Planning an Itinerary to Ireland Without a Rental Car

Ireland is one of those travel destinations where it feels like you have one big decision to make when you are planning out your travel itinerary: rent a car or join an organized tour the whole time. I went with the third option of doing some independent travel using trains and buses to get around and adding in some organized day tours.

I love road trips and I love Ireland. Did I want to drive there? Not even a little bit. Narrow roads, extra costs for insurance, and having to worry about driving on the other side of the road? No thanks. So for peace of mind, I planned just over a week in Ireland car-free. If you do decide to rent a car, these tips on driving in Ireland will be very useful.

If you’re looking for food recommendations in Ireland, check out my huge post on everything I ate in Ireland on this trip.

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Planning a 9 Day Itinerary for Ireland

Length: 9 days, 9 nights
Start and End Point: Dublin
Cities: Dublin, Killarney, Cork, Cobh, Kilkenny, Galway (optional 3 day add-on)

Top 5 Experiences to Have in Ireland

1. Walk the Medieval Mile at Kilkenny
2. Explore the Wild Atlantic Way on a tour of the Ring of Kerry, Dingle Peninsula, or Mizen Head
3. Be granted the gift of the gab by kissing the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle
4. Step back in history in Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains
5. Explore the history of the Titanic in the coastal town of Cobh

How to Get Around Ireland without a Car

Without a car, you won’t have as much freedom in choosing what cities or towns to stay in. It limits your options unless you have a long trip and can sacrifice a lot of time to the bus or train. The most convenient locations using public transit and day trips are the ones that have the most tourist infrastructure and a direct connection to Dublin. You also need to choose a bit strategically because the difficult part of not using a car is getting between cities that aren’t Dublin. By difficult I mean time-consuming and perhaps a bus (or two!) instead of a train.

From my experience, it narrows your options down to spending time in Dublin, Galway, Cork, and Killarney. Belfast in Northern Ireland is also quite convenient to access from Dublin and has great day trip options. In Ireland, you are totally spoiled for choice for how to spend your time.

Ultimately, I ended up deciding on revisiting Killarney because it’s stunning, and seeing Cork and Kilkenny. I chose Cork and Kilkenny over Galway because it was faster and easier to get to on transit than Galway. Galway is a fantastic choice because of the day tour options there so I have included a section below on how to add it into your itinerary and you can check my full guide to Galway here. For those of you traveling with children, these are great kid-friendly Ireland destinations.

Dublin is on the itinerary as well, but being my second visit I would have been fine to skip it. Don’t get me wrong, the capital has a lot to offer, it’s just that Ireland’s fantastic coastline and scenery outweigh it for me.

When to Visit Ireland

The other thing to consider before you finalize your plans is what time of year you are visiting. In the summer months (May-September) most day tours will be running. In the off-season, there may be a reduction in how frequently a tour is offered and it may be on weekends only.

I’ve visited Ireland in both late-April and early-October and enjoyed the weather. It is a little bit cooler and there is rain but that is to be expected in Ireland. Pack a raincoat, umbrella, and waterproof shoes and it should be a good time.

Where to Stay in Ireland

Killarney I’ve stayed at two fantastic bed and breakfasts in Killarney and would happily stay at either again. Castle Lodge or Lake Lodge Guesthouse are both great options with full Irish breakfasts.

Cork Montenotte Hotel which is in a great location and has gorgeous rooms with views of the city as well as a pool and sauna

Kilkenny Celtic House B&B was close to the sights and right on the river. Nice rooms, fantastic breakfast, and friendly owners.

Dublin Skylon Hotel is a convenient location for buses to and from the airport. Really enjoyed staying here. If you want to be in walking distance to the top sights then Temple Bar Inn is a great option with fantastic reviews.

What to Do Before Arriving in Ireland

I recommend booking any tours you want to join before you get to Ireland. They do book up and it would be a shame to miss out on sights because of a full tour.

1. Have your accomodation booked as the best places go fast, I use booking.com.
2. Book your tour from Killarney for a day trip to the Ring of Kerry or Dingle Peninsula
3. Buy a rain jacket or travel-sized umbrella. Rain covers for backpacks can also be useful.
4. Book your day trip from Dublin to the Wickow Mountains and Glendalough
5. If you’re including Galway, book your tour to the Cliffs of Moher and Connemara

One Week Rental Car Free Itinerary for Ireland

Day 1: Arriving in Dublin and transiting to Killarney

Arriving off of a red-eye cross-Atlantic flight at 5:30 am, I felt like garbage. I knew when planning today would be essentially a lost day because of not sleeping. If you are driving, consider staying in Dublin and driving the next day because sleep deprivation is no joke. I dragged myself around Dublin a bit today trying not to fall asleep. I was not always entirely successful. This is probably the worst I have ever felt after a flight just because the flight wasn’t very long and I basically was landing when I would normally be going to sleep.  If you are more successful at sleeping on flights or have a better schedule then hopefully this first day goes easier for you.

The first destination in this Ireland itinerary without renting a car is Killarney. Located in the southwest, Killarney has a lot to offer both first-time visitors and returnees. I did attempt some Dublin sightseeing before heading to Killarney. We caught the train from Heuston Station, the journey is about 3.5 hours with a change at Mallow. You can go directly from the airport to Heuston Station using the 747 bus. In Killarney, we had enough time to explore the town and have a nice evening before really starting the touristing the next day.

Where to Eat in Killarney: Sceal Eile has good Irish fare and vegetarian food. Caragh has yummy food with great prices and serving sizes. Murphy’s Ice Cream can be found in both Killarney and Dingle and has delicious ice cream made in the Dingle Peninsula with unique flavours.

Where to Sleep in Killarney: I stayed at Castle Lodge while in Killarney and really enjoyed how it was in walking distance to everything but was in a quiet location. They also serve up a fantastic breakfast. 

I’ve also stayed at Lake Lodge Guesthouse in Killarney and can recommend it as it has comfortable rooms, a great full Irish breakfast, and friendly hosts.

Tip: Buy your train ticket to Killarney in advance to save money. You just need your reservation number to print your ticket from the machines in the train station.

Day 2: Killarney, Dingle Peninsula or Ring of Kerry Day Tour

Day 2 started with having a wonderful Irish breakfast at Castle Lodge. Killarney B&B’s really know how to make the best breakfasts.

Traveling without a rental car it is almost impossible to see the Ring of Kerry or Dingle Peninsula. Because of this, we booked ourselves onto a Dingle Peninsula bus tour for the day. The tour was about 6.5 hours and we had tons of photo stops and lots of time in Dingle town.

I don’t think you can go wrong with choosing either the Ring of Kerry or Dingle Peninsula, with the Ring of Kerry tour being the classic and more popular choice. If you are in Killarney, don’t skip out on a tour of one of these peninsula’s, they absolutely will end up being a highlight for you (they are for me!). You can read about the full day trip experience in my Killarney guide.

Tip: In the high season there is a good chance of the tour being full so book in advance. I traveled in the off-season and got the last 2 tickets on the bus.

Day 3 Killarney National Park

Killarney has so much to offer, it was difficult to choose what to do on day three. I went with the hop-on-hop-off bus tour that leaves from Killarney. Using this bus, we were able to have a quick photo stop of Ross Castle as well as visit Torc Waterfall and Muckross House. While many people explore Muckross House, for me it was enough just to see the mansion. From Muckross House, you can walk to Muckross Abbey. Muckross Abbey dates from 1448 and is a ruin that is free to enter and explore.  The graveyard here is actually still in use. The hop-on-hop-off bus was really convenient to get between the main sights that are close to Killarney town.

Other options for this day are to go on another bus tour to see whichever peninsula was missed. You can also hike the Gap of Dunloe, you can purchase boat tickets here. The Gap of Dunloe is gorgeous and I did it on a previous trip to Killarney. If you aren’t much of a hiker it’s possible to hire a jaunting car to take you through it.

Killarney itself is extremely touristy. I’m fairly certain most of the people you see are tourists. There are lots of food options and pubs. I have a feeling the only people you will be drinking with are other tourists though.

Day 4 Killarney to Cork

On day 4 of this Ireland rental car free itinerary, I had a bit of time in Killarney before taking the train to Cork. Killarney is one of those places that you could easily stay longer than just 2 full days. If you have time in your schedule, stay a third day and do one of the things I mentioned on Day 2. In the morning, I had time to see the Cathedral and wander around part of Killarney National Park that is right in town. Having the park in Killarney lends to its charm as you can take a walk every morning and have a view of the mountains before heading out for the day.

The train between Killarney and Cork is very scenic, especially up to Mallow, where you need to change trains. Arriving in Cork, there was enough time to explore the city’s main sights. For me, that was seeing the River Lee, the English Market, and St. Finn Barr Cathedral. It’s very much a working city and has a totally different vibe than Killarney. I felt like I walked all over the main sights in just an afternoon and somehow ended up as far away from the main restaurant area as possible by dinner time.

Read Next: Full Guide to Three Days in Cork County, Ireland

Where to Eat in Cork: Wander the English Market and browse your choices there, I enjoyed The Sandwich Stall. If you have a sweet tooth, head to O Conaill to try the brownies, which claim to the best in town and I happily agree.

Where to Sleep in Cork: I ended up not liking where I stayed in Cork. If I stayed again I would be considering the Montenotte Hotel, which is in a good location and has beautiful views from the rooms.

Day 4 Day Trip to Cobh

Visiting Cobh on day 4 was an unexpected trip highlight. I didn’t have many expectations but I absolutely loved visiting Cobh. Just to clear up the pronunciation on this Gaelic word, its pronounced as ‘cove’. Cobh was easy to get to as there are hourly commuter trains from the train station. The train ride is also pretty scenic as you follow the coastline.

Cobh is a pretty maritime town has the distinction of being the last port of call for the Titanic. As such, there is a museum dedicated to the Titanic and the White Star Line. I went to the other main museum in town, which worthwhile to visit because it lays out the history of Irish people emigrating from Cobh’s port to the America’s and Australia.

In addition to the museum, I visited the huge Colman’s Cathedral that sits above the harbour. It’s quite a steep walk up but worth it. The cathedral is gorgeous. I also walked up an extremely steep hill ( a couple times) to get a view of the houses that line is known as the “deck of cards.” Cobh is just a really lovely town to enjoy the harbour and the scenery of the town.

If you are less of a dawdler than I am, you easily could have time to head back to Cork and get a bus to Kinsale. The woman at Cork’s tourist office advised that it’s worth the trip just for the seafood.

Day 5 Cork and Day Trip to Blarney Castle

Exploring Cork on day 4 felt a little rushed so some Cork exploration was left to today. After a walk along the River Lee, it was time for the steep hike up to Cork’s Shandon Historic Area. It was a quick walk and I just wanted enough time to see the area and the two main churches there. I also got a chance to go into a candy factory. We had finished up in this area by 11 am.

In front of the Cork Tourist Office, we caught the city bus to Blarney Castle. I was pretty pleased I could just pay a regular fare and get a 30-minute city bus to the castle. We showed up to gorgeous weather and had a lot of fun exploring the castle and the gardens. For some reason, I had never realized that Blarney Castle sits on huge grounds with a variety of gardens. My favourites were the fern garden and the poison garden.

After exploring Blarney Castle and gardens, we did some souvenir shopping. The Woolen Mills here is probably the largest souvenir shop I saw on this trip and had a huge variety of woolen items as well as just about everything else you could think of. We then got dinner in Blarney before heading back to Cork on the bus.

Where to Eat in Blarney: Consider eating in Blarney before heading back to Cork as the food here is a bit cheaper than in the city. I enjoyed the food at Claddagh Restaurant, which had a very affordable early bird menu. There are a few more restaurants on the main street as well. It’s worth checking out the Blarney Chocolate Factory as well.

Day 6 Kilkenny 

Unfortunately, we woke up to an absolute downpour. It continued to pour rain as we waited for our bus to Kilkenny. Arriving in Kilkenny, the rain started to clear up and we dropped off our luggage before heading to the castle. We lucked out with Kilkenny Castle and it ended up being free to visit on that day. It was worth touring around as it is restored and gives you an idea of what a castle would have looked like. After the castle, we walked around the town and saw the main sights including St.Canice’s Cathedral and tower, the black cathedral, and the rest of the Medieval Mile. Kilkenny is a compact town that is very walkable and has a ton to see. It has a completely different vibe to it than Killarney or Cork.

You can read my full guide to Kilkenny here.

Where to Eat in Kilkenny La Rose Restaurant in Kilkenny is located outside of the Medieval Mile so you get cheaper prices. Very good Italian food here.

Where to Sleep in Kilkenny I stayed at Celtic House B&B which was very close to the Medieval Mile and especially convenient to walk to St. Canice’s Cathedral. Great breakfast included and lovely rooms. Click here to check availability at Celtic House B&B.

Day 7 Off to Dublin

For Day 7 of our rental car free Ireland trip, we woke up to some rain but had a lovely walk in Kilkenny along the River Nore. I also wanted to revisit St. Canice’s Cathedral. After having a very leisurely morning, we caught the bus to Dublin.

In Dublin, we checked into our hotel which was in Drumcondra. It was absolutely pouring rain so we waited that out a bit until it subsided. Rain is just one of those eventualities in Ireland, especially if you aren’t visiting in summer. We still had enough daylight to visit the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland so we had a nice time seeing the gardens and Victorian Greenhouses there. It’s also one of those rare free activities in Dublin.

Where to Eat in Dublin Queen of Tarts is a Dublin must for cake and a good place for breakfast. If you’re a vegetarian or just looking for a break from meat, Cornucopia is a fantastic vegetarian restaurant. San Sab Thai Restaurant was my favourite place in Drumcondra, though Restaurant 104 would be my pick for a fancier meal or breakfast.

Where to Sleep in Dublin In Drumcondra, the Skylon Hotel is a convenient location for buses to and from the airport. Really enjoyed staying here. If you are going to be taking lots of daytrips with tour groups, The Charles Stewart Guesthouse is in a good location as it is right near where the pickup is. It’s an affordable option to be in close reach of Dublin’s main tourist sights.

Day 8 Wicklow Day Trip

Dublin has a lot of day tour options, you can basically see the whole country just using day trips from Dublin if you wanted to. I wouldn’t because you will miss out a lot, but you could. We chose to take a bus day tour to Wicklow to see Wicklow National Park as well as Glendalough. The tour was quite long, it ended up being about 9 hours. The tour I was on was this one and you can read my full review on my day trip to Wicklow here.

We had some really fantastic photo stops going through Wicklow National Park including Guinness Lake and the P.S I Love You bridge. The big destination of the trip is Glendalough. I do wish we had more time to explore some of the hiking options at Glendalough. One downside of tours is that sometimes other people showing up late after stops mean your time gets cut short other places. Wicklow is so pretty though, it’s definitely worth the trip.

If Wicklow doesn’t interest you, there are other great day trips from Dublin. One option is to hike Ireland’s Staircase to Heaven.

Day 9: Dublin

Depending on your flight today you may have a bit of time to explore Dublin. I used my time to go to the Chester Beatty Library which is near Dublin Castle. While Chester Beatty is free, there is a donation box in the entryway if you feel like supporting the museum. One of the most unique libraries I have ever been in, there is a huge collection of old religious texts as well as illustrated books. They have some of the oldest books in the world here.  I was there around 1 pm and was lucky enough to join a free guided tour. The collection is rotated yearly so there is always something new to look at.

How to Add Galway to This Car-Free Itinerary

Galway is missing from this itinerary, but it would be easy enough to add 2-3 days to Galway. I would do this itinerary and then from Dublin go to Galway as it is about 3 hours on the bus.

You could also visit Galway instead of Cork and Kilkenny. To visit Galway instead of Cork, I would add on another day to Killarney. This would give you time to do the Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula or do a trip through the Gap of Dunloe. There is a 5-hour bus ride from Killarney to Galway so it takes up a good portion of your day but you would still have time to see a bit of Galway city. In Galway, it is easy to join tours to see the Cliffs of Moher and Connemara National Park, which you need a day each for.

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