The BEST Ireland Itinerary: 10 Days (2025)

Looking for a 10-day Ireland itinerary?

I’ve planned two trips to Ireland as a tourist, and have learned my way around both Ireland and Northern Ireland.

My first trip to Ireland was 3 weeks, and the second was two weeks – from those experiences, I have uncovered the following:

• the most ‘must-see’ things to do
• hidden gems, that are less heard of
• short cuts
• things that not everyone knows until they’ve been to, or planned a trip to Ireland

I’m going to walk you through an Ireland 10-day itinerary that will:

• show you the best of what Ireland (specifically, the Republic of Ireland) has to offer
• has optional add-ons or modifications in case there’s something else you’d rather do than what I’ve suggested
• explains how to get from place to place (I recommend a rental car, but transit and tours are widely available too and I’ll explain how to use them and make recommendations.)

So, let’s jump in – the best Ireland 10-Day Itinerary!

Ireland Itinerary: 10 Days (Overview)

This is a snapshot of what it will look like (10 nights total)

• 2 nights in Dublin
• 2 nights in the Clifden area (Galway, Clifden castle, Kylemore Abbey, village of Cong, and more)
• 3 nights in the Limerick area (see the cute village of Adare, Blarney Castle, Dingle Peninsula or the Ring of Kerry)
• 2 nights in the Cork area (
• 1 night near the airport to fly out the next day

With this itinerary, you’ll be able to fit in:

• all 4 of the major cities (Dublin, Galway, Cork and Limerick)
• several cute, charming small towns
• many scenic drives
• several medieval castles

I recommend renting a car, but you can also fit a lot of the above in by booking tours from where you’re staying.

Dublin (2 nights)

You could spend the day or two in Dublin at the beginning of your trip, or at the end. Either way, I definitely recommend a day or two to see Dublin while you’re in Ireland.

Day 1: Explore all that Dublin has to offer

The key things to see depend on somewhat on your priorities, but they are:

Walk through the city centre.

There’s lots to see on-foot right in the old part of town.

• Christchurch Cathedral
• St Patrick’s Cathedral
• Dublin Castle
• Temple Bar (you can get a drink here, but its a little over-touristy – so I recommend just taking a photo.)

Everything is within a 10-15 minute walk, so depending on how much time you spend, this could just take the morning.

Here are some options for the afternoon/rest of the day in Dublin:

Walk up the historic Grafton Street, and enjoy music from street performers.

If you’re in Dublin with kids, you’ll want to walk through St. Stephen’s Greens, a historic Victorian park just across from Grafton street.

St. Stephen’s Greens has beautiful gardens, a pond, and a playground. Whether you have kids with you or not, its a nice place to get outside in the heart of Dublin.

Visit the Guinness Brewery (do a tour if you like)

The Guinness tour is very popular for first-time visitors to Dublin. Guinness or beer isn’t an interest of mine, so I haven’t done this – but the tour is well-rated, and you can find some unique Irish souvenirs in their gift shop.

They also have a nice view of Dublin from their tasting room.

Day 2: Drive to the west coast

On the morning of day 2, check out of your accommodation, pick up your rental car and then drive to the Galway area (which is about 3.5 hours from Dublin.)

I find that the roads leaving Dublin are pretty busy, and intimidating – especially if you’re not used to driving ‘on the other side.’ Just know where you’re going and have Google Maps all set up.

Driving from Dublin to Galway could take under 3 hours if you just go straight there without stopping.

The roads between Dublin and the northwest coast are very scenic, especially if you take the ‘scenic way’ as opposed to the motorways.

If you want to make stops, then budget for it to take closer to 3.5-4 hours (especially if you stop for a sit-down meal.)

If you’re interested in making some stops, there are a few things to see between Dublin and Galway:

• Tullamore, a village that marks the halfway point between Dublin and Galway. Has a DEW whiskey distillery, where you can do tours and tastings.
• Clonmacnoise, a monastery in ruins just past Tullamore. Built in the 6th century!

This article explains a few slower, but scenic routes to take if you’d rather take your time, as well as some things to see in between Dublin and the Galway area.

Once you get to the Galway area, it’ll probably be time to check into your accommodation.

Where to stay in Galway

You don’t have to specifically stay in Clifden, like I suggested. There are a number of nice places to stay in the area. You could stay right in Galway city if you want, or if you’re like me and prefer the countryside, there are many hotels, AirBnbs, cottages, castle hotels that will give you that gorgeous Irish rolling green scenery.

So, it depends what style you’re looking for.

Here are a few of my suggestions, according to budget.

• Budget: Padraicins B&B in a seaside village called Furbo, with beautiful views of the ocean and only a half-hour drive to Galway
• Mid-range: A luxury bed and breakfast experience Irish hospitality at this adorable bed and breakfast located in a village called Moycullen, just a 30-minute drive from Galway city
• Luxury: Connemarra Haven Bed and Breakfast This bed and breakfast in Barnagorteeny (1 hour from Galway city) is like a fairy tale – trust me, you won’t be disappointed

Galway country (2 nights)

Day 3 of itinerary: Explore Clifden village + castle

Check out of your accommodation and drive to Clifden. It’ll be 30-60 minutes of driving, depending on where you stayed.

Clifden is one of the most charming Irish villages, located right on the water.

It’s small (so there isn’t a lot to do, but it’s worth it to see.) I recommend grabbing coffee or breakfast at the Upstairs Downstairs Cafe – it serves sandwiches, soups, salads and pastries, as well as coffee.

After that, walk or drive up to Clifden Castle.

Good to know: If you walk from Clifden to the castle, it would take about 30-40 minutes. If you drive, then you can park here but it’s a 1km (0.6 miles) or around 20-minute walk to the castle from the parking lot.

Options for what to do after seeing the village of Clifden and Clifden Castle:

Kylemore Abbey

If you’re visiting with kids, then Kylemore Abbey might be a great place to go. Its a working abbey where nuns currently live, and it has a fairy garden, activities and events. You can check it out and buy tickets here

Village of Cong

Cong was once pretty famous because it was the location of an old film starting John Wayne, called Quiet Man. It’s a nice place to walk around, and its home to the Cong Abbey which was built in the 1200s.

Connemara Park

Connemarra Park offers some great hiking and viewpoints where you can get the most spectacular views. I used this All Trails link to find some trails. There are some very easy ones (less than 2 km or 1 mile) and several that are more challenging.

Killary Fjord Boat Tours

When we were staying in the area on our most recent trip, we did a boat cruise in Kilarney fjords because it was only 10-minutes from where we were staying. The Kilarey photos are quite beautiful (photos don’t do them justice) and you have a small chance of seeing dolphins! Book here

Day 4 of itinerary: Galway city and Cliffs of Moher

Today will be a fairly busy day of driving, and exploring – probably one of the busiest on this itinerary.

Check out of your accommodation and start driving south towards the Limerick area, which is where you’d be staying tonight.

There are LOTS of stops to make in between here and Limerick (which is around 2.5 hours of driving without stopping), so you should give yourself the day to make as many as you want and take your time.

Stop # 1: Galway city

Galway is a small city, and considered to be the ‘festival capital of Ireland,’ with several festivals held here year-round.

Galway is a small city, so you can easily see the downtown part of it in just an hour or two.

I don’t want you to rush it or anything, but it shouldn’t take all day to see everything. Here are the key things you’ll want to make sure to see or check out in Galway:

• Walk down Quay street, the main strip
• The Galway Cathedral
• The Latin Quarter
• The Spanish Arch

Each of the above things are fairly close together – only 20-30 minutes of walking tops.

However, you may want to give the city a good couple hours, as it’s a very cute city to explore.

You’ll get nice views of the River Corribb which runs right through town, and the ocean beyond it. There’s also lots of places to eat.

(Optional) Stop 2: Dungaire Castle

About 30 minutes after leaving Galway, you’ll reach Dungaire Castle. I recommend stopping there. It’s a small castle, so it doesn’t take long to see it.

We spent less than half an hour there, and explored their gift shop.

The other option is to simply pull over and take photos from your car. The photo above was taken from where we pulled over on the side of the road.

Stop # 3: Cliffs of Mother

The next (and probably the most important) stop between Galway and Limerick is Cliffs of Moher.

It closes between 5and 9pm, depending on what time of year you visit.

If you arrive after, then you may be able to see the cliffs at sunset (depending on what time of year you arrive.)

You could easily spend about an hour at the cliffs. You can walk around the area, walk up O’Brian’s Tower, and take lots of photos from several different angles and viewpoints.

I recommend driving on to the Limerick area (another hour, perhaps more depending where exactly you stay), but there are many places to stay near the cliffs as well.

Assuming you decide to spend the next 2 nights in Limerick, (which I recommend, if you don’t mind just a bit more driving today) then here are some suggestions:

• Budget: George Limerick Hotel A budget luxury hotel located in the city centre, within walking distance of attractions
• Mid Range: Absolute Hotel Limerick a stylish hotel located old town, with an on-site restaurant and spa, plus free breakfast
• Luxury: The Savoy Hotel Boutique hotel with a swimming pool and hot breakfast

The reason I recommend staying in the Limerick area isn’t just for Limerick itself, but because its a good gateway to other places that you definitely need to see in southwest Ireland. So, you could choose one of the hotels above in the city centre if you want, or choose a cottage, castle hotel or AirBnb that’s outside of Limerick. Whenever I visit the Limerick area (twice now) I stay at this Airbnb in a village called Croom, about 30 minutes from Limerick.

Limerick area (2 nights)

By now, you have seen some beautiful places – but prepare to have your mind blown, because southwest Ireland is (in my opinion) the most beautiful part of the country. It has the most dramatic, fairy-tale movie landscapes

Day 5 of itinerary: Explore Limerick city

Limerick is a the 2nd largest city in Ireland, and one that has lots of worthwhile things to do.

Personally, after visiting once, the #1 reason that made me want to see Limerick again was King John Castle and I highly recommend going there, first before it gets busy.

After King John Castle, you have your option of a few other things to do in Limerick:

• Simply walk around, and explore. St. Mary’s cathedral is the oldest building in the city, built in 1168. There’s also the Treaty of Limerick (a stone) signed in 1691
• If you’re here on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, visit the famous Milk Market which has been running since the 1800s!
• Get take-out fish and chips from Donkey Fords downtown (its known as the best take-out in all of Ireland)
• If you’re a sports person, then Limerick may be a highlight for you. Do a tour of the Thomond Park Stadium, or do the Limerick Rugby experience

Another option is to do one of the day trip options from day 6 (below) if not too many of the above things interest you. Limerick has some phenomenal day trip options, so skipping some of the above to see whats outside of the city is definitely worth it if not much interests you, or if things are closed.

Day 6 of Itinerary: Limerick Day trip

Now that you’ve seen what there is to see in the city of Limerick, its time to look at some of the amazing things there are to do in the area.

• Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. Perfect if you’re in Ireland with kids, because of its ‘folk park’ which is like walking through Ireland in the 1800s. It also has animals, and a fairy trail! Get tickets here
• Drive out to Rock of Cashel (1 hour) from Limerick. It’s one of the coolest abandoned castles in Ireland
• Stop by Adare village (can be done before or after Rock of Cashel or Bunratty Castle.) Adare is one of the most memorable (to me) charming towns in Ireland, its like walking in a storybook. I recommend stopping through there. also the location for Adare Manor, a castle converted into a hotel.
• Visiting the Aran Islands makes a bit more sense from the Galway area, but if you missed it then there’s a day trip to Aran Islands from Limerick too

Whichever of the above you choose, I know you won’t be disappointed. There are a lot of gems in this part of the country and you can’t go wrong with any of them.

Day 7 of Itinerary: Dingle Peninsula + check in to Kilarney accomodation

Check out of your accommodation in Limerick, and drive out to the Dingle peninsula.

The Dingle Peninsula is a 47 km (30 mile) loop, that will take much longer than the approximate 1-hour driving time, simply because there are so many stops to make.

some people take up to 2 days to explore the entire breathtaking peninsula, which has dramatic cliffs, Celtic ruins, and many cute small towns. 1 day though is absolutely enough to see all the highlights.

You don’t have to “plan” the whole route – depending on your travel style, I recommend just driving along the Slea Head Drive and stopping where you want! However, you don’t to miss anything.

Some of the interesting things to see (besides the spectacular ocean views) on the Dingle Peninsula are:

• Galarus Oratory, one of the best-preserved 1000-year-old churches in Ireland. It doesn’t look like your typical church though!
• Minard castle, which sits in ruins
• Scanlon’s Pet farm (if you’re travelling with kids)
• An Chonair / Conor Pass, which is in the middle of the peninsula, rather than the coast. But the views ar BEAUTIFUL and worth seeing
• Ceann Sibeal, which was featured in a Star Wars film
• Take a 1-hour boat tour to a really fascinating-looking rock formations

Apart from that, what you choose to do on the Dingle Peninsula depends what interests you – things with kids, romantic activities, beaches, etc.

Book a tour of the Dingle Peninsula if you want to be able to sit back and relax while seeing the best of what the peninsula has to offer (3 hours long and around $100 per person.)

After a few (maybe 2-5) hours of driving around and making stops at the Dingle Peninsula, head to the city of Killarney, and check into your accommodation.

Here are some of the best places to stay in Kilarney:

• Budget: Killarney Towers Hotel & Leisure Centre has an indoor pool, and is right downtown, for a decent price
• Mid-Range: Aghadoe Heights Hotel & Spa – 2 minutes from the town centre, overlooking mountains, and has an indoor swimming pool
• Luxury: The Killarney Park – 5 star hotel with indoor swimming pool and free parking and breakfast

Day 8: Explore Killarney

Killarney is the most touristy city in Ireland, and you’ll see why. It has a cute, walkable, pedestrian strip lined with shops, pubs and souvenir stores.

There’s also some fantastic things to do just outside of it. (My biggest mistake during my first trip to Ireland was not knowing about Kilarney – I made sure to give it the attention it deserved the second time!)

Things to do in and around the town of Killarney:

• Ross Castle, just 5 minutes from downtown Killarney. From there, you can do a 1-hour lake cruise on the largest lake in Killarney.
• Muckross Abbey, only 15 minutes from town, founded in the 1400s. It’s not still an abbey, as it’s in ruins – but it has a fascinating and (somewhat violent) history
• Torc Waterfall, just a 15-minute drive from Killarney. It’s 66 feet (20 metres) high. The parking lot is tiny, and is about a 5-minute walk from the falls. It can get a bit crazy at peak tourist times. The option is to bike from town, which would take 30 minutes.

Day 9: Explore Cork

I can’t believe we’re already at day 9. In the morning of your 2nd last day in Ireland, check out of your accommodation in Killarney and drive to Cork (about 1 hour from Killarney.)

Pro Tip: You could also drive to Cork the day before, but I would recommend taking all the time in Killarney that you can. There’s really nowhere else in Ireland like the southwest.

Cork is the second largest city in Ireland, and home to the famous butter museum. It’s also the ‘foodie’ city in Ireland.

Things to do in the city of Cork:

• Visit the English Market, which is one of the oldest markets in Europe and has been going since the 1700s! Perfect for foodies – you can find something unique for lunch there
• Do a Cork food tour (3 hours, and around $175 USD per person)
• Simply walk through the downtown. Like other Irish cities, it has cobbled streets, and cute walkways. In the summer, there will be buskers performing and a nice environment
• Head to Blackrock Castle, an interesting-looking 400-year-old castle just 2 km (1.2 miles) from downtown Cork.
• Tour the Cork City Gaol, which is a prison-turned-museum

Keep in mind, that depending on your schedule, some of the above ideas could be saved until tomorrow before you head back to Dublin.

Day 10: One more Cork activity and/or return to Dublin

If there’s anything else you want to do in the Cork area (such as anything from the above that you didn’t have time to fit in,) this morning is the day to do it.

From Cork, it’s about a 2 hour and 45-minute drive back to Dublin. (You’ll want to give yourself just over 3 hours to be safe!)

If your flight is late this evening, then you could easily make it there. But you could also stay at a Dublin airport hotel the night before flying home.

Dublin airport hotels:

• Maldron Hotel Dublin Airport (more affordable, and decent reviews)
• Radisson Blu Hotel Dublin Airport (a bit pricier, better reviews)

*These are both less than 1 km from the Dublin airport. They both offer breakfast and a shuttle

Ireland Itinerary 10 Days FAQ

Here are the most commonly asked questions about building an itinerary for Ireland, how many days are ideal, and about the 10-day range

Is 10 days enough time in Ireland?

10 days is a good amount of time to see most of the highlights in Ireland. It’s not enough to ‘see everything’ but you could spend months in Ireland and still not see at all. 10 days in Ireland will bring you to many of the cities, towns, castles, waterfalls, beautiful trails, lakes, and many other amazing things that the Emerald Isle has to offer.

How many days do I need to see Ireland?

You need a minimum of one week to ‘see’ the highlights of Ireland outside of its capital, Dublin. However, 7 days in Ireland will be pretty jam-packed and not enough time to ‘take it in.’ I recommend 10+ days if you want to see everything Ireland has to offer

How to see Ireland in 12 days?

You can absolutely see Ireland in 12 days. The minimum amount of time you want to spend in the republic of Ireland to see all the highlights from coast to coast is a week to 10 days, so 12 days is giving you some extra legroom to enjoy all it has to offer.

Final Thoughts on 10 Days in Ireland

I hope that this article has helped you plan an amazing and exciting 10 day Ireland itinerary. There are many little gems you will see, some which I may not have even mentioned. It’s a beautiful country and one that you will be glad you took the time to see.