3 Days to spend in Ireland

We are arriving in Dublin and leaving from Belfast but have 3 nights in between to spend in the countryside of Ireland.  Been looking at Galway, Limerick or Cork as a base to travel about and see some of the Irish countryside.  Any advice would be most welcome. Thanks.

It's lovely to hear that you will be spending a few days with us and looking to see plenty of our countryside! From Dublin, it is a handy drive down to County Cork and spend some time. Cork City itself is worth a look, with plenty of accommodation to stop for the evening. There are the usual attractions of Kinsale, Cobh, and Spike Island, but if you are looking for wide open spaces, then a trip down to Mizen Head may be what you are looking for. West Cork is a super place, and from there you can continue up to Limerick to stay the night. There is an accommodation page on our website to find places to stay. Just scroll down to the Where do you want to stay section and use the filters to refine the search by location and type.

The drive along the coast out to Loop Head, the Kilkee Cliffs, then up towards Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher, is a perfect part of the Wild Atlantic Way to see. I almost forgot to add The Burren to the things to see while driving through County Clare!
County Galway, as the final stop before heading up to Belfast, certainly has plenty to see. Connemara is a beautiful region for landscapes and countryside vistas, with plenty of photo stops here.

From there back to Belfast, the quickest route takes about 3 1/2 hours, heading towards Athlone, then up towards Kells and Ardee onto the M1.

Hopefully, this will give you some ideas to start an itinerary. Please feel free to get back to us as you formulate your plan.

It can be good to escape to quieter places when in Ireland. We always encourage our visitors to soak up all that the city of your choice has to offer and then head straight for the countryside. Whilst the iconic tourist attractions like the Cliffs of Moher, The Ring of Kerry... will always have an appeal it is nice to blend your itinerary with some of the hidden gems speckled around this beautiful island of ours. Here are some suggestions:

* Hook Head Peninsula in South Wexford. Here, you can take a guided tour of the world's oldest functioning lighthouse and take in the amazing panorama over to Dunmore East. You can then kayak around the Celtic Coastline at Baginbun with Graham and his team at The Irish Experience, walk some of the stunning beaches like Carnivan or Baginbun before taking a stroll around the grounds of a centuries old Cistercian Abbey at Tintern. 

* Lismore in West Waterford is one of my favourite places to visit. You can take a stroll along the banks of the River Blackwater, be guided by one of the brilliant team of guides in Lismore Heritage Centre, visit the castle gardens, even kayak down the river. If you've a few days in the area, it's worth visiting Villierstown, having lunch in Barron's in Cappoquin and calling to Glencairn Abbey. You could stay in the Eco Pods run by Blackwater Eco in Villierstown. 

* When in Northern Ireland, be sure to visit the Causeway Coastline. If you're a Game of Thrones fan, you'll have lots to visit here from the Dark Hedges, to Carrick a Reed Rope Bridge and the world famous Giant's Causeway... but do it a little differently, walk the cliff path down to the Causeway from the carpark. Ballintoy Harbour on the Coastline is simple amazing. It's off the main road and well worth the short detour.

Feel free to reach out to us on www.celticwaysireland.com if you'd like more guidance.

Phil and Elaine

Big thanks to Phil & Elaine of Celtic Ways Ireland for their advice and tips for your visit! Ireland's Ancient East has some super locations, as they mention as an alternative to the West Coast. ☺️