Ireland's Best Three-Week Trip by Car
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Day 1: Fly into Dublin, rent car, Glendalough (sleep in Kilkenny)
Day 2: Kilkenny with side-trip to Cashel (Kilkenny)
Day 3: Waterford (Waterford)
Day 4: Explore Wexford (Waterford)
Day 5: Cobh (Kinsale)
Day 6: Kinsale (Kinsale)
Day 7: Muckross House and Farms (Kenmare)
Day 8: Ring of Kerry (Dingle)
Day 9: Dingle Peninsula loop (Dingle)
Day 10: Blaskets, Dingle town (laundry and rest, Dingle)
Day 11: Cliffs of Moher, Burren, Dunguaire Castle banquet (Galway)
Day 12: Galway (Galway)
Day 13: Aran Islands (Aran Islands)
Day 14: Tour Connemara and County Mayo (Westport)
Day 15: Drive to Northern Ireland (Derry)
Day 16: Side-trip to Donegal (Derry)
Day 17: Explore Derry, then drive to Portrush (Portrush)
Day 18: Explore Antrim Coast (Portrush)
Day 19: Belfast (Belfast)
Day 20: Drive to Valley of the Boyne sights, return car (Dublin)
Day 21: Dublin (Dublin)
Day 22: Dublin (Dublin)
Day 23: Fly home
While this three-week itinerary (stretched to 23 days by using weekends at each end) is designed to be done by car, most of it can be done by train and bus. For three weeks without a car, spend your first three nights in Dublin, using buses and taxis. Cut back on the recommended sights with the most frustrating public transportation (Ring of Kerry, Valley of the Boyne, Connemara, and Counties Mayo, Wexford, and Donegal). You can book day tours by bus for some of these areas at local tourist offices. For at least two people traveling together, taxis — though expensive — can work in a pinch if bus schedules don't fit your plans (i.e., Cork to Kinsale, Waterford to New Ross, Dublin to Trim). If you have time for only one idyllic peninsula in your trip, I'd suggest the Dingle Peninsula over the Ring of Kerry.
Sightseeing Priorities
3 days: Dublin
5 days, add: Dublin, Dingle Peninsula
7 days, add: Galway, a day in Belfast
9 days, add: County Clare/Burren
11 days, add: Northern Ireland's Antrim Coast
15 days, add: Aran Islands, Wicklow Mountains
19 days, add: Kinsale, Waterford, Valley of the Boyne
23 days, add: Ring of Kerry, Derry, Connemara, Derry, Donegal
Updated for 2008. For lots more information, check out our best-selling Rick Steves' Ireland guidebook — or join us on one of our free-spirited tours in Ireland.