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Introducing Ireland

Make the most out of your trip to Ireland.
Ireland's influence on global pop culture is undeniable—it's the land of "40 Shades of Green" and Guinness beer, after all—but this little island off the west coast of Europe also holds centuries of history, creating a curious blend of old and new in one compact destination. The rugged southwest is any traveler's dream—think golden beaches, vertical rock cliff faces, and mountains hugging the coast—while the "Ancient East" is home to ruins dating back thousands of years. See the highlights in a few days, or take your time getting to know the many hues of the Emerald Isle.

When is the best time to visit?
Ireland is best visited between March and October. June, July, and August are the busiest months for international travel, due to the increased chance of dry weather. That said, rain isn't as persistent or frequent here as you might think—the Irish climate is actually quite mild, with average temperatures only changing by a few degrees from March to October. This makes it ideal for active travel, with world-class hiking and cycling throughout the country. Learn more

Where should you go in Ireland?
Southwest Ireland is a must for first-time visitors. Killarney, which sits on the eastern end of the Iveragh Peninsula, is a good jumping off point to explore the world-famous Ring of Kerry. It's also on the outskirts of Killarney National Park, a stunning natural landscape of 26,000 acres.

From here, you can take your pick from locations dotted all along the Wild Atlantic Way, a 1,500-mile driving route running from Mizen Head in the southwest to Malin Head in the northwest. The west coast boasts the iconic Cliffs of Moher, charming towns, and traditional Irish music, while further north lies the bohemian city of Galway. Venture west from here and you'll get to boggy and mountainous Connemara, home to Ireland's most unique landscapes. Learn more

How many days do I need?
Ireland may be small, but it's not a country to be rushed. If you only have a week, immersing yourself in one small region is the best way to see what makes the Irish tick—consider spending 2 nights in Dublin and taking a few days to explore the rural west coast. To experience multiple regions, you can easily fill 2 (or even 3!) weeks of well-spent travel. For an active trip, you might take a few days to relax in the countryside before a week of hiking or cycling on the west coast, followed by cultural exploration in one of Ireland's urban areas.

Getting Around Ireland
Self-driving in Ireland is popular, and major roadways connect Dublin to cities including Galway, Cork, and Limerick (and Shannon Airport). Some road trips do rely on rural roads, like the famous Wild Atlantic Way and the Ring of Kerry. Trains serve the bigger cities, and Aer Lingus offers direct flights from Dublin to smaller, regional airports. Learn more

Explore trips by duration: 5 days · 6 days · 7 days · 8 days · 9 days · 10 days · 11 days · 12 days · 13 days · 14 days · 15 days

Ireland Tours & Itineraries

Get inspired by trips other travelers have loved
The Cliffs of Moher on Ireland's wild western coast
Map of Ultimate Ireland Road Trip: Dublin, Cork, Killarney & Galway - 5 Days
Ultimate Ireland Road Trip: Dublin, Cork, Killarney & Galway - 5 Days

Hit the road and see the best of the Emerald Isle on this 5-day self-driving jaunt through Ireland. Walk the ancient streets of Dublin, kiss the Blarney Stone in Cork, visit the famous heritage town of Killarney, take in breathtaking views of the Cliffs of Moher, and revel in the energy of bohemian Galway. From windswept Atlantic coastlines to bustling city streets, this itinerary is perfect for independent travelers looking to pack some of Ireland's most iconic sights into a short space of time.

A beach on the Ring of Kerry route
Map of Classic Ireland Adventure - 7 Days
Classic Ireland Adventure - 7 Days

This guided road trip is the perfect introduction to Ireland for newbies. Over a week, you'll visit both classic icons and some off-the-beaten-path sites—paired with beautiful landscapes and gentle walks to breathe in the fresh air of Ireland's spectacular Wild Atlantic Way. In the evenings, partake in the local pub experience with a pint of Guinness and traditional Irish music. The tour starts and ends in Dublin, where you can bike and kayak to some of the capital's best sites.

Take a drive through the Irish countryside
Map of South Ireland Scenic Road Trip - 8 Days
South Ireland Scenic Road Trip - 8 Days

A great choice for families or travelers who prefer a little independence, this itinerary will take you on a leisurely road trip through some of Ireland's most scenic cities and natural sites. Experience the allure of Ireland as you drive along the coast and over verdant hills between stop at the medieval Rock of Cashel, Killarney National Park, and the Cliffs of Moher.

The medieval ruins of Ross Castle, Killarney National Park.
Map of Ultimate Ireland Road Trip: Dublin, Killarney, Dingle & Galway - 7 Days
Ultimate Ireland Road Trip: Dublin, Killarney, Dingle & Galway - 7 Days

Experience the best of Ireland's coastal scenery, historic sites, and vibrant cities on this week-long self-drive adventure. Starting in Dublin, this circular route takes you south to the Rock of Cashel and Ireland's second city of Cork, before heading into the wilds of Killarney National Park and along the spectacularly scenic Ring of Kerry. After a day spent exploring the Slea Peninsula and the seaside village of Dingle, you'll head up the west coast to hike along the Cliffs of Moher and spend a final night in Galway, enjoying the music, arts, and "craic" of the European cultural capital.

Along the trail in Kerry
Map of Ring of Kerry Self-Guided Hike - 11 Days
Ring of Kerry Self-Guided Hike - 11 Days

Hike the Ring of Kerry at your own pace on this 11-day self-guided itinerary. The iconic Ring route is a loop of the Iveragh Peninsula on Europe's westerly edge. With the Atlantic and mountains ever-present, you'll follow the trail between some of Ireland's most charming towns and beauty spots, like Kenmare Bay, Caherdaniel, and Glencar. The start and end point of Killarney is easy to reach from a host of airports in Ireland.

Ring of Kerry
Map of Highlights of Ireland Road Trip - 10 Days
Highlights of Ireland Road Trip - 10 Days

Explore the magic of Ireland independently with this self-drive itinerary. You'll go from the ancient streets of Dublin to the rebel city of Cork, the quaint village of Killarney, and the breathtaking Ring of Kerry. Keep going to the spectacular views of the Cliffs of Moher and the buzzing cultural scene of Galway before you ultimately return to Dublin.

Make the Most of Your Time in Ireland

Have a fixed number of days? Maximize the things to see and do during your visit
A rainbow hovers above Ashford Castle, a luxury resort near Galway
How Many Days to Spend in Ireland

For a solid itinerary that covers Dublin or Belfast, plus outdoor activities in a few different counties, a 10-day trip is a great choice. With less time, you can still cover a...

Ireland Travel Advice

Read our detailed insights to make sure you have the best trip
Ultimate Guide to Multi-Day Walks in Ireland
Ultimate Guide to Multi-Day Walks in Ireland

One of the best ways to experience Ireland's remote corners is with a multi-day walk through the heather-covered hills, stretches of unspoiled coast, and sheer cliffs that the...

Girl taking surfing lessons in Co. Donegal
Family Travel in Ireland

Ireland is full of kid-friendly outdoor adventures, fun ways to interact with ancient history, and cultural activities from falconry to farming. Chase the leprechaun legend in...

A loving couple look out at sunset over the Cliffs of Moher
Planning Your Perfect Honeymoon in Ireland

Ireland makes the ideal choice for a holiday with your true love: beautiful, mystery-steeped, constantly surprising and delighting, and one of the most warmly welcoming places...

Our Latest Ireland Content

Begin and end your Irish adventure in Dublin
Map of Ireland Self-Drive Cultural Tour - 9 Days
Ireland Self-Drive Cultural Tour - 9 Days

Go off the beaten track on this self-drive history and cultural tour of Ireland that takes you to some of the country's most beautiful regions and noteworthy landmarks. From Dublin, you'll visit ancient burial mounds, travel the Wild Atlantic Way, hike through national parks, and tour historic castles. For a bit of fun, you'll enjoy nights out at local pubs and walking tours of vibrant cities like Galway and Dublin.

Sunset over the Claddagh in Galway
Map of Adventure in Southern Ireland: Dublin, Cork, Killarney & Galway - 11 Days
Adventure in Southern Ireland: Dublin, Cork, Killarney & Galway - 11 Days

On this 11-day journey through southern Ireland, you'll eat, drink, and travel like a local. In Dublin, you'll see highlight landmarks on walking tours plus imbibe at the famous Jameson Distillery and Guinness Storehouse. Then hit the road and enjoy the stunning scenery of counties Cork, Kerry, and Galway as you take boat trips, visit the Cliffs of Moher, embark on nature hikes, tour historic villages, and much more.

Kick off the trip in Northern Ireland as you drive along the scenic Antrim Coast
Map of Irish Self-Drive Adventure: Belfast to Dublin - 11 Days
Irish Self-Drive Adventure: Belfast to Dublin - 11 Days

Explore the cities, coast, villages, and countryside of Ireland's north on this active 11-day adventure. It begins in Belfast with city tours, followed by a road trip to highlights like the Antrim Coast, Giant's Causeway, and Glenveigh National Park. After sampling fine Irish whiskeys at the Bushmills Distillery, you'll visit castles and hill forts on your way to colorful Galway, eventually finishing the trip on the wild streets of Dublin.

Ireland Travel Maps

Get the lay of land, and understand distances between the places you want to visit
Map Top Regions in Ireland
Top Regions in Ireland
View article
Map 5 Days in Ireland - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
5 Days in Ireland - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
View article
Map 6 Days in Ireland - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
6 Days in Ireland - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas
View article

Meet our Local Travel Specialists

Experienced travel agents with a passion for Ireland
Travel specialist Dean Garrison
active 6 hours ago

Dean Garrison

My role as a Sales executive is to help my clients achieve what they are looking for in a holiday to Ireland. Whether that would be offering places to stay, providing a detail Itinerary outlining...

read more...
Travel specialist Stephen Molloy
active 4 hours ago

Stephen Molloy

Urbanist by training, he spent most of his twenties traveling and living overseas. Bitten by the bug, he lived in Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, California, Australia, DRC, Kenya, Pakistan...and...

read more...
Travel specialist Jane Davey
active 8 hours ago

Jane Davey

I grew up in the UK and developed a real passion for the great outdoors, which inspired me to work in travel. As a child, I spent my holidays in the UK with my parents and my brother. My dad used...

read more...
Travel specialist Sarah Metrat
active 14 hours ago

Sarah Metrat

For 7 years , I have been sending groups and companies all over the world to live unforgettable moments. Today, I am using this expertise to create your perfect holidays. I love designing authentic...

read more...

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Why travelers love kimkim

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Trip Reviews for Ireland

The latest reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim

Two weeks drive around Ireland in February
Ireland | Feb 11 - Feb 24, 2024

W
Will J.
Brattleboro, VT | Reviewed on Feb 25, 2024
This trip was specifically planned to exclude places we'd been before and INCLUDE some small towns where our respective families came from, two generations back. That said, thoughts about this trip: 1) We took it in February. The plus side was that there were much fewer crowds, and a lot more locals to chat with in the pubs, restaurants, hotels, etc. The minus side is that a number of attractions were closed, partially closed, or just a lot less fun/interesting in the cold, wet, rainy... Read more

This trip was specifically planned to exclude places we'd been before and INCLUDE some small towns where our respective families came from, two generations back.

That said, thoughts about this trip:

1) We took it in February. The plus side was that there were much fewer crowds, and a lot more locals to chat with in the pubs, restaurants, hotels, etc. The minus side is that a number of attractions were closed, partially closed, or just a lot less fun/interesting in the cold, wet, rainy weather. But we chose that, and we knew what we were getting.
2) If flying from the US, definitely fly home from either Dublin or Shannon airports, and not Belfast or anywhere else. Dublin and Shannon have US Customs pre-authorization. You go through the process on that end, which I think is nice, so when you arrive in the US, exhausted from a long flight, you don't have to deal with Customs there.
3) There was very little here that we wouldn't recommend. If we had to pick something, we found Armagh City to be both much less friendly and much less accommodating to special dietary needs than most of the other places we went. We also can't comment much on Dublin, as we didn't venture into the city but only stayed overnight after a late arrival, and overnight prior to an early departure.
4) The Western side of the country is amazing. The Ring of Kerry, the Dingle Peninsula, Randles & Rose and Wyatt hotels, Killarney, Tralee, Westport. Galway was also amazing, but as we're more rural people, it was slightly less to our liking, although still great. The Hardiman hotel's beds weren't really comfortable, and while the people were very friendly, there's no on-site parking, so you have to park 3 blocks away and pay for it (make sure you get the voucher so it's merely a cost and not an expensive one).
5) If you do travel into Northern Ireland, remember that the prices are now in pounds rather than euros, and the speed limits are now in MPH rather than KPH.

All in all, the team was fantastic and checked in regularly to see how we were doing.

Local specialist: Dean Garrison
Dean
Dean Garrison
Local specialist in Ireland | Replied on Feb 28, 2024

Hi Will

Thank you for your kind words.

We are very happy to hear you enjoy your trip to Ireland with us.

Also thank you for the useful feedback regarding certain hotel options we will certainly take this on board for future bookings.

We hope to welcome you back to Ireland in the future.

Kind Regards

Dean

Dublin and Beyond
Ireland | Jan 2 - Jan 13, 2024

H
Heather M.
Canada | Reviewed on Jan 26, 2024
Claire, our kimkim guide curated an amazing holiday for me and my partner. Highlights included an e-bike cycle on the Waterford greenbelt, something we thoroughly enjoyed and would never have thought of doing. Clair organized a drive to help us see the countryside around Cork. The drive through Kinsale, Cobh and to Blarney Castle was lovely, but even more interesting was talking with our driver about life and politics in Ireland. We were able to spend time with a local, getting a local's... Read more

Claire, our kimkim guide curated an amazing holiday for me and my partner. Highlights included an e-bike cycle on the Waterford greenbelt, something we thoroughly enjoyed and would never have thought of doing. Clair organized a drive to help us see the countryside around Cork. The drive through Kinsale, Cobh and to Blarney Castle was lovely, but even more interesting was talking with our driver about life and politics in Ireland. We were able to spend time with a local, getting a local's perspective. Thank you Claire and kimkim!

Hotel Reviews
The Ross
killarney

The location of The Ross was perfect - the national park was across the street and we spent half a day walking around. The hotel staff were friendly and help and helpful. I would recommend this hotel!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clayton Hotel Cork City
cork

We spent 2 nights at Clayton Hotel. The location was perfect - we spent half a day walking around and visiting sights and enjoying the restaurants.. The hotel staff were always available with friendly help and advice. I would recommend this hotel!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Granville Hotel

The hotel was charming and well located, the hotel staff were very friendly and helpful. I would recommend this hotel!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Trinity Townhouse
Dublin

We spent 7 nights ant Trinity Townhouse. The location was perfect - we could walk to everything we wanted to see. The breakfast that was included was exceptional. The hotel staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. I would recommend this hotel!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Cliffs of Moher tour from Dublin ( small group)
Cliffs of Moher tour from Dublin ( small group)
Dublin

We enjoyed spending a few hours seeing the Atlantic side of Ireland. We stopped at a couple of places along the way that were also interesting.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
We thought the lable small group was a bit misleading. The bus capacity was 39, which is smaller than a coach that seats 55, but I wouldn't call this a small group tour.
Discover Blarney, Kinsale and Cobh
Discover Blarney, Kinsale and Cobh
Cork

This day trip was one of the highlights of our trip. Our guide was knowledgeable and was happy to discuss life, culture and politics in Ireland. Kinsale and Cobh were lovely, and Blarney Castle was interesting, but the real highlight was the conversation with our guide. Thank you!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Extended Killarney National Park walk, private guided tours with local guide.
Extended Killarney National Park walk, private guided tours with local guide.
Killarney

We really enjoyed having a local walk us through the park. We saw parts of the park that were lovely and we would have missed had we done this on our own.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The guide knew every nook and cranny in the park.
 Discover Portmarnock beach
Discover Portmarnock beach
Ireland

We spent a few hours at Howth. I am so glad out KimKim guide put this on the agenda. We loved getting out of Dublin and exploring the outskirts, eating superb fish and chips. Definitely a highlight of our trip.

Quality of Experience
Local specialist: Claire Monfray
Claire
Claire Monfray
Local specialist in Lyon | Replied on Jan 26, 2024

Greetings Heather,

Thank you for choosing us and being such great travelers. Also, a big thanks for the 5-star review of your tailor-made trip. I'm delighted to hear that you had a good time cycling in Waterford and exploring Cork and its surroundings.

Take care and stay in touch!

Claire

Fantastic experience for our first trip to Ir...
Ireland | Sep 23 - Sep 30, 2023

Kevin
Kevin K.
Kew Gardens Hills, NY | Reviewed on Jan 13, 2024
Fantastic experience for our first trip to Ireland- the accommodations were excellent, all of the suggested locations, excursions, and travel itinerary were outstanding- Dean listened to what we were looking to do, and really came through with excellent recommendations that made for a memorable vacation and lifetime memories- Thanks again - highly recommended ! We will book our 2024 trip soon- this time to Italy Read more

Fantastic experience for our first trip to Ireland- the accommodations were excellent, all of the suggested locations, excursions, and travel itinerary were outstanding- Dean listened to what we were looking to do, and really came through with excellent recommendations that made for a memorable vacation and lifetime memories- Thanks again - highly recommended ! We will book our 2024 trip soon- this time to Italy

Hotel Reviews
Wyatt Hotel Westport
Westport

nice location in Westport with some fun music and drink at the Cobbler

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
front desk staff were extremely pleasant and very helpful with suggestions and recommendations.
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Galmont Hotel & Spa
Galway

Beautiful locale and again was so convenient for waling to great dining options

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
rooms and common areas were fantastic
Ashling Hotel Dublin
Dublin

fantastic hospitality and perfect location- highly recommended-

Authenticity & Character
location was great- walking distance to some great restaurants
Location
Staff
front desk persons were very helpful, attentive and made a difference
Cleanliness & Comfort
rooms and all of the public spaces were terrific- dining room for breakfast was great
Local specialist: Dean Garrison
Dean
Dean Garrison
Local specialist in Ireland | Replied on Jan 16, 2024

Hi Kevin

Thank you for your kind words.

We are delighted to hear you had a great time with us on tour.

We hope to welcome you back to Ireland in the near future.

Kind Regards

Dean