Ireland is a country packed with history, folklore, culture, and stunning scenery. With so much to see, do, and learn in the Emerald Isle, people with the most time on their hands will find greater rewards.
If you have 7 days to spend exploring our country, we’ve got some good news for you: this is plenty of time for an authentic, unforgettable Irish experience.
At Wild N Happy, we provide a range of day trips and tours in Ireland. Carefully created by our expert team, these excursions showcase the best our country has to offer!
If you have a query about any of the tours we operate, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
For now, though, let’s look at our tips for a great 7-day Ireland itinerary.
Discover Dublin, Our Country’s Fascinating Capital City
If Dublin is your gateway into Ireland, don’t miss the opportunity to see the sights of our capital city.
An action-packed day in Dublin can include:
- Temple Bar
- Grafton Street
- Guinness Storehouse
- Trinity College
- Kilmainham Gaol
- Ha’penny Bridge
The amount of time you spend in Dublin will depend on your travel preferences. If you’re a fan of city breaks, you can extend your stay in the city for longer.
But if you’re chomping at the bit to get out and explore Ireland’s beautiful scenery, you may even skip Dublin altogether.
Hit the Open Road and Head to Cork!
Cork is around a three-hour drive southwest of Dublin. You can integrate a pitstop in Kilkenny, which sits roughly equidistant between the two cities. This gives you the opportunity to look around Kilkenny castle!
Cork is Ireland’s second-largest city, so there’s plenty to see and do here.
For example, the Rebel County has plenty on offer for history buffs, from Blarney Castle (where you can kiss the famous Blarney Stone for good luck) to the notorious Spike Island.
Head to St Anne’s Church to hear the ringing of the Shandon Bells and climb the tower for a birds-eye view of the city. The amazing Jameson’s Distillery also provides the ideal excuse to sample some fine Irish whiskey.
Cork has earned a reputation as Ireland’s culinary capital, so be sure to seek out a highly rated spot for lunch and dinner!
Explore the Beauty of County Kerry
Road trips always have days that need more driving than others. But there’s no better place to do this than Kerry! On this leg of the journey, an early start will provide more rewards throughout the day.
The drive from Cork to Killarney takes you to the most logical starting point of the famous Ring of Kerry — Ireland’s most picturesque and celebrated driving route.
In short, the Ring of Kerry is the ring road that winds around the beautiful Iveragh Peninsula. Without stopping, the route takes approximately three-and-a-half hours to complete. But trust us, you will stop! A lot!
Ring of Kerry tours cover this region’s incredible landscapes and natural wonders, not to mention warm and welcoming villages and towns.
Ring of Kerry highlights include:
- Killarney and the Killarney National Park
- Torc Waterfall
- Muckross Abbey
- Ross Castle
- The Gap of Dunloe
- Ladies View
- Moll’s Gap
- Macgillycuddy’s Reeks
- Carrauntoohil (Ireland’s highest peak)
- Skellig Michael
- Rossbeigh Strand
And we haven’t even mentioned the charming towns you can stop in yet! Kenmare and Portmagee are just two prime examples.
After leaving the ring road, head to Dingle on the Dingle Peninsula. There’s even more striking scenery to enjoy here, as well as Inch Beach, Dunquin Harbour, and Ireland’s most westerly point, Dunmore Head.
Drive North to Galway, Ireland’s Cultural Capital
The drive north from Dingle to Galway allows you to truly embrace Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way.
You can easily break this three-and-a-half-hour drive into shorter legs. Stopping in Limerick is a popular choice for many road trippers in this part of our country.
County Clare is also home to the iconic Cliffs of Moher. This rugged stretch of coastline is among our country’s most famous attractions.
Galway is known as Ireland’s “Cultural Capital”, making it a must-visit destination on any itinerary for a week in Ireland.
The city’s pubs echo with traditional Irish music and the Latin Quarter has amazing buskers and ample shopping opportunities. A stroll along Salthill Promenade provides a quintessential Irish seaside experience.
If you have more time, find out our recommendations for spending 3 days in Galway.
Leave Galway Behind and Head for Delightful Donegal
Even more spectacular sights lie in store as you head north along the Wild Atlantic Way toward Donegal.
In Connemara National Park, visitors can find more of Ireland’s lush green landscapes. Among the many highlights here are Killary Fjord and Kylemore Abbey.
The route north then takes you through Westport and Sligo before passing the distinctive Benbulbin, a large, flat-topped rock formation.
Upon arrival in Donegal, explore the wonderful town itself or make a beeline to some of the county’s incredible geological gems. The latter include Slieve League Cliffs, some of the highest cliffs in Europe, and Mount Errigal, an imposing mountain standing 751 meters high.
Cross into Northern Ireland and Marvel at County Antrim
Heading east from Donegal takes you across the border into Northern Ireland. Aim to hug the northern coastline of County Antrim as it has yet more photogenic scenery.
The city of Derry makes a great stop before the journey continues along the stunning Causeway Coast. As the name suggests, this is home to Giant’s Causeway. Here you can discover around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, many hexagonal in shape, that formed after an ancient volcanic eruption.
In addition to the breathtaking coastal views, there are numerous Game of Thrones filming locations in the area too. These include Dunluce Castle, Dark Hedges, and Murlough Bay.
The small seaside town of Ballycastle is a great place to stay at day’s end.
Complete Your Week-long Adventure in Belfast
Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, is the ideal spot to complete your week in Ireland. Depending on your travel plans, you can either fly out of Belfast City Airport or continue to Dublin.
Belfast is packed with essential experiences, including:
- Titanic Belfast
- Crumlin Road Gaol
- St George’s Market
- Belfast Castle
- Cave Hill
- Cathedral Quarter
Add Exciting Tours with Experts to Your 7-day Ireland Itinerary!
We hope the above has given you an idea of what you can do with a week in Ireland. It’s impossible to see everything our country has to offer in 7 days, but that just means you have a week full of amazing highlights!
For the ultimate in convenience and education, our range of tours in Ireland take you beyond the surface-level experience. Our team of specialists shed light on the history, folklore, and culture that lay behind the things you see.
For travelers who love a sense of freedom, consider our self-guided tours of Ireland.
If you have any questions about our specific tours, please feel free to get in touch.