Please let me know what you think of my itinerary for next May? We will be touring the Cliffs of Mohar from Galway; the Dingle & Ring of Kerry from Killarney; Kinsale from Blarney....
Arrive at 11:05a.m. pick up car and drive North to Downpatrick for 1 night
Bushmills 2 nights
Donegal 1 night
Westport 2 nights
Galway 3 nights
Killarney 3 nights
Blarney 3 nights
Kilkenny 2 nights
Dublin 3 nights

Trying to avoid 1 nighters; would you stay 2 nights in Donegal and take a night off of Dublin etc?
Any suggestions are welcome.
Thanks,
Som


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I do not think you need 3 nights for Blarney or possibly even Galway.

Depending what you want from Donegal you could combine South Donegal with Achill Island Beleek and Ciede Fields from Sligo.

Then move Westport to Clifden overnight stays and reduce Galway to 2. I would take a night from Killarney to break the Galway south dash. A night in Clare would give time for the Burren/Cliffs/Inis Oirr and stay in Ennis? You could then tour round Dingle on the way to Killarney rather than back tracking.

I think to that I would scrub a couple of the Blarney days as well. It is really overrun with tour busses and has really lost its charm. I took a friend there a few years ago and was really disappointed. The castle is wonderful, but you have to wade through so many bodies. Just my two cents.

If you are already going to be in the Cork area, you might want to consider traveling a bit further into West Cork. The Mizen Head area is stunning, very remote and the folks are friendly. I've been fortunate to travel there for most of my life and have a real fondness for it.

Some highlights are: Three Castle Head, Sheep's Head, Mizen Head Signal Station, Crookhaven and Schull. I understand that it is a bit out of the way, but it truly is wonderful. I hope that it would meet the expectations that I've given you.

If you have any questions about, please feel free to ask. I'd love to help.

Have fun planning and enjoy your trip!

Grady

www.ireland-travels.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/TravelToIreland
www.facebook.com/IrelandTravels

I've changed my 3 nights in Blarney to 3 nights in Kinsale then we can do a day trip to Blarney.

Would you take a day from Galway and stay an extra night in Donegal or spend one night near the Cliffs?


Thanks,
Som

As my answer on the other forum you are using.

"I wouldn't be spending more time in Kinsale than it takes to drive through plus an hour to walk about.

Add one night to Donegal as suggested above, put a night between Galway and Killarney to break the drive and maybe keep one night for Kinsale just to say you have been to the only place in Ireland that apparently warrants a Michelin Star for any place with an oven."

I still stand by the advice given earlier but if you have specific must see sights/locations for the places on your itinerary it might help those advising of any essentials.

Ok, here's my updated itinerary:
1 Night Belfast

2 Nights - Bushmills

2 Nights - Donegal

2 Nights - Westport

2 Nights - Galway

1 Night - Cliffs of Moher - where do you recommend we stay here?

3 Nights - Killarney

2 Nights - Kinsale

2 Nights - Kilkenny

3 Nights - Dublin

Forgot to mention we plan to golf at least once on this trip...

Som

Think that looks better and Closer to the way we have taken a couple of times recently.

To split the Galway to Killarney leg I would stay in Ennis and drive Dingle Peninsular on the way down. From Galway you could aim for Doolin and take the 11am Inis Oirr--Cliffs Cruise to see the Cliffs from the sea. Or see the Cliffs from Above after calling at the sights round Ballyvaughan, Dolmen, Ring Fort, Aillwee Caves and birds of Prey centre (Hawk walk?).

You could try Galway club at Salthill for the Golf (Clubs and Buggies available for hire)

Hi Som. That looks like a fantastic itinerary! It's great you'll have a few days in each place.

If you're still planning to visit Downpatrick on the drive from Dublin to Belfast, save a bit of time to see Dundrum or Newcastle on the coast set in the stunning Mounre Mountains (http://goo.gl/FKcrx). It is a solid 40 minutes off the motorway, so if you're feeling tired you may want to continue straight to Belfast, where you'll have your choice for activities.

In Belfast you may like to visit the newly opened Titanic Experience and take a Black Taxi tour around the city to get a feel for the history. In May it would be great to stop by the Botanic Gardens near Queen's University just beside the Ulster Museum, which has free entry! A wee stop in the Crown Saloon would make a great addition to what will surely be a wonderful first day to your trip (www.gotobelfast.com).

You'll have a couple days to explore the Antrim Coast so take your time getting to Bushmills. The Glens of Antrim are absolutely stunning and they each offer something different to explore. You may like a visit to Glenariff Forest Park where you can take a short walk to the cascading waterfalls. There are different trails so you can make this as short or as long a visit as you'd like with he nearest waterfall just 2 minutes from the parking lot (http://goo.gl/vs94A)!

I think it is a great idea to extend your visit to Donegal! The main landscape highlights would be the Slieve League seacliffs, the highest in Europe, and the Glenveagh National Park. There are 6 National Parks in the Republic of Ireland and with your itinerary you could very easily visit each one (www.npws.ie/).

From Sligo to Galway you have the option to take the N59 scenic highway, which passes through Ballycroy National Park, leads to the beautiful Achill Island (a must see), and will bring you directly to Westport for your next night. It is an incredible stretch of the island and would be well worth the extra distance it adds to the trip. I would also suggest a walk around Sligo on your way south as it is a bustling city with great heritage, including of course the Yeat's Trail. Westport is a brilliant town with great little pubs. You'll catch some fantastic sessions and be very close to some wonderful food. The restaurant Sage for instance offers brilliant local seafood and a tremendous ambiance.

You can continue to Galway via the N59 through Connemara National Park. On the way you may like to stop for a walk around the lovely town of Clifden. The drive is about an hour longer than the direct route bypassing the peninsula, but it will be 2.5 hours well spent.

Galway is a fantastic city with great walks along Galway Bay, lively street musicians, and fantastic restaurants and pubs. For Irish music you'll have your pick! Taaffes and Tig Coili are great little spots! For food check out McSwiggans and for fantastic Asian delights be sure to stop into the Asian Teahouse!

Staying in County Clare for a night is a good idea! I think if you want to be close to the Cliffs of Moher you may like a night in a Doolin B&B. The suggestion to take a boat ride out to the Cliffs by sea is a great idea. You may also like to visit the Aran Islands if you feel you have time. Doolin is considered the Music Capital of Ireland and aside from the great hospitality and music, the scenery cannot be beat. The Burren National Park in this area is absolutely stunning, and quite different from the other parts of Ireland as it's quite rocky and offers a unique flora. For a nice souvenir you may like to stop into the Burren Perfumery where you can make your own scent from the natural wildlife!

Alternatively staying somewhere like Ennis would be convenient to the road for your next days travel or somewhere near Bunratty Folk Park would be great if you'd be interested in the Medieval Banquet - an excellent cultural delight (www.shannonheritage.com).

Depending on where you decide to stay you have a couple options for getting down to Kerry either via Limerick or using the 20 minute ferry crossing through Shannon Estuary. If you stay inland on your night in Clare, near Bunratty or Ennis, you'd be best taking the Limerick route. If you find yourselves near the coast you may like to take the scenic drive to Killimer in County Clare and cross over to Tarbert in County Kerry.

In Killarney you'll have loads to see and do and with 3 nights you'll have time to explore the Ring of Kerry, Dingle, and Killarney National Park.

Kinsale is a great addition to the trip as its the food capital of Ireland and a beautiful town to see. In Cork city be sure to check out the wonderful English Markets. You also have some options for day trips to kiss the Blarney Stone, which is located on beautiful castle grounds, and visit the historic town of Cobh, great to visit if you're interested in the Titanic and emigration as it is a wonderful port city. From Cobh as well you can visit one of Ireland's emerging attractions at Spike Island, Ireland's Alcatraz (www.spikeislandcork.ie). If you're interested in more coastal drives you may like to head south to Baltimore passing through some lovely little villages. Baltimore is about 1.5 hours from Kinsale and has a ferry terminal for trips to Cape Clear Island (http://goo.gl/0GcgK).

From Kinsale you have about 2 hours of driving to reach Kilkenny with a notable visit to the Rock of Cashel enroute. Kilkenny is a wonderful medieval city with great pubs. Be sure to stop into Kyteler's Kitchen, a 13th century establishment with great charm. Be sure to check out St Canice's Cathedral in Kilkenny where you can climb up the Roundtower at selected times each day for a great overview of the surrounding areas (www.stcanicescathedral.com/).

From Kilkenny back to Dublin you may like to make the detour to see the beautiful Wicklow Mountains National park, the 6th and final National Park on your visit. It's a detour off the road but would be well worth an exploration of Glendalough and the lighthearted frolicking through the lands where Braveheart and P.S. I love you were filmed!

Dublin finishes off your journey for 3 great nights in the capital city. You'll have no problem finding great things to do in the hiving Temple Bar area, strolling through St Stephen's Green and checking out the many attractions such as Kilmainham Gaol and Trinity College. The Dublin Pass may provide you some savings if you're planning to cover many attractions (www.dublinpass.ie).

If you have a spare day you may like to take a trip to the Newgrange Burial Tomb, older than the Pyramids and accessible by guided coach tour in the case you've returned your rental car. You may also take the opportunity to explore the coastal areas of Dublin via public transportation. The Dart rail lines make accessing beautiful coastal villages such as Howth to the North or Bray to the South an easy adventure.

This looks like an absolutely fantastic plan for your explorations through Ireland. The only suggestion we could offer would be using an extra day from your itinerary in either Killarney or Dublin and moving it to Belfast, as you'll maybe be tired on your one day there and miss out on some of it's many attractions and highlights.

It's clear you've put a great deal of work into planning and it will be sure to pay off! I hope your visit to Ireland is everything you're hoping for and more!

Hi TourismIreland; wow amazing information; I hadn't planned on touring the Burial Tomb as we've been to Egypt. I've made a note of all your suggestions to discuss and plan ahead.

Many thanks,
Som

Hello - Presume you are driving so allow way more time than you might think to get between points. Try Doolin Activity Lodge in Doolin for a Ciffs of Moher stay - there is a bus practically outside the door if you don't want to drive to the cliffs. Great music in McGann's pub there pretty much every night. Doolin Activity Lodge is a very nice, modern property with reasonable rates and friendly proprietors; have stayed there 3 different times. I suggest skipping Killarney and staying in Kenmare. Whatever you do, wherever you go, have fun!

Make sure you do the Slea head drive in the Dingle Penn. It was hands down the most scenic part of our trip. To do it properly including Conners pass and Brandon point I think you will need a full day.