RoadAtlas
The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland — Scenic
Europe

The Long Way Round, Ireland

Ireland

Point-to-point
Dublin Ardmore

In short: The Long Way Round, Ireland is a About 1,500 km scenic road trip in Ireland, typically driven over 11 days, best in May – September. Highlights: Dublin, Belfast, Giant's Causeway.

Distance
About 1,500 km
Duration
11 days
Best Season
May – September
IconicEasyScenicBorder crossingEV-friendly

Ireland's jagged, spectacular edges, this two-week circuit explores the island's coastline from Dublin through Belfast and the Causeway Coast, west to the dramatic cliffs and mountains of Connacht, south through Connemara and Clifden, the Cliffs of Moher, Kerry's Ring, and Cork to the final destination of Ardmore, one of the southeast coast's loveliest seaside villages.

~2 refuels
~5 charges
Practical notes
This eleven-day plan exposes every transfer and gives Dingle and the true N70 Ring of Kerry separate days. Before crossing into Northern Ireland, check whether each traveller needs a UK ETA or visa; Irish/British citizens and other exempt categories do not universally need an ETA. Prebook Titanic Belfast, Carrick-a-Rede and Giant’s Causeway parking/visitor products. Carrick crossing may be unavailable, with the coastal walk/viewpoint as fallback. At Moher, closed coastal-walk sections are not a through route: use only the official visitor-centre paths and currently open segments. For the longest rural coast stages, refuel early, carry water/offline maps and plan EV charging before departure with a fallback in the preceding town; do not assume late-opening services or continuous mobile coverage.

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Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1Dublin

Book of Kells and Guinness Storehouse · The Winding Stair

Day 2Dublin to Belfast

Titanic Belfast · Crumlin Road Gaol · Mourne Seafood Bar

Day 3Belfast to Giant's Causeway coast

Giant's Causeway · Carrick-a-Rede · The Bushmills Inn

Day 4Causeway coast via Slieve League to Donegal

Slieve League main viewpoints · The Olde Castle Bar

Day 5Galway to Clifden through Connemara

Short Galway walk and one Connemara hike · Sky Road · Mitchell’s Restaurant

Day 6Clifden via the Burren to Cliffs of Moher and Doolin

Cliffs of Moher official visitor paths · Doolin Cave · Russells Seafood Bar

Day 7Doolin to Dingle and clockwise Slea Head

Slea Head Drive · Out of the Blue

Day 8Dingle to the true N70 Ring of Kerry

N70 Ring of Kerry · The Moorings

Day 9Blarney and Cork

Blarney Castle · Cork English Market · Farmgate Café

Day 10Kinsale and Charles Fort

Charles Fort and Kinsale · Fishy Fishy

Day 11Cobh to Ardmore via Youghal

Cobh heritage quarter · Ardmore Cliff Walk and round tower · Aherne's Seafood Restaurant

Stops along the route

Dublin — Departure — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Departure
Dublin
Trinity College's Book of Kells, the Guinness Storehouse, Kilmainham Gaol, and a Temple Bar pub culture where the craic is a genuine institution.
Hotels
Belfast — City — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
City
Belfast
A city transformed since the Troubles. The Titanic Belfast museum, Cathedral Quarter murals, and Victorian Crown Liquor Saloon are its headline draws.
Hotels
Donegal — City — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
City
Donegal
Gateway to Ireland's wildest county: Sliabh Liag's 601 m sea cliffs, Glenveagh National Park, and Atlantic beaches that feel genuinely off the map.
Hotels
Galway — City — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
City
Galway
Ireland's cultural capital, a medieval Latin Quarter of pubs with live traditional music nightly and the gateway west to Connemara's bog and mountain landscape.
Hotels
Clifden — City — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
City
Clifden
The unofficial capital of Connemara, ringed by bog and mountain. The Sky Road loop out of town is one of the west coast's finest short drives.
Cork — City — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
City
Cork
Ireland's self-styled food capital. The English Market has traded since 1788; St Fin Barre's Cathedral and a fierce local pride define the Rebel County.
Hotels
Show 1 more
Ardmore — Arrival — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Arrival
Ardmore
A 5th-century monastic village with Ireland's finest intact round tower (29 m, c.1150). St Declan's settlement here predates St Patrick's arrival in Ireland.
Hotels

Things to Do

Giant's Causeway — Landmark — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Landmark
Giant's Causeway
40,000 hexagonal basalt columns formed 60 million years ago, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The cliff path to Dunseverick Castle is one of Ireland's finest walks.
Cliffs of Moher — Nature — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Nature
Cliffs of Moher
Sheer 214 m limestone cliffs stretching 8 km above the Atlantic, Ireland's most visited natural site. Walk to O'Brien's Tower for the best vantage point.
Ring of Kerry — Nature — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Nature
Ring of Kerry
A 179 km circuit of the Iveragh Peninsula past Ireland's highest peaks and with views to Skellig Michael, a 6th-century monastic rock stack 12 km offshore.
Book of Kells and Guinness Storehouse — Timed city visits — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Timed city visits
Book of Kells and Guinness Storehouse
Book non-overlapping entries; Chapter One is only an advance splurge alternative.
Titanic Belfast — Museum — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Museum
Titanic Belfast
Make this the anchor and use a later Crumlin Road slot only if available.
Crumlin Road Gaol — Optional timed visit — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Optional timed visit
Crumlin Road Gaol
Add only after the confirmed Titanic booking.
Show 14 more
Giant's Causeway — World Heritage coast — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
World Heritage coast
Giant's Causeway
Use the prebooked visitor/parking product.
Carrick-a-Rede — Prebooked coastal site — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Prebooked coastal site
Carrick-a-Rede
Use the crossing booking; if unavailable, take the open coastal viewpoint/walk fallback.
Slieve League main viewpoints — Cliff viewpoints — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Cliff viewpoints
Slieve League main viewpoints
Visit first after checking access; Donegal Castle is arrival-hours optional.
Short Galway walk and one Connemara hike — City and national park — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
City and national park
Short Galway walk and one Connemara hike
Leave Galway promptly and choose one weather-suitable park walk.
Sky Road — Scenic drive — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Scenic drive
Sky Road
Drive late with daylight and overnight in Clifden.
Cliffs of Moher official visitor paths — Cliff visit — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Cliff visit
Cliffs of Moher official visitor paths
Use official paths only; do not plan a through hike across closed sections.
Doolin Cave — Cave — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Cave
Doolin Cave
Use a timed second visit only if the transfer permits.
Slea Head Drive — Scenic loop — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Scenic loop
Slea Head Drive
Drive clockwise, obey visitor traffic signs and overnight in Dingle.
N70 Ring of Kerry — Scenic circuit — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Scenic circuit
N70 Ring of Kerry
Route via Killorglin, Cahersiveen, Waterville, Sneem, Kenmare and Moll’s Gap.
Blarney Castle — Castle and gardens — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Castle and gardens
Blarney Castle
Book/check opening before Cork.
Cork English Market — Food market — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Food market
Cork English Market
Make Cork the overnight and keep one dinner choice.
Charles Fort and Kinsale — Fort and harbour town — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Fort and harbour town
Charles Fort and Kinsale
Give Kinsale its own day; Cobh is not added.
Cobh heritage quarter — Harbour heritage — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Harbour heritage
Cobh heritage quarter
Use a focused half-day before travelling east.
Ardmore Cliff Walk and round tower — Coastal heritage — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Coastal heritage
Ardmore Cliff Walk and round tower
Use only open local path sections and finish in Ardmore.

Where to Eat

The Winding Stair — Modern Irish — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Modern Irish
The Winding Stair
Use as the flexible Dublin dinner and reserve.
Mourne Seafood Bar — Seafood — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Seafood
Mourne Seafood Bar
Reserve one Belfast dinner.
The Bushmills Inn — Northern Irish — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Northern Irish
The Bushmills Inn
Reserve the one route dinner.
The Olde Castle Bar — Irish — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Irish
The Olde Castle Bar
Verify the Donegal arrival kitchen and reserve.
Mitchell’s Restaurant — Irish seafood — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Irish seafood
Mitchell’s Restaurant
Reserve the Clifden overnight dinner.
Russells Seafood Bar — Irish seafood — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Irish seafood
Russells Seafood Bar
Reserve the Doolin dinner.
Show 5 more
Out of the Blue — Irish seafood — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Irish seafood
Out of the Blue
Reserve the Dingle dinner.
The Moorings — Irish seafood — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Irish seafood
The Moorings
Use the Portmagee lunch and verify service.
Farmgate Café — Irish market cooking — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Irish market cooking
Farmgate Café
Use the English Market meal; reserve/check market day.
Fishy Fishy — Irish seafood — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Irish seafood
Fishy Fishy
Place this correctly on the Kinsale day and reserve well ahead.
Aherne's Seafood Restaurant — Irish seafood — The Long Way Round, Ireland — Ireland
Irish seafood
Aherne's Seafood Restaurant
Use only as an advance-booked Youghal transfer lunch.

Nearby and similar drives

Frequently asked questions

How long is the The Long Way Round, Ireland drive?

The The Long Way Round, Ireland covers About 1,500 km from start to finish.

How long does the The Long Way Round, Ireland take to drive?

Most travellers spend 11 days on the The Long Way Round, Ireland, depending on stops and pace.

When is the best time to drive the The Long Way Round, Ireland?

The recommended season for the The Long Way Round, Ireland is May – September.

Where does the The Long Way Round, Ireland start and end?

The The Long Way Round, Ireland runs from Dublin to Ardmore.

What are the main stops on the The Long Way Round, Ireland?

The The Long Way Round, Ireland passes through Dublin, Belfast, Giant's Causeway.

How difficult is the The Long Way Round, Ireland to drive?

The The Long Way Round, Ireland is rated easy and is best handled with any vehicle.

Can I drive the The Long Way Round, Ireland in a regular car?

Yes — the The Long Way Round, Ireland is paved end-to-end and a regular car is fine in normal conditions.

Do I need a permit or border paperwork for the The Long Way Round, Ireland?

Yes — the The Long Way Round, Ireland requires permits, fees, or border paperwork. Plan ahead: This eleven-day plan exposes every transfer and gives Dingle and the true N70 Ring of Kerry separate days. Before crossing into Northern Ireland, check whether each traveller needs a UK ETA or visa; Irish/British citizens and other exempt categories do not universally need an ETA. Prebook Titanic Belfast, Carrick-a-Rede and Giant’s Causeway parking/visitor products. Carrick crossing may be unavailable, with the coastal walk/viewpoint as fallback. At Moher, closed coastal-walk sections are not a through route: use only the official visitor-centre paths and currently open segments. For the longest rural coast stages, refuel early, carry water/offline maps and plan EV charging before departure with a fallback in the preceding town; do not assume late-opening services or continuous mobile coverage.

How many fuel stops are needed on the The Long Way Round, Ireland?

Plan around 2 refuels (or about 5 EV charges) along the The Long Way Round, Ireland, based on its About 1,500 km length.

Is the The Long Way Round, Ireland EV friendly?

Yes — the The Long Way Round, Ireland has charger coverage along the route and works as an EV road trip.

Is the The Long Way Round, Ireland safe to drive?

This eleven-day plan exposes every transfer and gives Dingle and the true N70 Ring of Kerry separate days. Before crossing into Northern Ireland, check whether each traveller needs a UK ETA or visa; Irish/British citizens and other exempt categories do not universally need an ETA. Prebook Titanic Belfast, Carrick-a-Rede and Giant’s Causeway parking/visitor products. Carrick crossing may be unavailable, with the coastal walk/viewpoint as fallback. At Moher, closed coastal-walk sections are not a through route: use only the official visitor-centre paths and currently open segments. For the longest rural coast stages, refuel early, carry water/offline maps and plan EV charging before departure with a fallback in the preceding town; do not assume late-opening services or continuous mobile coverage.

What scenic tier is the The Long Way Round, Ireland?

The The Long Way Round, Ireland is a iconic drive — Iconic road trips that anchor a region's reputation — postcard scenery, headline highways, and the routes most travellers want to drive.