Help needed to plan itinerary form Cork to Dublin

mumsmob · Newbie

Help needed to plan itinerary form Cork to Dublin

Michele Erdvig · Host

mumsmob,

Welcome to my forum. Take a look at my article Plan Your Trip to Ireland in Ten Easy Steps. Number 5 tells you how to choose a travel style.

Since you have only 10 days, my best piece of advice is to draw a line from Dublin to Galway. Concentrate on the area below that line. Even then you will not be able to see everything in that area.

August is high season. You should consider making a firm itinerary and reservations. If you decide to wing it at least make reservations for your first and last nights. August 6 is a Bank Holiday. I don't know if that will impact your plans.

Don't let your son run you ragged. wink

Michele

mumsmob · Newbie

Thanks Michelle,

I've come up with this itinerary but would value your advice as to whether it is too busy:

Day 1: Spend 1st night at Cobh,

Day 2: Brief look around Cobh, up to Blarney Castle, then follow the coast road to Kenmare

Day 3: Depart Kenmare, spend the day doing the Ring of Kerry before spending the night at Killarney

Day 4: Depart Killarney, do the Dingle Peninsula, Muckross House (if time permits) and travel up to Bunratty for the medieval feast.

Day 5: Depart Bunratty and travel up to Galway visiting the Cliffs of Mohar & The Burren

Day 6: Depart Galway and travel to Drogheda

Day 7: Depart Drogheda to visit Bru na Boinne and then travel down the coast to Dublin (or one of the nearby seaside towns, recommendations welcome)

Day 8: Depart Dublin, visit Guiness and meander down to Wicklow

Day 9: Depart Wicklow, visit Glendalough, travel on to Kilkenny Castle, spend night at Kilkenny

Day 10: Depart Kilkenny, visit Rock of Cashel before making way back to Dublin, or coastal town near by

Day 11: Spend a day relaxing at coastal town before heading off to the airport early next day.

Question: Is it better to have my last day relaxing nearl Dublin, or add an extra day to my time around Cork at the begining of my trip?

Many thanks, Lisa:)

Michele Erdvig · Host

Lisa,

We call that a "green blur tour of Ireland"! Nothing wrong with it, if that is your travel style. Lots of people want to cram in as much as possible and take their "vacation" when they get home. wink

Something to consider: every sightseeing stop takes time. You must find parking, park, pay admission, see the site, etc. Lunch takes some time. Driving from place to place takes time.

This a "for instance": Blarney Castle. In August you could easily be in line for an hour or more to kiss the stone. The estate contains gardens, walkways and all sorts of interesting things to see and do. If Blarney House is open you will want to see that. Tours are limited to a certain number of people and you might have to "take a number". It would be very easy to spend half a day there, if not more.

Brief look around Cobh: Will you skip the Queenstown Story Museum of Immigration, St. Colman's Cathedral and the Titanic walk in favor of Blarney and the coastal drive? The coast drive is not the quickest or most efficient way to get over to Kenmare.

Either Killarney or Kenmare demands at least two nights, if not more. Both places make good bases for the SW.

Have you thought of saving Dublin for the end of the trip? That way you can drop off your car, stay in the city and use public transport.

Try to give yourself a few more multiple night stays. Go back to the drawing board and see what else you can come up with. Don't despair. This is just a first try. No one gets it exactly right on the first one. You might have to do ten itineraries before you get one that pleases you.

Michele