Ireland’s classic loop in a week: Dublin’s Georgian streets and pubs, a countryside run through medieval Kilkenny and the Blarney Stone, the mountain-and-lake scenery of the Ring of Kerry, and the wind-scoured Cliffs of Moher on the way into Galway — with real hotels, tour operators, and prices for every stop.
Day 1
Arrive in Dublin
Land at Dublin Airport and settle into the city — a short coach ride puts you in the historic north side by early evening, with time for a first pint before the trip properly begins.
🚌 Aircoach — Dublin Airport (DUB) to City Centre
~25–40 minutes · From €6 (~$6.50 USD) one-way per person, online
Express coaches run every 10–15 minutes from both airport terminals into the city centre, with stops near most hotel districts — no need to book a private transfer.
Aircoach · www.aircoach.ie
🛎️ Overnight — The Croke Park Hotel
From $210–300 USD / night, for 2 people
A Doyle Collection hotel opposite Croke Park Stadium, a short hop from the city centre with easy access back to Dublin Airport.
The Croke Park Hotel · +35318714444 · www.doylecollection.com/hotels/the-croke-park-hotel
🍽️ Dinner on Your Own — The Church Bar & Restaurant
Est. €25–40 (~$27–44 USD) / person
A former 17th-century church on Mary Street turned bar and restaurant, with the original organ and stained glass still intact above the dining room.
The Church · +35318280102 · www.thechurch.ie
Day 2
Trinity College, Book of Kells & the Guinness Storehouse
Dublin’s two headline sights sit a 15-minute walk apart — the Book of Kells in Trinity College’s Old Library, and the Guinness Storehouse’s seven floors over St. James’s Gate.
📸 Book of Kells Experience — Trinity College Dublin
~45 minutes, self-guided · €26 (~$28 USD) / person
The 9th-century illuminated manuscript on display in Trinity’s Old Library, followed by the Long Room’s 200,000 antique volumes under a barrel-vaulted ceiling.
Trinity College Dublin · www.visittrinity.ie/book-of-kells-experience/
🍺 Guinness Storehouse Tour
~1.5–2 hours, self-guided · From €24 (~$26 USD) / person, online
Seven floors built around the shape of a pint glass, tracing the brewery’s history from its 9,000-year lease up to a self-poured pint in the rooftop Gravity Bar.
Guinness Storehouse · www.guinness-storehouse.com
🛎️ Overnight — The Croke Park Hotel
From $210–300 USD / night, for 2 people
Second night at the same hotel — no need to repack before tomorrow’s drive south.
The Croke Park Hotel · +35318714444 · www.doylecollection.com/hotels/the-croke-park-hotel
Day 3
Dublin to Killarney via Kilkenny & Blarney Castle
The road south trades Dublin’s streets for medieval Kilkenny and the Blarney Stone, ending in the lakeside town of Killarney at the edge of Kerry’s mountains.
🚗 Rental Car Pickup — Dublin to Killarney via Kilkenny & Blarney
~4.5 hours drive with stops · Rental from €45–65 (~$49–71 USD) / day
Pick up a car at Dublin Airport and drive south — the motorway route runs through Kilkenny before continuing on to Cork and Killarney, with two stops built in along the way.
Hertz Dublin Airport · +35318445466 · www.hertz.com/us/en/location/ireland/dublin/dubt52
🏰 Kilkenny Castle
~1 hour, self-guided · €8 (~$9 USD) / person
A Norman-founded castle rebuilt in Victorian Gothic style, overlooking the River Nore with 20 hectares of parkland out back.
Kilkenny Castle (Heritage Ireland) · heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/kilkenny-castle/
🍀 Blarney Castle & Gardens
~2 hours · €22 (~$24 USD) / person
A 15th-century tower house near Cork, most famous for the Blarney Stone at its top — climb the narrow spiral stairs and lean backward over the parapet to kiss it.
Blarney Castle & Gardens · blarneycastle.ie
🛎️ Overnight — The Dromhall Hotel, Killarney
From $155–240 USD / night, for 2 people
A family-run 4-star hotel on Muckross Road, a short walk from Killarney’s town centre and the entrance to Killarney National Park.
The Dromhall Hotel · +353646639300 · www.dromhall.com
Day 4
The Ring of Kerry
The Ring of Kerry is the reason most visitors come to Killarney — a full day circling the Iveragh Peninsula’s cliffs, beaches, and mountain passes.
🚌 Ring of Kerry Full-Day Tour — Paddywagon Tours
~7.5 hours (9:30 AM–5 PM) · €45 (~$49 USD) / person
A guided coach loop around the Iveragh Peninsula’s 179km Ring of Kerry, with stops at Ladies View, Moll’s Gap, and the beaches around Waterville and Derrynane.
Paddywagon Tours · www.paddywagontours.com
🦌 Killarney National Park & Muckross House Grounds
Self-guided · Free entry to the grounds
Ireland’s oldest national park, with the 19th-century Muckross House and gardens on the shore of Muckross Lake — rent a bike or hop a jaunting car for the lake loop.
🛎️ Overnight — The Dromhall Hotel
From $155–240 USD / night, for 2 people
Second night in Killarney, close enough to walk into town for dinner after a full day on the road.
The Dromhall Hotel · +353646639300 · www.dromhall.com
Day 5
Killarney to Galway via the Cliffs of Moher
The drive north crosses the Shannon and climbs the Atlantic cliffs at Moher before dropping into Galway, Ireland’s self-styled cultural capital.
🚗 Self-Drive — Killarney to Galway via the Cliffs of Moher
~4.5 hours drive with a stop · Rental from €45–65 (~$49–71 USD) / day
The route runs north through Limerick and into County Clare, timed to reach the Cliffs of Moher by late morning before continuing on to Galway.
🌊 Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience
~1.5–2 hours · From €15 (~$16 USD) / person, gate rate
Eight kilometers of 200-meter sea cliffs above the Atlantic, with the Victorian O’Brien’s Tower at the highest point and trails running both directions along the edge.
Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience · +353657086141 · www.cliffsofmoher.ie
🛎️ Overnight — The g Hotel & Spa, Galway
From $185–270 USD / night, for 2 people
A Philip Treacy-designed hotel on the edge of Galway’s city centre, with a spa and a lobby lounge that doubles as one of the city’s livelier bars.
The g Hotel & Spa · +35391865200 · www.theghotel.ie
🍽️ Dinner — Kai Café + Restaurant
Est. €35–55 (~$38–60 USD) / person
A Bib Gourmand-rated restaurant on Sea Road built around seasonal, locally sourced Irish produce — book ahead, tables are limited.
Kai Café + Restaurant · +35391526003 · www.kairestaurant.ie
Day 6
Galway & the Aran Islands
Galway Bay’s Aran Islands are a short ferry away — a day on Inis Mór’s stone-walled lanes and cliff-top fort, reachable by shuttle bus and boat from the city.
⛴️ Shuttle & Ferry — Galway to Inis Mór, Aran Island Ferries
Shuttle ~1 hour + ferry ~40 minutes · €34 return ferry + €10 shuttle (~$48 USD total) / person
A shuttle bus from Eyre Square to the ferry terminal at Rossaveal, then a boat crossing to Inis Mór, the largest of the three Aran Islands.
Aran Island Ferries · +35391568903 · www.aranislandferries.com
🚲 Free Time — Inis Mór by Bike or Pony Trap
Self-guided
Rent a bike at the pier or hire a pony trap to cover the island’s stone-walled lanes out to Dún Aonghasa, a Bronze Age stone fort perched on a 100-meter cliff edge.
🛎️ Overnight — The g Hotel & Spa
From $185–270 USD / night, for 2 people
Second night in Galway, back in time for a walk through the Latin Quarter before dinner.
The g Hotel & Spa · +35391865200 · www.theghotel.ie
Day 7
Return to Dublin & Departure
A last morning in Galway before the drive back across the country to Dublin Airport for departure.
🚗 Return Drive — Galway to Dublin Airport (DUB)
~2.5–3 hours · Rental drop-off included in daily rate
The M6 motorway runs almost the entire way, making this the trip’s most straightforward drive — build in extra time for the rental return and check-in.
Hertz Dublin Airport · +35318445466 · www.hertz.com/us/en/location/ireland/dublin/dubt52
✈️ Departure — Dublin Airport (DUB)
Self-guided
Check in for the flight home, closing out the loop where it began — build in the usual two hours for international check-in and security.
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