Ireland: Dublin to Galway: a 6-day road trip
Dublin to Galway via Kilkenny, Cork, Killarney — about 561 km of driving across Ireland, suggested over 6 days.
See the attractions & sights guide for this route →
Stops on this route
Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Ireland, built around the River Liffey where it meets Dublin Bay on the east coast. Founded by Vikings in the 9th century and later shaped by centuries of Georgian building, the city is known for Trinity College, the Guinness brewery at St James's Gate, and a literary tradition that includes James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, and Jonathan Swift.
Kilkenny
Kilkenny is a medieval city in Ireland's southeast, built around a 12th-century Anglo-Norman castle overlooking the River Nore. Known as the Marble City for the dark limestone quarried locally and used in its buildings, Kilkenny preserves one of the country's best-surviving medieval street layouts, centred on the Medieval Mile that runs between the castle and St Canice's Cathedral.
Cork
Cork is Ireland's second-largest city, built on islands and quaysides where the River Lee splits into two channels before reaching Cork Harbour. Long an important centre of trade and shipping, the city is known for the covered English Market, its steep hillside streets around Shandon, and a local pride that leads residents to call it the 'real capital' of Ireland.
Killarney
Killarney is a market town in County Kerry, set beside Killarney National Park and its three lakes at the foot of Ireland's highest mountains, the MacGillycuddy's Reeks. Long a magnet for 19th-century tourism, the town grew up around estates such as Muckross House and remains one of Ireland's most visited destinations, known for lakeside walking trails and horse-drawn jaunting cars through the park.
Galway
Galway is a city on Ireland's west coast at the mouth of the River Corrib, where it meets Galway Bay. Its medieval Latin Quarter of narrow streets, the Spanish Arch, and a lively arts and music scene have made it one of Ireland's most visited cities, and its proximity to the Aran Islands and Connemara has long tied it to Irish-speaking coastal culture.
Road charges and rules along the way
Ireland
No motorway vignette or environmental sticker is required for passenger cars in Ireland; motorways are free or distance-tolled.
Plan this route with EuroDrive Scout — tolls, vignettes, ZTL alerts, fuel and parking →