Transport

The Better Way To Visit Ireland

Darragh

28 Dec 2024 — 2 min read

Irish cows have the right idea. Relax and take it all in

Welcome To Ireland: Now Slow Down

The biggest mistake visitors to Ireland make is trying to do too much.

I know you're already planning a thousand kilometer drive through seven towns in seven days where you'll take 500 photos but can't remember where they were.

Choose Two Counties

Instead, pick any two counties and spend a few days in each one. That’s it. You’ll drive less and see more.

You can pick Cork & Kerry or Galway & Clare or Mayo & Sligo. Any two. It works.

My guides are built around hubs. Places where you can base yourself, and explore properly at a relaxed pace. No packing up every morning. No rushing to tick things off a list. The locals recognize you when you stick around.

Famous = Busy

People drive so much trying to hit the “famous” spots like Blarney Castle, Killarney, Dingle, Cliffs of Moher, etc. But famous doesn’t mean best. It usually just means crowded. There are always quieter, more authentic alternatives.

The Irish Travel Checklist

In any two counties, you'll still experience everything you came to Ireland to see but you'll remember them vividly.

✅ See dramatic cliffs
✅ Walk along wild beaches
✅ Explore castles & old ruins
✅ Visit genuine local Irish villages
✅ Tour a distillery or brewery
✅ Listen to traditional Irish music
✅ Have the perfect pint in a local pub
✅ Take a boat to a tiny Irish island
✅ Meet Irish people
✅ Eat proper Irish food

Meet Locals Not Other Tourists

Famous spots attract tourists, not Irish people. You’re in Ireland to meet locals. The friendliest ones are in real local villages, not souvenir shops.

And in Dublin? Get Out of the Centre

Dublin isn’t just Temple Bar and museums. It’s a city of coastal villages. Howth, Sandycove, Dalkey, Glasthule, and more. These are the places where Dubliners live, walk, swim, and chat over coffee. Explore them and you’ll get a far better sense of the city. You'll see real Dublin, not just exhibitions about it.

Don't Just Take My Word For It

Here are comments from travelers at the end of their trip to Ireland

“We drove 1300 km in 10 days and it was too much. We had fun, but it was far too much driving. In the future, I plan to keep my driving to under 500 km per week.”

“While Dingle, Galway, and Kilkenny are beautiful, they are catering toward tourists. I recommend only picking one or two ‘touristy’ places and instead trying to spend more time in the tiny towns that you don’t hear about.”

“If we could do it all over again, we would have cut back 25% of everything. If not more. Our itinerary was exhausting. The driving times are longer than you think. The constant moving in and out of a hotel is tiring. And you really are not enjoying it if you're just in the car checking off the boxes.”

“Quality > Quantity in Ireland. Leave time every day to relax and just soak in the area and people. Less is more. Don’t worry about missing out. You will remember how you felt, not if you checked a bunch of items off a sightseeing list.”