Hello dear globetrotters,
Oh, I'm so happy. Finally the time has come & I proudly present you the green island, which inspired me so much that I went there twice. My "autumn holiday" usually takes place in Europe. In 2019 I decided to go to Ireland.
Who can I recommend a trip to Ireland to? Nature, roadtrip & hiking fans. But also for a city trips it's a good choice (Dublin is a dream!).
At which time of the year? In summer things are getting crazy in beautiful Irelan. I think the charm gets (a little bit) lost when the big travel busses clog the streets. But the landscape still remains dreamlike. In autumn there was pleasantly little going on & due to the mild climate you won't freeze. A rain jacket & waterproof shoes are (no matter what season) a must-have.
The question is why Ireland is so wonderful? The charm is the unspoiled nature, the roughness, the colours (yes, it is really as green as you imagine it) and the special mixture of sea, rocks, mountains and meadows. In addition, the towns and villages are quaint and cozy and the Irish are warm and cheerful people.
Costs
Food is affordable in the pubs. In restaurants you have to expect about 13 - 20 € per dish. So most of the time I bought something in the supermarket and just had a snack. Overnight stays are possible in all price ranges: From the hostel (depending on the season 18 - 30 €) over B&B (depending on the season 45 - 100 €) up to the hotel (depending on the season 80+ €) everything is offered. Camping is actually not very common, but there are also camping possibilities.
The fuel is a bit more expensive than in Germany (at my time: 1,45 €/l for petrol), but still affordable. The rental car cost for me as a young driver for 8 days about 300 €. If you are older than 25 it's cheaper. The cheapest thing is - with timely booking - the flight, in particular with RyanAir (from Germany) you already get flights for 30 € to the island & back. I paid 90 € there & back.
In total, I paid 800 € for 10 days (10 nights) with a mixture of hostels and B&Bs, breakfast, a rental car and flight.
ROUTE
10 days: Dublin - Killarney - Cashel - Blarney - Glengariff - Ring of Beara - Killarney - Dingle - Kilkee Cliffs - Cliffs of Moher - Galway - Dublin
You can see a lot in a short time if you are willing to drive a lot. I have chosen a more relaxed route. I visited the omitted destinations during my second visit.
Day 1: Night flight to Dublin
With the Airlink Bus you can get from the airport to the city for 7 €.
Day 2: Dublin
Absolutely recommended: one of the Free City Tours. Based on tips a guide show you Dublin by foot. You will see the most beautiful sights and additionally get free informations and (supposed) insider tips. Highlights are of course the Castle of Dublin, Dublinia, the Cathedral, Temple Bar Quarter and the Halfpenny Bridge.
The tour usually ends at Trinity College. There you can also get a guided tour by a student for 15 € and the entrance to the famous Old Library is also included (the entrance alone costs 14 €). The college is one of my favorit spots because of the buildings. In the library is the famous Book of Kells, the Bible in picture form. Beside the buildings, Dublin also has some green parks. I chose the Stephans Garden because it is called the "green lung". A river runs through the park, there are fountains, ducks, pavilions and there is an exuberant atmosphere.
When it rains & to save money I can recommend the National Gallery of Ireland. There are some great paintings hanging and the entrance is free. After all, art is there for everyone.
In the evening you have to visit a Pub. In the Temple Bar quarter are more tourists, but there are also really cool bars (recommendation: Bob's Bar). As I didn't want to walk alone through the pubs, I signed up for Pub Crawl (about 15 €). You move from bar to bar in a bigger group & get to know a lot of new people. Of course, the focus is on the alcohol & it's hard to get to know Irish people. The evening was great anyway & a good option if you are travelling alone.
Day 3: Killarney Castle - Rock of Cashel
Roadtrip started from Dublin (Attention! Don't forget to pay toll! -> only online for the M50) to Killarney. As I learned later, this is the secret capital of the Irish (Dublin became the capital after the invasion) and a really nice town. I spent about 2 hours in the Killarney Castle, which was restored with a lot of money. Also the gardens around it are designed with love. You only have to pay the entrance fee (8€) if you want to go inside.
Day 4: Blarney Castle - Glengariff
The castle surprised me. It costs 18 € & it is worth so much money. The castle itself is not, but the whole complex is huge and contains many gardens, which are created with much effort. My favorite is the Fern Garden. It is located at the edge of the area and is like a palm garden.
I spent about 4 hours there. During good weather you can spend the time with walks along the lake and through the many gardens. The castle is famous for the "Blarney Stone", which you have to kiss in order to get a spoken language. I found it a bit bizarre, but that is a matter of taste.
Then I drove on to Glengariff to start the next day with the Ring of Beara and was rewarded with a wonderful rainbow.
Day 5: Garnish Island - Ring of Beara - Killarney
The next morning I took the boat (13 €) to Garnish Island (5 €). I spent about two hours there. On the way to the island you'll see seals and on the island itself are fantastic views and gardens. Afterwards you should drive the Ring of Beara. It is a coastal road around the peninsula. On my way back I drove the Healy Pass (absolutely recommendable!). The Ring of Beara scores with its roughness and wilderness. It is by far not as busy as the Ring of Kerry, as the roads are too narrow for busses. I didn't had any problems with the road (in autumn) and it didn't seem too narrow to me either. If you drive into the side streets, you can also stop for photos. I always found good (unofficial) places to stop. Offered are sea, coast, mountains, meadows, sheep &&&.
I liked the whole atmosphere and also the feeling of "a person is so small in the world". You realize what a miracle the nature is. I skipped a trip to Dursey Island because of strong wind. The Healy Pass leads across the mountains and is special because it has many beautiful waterfalls & the sheeps just run across the fields. Those who like to go to restaurants or want a big service are not the right tourists for the Ring of Beara. I bought something in the supermarket to have a picnic.
Day 6: Torc Mountain, Muckross House & Garden, Dingle Inch Beach
The caffeine in the black tea gave me a massive urge to move. Furthermore, good weather was predicted and so I decided to hike up Torc Mountain. The hike is about 7 km and 2 h, if you stop for photos. Waterproof shoes are a must have, because it can be very wet. You'll be rewarded with an incredible view down to the city & blue lakes. After that I had enough time to visit the Muckross House. You can only visit the house with a guided tour (10 €), but I liked to learn more about life as a wealthy family. In the evening I drive to Dingle City accompanied by the beautiful sunset. I pass the Inch Beach, which is one of the most beautiful beaches.
Day 7: Dingle: Slea Head Drive - Connor Pass
Including all stops I needed about three to four hours for the Slea Head Drive. One of the most famous stops is the Dunmore Head, because this was a film location for Star Wars. Otherwise you can find Beehive Huts - huts where people used to live - and a museum about the islands near Dingle. I especially liked a small beach, which I discovered. I also followed a small road and landed at a pasture with cows directly at the sea. If you drive with your eyes open, you will find many hidden beauties.
Afterwards I drove the Connor Pass in the middle of Dingle-Island. It leads up to the mountains and offers a fantastic view "into the valley" as well as to a smaller waterfall.
Day 8: Tarbert Ferry - Kilkee Cliffs - Doolin
Recommended by locals I decided against a trip to Limerick and instead took the car ferry from Tarbert to Kilrush. The ferry costs 18 €, but it is worth it. A drive along the more beautiful coastal road and you pass the Kilkee Cliffs. They are the "little Cliffs of Moher" and totally pretty. You can see the colorful village and also walk down the cliffs. Entrance is free and you are not surrounded by thousands of tourists. A big recommendation! Shortly before sunset I arrived in Doolin & decided spontaneously to visit the Cliffs of Moher. 30 min. before closing I didn't had to pay anything and had a tourist-free view to the cliffs. Very impressive and huge.
Day 9: Doolin Cliffs Walk - Cliffs of Moher - Galway
Several homepages recommend to walk to the cliffs. Therefore I walked the Doolin Cliffs Walk to the Cliffs of Moher. You walk along the sea, fields, pastures and brooks. Important! Wear high & waterproof shoes, because you pass very muddy places. With my hiking shoes it was a tight thing, but the feet remained dry. My companion and I liked this hike (about 12 km to the end of the Cliffs of Moher) more than the cliffs. We were all alone and had great views. The cliffs themselves are very crowded and everyone acts crazy to take photos. In the end the cliffs remain unique even with the tourist streams.
From Doolin I drove to Galway. I got the tip to visit Salt Hill & so I ate my dinner at the sea. In Galway I wanted to try the nightlife again. As the people there are all super friendly, I quickly got in touch with a group of people. With them I got into an Irish pub without a single tourist. I loved the nightlife in Galway, because there is a lot going on and the pubs with their charm and the great bands are just awesome. By the way, I also felt safe (during my trip I was all the way through, but I didn't expected anything else).
Day 10: Galway (Free City Tour!) - Dublin
Galway also offers free city tours, which are only paid by tips. Galway is a pretty town, but it doesn't get close to Dublin. The tower in the middle of a huge shopping centre is fascinating. The big cathedral is worth seeing and, as already written, the nightlife.
Back in Dublin I enjoyed one last look at Dublin by night & said goodbye with mixed feelings.
Day 11: Return flight