Image by Brin Weins from Pixabay
Ireland, the home of Guinness, the land of the leprechauns and where you’ll find good craic, if you’re still stuck for where to go on holiday this year, then Ireland is the place to go. You could have a holiday travelling the whole way around Ireland, visiting the most beautiful countryside one minute and then partying in some of the most fantastic cities the next. So how can you go about having this most fantastic holiday?
First of all, get yourself a car and be prepared for some scenic driving. You can take the train around Ireland, and there are ideas and itineraries for that but the best way to see Ireland is via car so if this is an option for you then definitely do that. Second of all, pack for all weathers. You could get a lot of rain, or during the summer you could be basking in the glorious sunshine, so that’s another reason to take a car so you can pack it with everything you could possibly need. Then finally, get going from…
DUBLIN TO WICKLOW
Start off in Dublin and take in the city, visit Temple Bar, the Guinness Storehouse, take a ride on the open top bus tour, see Dublin Castle, the Book of Kells and even visit the leprechaun museum. Don’t have too much to drink though; there’ll be plenty of time for that because after you’ve soaked up everything Dublin has to offer than jump in the car and take a beautiful scenic one hour drive to Wicklow.
WICKLOW TO KILKENNY
A more relaxing experience than the madness of Dublin, visit the Wicklow’s magical garden which you’ll find among 47 acres of stunning gardens and voted the third best in the world by National Geographic and don’t miss the Wicklow Mountains National Park. Take it easy here and soak in the atmosphere because when you get to the next stop, there’ll be loads to do and visit.
KILKENNY TO KINSALE
In Kilkenny, you’ll find Kilkenny Castle and St Canice’s Cathedral; you can also have The Ultimate Hurling Experience and taste of the oldest ale in the land at the Smithwick’s Experience Kilkenny! Then there’s the newest attraction in the Medieval Mile Museum which tells the story of Kilkenny through fascinating monuments and artefacts.
KINSALE TO KILARNEY
Kinsale is a medieval fishing port, home to the iconic striped lighthouse and a place where you can enjoy some scenic walks by the water. The town is picturesque too, with plenty of bars, restaurants and cafes. Another area where you should take some down time and just enjoy being there and take in the atmosphere.
KILARNEY TO GALWAY
Killarney is another beautiful place with a town as well as the highest mountain range in Ireland, the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks. Then there’s the Ring of Kerry and Killarney National Park. Enjoy some beautiful walks and fantastic scenery.
GALWAY TO CLIFDEN
Your next stop has to be the city of Galway, where you’ll find music, art, festivals, horse racing, literature and some fantastic food, bars and traditional pubs. If you want to find out more about the city, then there’s also the Galway City Museum too. You might even find yourself a ‘Galway Girl’ like Ed Sheeran.
CLIFDEN TO DONEGAL TOWN
Clifden is a picturesque market town which you will find between the Twelve Bens mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. It’s a lovely little place with plenty to offer from its history to its activities.
DONEGAL TO DERRY
Next stop, get your surfboard out and head to the County Donegal town of Bundoran. If you happen to be there in June, then you’ll catch the Sea Sessions Music Festival too. Just FYI, Donegal recently topped National Geographic’s Cool List, so make sure you’re cool enough to go.
DERRY TO THE GIANTS CAUSEWAY
Once you’ve dried off, then head to Derry the Walled City of Derry~Londonderry, the only remaining fully walled city in Ireland which you can reach by foot. So, enjoy a walking tour and visit the Museum of Free Derry.
THE GIANTS CAUSEWAY TO DUBLIN
Finally, before you head back to Dublin, check out the Giant’s Causeway. An astounding area of 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the Giant’s Causeway is known as the fourth greatest natural wonder in the United Kingdom. It gets is name because, according to legend, the columns are the remains of a causeway built by a giant; however, according to more boring people, they are the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption.
Finally, you’ll be back in Dublin. There are other things you’ll find along your way and depending on how much time you have; then you can decide how much time you spend in each place. From this plan, you could travel to one place a day and pack everything in. But if you have more time, then you might want to take a more leisurely pace and spend longer in each area.
For accommodation, you’ll want to mix it up a bit. From a whole host of lovely Bed and Breakfasts in the countryside to one of the grand O’Callaghan Hotels in Dublin, a trip like this means that you can treat yourself one night to luxury and if you want to stay in a hostel or even camp another night, then you can, getting the best of both worlds and everything you could possibly get out of a holiday. Beaches, country walks, city breaks, history and sightseeing all in one holiday there is something for everyone and is definitely the best way to see Ireland. From the food, the people, the music, the drink and the history, Ireland has everything you need.
What are your favourite parts of Ireland to visit?
