out of Shannon, not Dublin, so that gives us some more time. I managed to have more consecutive nights in 1 place, which is more relaxing. Please see below and let me know what you think.
Day 1: Arrive Dublin in morning. Check in. St. Patrick's Cathedral, Trinity College/Book of Keels, Guinness Brewery, Temple Bar. (Sleep in DUBLIN) - no car Day 2: Newgrange (tour), Kilmainham Gaol prison (Sleep in DUBLIN) - no car Day 3: Rent car. Drive to Glendalough and spend morning here, then afternoon/evening in Kilkenny. (Sleep in KILKENNY? Or should we keep driving and sleep in CORK?) Day 4: Rock of Cashel, Blarney Castle, maybe stroll in Kinsale (Stay the night in CORK? Or do you think we should keep driving and sleep in KILLARNEY?) Day 5: Kissane Sheep Dog Farm, Killarney National Park to see Muckross House, maybe some hiking to see Torc Waterfalll; (Sleep in KILLARNEY) Day 6: Cliffs of Moher, The Burren, Bunratty Castle (maybe + banquet) (Sleep in GALWAY) Day 7: Galway. What else do you suggest for this day, if anything? (Sleep in GALWAY) Day 8: Fly out of Shannon. |
Just a quick note. It is the Book of Kells not Keels.;)You have received good advice on cutting back on your itinerary. The biggest mistakes made by novice travelers is underestimating actual drive times. |
Now you have 18 to 20 hours car time in a little over 4 days. I still think you are underestimating drive times.
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@janisj, what would you change/remove?
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Originally Posted by ali_fafa
(Post 16747840)
@janisj, what would you change/remove?
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I like JanisJ’s idea. You won’t go wrong focusing on the West part of the country-it’s gorgeous. Dublin is ok-but doesn’t have the “wow” factor of the the West.
Driving will take so much longer than expected, and if you rush through everything you will enjoy nothing. We spent a few days in Killarney and it wasn’t enough. The town is good size eland active. Muckross is a large and beautiful estate. Much more to see than the house. We also drove the Dingle Peninsula from this base. Much more to see at Blarney than the stone. The grounds are lovely. Bunratty has the folk village to enjoy as well as the medieval banquet. The Cliffs take some time and in my opinion, the best way to enjoy the Burren is on a hike. Hope this helps! |
Okay, I've made significant changes from the original itinerary. Also, now, there's 3 nights in Dublin, 3 nights in Killarney, 1 night in Ennis. What do you think?
I really hope you don't suggest deleting more from the itinerary below but if I have to, then please tell me what I can remove. I have see similar itineraries, some are more ambitious, and I know it's possible to do a LOT but I do want my husband to enjoy and remember what we see/do. Day 1: Arrive Dublin in morning. Check in. St. Patrick's Cathedral, Trinity College/Book of Keels, Guinness Brewery, Temple Bar. (Sleep in DUBLIN) - no car Day 2: Newgrange (tour with Mary Gribbons) (Sleep in DUBLIN) - no car Day 3: Wicklow/Glendalough half day tour. Return to Dublin to visit Kilmainham Gaol. (Sleep in DUBLIN) - no car Day 4: Rent car. Drive to Rock of Cashel, Blarney Castle, VIsit Kinsale if time but most likely not. (Sleep in KILLARNEY) Day 5: Kissane Sheep Dog Farm, Killarney National Park to see Muckross House, maybe some hiking to see Torc Waterfalll, jaunting ride (Sleep in KILLARNEY) Day 6: Dingle day trip -- either by car or hop on a tour, depending on if we're tired of driving or not. (Sleep in KILLARNEY) Day 7: Cliffs of Moher, The Burren, Bunratty Castle (maybe + banquet) (Sleep in ENNIS) Day 8: Fly out of Shannon. |
I'll only ask . . . what is your fascination with Dublin? Just because you land there does not mean you need to focus on it. You obviously want to explore the west coast . . . so if it was my trip and I only had a week, I'd stick to the west coast. You are trying to squeeze RoC, Blarney, Kinsale, Kilarney the RoK, the sheep dog farm,the National Park, Dingle Peninsula, Cliffs of Moher, the Burren, Bunratty Castle, and Ennis into FOUR days, Ireland is not a place you can dash through -- the roads simply don't allow it.
That's my 2¢ and you can use it or not. |
Your schedule is getting better. I love Dublin and am glad you are fitting it in. It is also good for that first jetlag day. Book the early bird at The Boxty house. Then hit the temple bar area. They have the best salmon and love having an early dinner there on the first day if staying in Dublin. Where are you staying? Glad you are doing the Mary Gibbons tour. Book in advance and the jail tour. The Brazen head is close by Guinness and worth a stop. Tony would love that you are staying in Ennis.
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rome2rio check them out. Now that I know you are flying out of Shannon it makes a bit of a difference. IF it is a nice day when you are at the cliffs do consider the tour to the aran islands with the ferry going up to the bottom of the cliffs. Best way to see them. Doolin ferry.
https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Killarn.../Ennis-Ireland |
I like Dublin too -- and if you had two weeks then sure, spend three days there. But you don't have two weeks. You don't even have 10 days. Except for a couple of 'musts', in the end it is really just a moderately-interesting city. The west coast is absolutely glorious and you will be surprised how slow the driving is and how many times you will want to stop for the views - if even just photo stops. A 50 mile drive could easily take 2.5 hours with just photo stops.
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