The Grand Tour in 10 Days
Dublin, Kilkenny, the southwest, the west and the Causeway Coast: the full island arc for a first big trip.
Day 1: Dublin arrival
Overnight: Dublin
- Trinity College and the Book of Kells (County dublin)
- Guinness Storehouse (County dublin)
Shake off the flight with a walking day in the capital.
Day 2: Kilkenny, Ireland's medieval city
Overnight: Kilkenny
- Kilkenny Castle (County kilkenny)
- Rock of Cashel (County tipperary)
Cashel is on the way southwest. See it today, not as a detour later.
Day 3: To Kerry via Cork
Overnight: Killarney
- Blarney Castle (County cork)
- Killarney (County kerry)
A longer driving day; Blarney breaks it well.
Day 4: Ring of Kerry
Overnight: Killarney
- Gap of Dunloe (County kerry)
- Ladies View (County kerry)
Full day on the Ring; start early.
Day 5: Cliffs of Moher & the Burren
Overnight: Galway
- Cliffs of Moher (County clare)
- The Burren (County clare)
North through Clare, evening in Galway.
Day 6: Connemara day trip
Overnight: Galway
- Kylemore Abbey (County galway)
- Cong (County mayo)
Base stays in Galway; no packing today.
Day 7: North through Yeats country
Overnight: Sligo
- Westport (County mayo)
- Sligo (County sligo)
Benbulben on the horizon means you're nearly there.
Day 8: Donegal & Derry
Overnight: Derry
- Glenveagh National Park (County donegal)
- Derry (County derry)
Walk Derry's walls before dinner.
Day 9: The Causeway Coast
Overnight: Belfast
- Giant's Causeway (County antrim)
- Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge (County antrim)
- Dunluce Castle (County antrim)
The Antrim coast road is the drive of the trip.
Day 10: Belfast
Overnight: Belfast
- Titanic Belfast (County antrim)
- Belfast (County antrim)
Finish in Belfast, or take the motorway back to Dublin (about 2 hours).