Northern Route Itinerary For those that have done the Southern Route add Northern Route for something different

Most travelers stick with the Southern Route when first visiting Ireland, mainly due to the most popular sites and attractions being located in the south. As people return, they tend to go north, off-the-beaten tourist path and explore the lesser-known parts of Ireland.

We've traveled this route a few times and can recommend this itinerary without hesitation.

If you have two weeks, combine this with the Southern Route itinerary and explore the entire perimeter in one trip!

Overnights for this tour:

• Galway (2 nights)
• Donegal (1 night)
• Derry (1 night)
• Bushmills (1 night)
• Dublin (2 night)

Your Accommodation Options:

• Manual or Automatic Car Rental w/Unlimited Miles and Basic CDW Insurance
• 5-nights B&B, Hotel, Manor or Castle
• 2-night Dublin Hotel

Suggested Sightseeing:

• Limerick – Cliffs of Moher – Galway. Depart Limerick/Shannon and travel north to the majestic Cliffs of Moher, rising 700 feet and reaching out for five miles along the coast. Continue through the Burren where you'll find time to stop in Lisdoonvarna or Ballyvaughan and take in sites like Poulnabrone Dolmen, Burren Perfumery or Ailwee Cave on your way to Galway City. Overnight in Galway.
• Connemara Excursion. You can take a day trip to the Aran Island from Rossaveal or, if the weather isn't great, you can drive through Connemara, stopping in Clifden and Kylemore Abbey along the way. Lots of shopping, pubs and restaurants in Galway. Overnight in Galway.
• Galway – Knock – Sligo – Donegal. This morning travel north to Knock Shrine, Ireland’s place of pilgrimage. Pause to visit the apparition shrine. Continue north via Sligo, birthplace of poet and writer W.B. Yeats to Donegal for overnight.
• Donegal Excursion: Your journey today shows you some of the most scenic areas of Ireland – long beautiful coastlines can be seen as you travel up on majestic mountains overlooking deep glens. Travel through the picturesque town of Glenties by Glenveagh Castle and National Park. Head to Derry for an overnight.
• Donegal – Armagh – Bushmills. This amazing walled city is Ireland's fourth-largest city on the island and the second-largest in Northern Ireland, but you're only here for a short as you'll be heading over to Bushmill's where you'll take in the Antrim coast, Giant's Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. Overnight in Bushmills.
• Bushmills - Dublin. You'll head down to Dublin, returning your car at the airport and taking a taxi to your hotel downtown where you can unwind from your week of driving and explore Dublin on foot. . Overnight in Dublin.
• Dublin. Take the hop-on/hop-off bus tour to get acquainted with the city and stop in the Temple Bar for dinner and pints for your last night.
• Dublin Airport. Today travel to Dublin Airport for your return flight home. Ample time allowed for duty-free shopping before boarding your flight home.

Combine this tour with our 7-Day Ireland Southern Route Itinerary for two weeks or more to cover the entire coast of Ireland.