Ireland
Dublin & Galway
Yay! You're Planning a Trip to Ireland!
So, you’re thinking about visiting Ireland—how exciting! Whether you’re still dreaming of this adventure or already have your trip booked, you’re probably wondering where to begin. Which parts should you explore? What are the must-see sights and unforgettable experiences? Don’t worry—I’ve got you covered!
In this post, I’m sharing the detailed itinerary from my one-week journey. You’ll find a day-by-day breakdown of the places we visited and the highlights we loved to help you craft your own dream adventure.
Of course, Ireland has so many incredible places to see, and while I wish I could have explored more, this itinerary was the perfect fit for us. Hopefully, it sparks some ideas and inspires your own unique trip to this beautiful country.
Itinerary Summary:
1 week in Ireland!
2 days in Galway
5 days in Dublin
Booked Activity:
Here are the links to the activities I did! Tickets to go in Dublin and Kilkenny Castle were purchased day of at the location.
Day 1: Exploring Galway
Morning: Start off at Eyre Square and the nearby Shop Street.
Afternoon: Wander through the Latin Quarter and enjoy live music and colorful street. Visit the Galway City Museum and take a walk along the Salthill Promenade for views of Galway Bay.
Evening: Dinner at The Quay Street Kitchen. Ended the first night at a pub, of course, for some drinks and more live music.
Day 2: Cliffs of Moher day trip
We joined a full day Cliffs of Moher and Burren Tour from Galway. The tour was about 8 hours and we were able to see and explore so many places in Ireland!
Morning: Join the tour group for a full-day Cliffs of Moher and Burren bus tour from Galway. Along the way, you’ll visit iconic sites like Dunguaire Castle, go underground in Aillwee Cave, and visit the charming village of Doolin for some food. Although super windy, the Cliffs of Moher was an unforgettable sight!
Evening: Head back to Galway and enjoy a casual dinner.
Day 3: Head to Dublin
Morning: Grab some breakfast and enjoy your last morning in Galway!
Afternoon: Grab a bus or train to Dublin. We took the bus and was a 2.5 hour ride.
Evening: Head to the Guinness Storehouse to learn about Ireland’s iconic stout and enjoy panoramic city views with your pint at the Gravity Bar. Make sure to print your face on your Guinness drink!
Day 4: Exploring Dublin
Morning: We started the morning at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum to learn about Ireland’s global connections. After we walked around and explored the city.
Afternoon: Headed to see the iconic Temple Bar and went inside for a drink. Stayed in temple bar area for some lunch and went to see the Dublin Castle. After going inside we headed to Grafton Street for some shopping.
Evening: Relax and have a casual dinner after being out and about all day. Then get ready to go pub crawling at night! My favorite pub with live irish music was Oliver St John Gogarty pub.
Day 5: More of Dublin
Morning: Recover after being out the night before haha and grab some Irish breakfast.
Afternoon: Visit Trinity College and see the famous Long Room Library and the Book of Kells. Enjoy lunch in Temple Bar.
Evening: For dinner you have to visit Murray’s Bar, one of my favorite pubs in Dublin! Grab dinner and enjoy live music and irish dancing every night! The back also has a beer garden where my friends and I enjoyed one too many pitchers.
Day 6: Day trip to Kilkenny
Morning: Take a bus or train to Kilkenny (~1.5 hours). Visit Kilkenny Castle and its beautiful grounds.
Afternoon: Have lunch at Kyteler’s Inn, a medieval pub with great food. Walk the Medieval Mile, including St. Canice’s Cathedral and its Round Tower.
Evening: Return to Dublin and enjoy a quiet evening with dinner at a local bistro.
Day 7: St Patrick's day Festivities
If you are going to Ireland during St. Patrick’s day, there is a 3 day festival that occurs every year with so many fun activities to celebrate the Irish culture and heritage! Here are some of the festivities we experienced!
Morning: Catch the parade that happens in Dublin the morning of St. Patrick’s day! Make sure to get there early for good spots and to stand for a while, but was overall super fun to watch!
Afternoon: Walk around the city, especially temple bar area, to start celebrating and drinking. The streets are packed with people and was definitely a fun time.
Evening: Make sure to keep the party going at night! Enjoy the night music festivals with many artists, performances, dances, and lots of food.
