Day by day
Classic Circuit in 7 days.
Ireland's most popular road trip. Seven days to cover the essential south and west: Dublin, Cork, the Ring of Kerry, Dingle, the Cliffs, Galway, and Connemara — returning with full hotels memory cards and stories.
Day 1
County Dublin
Dublin — Arrive & Explore
- Arrive Dublin — pick up rental car at the airport
- Temple Bar, Trinity College & Book of Kells afternoon
- DART coastal train to Howth for cliff walk at sunset
- Evening dinner in the Docklands or Portobello
Day 2
Wicklow → Kilkenny
Glendalough & Medieval Kilkenny
- Morning detour: Glendalough — 6th-century monastic city, Round Tower, Upper Lake walk
- Arrive Kilkenny — Medieval Mile Museum & Kilkenny Castle
- Smithwick's Experience brewery tour (since 1710)
- Overnight Kilkenny — trad sessions at John Cleere's
Day 3
County Cork
Cork & Kinsale — Food Capital
- English Market Cork — food market since 1788, artisan produce
- Blarney Castle & kissing the Stone of Eloquence (climb 127 steps)
- Kinsale harbour — Ireland's gourmet capital, colourful buildings
- Evening seafood at Fishy Fishy or Man Friday
Day 4
County Kerry
Killarney & Ring of Kerry
- Killarney National Park morning — Ross Castle, Muckross Abbey
- Gap of Dunloe — mountain pass, Black Valley, jaunting cars
- Ladies View overlook of the Upper Lake (N71 scenic route)
- Kenmare — colourful market town with stone circle nearby
Day 5
County Kerry — Dingle
Dingle Peninsula — Slea Head Drive
- Slea Head Drive — Ireland's most dramatic coastal road (48km loop)
- Gallarus Oratory — 1,300-year-old dry-stone oratory still watertight
- Dingle Distillery tour — Irish whiskey & gin in a working distillery
- Evening: meet Fungie (if still present) at Dingle harbour
Day 6
Clare → Galway
Cliffs of Moher & Galway City
- Cliffs of Moher early morning — arrive before 9am to beat coach tours
- Burren limestone plateau — Poulnabrone Dolmen, rare flora
- Arrive Galway — Latin Quarter stroll, Shop Street performers
- Trad music at The Crane Bar or Tigh Coili — evenings run late
Day 7
Connemara → Dublin
Connemara & Return Dublin
- Kylemore Abbey & walled Victorian garden on Pollacapall Lough
- Sky Road loop above Clifden — spectacular Atlantic views
- Twelve Bens mountain range — bog cotton, wild bog landscape
- Return Dublin via N17 & M6 (approx 2.5 hours)
Book the full circuit
7 nights. 7 tonnes CO₂ removed.
Book all 7 hotels through IMPT. Lowest price guarantee — same as Booking.com or better on every property. Each booking retires 1 tonne of verified CO₂ on Ethereum. €5 free credit for new members.
Common questions
About the 7-day itinerary.
Is 7 days enough time for the classic Ireland circuit?
Seven days is the sweet spot for covering Dublin, Kerry, Dingle, Galway and Connemara comfortably. You'll have enough time to linger at each stop — a morning hike in the Gap of Dunloe, a full afternoon in Kilkenny's Medieval Mile, a relaxed dinner in Kinsale. Days won't feel rushed if you stick to the sequence above and resist adding too many extra detours.
How many miles/km is this road trip?
Approximately 1,100km (680 miles) total. The longest single driving day is Day 3 (Kilkenny to Cork, around 145km) which is under 2 hours. Most days involve 90–150 minutes of driving, leaving plenty of time for sightseeing. Ireland's roads are generally good but narrower than continental Europe — budget extra time for rural sections.
What's the best order to drive this route?
Counter-clockwise (Dublin → south → Kerry → Galway) is the classic direction and means you're driving anti-clockwise on the Ring of Kerry — the recommended direction for motorists (opposite to coach tours). The route above follows this logic. It also means the dramatic Atlantic coastline is on your left most of the time, giving the driver the best views.
Where should I stay on each night of this itinerary?
Night 1: Dublin city centre (stay near Temple Bar or Smithfield for easy walking). Night 2: Kilkenny city. Night 3: Cork city or Kinsale. Nights 4–5: Killarney town (central base for both Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula). Night 6: Galway city centre. Night 7: optional Connemara or return to Dublin for early flight. All bookable on IMPT at same-as-Booking.com prices.
Can I extend this to 10 days?
Easily — add 3 days after Galway to explore Connemara more thoroughly, or add a night in Limerick to see the Burren from the east. Alternatively split the Dingle/Ring of Kerry day into two to slow down in Kerry. Our 14-day itinerary extends the route all the way north to Donegal and Belfast.
Sustainable & green accommodation: IMPT lists eco-friendly hotels, green-certified stays, sustainable guesthouses, and responsible travel options — from carbon-neutral hotels and eco lodges to environmentally friendly B&Bs and net-zero accommodation. Every booking removes 1 tonne of verified CO₂ at the lowest price guarantee — same as Booking.com or better.