Why do 2 Weeks in the Southwest of Ireland?
For your first trip to Ireland, we highly recommend the Southwest Region as the best place to see Quintessential Ireland — it has white sheep on green pastures, golden sand beaches, crumbling castles, dramatic cliffs, and drop dead coastal views.
Read on to find out how to make the most of your time —decide which places should you visit, see which photos fascinate you, as well as get links to our custom Google maps and itinerary planning information.
Author & Photographer: George Mitchell
Our recommendations are not influenced by affiliate links – we have none. Our content and advice is derived from our personal experience, and knowledge based on living in Europe for seven years.
Travel Guidelines
Here are some basic principles to follow when you travel in Ireland.
- Give up trying to “see everything”. You cannot.
- Some places may be better to visit than others but getting from A to B is just as beautiful as destination B.
- Tour one one concise geographic region in each week.
- Meet the people — one of the most important “destinations”.
- Use 75 km per hour to calculate driving duration. Ignore Google travel time based on ridiculous 100 kph speed limits on Irish two-lane roads not properly built for that speed.
- Avoid travelling to a new city every day. Too many tourists think they can drive all day and then see their destination as well.
You need to factor in travel time, sightseeing and activity time.
Purpose of Travel
How do you plan the best itinerary? What are your interests? What activities do you want to do? If your purpose is to visit towns and enjoy the pubs and museums then that’s great. Other people may be more interested in coastlines, scenery, and hiking.
I see many tours that are just a list of well known towns. The question is why are you going there? For instance, do you know why you are travelling to a town like Dingle. The answer should not be because I have heard of that name — what I call “name recognition”. The answer should be Slea Head Drive above, which means you need the next day to explore that coastal road.
Quintessential Ireland
We like to experience the things that make Ireland unique. To us cities like Dublin and Cork are not what makes Ireland unique. Quintessential Ireland is white sheep on green farmland, golden sand beaches, rugged coastlines and cliffs, National Trust (OPW) castles (not tourist traps), glorious viewpoints, and hiking. In the next post we describe what we feel is Quintessential Ireland and what places are examples of where to see it. This itinerary is based on the features of Quintessential Ireland.
What are the Best Places in Southwest Ireland?
We lived in Europe for 7 years and usually had 5 week vacations. But what are the best places to see in Ireland if you only have two weeks of vacation or less?
We have curated the best places to visit including two of the best castles in Ireland. You may have other opinions and interests. But our advice is confirmed by the residents of Ireland via the Google Map Rating (G0 to G5) provided for each place. All but one of our recommendations are over 4.5, a very high rating indeed.
We have developed a custom Ireland Best 2 Week Trip Map and pinned all the points of interest with the Google Rating suffixed. In order to let you customize the itinerary to your interests yet stay with the 14-day period, we have provided three options:
- Kinsale Option;
- Trim Option;
- Dublin Area Option.
Rock of Cashel – Day 1
Drive: 175 km, 2 hrs from Dublin Airport, about 1 hr past Dublin
Stay: Cashel, Cahir, Kilkenny
After driving past rolling green farmland suddenly there is a huge shock. A massive set of beige buildings rises high above the verdant green valley. The second shock was that the road provided a large pull off to see the viewpoint. This came with a beautiful bas relief of St. Patrick converting and baptizing King Angus at the Rock of Cashel in 450 CE.
The Rock of Cashel (G4.5) is one of the best sights to visit in Ireland as well as being a convenient spot to stop. The cathedral was built between 1235 and 1270. The Puritan dictator, Oliver Cromwell overthrew King Charles I and became ruler of Britain. He desecrated and destroyed all the Catholic Churches and massacred 1000 residents in Cashel that claimed sanctuary in the Cathedral. Cromwell ignored this basic right of law.
Take all the included guided walks and be sure to visit the round tower, the cathedral (1270) and the Hall of the Vicars Choral.
The setting of this site is superb. There are incredibly beautiful views of the surrounding green countryside and the town of Cashel.
Hore Abbey
Just below the Rock are the ruins of Hore Abbey (G4.6). Be sure to visit it. There is not much left of this Cistercian Abbey but the views of the Rock of Cashel were stunning. See detailed itinerary in…
Kinsale Option
We loved the colourful fishing village of Kinsale (G4.7). If you really only have 14 days then we would not include Kinsale. However, you could reduce one day from the end of the trip in exchange.
If you have more than 14 days then you should definitely see this village for at least one day before driving to Kenmare.
This is the beautiful view from our B&B on Ardkilly Ridge Road in the outskirts of Kinsale. The golden crop is rapeseed, a member of the mustard family, grown to produce oil. In Canada it is known as canola, a superior cultivar of this plant invented in Canada.
Kenmare – Day 2
Drive: 189 km, 2:10 hrs
Stay: Kenmare
If you arrived on a late flight on day 1, visit the Rock of Cashel and the highway viewpoint in the morning of day 2. Then proceed to Cahir (G4.6) where there is another castle either for an outside photo shoot or a visit.
From here drive to Kenmare, which has a great Fish and Chips or else there are several restaurants to choose from in attractive downtown Kenmare.
Killarney National Park
If you still have the afternoon, its time to see Killarney NP. If not there is time on the morning of Kenmore to Dingle – Day 4 to do the following points.
Moll’s Gap
Drive to Moll’s Gap (G4.7). This pull off provided wide open views of a heath landscape of rock-strewn fields and mountains. At this Y junction, the left road travels through this kaarst landscape to Sneem.
Ladies View
The main road turns right to Ladies’ View (G4.8) and Killarney.
Muckross House
If you have time left over, you could visit the free rhododendron gardens of Muckross House. They were blooming in May.
We have included a drive through Killarney NP on the way from Kenmore to Dingle Day 4. These are the only points in Killarney NP that I have highlighted. Why is Killarney the town not part of our itinerary. It is over touristed, high traffic area. that is not worth the hype. Beware of locals travelling 100 kph on roads that should be limited to 70 kph, in spite of one-lane tunnels. Killarney is very special to the Irish because it has forests and a large lake; but it does not compare to the national parks of North America.
See detailed itinerary in…
Real Ring of Kerry – Day 3
Drive: 105 km 2:20 hrs
Stay: Portmagee, Kenmare
O’Carroll’s Cove Beach
The Ring of Kerry (ROK) is a loop road N70 from Killarney that is highly hyped but much of it is unremarkable inland driving. The Real ROK is along the coast. The most scenic spot on the road starts at the O’Carroll’s Cove Beach Restaurant Viewpoint (my name) – 64 km from Killarney. There is a large pull off before and at the restaurant. Here a glorious white sand crescent beach is lapped by partially turquoise waters. We had no idea that the North Atlantic has a turquoise colour – sometimes.
Darrynane Beach
In fact, the actual ROK road bypasses a few of the best places to see in this area. So those who take bus tours really miss the most important sights. At Caherdaniel, be sure to turn left (west) off the ROK to visit Derrynane Beach (G4.8). There is something wonderful about driving off the road to this secluded beach lined with rocks and ringed by islets.
The side road continues further west to Derryname House (G4.7), where we also got something to eat at the picnic tables. This is the ancestral home of Daniel O’Connell, the Liberator of Ireland. There is a second Derryname Beach parking area after the mansion.
Scarriff Island Viewpoint
Take the side road north to get back on the ROK and stop at the Scarriff Island Viewpoint (G4.8). This wide angle view (38 mm) makes you feel as if you are in an airplane with green farmland sloping down to the blue coast.
This is a zoom view (168 mm) of the same photo above of Scarriff Island. Here is your view of Quintessential Ireland complete with white sheep on green hills stretching to the rugged coastline.
This is the view from Com an Chiste Viewpoint (G4.7). The ROK is one of the few roads in Ireland that provides turn offs. There are many others that you should stop at: we are only providing the must-see stops.
Kerry Cliffs Portmagee
After the Charlie Chaplin statue in Waterville, turn left off the ROK onto the Ring of Skellig road R567 and then left on R566. Be sure to visit Kerry Cliffs Portmagee (G4.8), the best cliffs (in the west) after the Cliffs of Moher.
Unlike Moher, the promontories here allow you to get up close and personal views of the sides of the cliffs. So definitely walk all these side trails.
Geokaun Mountain
Also be sure to cross the bridge at Portmagee and follow the signs to privately owned Geokaun Mountain (G4.8) for spectacular views of the surrounding coast and countryside.
Wow, what 360° views! That’s the white Valentia Lighthouse in the centre left above.
Real Ring of Kerry
We hope by now that you realize that the Real Ring of Kerry is the quintessential place to go rather than Killarney. As we slept over in Kenmore we headed back along the Ring of Skellig and ROK, except now we had sunset lighting! Do not go back along the inland route to Killarney as that will take forever. See detailed itinerary in…
Kenmore to Dingle – Day 4
Drive: 108 km 1:50 hrs
Stay: Dingle
Killarney National Park Scene 2
While the map shows the route from Portmagee to Dingle, we preferred staying and leaving from Kenmore. You can spend this morning at the stops previously described in Killarney National Park: Moll’s Gap (G4.7), Ladies View (G4.8), and Muckross House. If you have seen those points then stop off at Muckross Abbey (G4.8).
Inch Beach
After getting something to eat, the next most memorable sight on the drive to Dingle was the massive Inch Beach (G4.8). The golden sand is lined by the ocean and backdropped by the coast.
Dingle
Dingle (towns are not rated by Google) is a nice village with many restaurants and other attractions.
Slea Head Drive – Day 5
Drive: 50 km 1:15h to Conor Pass
Stay: Dingle
Slea Head Viewpoints
Slea Head Drive (G4.8) is definitely a must see and the real reason to go to Dingle. That means you need at least two nights for Dingle. Drive west along the narrow Slea Head Drive, aka Highway R559. There are two Slea Head Viewpoints (G4.8), one was labelled Ceann Sléibhe.
Dunquin Pier
The next stop is Dunquin Harbour (G4.9). If you have mobility problems, see the view from the cliff edge near the parking area.
Otherwise, walk down the steep stone switchbacks to Dunquin Pier. Each turn provides wonderful photos. It is definitely worth a 5+ rating.
Clogher Head
Clogher Head has some of the best views of the whole road. First stop at the Clogher Viewpoint then go to the Clogher Strand, the golden sand beach. Then walk along the Clogher Head trail up to the head. We must have spent about an hour here and down at Clogher Strand.
Gallarus Oratory
It’s amazing how in the 7th century they could build Gallarus Oratory (G4.2) solely with stones. The inverted boat design acts as an arch and lintel stones are used to strengthen the door. It is not a must-see but we had the Heritage Ireland (OPW) pass.
The whole Slea Head Drive route took 8 hours with lots of stops and walks. Conor Pass (G4.8) is another viewpoint but it is on a separate road from Dingle. If you have time, visit it today (if it is sunny) but you get another chance tomorrow. See detailed itinerary in…
Dingle to Doolin – Day 6
Drive: 157 km 3:30 hrs via Tarbert
Stay: Doolin, Lahinch, Ennis, Lisdoonvarna, Ballyvaughan
Conor Pass
Depart Dingle on highway R560 to Conor Pass (G4.8), a beautiful viewpoint. It was wet and rainy the day we left but I used Luminar Neo to transform the photo. After Tralee head to Tarbert, where you take the ferry to reduce the distance and bypass Limerick. While you could sightsee along the way, we would recommend visiting Moher right away if it’s a sunny day. No leeway was added to the schedule to wait for better weather.
While many tourists want to stay in Doolin, it is a very small village with limited accommodation. For this reason we provided several alternative towns. We ourselves commuted from Ennis.
Cliffs Of Moher – Day 7
Drive: 39km 0:40 hrs from Ennis; 30km 0:37 hrs from Ballyvaughan
Stay: Doolin, Lahinch, Ennis, Lisdoonvarna, Ballyvaughan
Cliffs Of Moher G4.7 is not only the most spectacular sight, it is also the most overrun with tourists and we went in April. But you cannot appreciate the beauty without taking a hike. The trail goes right along the edge of the cliffs. Do not be a Village Idiot (VI) and walk near or sit on the edge! Tourists have died in Ireland.
For me the highlight was walking along the cliffs in spite of the many tourists. The areas furthest from the visitor centre had the fewest tourists. What I did and highly recommend is the hike from Guerin’s Path to O’ Briens Tower, just past the Visitor Centre. It’s one hour return but you will probably spend two hours, especially if you like photography.
The OPW Visitor Centre charges an outrageous €9 per person for parking: note that all National Parks in Ireland are free — this is an exception. We used the alternative access point discussed in…
The Burren
The Burren (G4.6) is well worth doing to see a totally different, karst scenery. There are some tourists but mainly when a tourist bus stops. Limestone is formed from millions and millions of years of compressed coral, ammonites and other sea shells.
At the Cliffs of Moher you can view the millions of years of horizontal sediments that were raised out of the water! This occurred as part of the formation of Europe.
If you like exploring you will find beautiful flowers, such as Bloody Cranesbill, a type of Geranium. There are also interesting villages, shops and dolmens in this barren area.
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For those who only have one week, it is now time to return to your departure airport.
Galway – Day 8
Drive: 75 km 1:32 hr from Doolin; 52 km 1:05 hr from Ballyvaughan
Stay: Salt Hill, Galway
Ballyvaughan to the north of The Burren is worth a stop to photograph the thatched roof houses and Muckinish West Tower House. It is a very short drive north from Ballyvaughan to the quiet western suburb of Salt Hill, where we stayed in a wonderful B&B.
Galway is a delightful city where you can walk along pedestrian streets as well as visit Galway Cathedral, St. Nicholas Church, Spanish Arch and the River Corrib.
To us Galway was base for a few road trips. In other words, you need 2 to 3 days depending on your choices.
Gurteen Bay – Day 9
Drive: 106 km 2:05h one way
Stay: Salt Hill, Galway, Clifden
The first 38.7 km of the drive on Highway N59 was neither memorable nor photogenic. Suddenly, there was a parking area on the left with many cars. Lough Bofin (pronounced loch and meaning lake) was not that close but houses and green hillside pastures reflected in the lake. It was magical.
Pines Island is a viewpoint on the right side of the road. An island of pines were reflected in the still waters of Derryclare Lough surrounded by imposing mountains. How often is there no wind in Ireland?
Gurteen Bay Beaches
Soon after Pine Island, turn left on Route R341 to Roundstone (80.5 km). There are restaurants and cafés here.
Just 3 km later we arrived at one of the premiere sights of this itinerary, Gurteen Bay (G4.9). Here was a crescent beach with white sand made from tiny marine creatures. Ooh, so soft!
Seventh Heaven comes with a picnic bench overlooking the crescent-shaped, turquoise-tinged Gurteen Bay. So we enjoyed the scenery while eating silky Brie de Meaux, scrumptious Tipperary Blue and creamy Tolu Goat Cheese on delicious Rivercote crackers.
I hiked up the nearby hill and walked through the pastures. In less than 15 minutes I arrived at Dog’s Bay and its’ white sand beach. It was amazing to see back to back reverse crescent beaches.
Will these magnificent beaches never stop? The next stop was marked White Beach on Google Maps but its’ official name is Mannin Bay.
Sky Road Viewpoints
Sky Road unfortunately does not provide pull offs until the Sky Viewpoint (G4.8) at the top.
The road downhill (north) had more views but no where to stop. All you can do is just stop on the road.
Connemara to Kylemore Abbey – Day 10
Drive: 97 km, 1:40 hrs from Clifden to Galway one way
Stay: Clifden, Salt Hill, Galway
If you finished the Sky Road Viewpoint early then you could continue on to Connemara. Else we put this as another day.
Connemara National Park (NP) was very disappointing as it had no roads and no views. It was just a parking lot for three hiking trails. The Visitor Centre host said the drive into the mountains on Highway R344 north of Pines Island was more spectacular than the NP.
Kylemore Abbey
We travelled to nearby Kylemore Abbey (G4.0). This site was easily the most overrun with tourists and tour buses of our trip so far. It is owned and run by the Benedictine Nuns (fee €17, senior €13.50; open 10:00 to 17:00). You can park for free and grab coffee or lunch for €12. The best view and photos can be taken from the bridge to the restaurant, reflections included.
Killary Fjord
The side trip ended with a bang at Killary Fjord as the hills above it were covered with red Rhododendrons in May!
An alternative option for Day 10 is to visit Cong Abbey and Ashford Castle (from outside as for guests only),
There are two options for the end of the trip: Trim or Dublin
Trim Option – Days 11-13
Drive: 183 km, 2:10 hrs
Stay: Trim
Supposedly, the reason ports have brightly colored houses was to help sailors and fishermen find ports, especially during fog and inclement weather. However, Trim is not on the coast. Perhaps this was to ensure everyone can find the pubs!
If you arrive early you can get lunch. Staying Trim in Ireland is not a post about dieting. Trim is an interesting small town of 9000 people with at least four good reasons to stay there. It is a good base to:
- See Trim Castle and town;
- See Neolithic Newgrange, which is 5000 years old;
- Stay at the great Crannmor Guest House;
- Depart for Dublin Airport only 40 minutes away.
Trim Castle
Before you write Trim Castle off as just another ruin think about the year 1066. Why is this date significant? Why is this is considered a turning point in European history? The Normans invaded southern England and defeated the battle weary Saxons at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
Today Trim is the largest Norman castle still standing. You can thank 1066 for all the castles found in Ireland. Castles were a French invention. The Normans built castles to defend themselves against the Saxons they had conquered.
Neolithic Newgrange, Brú na Bóinne
Drive: 33 km, 0:36 hrs
Stay: Trim
Brú na Bóinne is one of the oldest sites in Europe. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is from the megalithic (Stone Age) era. The fee depends on the site visited €10 to 18, senior €8 to 16; open 10:00 to 17:00 hrs.
Follow the signs for Newgrange, which was built around 3200 BC. It is over 500 years older than the first pyramid at Saqqara, Egypt (2667 BC). These passage tombs are believed to be evidence of a cult of the dead.
Malahide Castle and Gardens
Drive: 55 km, 0:55 hrs
Stay: Trim
Another nearby place to visit is Malahide Castle and Gardens (G4.6). We did not get a chance to visit. But you can see how you can have a very enjoyable and more relaxed end to your trip without the hustle of Dublin.
Dublin Option
Drive: 229 km, 2:36 hrs from Galway to Dublin
Stay: Dublin
It is an easy all-expressway drive from Galway to Dublin. However, traffic in Dublin will slow you down. You can spend all 3 days exploring Dublin or you can visit some of the special places outside of town.
Dublin Walks – Days 11-13
You need at least two days for Dublin and more if you want to visit the museums and Guinness brewery.
For the third day, you could go to some of the paid attractions or museums. Alternatively, you can drive out of town to Powerscourt and/or Glendalough.
Powerscourt
Drive: 21 km, 0:33 hrs
Stay: Dublin
Do you want to see a gorgeous garden? You will especially like the Italianate Gardens and the Japanese Gardens. It is considered the third best in the world by National Geographic! There were beautiful rhododendrons when we visited in May!
Glendalough
Drive: 50 km, 1:10 hrs including distance to Powerscourt
Stay: Dublin
Glendalough was a special find of an archaeological sight plus a scenic drive in the countryside. Do not miss it! Glendalough Monastery was started in the 6th century by St. Kevin. After seeing a short film, we went with a free guide to tour the site.
The most unique building is the Round Tower. It was used as a watch tower and a treasure room. Its front door requires a ladder to enter. During Viking invasions, they could pull up the ladder to protect the wealth stored inside. But its’ primary purpose was as a bell tower, a tradition of Campanile in Roman Catholic Italy – the Tower of Pisa is an example.
Dublin Airport – Day 14
Drive: 16 km, 0:22 hrs
Stay: depart
Final Comments on this Itinerary
This is an action-packed itinerary. Most newbie tourists head to sites that they have heard about or what I call name recognition. The places we recommend are all highly rated by the people as shown by the high Google Map Ratings. Remember, the most important “destination” is meeting the people.
What things fascinate you? How long is your trip? What questions do you have? Do you want more information? Then subscribe for free.
Itinerary Planning
Do you want to learn how to plan an itinerary? Is your trip less than two weeks? If you have less time simply quit the itinerary at Portmagee, Dingle or Cliffs of Moher and return back to the Dublin airport. Use this ready-made itinerary map to plan your trip.
If you have more than 14 days, add time for Kinsale and the points of interest mentioned in our detailed day by day itineraries. Add an extra day to your most desired stopovers in case of rain to give you another chance at better weather for sightseeing.
We have developed a similar two-week itinerary to see the best places in the north.
Purpose of Your Trip
What is the purpose of your trip? What are your interests? This itinerary was based on the features that make Ireland unique…
Ireland FAQ
The FAQ post answers questions such as:
- Where should I go in Ireland?
- What is the best season for travel?
- What is the best clothing?
- Where should I go? What are the must-sees?
- How much time do I need for Ireland?
- Can I see everything in a week?
- How safe is Ireland?
- How much cash should you take to Ireland?
- Should I pay in Euros or my own currency?
- What apps are useful for travel?
- Should I rent a car? Take a Taxi?
Terra Encounters 
5 thoughts on “Best Places for 2 Weeks in Ireland”