Self Drive Tour - The Best & Brightest

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Driving Directions for this Route can be found here.

If you have nine days to spare and the keys to a hired car in hand, you have all you need to enjoy a bright and engaging driving tour of some of the most attractive spots in Ireland. If your interest in taking a driving tour that showcases some of the best and brightest sights that Ireland has to offer, why not follow a few suggestions of high points you simply can’t miss?

With nine days to spend, you can make the most of your time and stop at not one, not two, not even three but four different bright and bustling cities in Ireland. This tour presupposes you will fly into Shannon airport, from which point you will hire a car and drive south through lovely Killarney. Killarney is particularly famed for its scenery, including the lakes and mountains, as well as the beautiful National Park.

Your second and third days take you through sumptuous West Cork, which prides itself both on its exquisite beauty and the charming simplicity of the area. History is alive in the area; a stop at Timoleague Abbey is simply a must, and be sure to visit Cork City.

On your fourth day, take a peaceful drive through the Comeragh Mountains and head into Kilkenny City. Then once in Dublin, settle into a hotel and give your hire car a break as you spend your fifth day simply exploring.

Day six will see you westward on your way to Galway. On your way there are sumptuous ruins to see, or you can continue straight through to the city and see the sights there before day seven takes you onward, to breathtaking Connemara and some sumptuous, wild landscape.

Day eight is driver’s choice; explore Galway, or perhaps drive down to lovely Ennis. Or, simply rest up for your drive back to the airport on day nine . . . if you haven’t already fallen so in love with what you’ve seen that you’ve decided to stay!