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How many days in Ireland? 8 days on a loop from Dublin to Kerry and Galway
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Ireland looks small on the map, but its best scenery is on slow coastal roads in the far south-west and west. In eight days, drive a loop: two days in Dublin, then through the Wicklow mountains to medieval Kilkenny, south to Cork harbour, two nights in Killarney for Kerry, north across the Shannon to the Cliffs of Moher, and back from Galway. Pick up the car when you leave Dublin, not before.
Short answer
Six days covers Dublin, Kilkenny, Killarney and the Ring of Kerry, and the Cliffs of Moher on the way back. Eight adds Kinsale and a full day in Connemara or Galway.
The 8-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Dublin: Trinity, the Book of Kells and the Castle
Morning. Book the first slot at Trinity College for the Book of Kells, the illuminated gospels from about 800 AD, and the Long Room library (roughly €25 online). Walk 10 minutes up Grafton Street to St Stephen's Green.
Afternoon. Visit Dublin Castle and the free Chester Beatty library in its garden, with manuscripts from across the world. Continue to St Patrick's Cathedral, where Jonathan Swift was dean (about €10).
Evening. Skip Temple Bar's €8 pints and drink in older pubs such as The Long Hall on South Great George's Street or Kehoe's off Grafton Street.
Tap a Leap Card or contactless card on buses, the Luas tram and the DART; city fares are about €2.
Day 2: Dublin: Kilmainham Gaol, Guinness and Howth
Morning. Tour Kilmainham Gaol (about €8), where the leaders of the 1916 Rising were executed; tickets sell out weeks ahead. Then walk 20 minutes to the Guinness Storehouse (roughly €26-30) for a pint in the rooftop Gravity Bar.
Afternoon. Take the DART train 30 minutes to Howth and walk the Howth Cliff Path, a 2-3-hour loop above the Irish Sea with seals in the harbour.
Evening. Fish and chips on Howth's pier, or back in the city for traditional music at The Cobblestone in Smithfield.
Kilmainham releases tickets about 4 weeks ahead; it is the one Dublin sight to book before you fly.
Day 3: Glendalough and Kilkenny
Morning. Collect the car and drive about 1 hour south into the Wicklow Mountains to Glendalough, the monastic site of St Kevin with a 30-metre round tower (free). Walk to the Upper Lake, about 30 minutes each way.
Afternoon. Drive about 1h30 to Kilkenny. Visit Kilkenny Castle (about €10) and walk the Medieval Mile to St Canice's Cathedral and its climbable round tower.
Evening. Dinner and a pint of the local red ale at Kyteler's Inn, named after Alice Kyteler, who was tried for witchcraft in 1324.
Drive through the Wicklow Gap road rather than the motorway if the weather is clear.
Day 4: The Rock of Cashel and Kinsale
Morning. Drive 1 hour west to the Rock of Cashel, the seat of the kings of Munster, with a round tower, a Gothic cathedral and Cormac's Chapel on a limestone hill (about €8-10).
Afternoon. Continue about 1h45 south to Kinsale, a harbour town of coloured shopfronts. Walk out to Charles Fort, the star fort guarding the harbour.
Evening. Kinsale has some of the best seafood restaurants in the country; book on summer weekends. Mains €25-35.
If you prefer cities, sleep in Cork instead, 30 minutes from Kinsale, and see the English Market in the morning.
Day 5: Killarney National Park
Morning. Drive about 1h45 to Killarney. Visit Muckross House, a Victorian mansion on the lakes (about €15), and walk 20 minutes to Torc Waterfall.
Afternoon. Take a jaunting car (horse and trap) or rent a bike to Ross Castle on Lough Leane, or drive up to Ladies View above the lakes.
Evening. Pubs on College Street and High Street have music every night in summer.
For a full day out, the Gap of Dunloe walk or cycle (about 11 km) through a mountain pass ends with a boat across the lakes to Ross Castle.
Day 6: The Ring of Kerry
Morning. Drive the Ring of Kerry, 179 km around the Iveragh Peninsula, anticlockwise like the coaches, via Killorglin and Cahersiveen. Leave by 9:00.
Afternoon. Detour to Portmagee and the Skellig Ring for views of the Skellig islands, then Derrynane Beach and the village of Sneem.
Evening. Back in Killarney after about 6-7 hours with stops.
Landing boats to Skellig Michael from Portmagee run roughly mid-May to September, cost about €130-150, and sell out months ahead.
Day 7: Across the Shannon to the Cliffs of Moher
Morning. Drive north about 1 hour to Tarbert and take the car ferry across the Shannon estuary to Killimer (20 minutes, roughly €25-30 per car).
Afternoon. Continue to the Cliffs of Moher (about €10-12 online) and walk the cliff path, then through the Burren past the Poulnabrone dolmen.
Evening. Stay in Doolin for music in Gus O'Connor's or McGann's, or drive 1h30 to Galway.
Walk north along the cliffs from the visitor centre for 20 minutes to escape the crowds.
Day 8: Galway and the drive back to Dublin
Morning. Walk Galway: Eyre Square, Shop Street, Quay Street and the Spanish Arch, and buy lunch at the weekend market by St Nicholas' Church.
Afternoon. Drive about 2h30 on the M6 to Dublin and return the car at the airport, or drop it in Galway and take the train.
Evening. Last night in Dublin, or an extra day in Connemara if your flight is late.
Many rental firms charge extra for one-way drop-offs; returning in Dublin is usually cheapest.
Only have 6 days?
With 6 days, drop Kinsale and Galway: Dublin (2), Kilkenny, Killarney (2) and the Cliffs of Moher, then drive 3 hours back to Dublin.
Got extra days?
Add Dingle and the Slea Head drive, Connemara and Kylemore Abbey, or cross into Northern Ireland for Belfast and the Giant's Causeway (2h from Dublin; it uses pounds sterling).
Where to stay in Ireland
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Dublin hostels / rural B&Bs | Hostels near O'Connell Street, and family B&Bs in Kerry and Clare. | €90-140 |
| Mid-range | Dublin south centre | Walk to Trinity, Grafton Street and the Castle. | €180-280 |
| Mid-range | Killarney town | Two nights for the national park and the Ring of Kerry. | €140-220 |
| Comfort | Country houses and castle hotels | Historic hotels such as those near Kinsale, Killarney or Kilkenny. | €280-500 |
Getting around
Use public transport in Dublin, then rent a car; book an automatic early if you need one, and check the insurance (many cards do not cover Ireland). Drive on the left. Driving times: Dublin to Kilkenny 1h30, Kilkenny to Killarney about 2h30-3h, Killarney to Galway about 3 hours via the Tarbert ferry. Rural roads are narrow with stone walls. Dublin Airport buses reach the city in 30-40 minutes (about €8-10).
What to eat in Ireland
Breakfast is a full Irish with black and white pudding and soda bread. At lunch, order seafood chowder, Irish stew of lamb, or bacon and cabbage in pubs, about €16-22. On the coast, try oysters, Dublin Bay prawns and smoked salmon. Kerry and Wicklow lamb and farmhouse cheeses are excellent. A pint of Guinness costs €6-7 outside Dublin and more in the centre. Tipping 10% is normal in restaurants, not in pubs.
Best time to visit
May to September, with highs of 15-20°C and very long days in June. It rains often all year; showers rarely last long. July and August are busiest and dearest. St Patrick's Day (17 March) fills Dublin. Many Kerry attractions and Skellig boats run only from spring to autumn.
Month-by-month weather for Ireland →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | €50 | €95 | €180 |
| Food & drink | €30 | €55 | €95 |
| Sights & tickets | €15 | €30 | €55 |
| Local transport | €20 | €35 | €55 |
| Total per person, per day | about €115 | about €215 | about €385 |
Approximate 2026 prices; transport is the per-person share of a rental car and fuel for two. Dublin hotels are among the most expensive in Europe, so expect the first nights to cost more.
Before you go
Common questions
Do I need a car to travel around Ireland?
For this route, yes. Trains link Dublin with Cork, Killarney and Galway, and buses fill the gaps, but the Ring of Kerry, the Burren and Connemara are best by car or day tour. If you do not drive, base yourself in Dublin, Killarney and Galway and join tours.
Is 8 days enough for Ireland?
Eight days is enough for Dublin, the south-west and the west at a steady pace. It is not enough to add Northern Ireland and Donegal too. For the whole island, plan 12-14 days, adding Belfast, the Causeway Coast and the Wild Atlantic Way north of Galway.
Ring of Kerry or Dingle Peninsula?
Both are spectacular. The Ring of Kerry is longer, with more viewpoints and the Skellig views. The Dingle Peninsula is shorter and wilder, with Slea Head and a lively town. If you have one day, do the Ring; with two, do both.
What is the weather like in Ireland in summer?
Mild rather than hot: highs of 15-20°C, sometimes up to 25°C. Expect showers in any week, and wind on the west coast. Pack a waterproof jacket, layers and walking shoes rather than an umbrella, which is useless on the cliffs.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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