Should I start a first Ireland trip in Dublin, or go straight to the regions?
Start in Dublin, but keep it short. One or two nights covers Trinity College and the Book of Kells, Kilmainham Gaol and the Guinness Storehouse, and it lets a long flight wear off before any serious driving. After that, the regions are the trip: the southwest, the west and the north are where most people say Ireland happened. Going straight west makes sense only if flights land at Shannon, or on a second visit with Dublin already done. Our itinerary guide opens with this shape for a reason: capital first, briefly, then out.
Useful pages: Plan your journey · Public transport in Ireland · Dublin · Belfast · Plan your Ireland itinerary · Dublin and the East in 3 Days · The Grand Tour in 10 Days · The Full Island in 14 Days · Ennis · Galway city · Experiencing the Irish coastline · Guided versus self guided tours · Where to stay · Ready-made itineraries · Coming home · County Galway · Cashel · Northern Ireland · Travel notices
Sources
- Irish Escapes itineraries, planner trip type data and road dataset: shared/itineraries.json, shared/roads.json and planner code, irishescapes.ie
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