Ireland & Scotland: 2 Week Sample Itinerary
I know there are many ways to explore Ireland and the surrounding area. Here is our itinerary with activities and sites added as an example – enjoy and comment with any questions – happy to share from our experiences and research!
8/26 – Depart MSP
Ireland
8/27 – Arrive in Dublin, grab our rental car and drive (across the border) to Northern Ireland (final destination: Newcastle)
8/28 – FRIDAY 9/1 – Newcastle, County Down
- Eat at Cafe Maud’s – best food in town hands down
- Hike Sleve Donard – just maybe not how we did (a story for another day)
- Explore the nearby pubs (the Anchor Bar is a local favorite – the live music was outta this world)
- Drive an hour north to Belfast and check out the Peace Walls
- Try weird Irish Chinese food
- Enjoy time in a smaller seaside town (before going to Galway and getting trampled to death)
Scotland
9/2 & 9/3 – Drive back to Dublin; fly from Dublin to Edinburgh at 5:10am (arriving at 6:10pm), spend first night in Edinburgh, Scotland.
- Visit Stockbridge market – the finest food in town (Sunday 10am-5pm)
- Hike up to Arthur’s seat – the highest spot in Edinburgh (busy but totally worth the view)
- Stay with Susanne in Leith
- Go to the Scotch Whisky Experience – a well oiled machine with really helpful and engaging teachings on whiskey, including a tasting by region of Scotland
- Vegan tea time at Casa Angelina (make reservations at least the day before!)
- DO NOT go to the Museum of Childhood (unless you are OK with clowns and creepy dolls) – Your call.
9/4 & 9/5 – Check out of Edinburgh AirBnB and take AM train to Glasgow
- Stay with Tracey – Clyde view AirBNB
- Go to a show at the Oran Mor Theater: A Play, A Pie, and A Pint
- Wander looking for street art
9/5 Fly back to Dublin for an evening
- Take a Guinness Tour
- Into creepy things? Check out the Spike Island (Prison) Tours
9/6 – Drive to Cork (spend the night in Cobh)
- Visit Fota Wildlife Park in Cork
- Stay with John at an AirBnb right off the water
- Take pictures! The little harbor and colorful doorways were a photographer’s dream.
THURSDAY 9/7 – Take the ferry to Inis Oirr (an island off the coast of western Ireland.
- Stay on Inis Oirr (pronounced ee-nis-sheer) AirBnB – a little island, one of the last places where Gaelic is spoken regularly!
FRIDAY 9/8 – Spend the day in Dingle
- Ferry back to Doolin
- Visit the Dingle Distillery
- Check out Dick Mack’s Pub
SATURDAY 9/9 – Galway
- Stay with Damien + Brid AirBnB
- Visit Cliffs of Moher (great for Harry Potter nerds)
- Walk with Hawks at the Burren Birds of Prey Center
Other Events in Galway: Local bands at Roisin Dunh, Hip: The Blue Note, Oyster Festival, Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival
SUNDAY 9/10 – Last day/night in Dublin: Guinness tour, Dublin Writers Museum
- Stay on this Top Floor AirBNB
MONDAY 9/11 – Depart Dublin, Arrive in MSP
Enjoy your time in Ireland (and maybe Scotland too)! There are so many hidden treasures. I hope this gave you some ideas and inspiration for planning a trip of your own.