IRELAND

EAT

• Bewley’s Cafe.

• Chapter One (Michelin)

• ☆ II Valentino Bakery and Cafe

• Frank and Honest Coffee Chain

• Matt the Rashers (Cheap eat)

• Mackenzie's 

• Murphys Icecreme

• ☆ O'Briens Ferryman

• ☆ Panem Cafe & Restaurant

• Queen of tarts 

• Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud (Michelin)

• San Lorenzo’s (Brunch)

• ☆Temple Bar (get there around when they open)

• The Hairy Lemon

• The Old Mill 

• Vintage Cocktail Club

• Whelan’s and Grogans (Bar)

SEE

• Chester Beatty Library

• Christ Church Cathedral

• Dublin Castle

• Dubh Linn Gardens

• Guinness Storehouse

• Ha’Penny Bridge

• National Gallery of Ireland

• Phoenix Park (rent bikes)

• Slane (secret town nearby)

• St. Stephen’s Green

• ☆ Sweny's Pharmacy

• The Liberties

• Trinity College

SHOP

• ☆ Avoca Suffolk Street

• St Stephen’s Shopping Centre

• ☆ Lotts & Co (fun grocery)

• Lucy’s Lounge Vintage Clothing Store

Tip: Apple Pay is heavily used in Dublin

MORE TIPS

Stay: 

2 full days (fly in/ out of) 

Stay near Trinity College or O'Briens Ferryman; most sights walkable from there

Transport: 

Free Now is their version of Uber

Choose the 747 or 757 city bus: cheap, fast, and convenient. €7, ~25 minutes in normal traffic. Find stop outside the main terminal.

EAT

• ☆ The Herons Cove

• Greens & Co (Galway)

• ☆ PLACE (Galway)

SEE

• Achill Island (Epic kitesurfing destination)

• Bantry Bay (Doolin Coastal Trail hike)

• Cliffs of Moher (skip it, but if you must see do the hike and avoid the tourist area)

  • Cliffs of Moher Walking Trail 

• Cobb

• ☆ Coumeenoole Beach 

• Dingle (charming town)

• ☆Doonagore Castle (only if on the way)

• Drombeg Stone Circle (Unspoiled historic site)

• ☆ Dunquin Pier

• ☆ Dunmore Head (Star Wars filming location)

• ☆ Galway City

  • Fun shopping

• ☆ Malin Head

• ☆ Mizen Head

• Poulnabrone Portal Tomb (Free site, informative posters)

• ☆ The Three Castles Head (Extreme Southwest point, overlooks Atlantic Ocean)

STAY

• ☆ Atlantic View Bed and Breakfast

• ☆ Ballyseede Castle

• Randles Court Hotel

TIPS

Stay: 

7 days

Transport: 

Rent a car, don't try to bus it 

Ring of Beara

80 miles long, ~4 hours
2 hrs from Dublin

☆

• Adrigole (cool waterfall)
• Castletownbere (off the beaten path)
• Dzogchen Beara (incredible views, Buddhist meditation)
• Eyeries (colorful village in Ireland)
• Kenmare (off the beaten path)
• Kilkenny Castle (start and end in this town)

Ring of Kerry

111 miles, ~3.5 hours

☆

• Ballycarbery Castle (Touristy)
• Ballinskelligs Abbey (Boat tour to Skellig Islands, Star Wars filming spot)
• Ballinskelligs Beach & Castle (Touristy)
• Cahergall Stone Fort (Touristy)
• ☆ Rock of Cashel
• Skellig Michael (Remote, untouched, 714 ft above sea level, star wars)
• Staigue Fort (One of Ireland's largest stone forts)

Southern Ireland 

Misc Places

☆

• Bunratty Castle
  • Folk Park
• Cahir Castle (Pay)
• Desmond Castle (Arrive early AM)
• Limerick (Town)
  • ☆ The Curragower Bar and Restaurant
  • King John's Castle (Pay)
• Blarney Castle and the Blarney Stone
• Blackrock Castle
• Rock of Cashel
• Tipperary (Town)
• Waterford (Town)

Causeway Coastal Route

195 miles, ~3-5 days

☆

• Carrick-a-rede rope bridge
• Dark Hedges (can drive down this road)
• Dunluce Castle
• Giant's Causeway