When I moved to London three years ago, I had a long list of places I wanted to visit and experience before my time was up. Very high on list had always been Ireland, as I am a big nature lover and have always wanted to go on a roadtrip around the west coast of Ireland.
Fast forward three years, I was quickly coming up on my flight back to the States and I had not been to Ireland yet. As it does, time flew by, and I knew I had to just pull the trigger and figure it out. So, I booked a one-way flight to Dublin and a return ticket back from Shannon and… figured it out!
I embarked on the journey very nervous and scared as this was my first time doing a solo trip of this magnitude. I had recently done a city trip to Edinburgh alone but this was going to be on a different level. This was a 5-day excursion starting in Dublin and ending in Shannon, and I was going to be driving for half of it! I had never driven on the left side of the road, and knowing the crazy roads Ireland has, I was admittedly nervous for the challenge. However, what’s life without some bravery?
Truly, it was some of the more fulfilling and educational days of my life. I explored, ate, drank, read, sat, hiked, walked, ran, and throughly enjoyed this beautiful country. The main takeaway I had the entire time is just how loving and warm the Irish people are. No matter where I went, someone always struck up a conversation, giving me recommendations or just telling me stories about their life. I felt very welcomed and very safe the whole time.
I ended up video vlogging the whole trip and you guys seemed to love it too! I got lots of messages from people asking for my itinerary so I figured the best way to do it was to write it up here! This is my personal itinerary and what I felt was worth doing. Of course, I am but a visitor, and I definitely missed so much. Ireland is already on my list to revisit next year (which is pretty rare for me!).
My Ireland Itinerary:
Quick overview:
Day 1: Dublin
Day 2: Galway
Day 3: Drive to Kerry
Day 4: Kerry
Day 5: Kerry- Shannon (go back to London)
Day 1: London to Dublin
Early morning Ryanair flight from London Gatwick to Dublin Airport.
I took the 9:45 A.M flight so that I could take the train to Gatwick and save money that way.
Land in Dublin at 11 AM. Buy a Leap visitor card from the W.H Smith in the arrival area if you are planning to use the buses and trams. You can get a 24 hour visitor card or more if you are staying longer.
Buy a ticket for the Express bus straight to the center of Dublin. This was 10 euros.
Get off at Wellington Quay and walk to the Hoxton, Dublin.
I stayed at the Hoxton for my night in Dublin and it was lovely. I love Hoxtons because they blend boutique hotel vibes with a modern feeling. The staff was so lovely and everyone knew so much about Dublin. If you’re lucky, Sorcha will be the one checking you in. She gave me so many amazing recs, not just for Dublin but also for the rest of my trip.
Since you get there around noon, drop your bags off and get some lunch while you wait for your room to get ready.
The Hoxton is in a very central location so I walked around for a bit and explored the shops and restaurants around the place.
Head over to Loose Cannon for a toastie and a glass of wine if you fancy it! It’s a small and cute wine bar that only serves roasters (grilled cheeses) and lovely wines. I skipped the wine but got the pesto toastie. Amazing flavor but VERY cheesy so lactose intolerant people beware!
After that I walked to digest and explored Christ Church Cathedral which was beautiful. They have a very nice audio guide that explains the history through different lenses.
Unfortunately the Dublin Castle is closed right now due to Ireland hosting the Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Head back to the Hoxton and if you’re like me, pass out for 2 hours to make up for the early start LOL!
By early evening, I got ready and headed to the Hoxton lobby bar for a few drinks- get the blackberry Paloma if you do, it’s so good.
After drinks, I walked around more before my dinner reservation. I explored Trinity College and walked around St. Stephen’s Green before walking around Grafton St. I loved doing this at sunset as everything looked extra gorgeous (weather dependent of course)
I made a reservation for Kicky’s which is down the street from the Hoxton, and you should make one! It gets very busy.
However, the food is absolutely superb. It’s Mediterranean inspired food and every single thing I ate hit the spot. Some extra memorable dishes were
The potato focaccia (get guanciale in the butter if you can)
The mussels
The basque cheesecake
After dinner I headed to the Dame Tavern for a pint of Guinness which was lovely and creamy.
The next morning I woke up early and went for a run around the town and made sure to cross the bridge and see what was over there. I got breakfast at the Coffee Bean and ordered the Dubliner and a green juice. A very hearty start to the day and was delicious!
I then got back to the hotel and checked out as I was taking a 11 AM train to Galway!
Pesto toastie; Christ Church Cathedral; Hoxton room; blackberry paloma; st Stephen green; trinity college; Kicky’s mussels; Kicky’s basque cheesecake; Dubliner breakfast plate
Day 2:
Train from Dublin to Galway
I booked the train from Dublin to Galway the night before but there were tons of options available. It’s around a 2.5 hour journey and flew by.
I booked to stay at the Dean which was a 10 minute walk from the station and very gorgeous. Super nice interiors, they have a lovely pool and gym on-site and a really helpful staff. I appreciated that it was slightly away from the center of town as it felt a bit quieter.
I checked in and then immediately headed out because I wanted to get lunch at Ard Bia at Nimmo’s before they closed at 3 PM.
No reservations for lunch but the food is delicious and I highly recommend, I got the chicken shawarma wrap and pear kombucha.
After lunch, I looked at the Spanish Arch and then walked around the Latin Quarter. It’s a very buzzy place and has lots of cute shops to browse.
I then got the famous brown bread ice cream from Murphy’s Ice Cream and it was delicious.
I headed over to Salthill promenade and walked down the whole length which was stunning. It stretches down the Galway Bay and is about 2km in length. Make sure you kick the wall at the end!
I hung out at the beach and grassy area for a bit, and I came to Ireland during a heat wave so it was super busy and fun.
Then, I took the bus to Barna as I was eating dinner at O’Grady’s on the Pier (which was recommended to my by Sorcha).
This is a lovely seafood restaurant right on the water with a stunning view. It’s very beautiful and old-fashioned inside. I got the oysters, seafood chowder and mussels and everything was delicious. The portions are LARGE, so get the starter portion of the mussels!
After that, I headed back to the city and went to a pub called the Quays. I had some cider and watched some live Irish folk music which was awesome!
The next morning, I woke up and went to Magpie Bakery for when they opened at 8:30 AM. I picked up a little snack and then went back to the hotel to check out as I had a car rental booked for 9 AM so I can start my drive down the coast.
The Dean; Ard Bia at Nimmo’s; Latin Quarter; Murphy’s Ice Cream; Salthill Prom; seafood chowder; oysters; mussels; magpie bakery
Day 3: Driving from Galway-Kerry
I rented a car from Enterprise in Galway and arranged it so that I could pick it up in Galway and return it in Shannon. This way I could have enough time in Kerry without having to drive all the way back to Galway.
I was EXCEEDINGLY nervous to drive on the left side of the road but actually you get the hang of it really quickly. My biggest tip is to just remember that the drivers side needs to be next to the median. And when it comes to the roundabouts… just take your time.
The roads can definitely get narrow and curvy, so again, I just stay alert and go slow if I feel scared. It was grand the whole way! P.S. definitely search up Ireland road trip playlists and listen while driving. It makes the drive extra magical.
My first stop was the Cliffs of Moher! I got lucky with the weather and saw them in all their glory. Their inside exhibition is also great and full of information.
I ate my snack from Magpie Bakery at the top and then wandered around until I got my fill.
I then drove to Lahinch, which is a small coastal town about 15 minutes away from the Cliffs, so it’s a great place to get some lunch and go for a beach swim.
I wanted to get a sandwich from Hugo’s but they sell out fast! So I went to Joe’s and got a sourdough sandwich which was also great. Walk down the promenade and go to the beach! The water is lovely and the views are great. Just keep an eye on the tide as it starts off low and rises quickly so you don’t want your things getting wet.
After a few hours at Lahinch, I got back on the road to drive to Kerry. However, on the way I stopped in Adare which is a beautiful small village about an hour and a half away. It’s also near Limerick so you can go there instead if you please. I walked around and saw the beautiful houses and then got some dinner at Pat Collins Bar. Their Irish stew was particularly good and very large.
I then listened to some Irish folk music at Aunty Lena’s Pub before getting back on the road as I had a long journey ahead to Cahersiveen which is where I stayed in Kerry.
It’s about a three hour drive but the scenery is stunning and it flew by for me. I often pulled over where there was space to take in the views so I definitely recommend leaving time to drive it leisurely.
I ended my driving that night in Cahersiveen which is the town I am staying in. I stayed at a bed and breakfast called The Old Monastery and it’s stunning. I’ll get into more detail in Day 4.
Day 4: Dingle Peninsula Road Trip
I woke up in the comfiest bed in the world (I even asked Lucy where she buys her linens from lol).
Breakfast is served every day from 8:30-9:30 and it’s simple but delicious, full of things that will keep you fueled and ready for a long day of exploring.
All the interiors and decor feel so intentional and curated, and it was a great place to wake up in.
Today was my biggest exploring day, and I decided to do the Dingle Peninsula/Slea Head Drive. If I had more time I would have also done the Ring of Kerry which is another loop but I unfortunately did not have the time!
I followed the itinerary of The Irish Road Trip and I thought it was absolutely wonderful. I saw lots of sights and I think I picked great ones to go to. I am linking the full itinerary here as it has lots of tips and advice that I found helpful.
These are the stops I did.
Inch Beach
Minard Castle
Narrow road going up!
Dingle Town
I ate at Reel Dingle Fish which was SO delish
Got ice cream at Murphy’s
Picked up some cheese from Little Cheese Co
Got some jewelry from Kathleen
Pet a baby lamb + beehive huts!
Was 5 euros to pet them and another 5 euros to feed them
Dingle white cross - beautiful scenery here
Radharc na mBlascaoidí - great viewpoint
Coumeenoole Beach- so pretty but dangerous swimming!
Dun Chaoin Pier
Get a brownie from here, SO good
Ceann Sibeal- Star Wars filling location!
Clogher Strand- beautiful beach but NO swimming
Conors Pass
This is a windy mountain drive, I didn’t find it super difficult but I got quite lucky that it was fairly empty. Stunning views
After Conor’s Pass I drove up to Murphy’s Bar in Brandon and had dinner there! It’s a lovely pub sitting on the waterfront with a great vibe and really good food. The scampi was particularly delicious.
After dinner, I headed back to Cahersiveen as it’s almost a two hour drive, however, as before, it’s a stunning drive and I found it lovely.
Inch beach; minard castle; reel dingle fish; pet a lamb!; dingle white Briggs coumeenoole beach; dun chaoin pier; brownie!; Conor’s pass
Day 5: Kerry-Shannon-London
I booked a 5 PM flight back from Shannon to London with my car return scheduled for 2 PM. The drive from Cahersiveen to Shannon Airport is about 3 hours, so I knew I had a morning to do one last activity. I desperately wanted to see one Irish sunrise, especially as I had such gorgeous clear weather.
Lucy recommended hiking up Bray Head. It’s a wonderful cliff walk with views of the Irish Sea and Wicklow Mountains. So, I woke up 4:30 A.M and drove 20 minutes to the car park at the bottom of Bray Head. It’s a fairly quick walk up to the viewpoint (about 25-30 minutes).
It was one of my favorite experiences as I was completely alone, and the only company I had was some sheep. Since the mountains block the sun, the sunrise starts quite late, but when it peaks over the mountains, it’s absolutely beautiful. You can even see Skellig Michael if it’s clear! I climbed even higher to get a better view and it was awe-inspiring. A perfect way to end my trip. I got back to the car park around 6:45 after basking in the early sunrise and ate my brownie from yesterday!
I got back to the Old Monastery and had a quick nap before having breakfast. A quick shower and chat with Lucy and then I headed off to Shannon to return the car and catch my flight. Shannon Airport is very quiet and I was through security and at the gates area in about 15 minutes so don’t worry too much- it’s a very small airport.
Pre sunrise; some sheep; being contemplative; sunrise 1; peeking sunrise; sunrise!!; me and the sheep; breakfast; lovely B&B kitchen
So! That was my trip and I hope it inspires at least one of you to give it a go. It was truly some of the most beautiful days of my life, and I feel so grateful to have experienced such rugged natural beauty and warm hospitality. Till next time Ireland!
Wow what a detailed itinerary. It’s on my bucket list. Will use all your tips. Thank you laila you are a godsend.