Traveling from London to Dublin
Jul 7th, 2011, 06:57 AM
#21
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Thank you for your recent responses. We will sail/rail from London/Holyhead/ferry/Dublin on July 30 at 8:50. I can book tickets when in London. We fly out of Dublin on August 5 am. Our tentative plans are arrive Dublin around 6pm on Saturday. Check in and spend time in Temple Bar area. Sunday tour Trinity College, St. Stephens Green, National Museum, Merrion Square and do the pub crawl in the evening. Rent car Monday (rental suggestions?) for the SW (Kilkenny and Cashel), possibly a town on the coast by Waterford, then up the W coast( Dingle or Ring of Kerry), Cliffs of Moher and back to Dublin on Thurs afternoon. Is this reasonable considering time allowance? Suggestions for overnite stops?
Jul 7th, 2011, 07:28 AM
#22
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Dublin
Pretty leisurely schedule. I think you can add one more sight if you wish, as the National Museum is not exactly the size of the Louvre (1.5-2hrs. should do). Trinity College/ Book of Kells/ Long Room also does not take forever (unless you have a long queue), and Merrion Sq and St Stephen's Green are leisure walks of 30 minutes each.
The "rest"
Kilkenny and Cashel are fine, but I would skip the sidetrip to the Waterford coast. And rather get in the direction of Dingle. Either the full way, or somewhere in between Cashel and Dingle. Or head for Killarney/ Ring of Beara. The latter instead of the Ring of Kerry as no tour buses are allowed there.
Pretty leisurely schedule. I think you can add one more sight if you wish, as the National Museum is not exactly the size of the Louvre (1.5-2hrs. should do). Trinity College/ Book of Kells/ Long Room also does not take forever (unless you have a long queue), and Merrion Sq and St Stephen's Green are leisure walks of 30 minutes each.
The "rest"
Kilkenny and Cashel are fine, but I would skip the sidetrip to the Waterford coast. And rather get in the direction of Dingle. Either the full way, or somewhere in between Cashel and Dingle. Or head for Killarney/ Ring of Beara. The latter instead of the Ring of Kerry as no tour buses are allowed there.
Jul 8th, 2011, 06:36 AM
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Cowboy's suggestions are good. If you do decide to spend your extra day in Dublin, the National Museum is closed on Mondays but open sunday afternoon.
I too would skip the Waterford detour. I know that the next bit is heresy on this forum, but I would also skip Kinsale. I don't think it is a bad place (there is no such thing as a bad or boring place in Ireland), but I couldn't find the cause of so much enthusiasm on my visit there.
Might I suggest this itinererary.
Monday; head for Cashel and spend the night.
Tuesday:head for Dingle for the night explore the peninsula
Wednesday Check out the some of the last bits of Dingle and head for the Shannon area(Ennis maybe)--cliffs of Moher, Craggaunowen project, bunratty folk park. Ennis is small enough to be comfortable but large enough to have quite a few pubs, restaurants and places to spend the night.
Thursday head back toward dublin and take a detour to Clonmacnoise. Or go directly toward Dublin and explore the area north of dublin--Newgrange, malahide, the coast.
I too would skip the Waterford detour. I know that the next bit is heresy on this forum, but I would also skip Kinsale. I don't think it is a bad place (there is no such thing as a bad or boring place in Ireland), but I couldn't find the cause of so much enthusiasm on my visit there.
Might I suggest this itinererary.
Monday; head for Cashel and spend the night.
Tuesday:head for Dingle for the night explore the peninsula
Wednesday Check out the some of the last bits of Dingle and head for the Shannon area(Ennis maybe)--cliffs of Moher, Craggaunowen project, bunratty folk park. Ennis is small enough to be comfortable but large enough to have quite a few pubs, restaurants and places to spend the night.
Thursday head back toward dublin and take a detour to Clonmacnoise. Or go directly toward Dublin and explore the area north of dublin--Newgrange, malahide, the coast.
Jul 8th, 2011, 06:36 AM
#25
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Cowboy's suggestions are good. If you do decide to spend your extra day in Dublin, the National Museum is closed on Mondays but open sunday afternoon.
I too would skip the Waterford detour. I know that the next bit is heresy on this forum, but I would also skip Kinsale. I don't think it is a bad place (there is no such thing as a bad or boring place in Ireland), but I couldn't find the cause of so much enthusiasm on my visit there.
Might I suggest this itinererary.
Monday; head for Cashel and spend the night.
Tuesday:head for Dingle for the night explore the peninsula
Wednesday Check out the some of the last bits of Dingle and head for the Shannon area(Ennis maybe)--cliffs of Moher, Craggaunowen project, bunratty folk park. Ennis is small enough to be comfortable but large enough to have quite a few pubs, restaurants and places to spend the night.
Thursday head back toward dublin and take a detour to Clonmacnoise. Or go directly toward Dublin and explore the area north of dublin--Newgrange, malahide, the coast.
I too would skip the Waterford detour. I know that the next bit is heresy on this forum, but I would also skip Kinsale. I don't think it is a bad place (there is no such thing as a bad or boring place in Ireland), but I couldn't find the cause of so much enthusiasm on my visit there.
Might I suggest this itinererary.
Monday; head for Cashel and spend the night.
Tuesday:head for Dingle for the night explore the peninsula
Wednesday Check out the some of the last bits of Dingle and head for the Shannon area(Ennis maybe)--cliffs of Moher, Craggaunowen project, bunratty folk park. Ennis is small enough to be comfortable but large enough to have quite a few pubs, restaurants and places to spend the night.
Thursday head back toward dublin and take a detour to Clonmacnoise. Or go directly toward Dublin and explore the area north of dublin--Newgrange, malahide, the coast.
Jul 8th, 2011, 06:46 AM
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For less driving, you might try this:
spend Monday in Dublin--there is lots open except for the national museum
Tuesday pick up car and head to Kilkenny via the Wicklow Hills, glendalough, Powerscourt Gardens.
Explore Kilkenny--castle, gardens, Rothe house, St. Canice's cathedral and round tower, Blackfriars Abbey, etc. If you want to skip some of these sites take the day to drive to Cashel and visit the Rock and drive or take the walk to swiss Cottage from Cashel.
Thursday head back to Dublin and explore some of the area north of the airport.
spend Monday in Dublin--there is lots open except for the national museum
Tuesday pick up car and head to Kilkenny via the Wicklow Hills, glendalough, Powerscourt Gardens.
Explore Kilkenny--castle, gardens, Rothe house, St. Canice's cathedral and round tower, Blackfriars Abbey, etc. If you want to skip some of these sites take the day to drive to Cashel and visit the Rock and drive or take the walk to swiss Cottage from Cashel.
Thursday head back to Dublin and explore some of the area north of the airport.
Jul 8th, 2011, 06:46 AM
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For less driving, you might try this:
spend Monday in Dublin--there is lots open except for the national museum
Tuesday pick up car and head to Kilkenny via the Wicklow Hills, glendalough, Powerscourt Gardens.
Explore Kilkenny--castle, gardens, Rothe house, St. Canice's cathedral and round tower, Blackfriars Abbey, etc. If you want to skip some of these sites take the day to drive to Cashel and visit the Rock and drive or take the walk to swiss Cottage from Cashel.
Thursday head back to Dublin and explore some of the area north of the airport.
spend Monday in Dublin--there is lots open except for the national museum
Tuesday pick up car and head to Kilkenny via the Wicklow Hills, glendalough, Powerscourt Gardens.
Explore Kilkenny--castle, gardens, Rothe house, St. Canice's cathedral and round tower, Blackfriars Abbey, etc. If you want to skip some of these sites take the day to drive to Cashel and visit the Rock and drive or take the walk to swiss Cottage from Cashel.
Thursday head back to Dublin and explore some of the area north of the airport.
Jul 8th, 2011, 12:42 PM
#28
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Thank you so much Cowboy and Irishface for your suggestions. I am going to research your suggestions in my Fodor's and Rick Steves books and then get back with an updated itinerary. I think your suggestion for an extra day in Dublin may be something to consider if we get there and really enjoy it. Yet, we would be remiss if we didn't get to see some of the sites of Ireland. Your suggestion for sight seeing North of Dublin should we have excess time sounds good since our last nite will be by the airport. I had another post inquiring about our itinerary with specifics to the ROC and Dingle area;sounds as if both of you would eliminate ROC and do Dingle. We really want to see towns with the Irish culture, pubs, thatched roofs, etc.
Your advice has been most helpful.
Your advice has been most helpful.
Jul 15th, 2011, 05:51 AM
#29
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I think we have moved forward on our itinerary. We are leaving Dublin early Monday morning for Cashel and Cahir. We have decided to spend the night in Kinsale. We love Sausolito California, and it is suppose to be a likeness to that. We have 2 personal friends who have visited there, both Irish, and it was their favorite part of the trip; besides my husband, an avid golfer, would like to stop by Old Head golf club just to see it. I am hoping to visit either Kilkenny or Blarney Castle ( I would prefer Kilkenny), but don't know what time will permit. We plan to leave Dublin aroung 9am.
Tuesday we will leave early for Killarney attractions, and then O/N in Dingle. I have secured lodging in both places at B&B's which we are excited about so now I can concentrate more on the attraction itinerary.
Wednesday we will drive around the Dingle Penninsula and head towards Shannon. No reservations for that night, figure we will wing it for now to see where we end up.I am basically following Irish Face's plan 1 for our itinerary.
Thank you for all of the suggestions so far; they are all considered very helpful and I would continue to welcome more.
As for our trip to London; we leave one week from tomorrow. I still have many things to research for the itinerary there for 6 days, and Ireland's 6 days. Any suggestions are welcome.
Tuesday we will leave early for Killarney attractions, and then O/N in Dingle. I have secured lodging in both places at B&B's which we are excited about so now I can concentrate more on the attraction itinerary.
Wednesday we will drive around the Dingle Penninsula and head towards Shannon. No reservations for that night, figure we will wing it for now to see where we end up.I am basically following Irish Face's plan 1 for our itinerary.
Thank you for all of the suggestions so far; they are all considered very helpful and I would continue to welcome more.
As for our trip to London; we leave one week from tomorrow. I still have many things to research for the itinerary there for 6 days, and Ireland's 6 days. Any suggestions are welcome.
