Driving the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland in 10 days

In the summer of 2026 it was finally time for a road trip through Ireland. Taking 10 full days to explore the dramatic Atlantic coast, full with lush green scenery, steep cliffs and narrow roads.

Here is my 10 day itinerary across the Wild Atlantic Way.

Arriving at Dublin Airport in the morning and picking up the rental car. As I asked for a Peugeot, the lovely attendant gave us the keys to a bright red Peugeot 408 sedan, which was a bit larger than anticipated. We immediately hit the road to drive more than 3 hours Northwest to Donegal.

Donegal town
The afternoon we spent around Donegal town, visiting the castle and the abbey.

Eclipse

The day is 12 August 2026 and this evening was going to be a 93% eclipse in Ireland. I was fully prepared for the occasion with eclipse glasses packed and a location scouted where we could see the sunset and the moment of the eclipse around 7PM. And while everyone in the Netherlands was fully experiencing the eclipse with bright blue skies. We got hit with a cluster of clouds. At some moments we could see the moon in front of the sun. But at the supreme moment, only clouds.

On the first full day we drove North from Donegal, exploring the peninsula just above town.

Slieve League

Forget the Cliffs of Moher, Slieve League with cliffs up to 3 times as high are a much more impressive sight, and much less crowded too. During summer it’s best to park the car at the visitor centre and take a €9 shuttle that takes you all the way to the viewing platform. Another option is to park at the 2nd car park, where you have to walk the last 30 minutes uphill.

Malin Beg (Silver Strand)

Driving further to Malin Beg with the gorgeous Silver Strand. One of the most beautiful beaches in Ireland situated between the cliffs. Walk down the stairs to set foot on the beach, which is even great for swimming. I did not try so myself, but others certainly did.

Flat tire on the country roads

It was the first day we got to fully experience the Irish country roads. Which often is only one lane for both directions, with an occasional wider area where cars are able to pass. As my travels always need an element of adventure, we stumbled upon a rock which resulted in a flat tire. Luckily we could drive a little bit further to a wide area and call road service from there. As we were in the middle of nowhere, it was a bit more difficult to pinpoint our exact location. Giving directions as; we’re 3 km Southwest from Assaranca Waterfall. After a 2 hour wait, help came through with a new tire.

Maghera Beach & Caves

Who would ever have thought that Ireland consisted of these pristine beaches? The private parking lot does ask for €4 per car, but after a short walk through the dunes we walked onto Maghera Beach, with its clear white sand and two caves.

Assaranca Waterfall

Just a stop next to the road is Assaranca Waterfall, a pretty waterfall full with streaming water flowing down.

By now it was time to head back to Donegal to spend the night, enjoy delicious food and wind down from the eventful day.

We’re driving South through the county of Sligo with its own spectacular sights.

Castle Classiebawn Viewpoint
A short stop on top of the cliffs with a faraway view of Castle Classiebawn.

The Gleniff Horseshoe

Drive the loop clockwise to Gleniff Horseshoe, which takes about 30 minutes in total. Our navigation wanted us to go counterclockwise, but as we noticed a sign in the different direction, we followed that. With these narrow single lane roads, it helps if all cars drive in the same direction. Halfway across the loop is Gleniff Horseshoe.

Benbulben

Benbulben is a flat topped mountain in county Sligo. The best way to view Benbulben is to walk the Benbulben Forest Walk, a very easy 5.5 km loop walk.

Downpatrick Head

A bit of a detour on our route, but definitely worth the additional drive. The heritage site of Downpatrick Head is an exhilarating coastal route on fluffy green patches and with a gush of wind through your hair. At the very end stands the Dún Briste sea stack in the water. According to legend, St Patrick struck the ground with his staff, causing the sea stack to break free from the mainland.

When crossing the drive upon Achill island, take the road L1405 on the left to drive the Atlantic loop clockwise.

Grace O’Malley’s Castle

Grace O’Malley’s Castle (a.k.a. Kildavnet Tower) is from the 15th century and the first stop along the way. Besides the tower there is also a scenic view of the fishing boats in the sea.

Various viewpoints

When driving the Atlantic loop, stop at the various viewpoints with dramatic views of the cliffs.

Minaun Heights

Take the road up to Minaun Heights and drive to the top. From here you get the best 360° view of Achill Island.

Keel
For lunch or coffee with homemade pastries, stop at Beehive Restaurant and Cafe in Keel. While there, walk along Keel Beach, where you see Minaun Heights in the background.

Keem Bay

The prettiest beach of Achill Island. It can get crowded in the afternoon and we had to wait about 10 minutes to get into the parking area. The beach is set lovely in the bay with still waters which drew plenty of families to come for a swim.

Slievemore Deserted Village

Up to a hundred stone cottages are set along a footpath. These booley homes were used from early Medieval times.

We left Westport and drove further South to Galway county and Connemara National Park.

Kylemore Abbey

On the estate of Kylemore Castle a monastery was founded in 1920. The entrance fee is €18, but gives access to the whole area, including the monastery, the church, mausoleum and the walled gardens. A free shuttle bus takes you to these well maintained gardens as it is located about a 20 minute walk from the visitor centre.

Connemara National Park, Lower Diamond Hill boardwalk trail
Only a few kilometers from Kylemore Abbey is Diamond Hill. This small hike was on the itinerary, but as it was pouring rain, we skipped it.

Skyroad loop drive

Again, drive clockwise from the town Clifden for the Sky Road loop. First stop is the Clifden Castle Gate & Wall, or walk up further to the castle. After that take the upper Sky Road. The road sure deserves its name, as we actually drove up into the clouds, having zero visibility of the landscape below.

Galway

Spend the rest of the afternoon in Galway. We were lucky it was Sunday, with markets and loads of lively activity. Soak up the vibe in the streets and hit one of the many pubs.

Pub recommendations in Galway by my Irish mate: The King’s Head, Tigh Neachtain, Taaffes Bar, O’Connell’s Bar.

It’s a full day today visiting one of Ireland’s main attractions, the Cliffs of Moher, followed by a long drive to Dingle.

The Burren

This rocky district is a large area of karst landscape. It’s a unique sight as walking on the cracked grey limestones gives a sense of being on the moon.

Poulnabrone Dolmen

Located in the Burren is Poulnabrone Dolmen, a monument of more than 5000 years ago. The desolate location is said to be either for ritual, territorial marker or burial site.

The Cliffs of Moher

Arriving at the most popular cliffs of Ireland was a different experience compared to the other places we’ve been to. So far we encountered few tourists, but now we drove onto a large parking lot. And while other natural landmarks were free of charge, the Cliffs of Moher has an entrance fee of €12 per adult (including parking). We were lucky to have arrived before lunch to secure a parking spot. Bus loads of tourists gathered at the visitor centre, from where you could walk to three viewing platforms nearby. I honestly was a bit underwhelmed, as the viewpoints didn’t give a clear view, and compared to Slieve League (and later Kerry Cliffs), the Cliffs of Moher didn’t live up to the hype.

Just passing the Cliffs of Moher we stopped in the next town for a coffee and pastry at the small shop Dolly’s Liscannor. To continue our long drive to Dingle we had two options, either we could take the Shannon ferry, or drive the longer but probably faster route along Limerick, we chose the latter.

Conor Pass

Just before entering Dingle, take the scenic road Conor Pass for the last part of the route. It’s a gorgeous road with narrow areas, but worth the stop at Conor Pass Waterfall and hike up to Peddler’s Lake, and the stop at the viewpoint on top. When we arrived it was raining heavily and we chose the N86 route to Dingle and included Conor Pass the next day.

Slea Head Drive is a gorgeous route along more of Ireland’s scenic vistas. Again, it’s mandatory to drive the loop clockwise! Because we are back on narrow roads, no busloads of tourists are to be found 🙂 Along the loop of Slea Head Drive several points of interest are on the map.

Fahan Beehive Huts

A collection of stacked stones that form a circular home in the shape of a beehive. The construction of the structures date back to 1200 AD. The entrance fee is €4 in cash.

Coumeenoole Beach

Again I am surprised how Ireland doesn’t only consist of wild cliffs, but also many pretty beaches. Include Coumeenoole Beach with its golden sand. It’s not advised to swim here due to strong currents.

Dunquin Pier

The unique looking pier is also the departure point for the ferry to Blasket island. We didn’t hop on the ferry but just enjoyed the views.

After Dunquin Pier a stop at Kruger’s Bar is perfect for a coffee/drink and our daily pastry.

Viewpoint Waymont

More glorious views of lush green surroundings.

Gallarus Oratory

One of the best-preserved Christian dry-stone churches in Ireland. The dry-stone corbelling construction method is found in the Beehive huts too and for the Gallarus Oratory it has stayed intact for centuries.

Officially the Slea Head Drive continues on further North to Brandon Creek before the loop goes back South. We drove a shortcut to Dingle and took the opportunity to drive Conor Pass, as we missed it the day before.

Dingle

The rest of the afternoon we walked around the town of Dingle, having a drink at one of the pubs at the harbor and taking a photo with Fungie, the dolphin mascot. For live music and pub vibes, go to the Dingle Pub where they serve a proper meal too.

The Ring of Kerry is a road well travelled. Unlike many other roads along the Wild Atlantic Way, the Ring of Kerry is mostly a two line drive. The people on the internet are divided on whether to drive the loop in clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. All the tour buses are required to drive this route in a counter-clockwise direction, proponents of the counter-clockwise say it’s best because this way you will not have buses coming in the opposite direction and you drive along with them, opponents say you will always be surrounded and stuck by the buses.

I chose again to drive in a clockwise direction. Figuring I would not see any tour buses in the first few hours as they were on the opposite side. In the afternoon we would be driving the Skellig Ring where tour buses aren’t allowed, and in the late afternoon they would all have passed, which turned out to be perfect! Besides, the road isn’t that bad at all, making being scared of tour buses in the opposite direction a non-argument.

The Ring of Kerry is a 179 km long route, making it a bit of a tight squeeze to fit it all in one day. But not impossible, we just had to skip a few stops. I would advise to include an additional day in Killarney to include Killarney National Park too.

Ladies View

Driving from Killarney to Kenmare, the first rest stop is Ladies View. From there we drove further with more pretty sights along the way.

Moll’s Gap

Moll’s Gap is another fabulous stop and famous mountain pass with views of the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks mountain range.

Kenmare / Sneep
One of the two larger towns along the South side of the Ring of Kerry worth the stop when you have time.

Staigue Stone Fort

About 4km off from the main road, set in the quiet hills is this stone ring fort. Toss €1 entrance fee into the honesty box and enter this well preserved structure from the early Medieval period. During our visit it wasn’t very crowded, and on the inside you can even walk up the stone wall.

Viewpoints

After passing Caherdaniel, there are many viewpoints along the road with magnificent views of the area below.

Skellig Ring

On the far side of the peninsula, get off from the Ring of Kerry and continue onto the Skellig Ring. One of the most beautiful parts of the loop and can’t be missed. We stopped for lunch at Driftwood Surf Cafe and ate the most delicious apple crumble.

Part of the Skellig Ring is a single lane road, including the pass Coomanaspig, with a magnificent view of the mountains.

Kerry Cliffs

Together with Slieve League, Kerry Cliffs is one of the most impressive cliff views you can find in Ireland. Luckily with a large enough car park and a reasonable entrance fee of €5 per adult. As you reach up to the cliffs, the wind blasts can be rather strong, be aware of this.

Valentia Island
As we were short on time, we unfortunately had to skip Valentia Island, but a bridge connects the mainland to the island for easy access.

After glorious days with gorgeous scenic views, we leave the Wild Atlantic Way and drive back East towards Dublin.

Rock of Cashel

A perfect midway stop on route is the Rock of Cashel, a remarkable silhouette that stands out on top of the hill with the green valley of county Tipperary below. It has historic significance as it’s one of the most impressive clusters of Medieval buildings in Ireland. Entrance fee is €7 per adult to visit the cathedral. A small car park is close by, but a bit of luck and driving around is needed to get a spot.

Dublin
We continued to travel to Dublin where we would spend the rest of the afternoon and evening. We had dinner at Boeuf & Frites, a great restaurant in the temple bar area if you love steak in combination with bottomless fries and garlic bread.

Dublin is the capital of Ireland and a stark contrast compared to rural Ireland. We exchange dramatic scenery and cozy towns to a bustling city. Although Dublin isn’t really much about the sights and more about the vibe, don’t forget to visit these places.

Trinity College – The Book of Kells

The large and famous university in the city centre of Dublin. To visit the Book of Kells, a ticket must be booked in advance to be able to pick a date and time. Which was very different from my previous visit to Dublin in 2017 when I could just rock up and buy a ticket.

Temple Bar

Hit the pub in this area and enjoy the live music.

Shopping

For shopping go to Henry Street for the affordable chain stores and Grafton street for the more posh stores. Don’t miss Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre for its unique architecture and boutique stores.

Guinness Storehouse
Love Guinness? Learn all about the process!

The Spire

This 120 meter long needle can’t be missed when walking in Dublin.

St Stephen’s Green
At the end of Grafton Street, you walk into this square public park.

After Dublin it was time to return the rental car and fly back home.

When arranging your Ireland trip, make sure to book hotels and car rental at least two months in advance. I used Booking for my hotels, booked mid June for our stay in mid August and noticed plenty of hotels already being sold out, and prices of car rental going up by the day.

Nonetheless I found lovely places to stay in the popular towns at a reasonable price point. At each hotel we either had breakfast included, or as an add-on, but every time the breakfast buffet was extensive and delicious.

Donegal: Abbey Hotel Donegal. Right in the centre of Donegal. Within the hotel is a proper restaurant and a pub with great food too. We stayed here for 2 nights.

Westport: Westport Woods Hotel & Spa. About a 20 minute walk outside Westport centre, a bit higher end hotel with pool, wellness and plenty of onsite parking. This hotel has its own restaurant and bar. We stayed here for another 2 nights. I booked this hotel directly as it had better cancellation conditions than through Booking.com.

Galway: The Victoria Hotel. Excellent location close to Eyre Square. The hotel has affiliation with the Q-park, paying €18 for the day, instead of €30. Stay for 1 night.

Dingle: Barr Na Sraide Inn. In the midst of Dingle with their own private parking area at the back. Really B&B type of place with cozy rooms. We stayed for 2 nights, but I would advise when using this itinerary to stay only one night and the second night in Killarney.

Killarney: Foley’s Townhouse Killarney. A beautiful hotel in the city centre of Killarney with their own private parking lot. Everything was exceptional here, the spacious room, the kind receptionist. Stay here 2 nights instead of the 1 night we did.

Dublin: Point A Hotel Dublin Parnell Street. A very affordable place North of the river Libbey. Small but modern rooms, no private parking available though.

A rental car is a must when traveling around Ireland. Especially when wanting to visit the scenic areas along the Wild Atlantic Way. The roads can be narrow and even one lane country roads. We had a large Peugeot 408 sedan, but I would advise a smaller car to get around.

In Ireland they drive on the left side of the road, which can take a little getting used to. But don’t let that scare you. It is handy to opt for an automatic car, making this a bit easier for yourself.

The map of the full route we drove across the Wild Atlantic Way.

Ireland is a beautiful place and I had a great time on the road with my Dad. We must have counted a million sheep along the way. The Irish are amazing and kind people, we felt extremely welcome everywhere.