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12 Days In Ireland: 56 Detailed Itineraries To Choose From

By Author Keith O'Hara

Posted on Last updated:

12 Days In Ireland: 56 Detailed Itineraries To Choose From

Yep, we have 56 12-day Ireland itineraries ready and waiting for you.

Ehhhhhh… but why 56 you ask?!

The reason for the ridiculous level of detail is that we’ve tried to cover every (I hope…) way of spending 12 days in Ireland.

Each of our 12-day itineraries was meticulously planned and:

  • Follows logical routes we’re confident that you’ll love
  • Has a detailed stop-by-stop itinerary
  • Makes planning a trip to Ireland very easy

Below, you can pick a 12-day Ireland itinerary based on:

12 day ireland itinerary

WAIT! Please take 20 seconds to have a glance at the graphic above – it will help you pick your perfect Ireland itinerary below!

As you can see, we have 12-day Ireland itinerary guides that cover every angle imaginable.

To find your perfect itinerary, make sure to read section below carefully.

How to browse our Ireland in 12 days library

Slieve League

Photos via Shutterstock

The quickest way to find the best 12-day Ireland itinerary below is to click on your starting point from the list of places below.

We’ve used Ireland’s main airports and ferry terminals for our starting points. Simply click on one of them and you’ll be brought to itineraries that begin from that point:

12 days in Ireland from Dublin

Overview of the route

This is a sample map. Each of our itineraries has one.

First is our 12-day Ireland itineraries that start in Dublin. This is one of the more popular routes, as Dublin Airport is where many visitors land into.

There are two sections below and they have been split up into on how you plan on getting around Ireland.

As we outlined in this graphic, ‘Fast Trips’ will suit people looking to see/do as much as possible and who don’t mind moving accommodation frequently while ‘Slow Trips’ are ones where you’ll change hotel/B&B as little as possible.

For those using a car

For those using public transport

 

A speedy overview of this route

Kylemore Abbey

Photos via Shutterstock

You’ll spend the first couple of days in Dublin, where you’ll visit the likes of Trinity College, the Guinness Storehouse and some of the finest old-school pubs in Dublin.

You’ll then travel across to Galway for a couple of nights where you can explore the city and take a day trip to Connemara.

The route then takes you down into Clare and Kerry before cutting across to Cork and then back to the start point.

Over the course of your 12 days in Ireland you’ll:

 

12-day Ireland itinerary from Shannon

 
Overview of the route

This is a sample map. Each of our itineraries has one.

Shannon is another popular 12-day Ireland itinerary start point as it’s home to the popular Shannon Airport.

We’ve split the itineraries up into two sections – the first is for those of you with a car and the second is those of you relying on buses, trains and tours.

As we explain in this graphic, our fast 12 days in Ireland itineraries are for those who want to explore as much as possible and who don’t mind moving about a lot.

Our slow itineraries are for those of you who want to move accommodation as little as is physically possible.

For those using a car

For those using public transport

 

A speedy overview of this route

St Mary's Cathedral

Photos via Shutterstock

One of the reasons that I love Shannon as a start point is that there’s very little driving needed to get to a multitude of bases for your first handful of nights.

Our routes use Limerick City as a base for the first night (plenty to see here along with great pubs and restaurants) before continuing down into Kerry and on to Cork.

It then follows the coast around and up to Dublin where you’ll take day trips to Wicklow and the Boyne Valley before making your way back to your start point.

If you follow our route from Shannon, you’ll:

 

12-day Ireland itineraries from Belfast

Overview of the route

This is a sample map. Each of our itineraries has one.

If you’re spending 12 days in Ireland and you’re beginning your journey from Belfast, this section will be right up your street.

Belfast is a great start point for a trip to Ireland as it gives you plenty of options/routes to play with.

As we outline in this graphic, we’ve split up our itineraries below into two sections – 1 is for those with a car and another is for using buses, trains and organised tours.

For those using a car

For those using public transport

 

A speedy overview of this route

Giants Causeway

Photos via Shutterstock

We’ve given you several ways to spend 12 days in Ireland above, and they vary a lot based on fitness level and mode of transport.

If you’re fit and you have a car, you’ll be visiting the Mourne Mountains early in the trip. You’ll also see the likes of the Giant’s Causeway and Dunluce Castle in Antrim.

If you follow our itineraries from Belfast, you’ll:

 

12 days in Ireland from Wexford

An overview of this itinerary

This is a sample map. Each of our itineraries has one.

If you’re spending 12 days in Ireland and you’re arriving by ferry, the chances are you’ll be landing into Rosslare in County Wexford.

Now, those of you following this route are going to see parts of Ireland that many tourists tend to overlook, including the wild Hook Peninsula.

As is the case with all of our itineraries, we split them up below by the mode of transport that you’re using.

If you’re confused about ‘Fast Trips’ and ‘Slow Trips’, refer to this graphic as it’ll clear everything up.

For those using a car

For those using public transport

 

A speedy overview of this route

Annestown Beach

Photos via Shutterstock

A disclaimer: This 12-day Ireland itinerary varies hugely depending on how you’re getting around.

The bus services around some of the more rural parts of Wexford make getting to some parts of the county impossible.

If you follow our itineraries from Wexford, you’ll:

 

12-day Ireland itineraries from Cork

An overview of this itinerary

This is a sample map. Each of our itineraries has one.

Our 12-day Ireland itinerary guides that begin in Cork focus on the bottom half of Ireland, as you can see from the graphic above.

These routes take in a plethora of gorgeous walking trails, scenic drives and countless historical sites.

As usual, we’ve split them up for those of you with a car and for those of you without.

For those using a car

For those using public transport

 

A speedy overview of this route

Kinsale

Photos via Shutterstock

County Cork is a great start point for a road trip, especially for those visiting for the first time and looking to see Ireland’s ‘main’ attractions.

Our routes begin by giving you a taste of Cork City (English Market, Cork Gaol, etc.) before taking you through the wonders of wild West Cork.

You’ll then follow the coast right the way around to Kerry and up into Limerick before nipping across to the capital and then back down Cork.

If you follow our itineraries from Cork, you’ll see:

 

Ireland in 12 days from Knock

An overview of this itinerary

This is a sample map. Each of our itineraries has one.

Up next is our 12-day Ireland itinerary guides that start and end in Knock in County Mayo. Now, there likely won’t be a huge number of you beginning your journey from here.

However, it’s a popular starting point for some, so here we are. This is one of my favourite routes as you’re thrown straight into a corner of Ireland that many tourists tend to miss – Sligo.

Although it’s wedged between the very popular county of Donegal, many visiting tend to overlook it. If you add it to your itinerary, you’re in for a treat.

Below, you can pick itineraries kicking off in Mayo based on trip speed, your fitness levels and how you’ll get around (we explain how to browse the itineraries in this graphic).

For those using a car

For those using public transport

 

A speedy overview of this route

Streedagh Beach

Photos via Shutterstock

Those of you kicking off your 12 days in Ireland from Knock are in for a treat, as it’s a stone’s throw from the best the west of Ireland has to offer.

This road trip starts with a bang, taking you straight to the scenic county of Sligo, where you’ll spend the first few days. You’ll then take in the glorious Mayo coast before moving down through a chunk of the Wild Atlantic Way.

You’ll then cut across to the capital, where you’ll spend a day exploring some of the many things to do in Dublin before taking a day trip to Wicklow and another to the Boyne Valley.

If you follow our route from Knock, you’ll:

 

12-day Ireland itinerary guides beginning in Donegal

An overview of this itinerary

This is a sample map. Each of our itineraries has one.

The last of our 12-day Ireland itinerary guides begin in Donegal. For those of you with a car, you have a lot of flexibility, and you’ll make the most of it if you follow our itineraries.

For those of you using public transport, you’re much more limited as Donegal has very limited services in places.

As always, we’ve split the different itineraries up into sections for those of you with a car and for those without.

For those using a car

For those using public transport

 

A speedy overview of this route

Horn Head

Photos via Shutterstock

Right, a disclaimer – the car itineraries differ massively in comparison to the public transport itineraries. The reason for this is that public transport in parts of Donegal is very limited.

However, we’re confident that you’ll enjoy the routes we’ve chosen. For those of you travelling by car, you’ll explore a good chunk of Donegal, taking in the best of its scenery.

You’ll then move down along the coast and into Sligo, Mayo and Galway before spinning back up to Belfast and around the coast to a part of Donegal you missed at the start.

If you follow our route from Donegal, you’ll:

 

FAQs about exploring Ireland in 12 days

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘Is 12 days in Ireland enough?’ to ‘What route is best?’.

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.

Is 12 days in Ireland too long?

Definitely not. While Ireland is no where near as big as the likes of Canada, getting around it takes time. 12 days will give you enough space to explore a nice chunk of the island.

What to do in Ireland for 12 days?

It’ll depend on you and how you like to travel. If you want to see as much as possible, follow one of our ‘Fast-Trips’ above. If you want to take it slow, pick one of our ‘Slow-Trips’.

Where to spend 12 days in Ireland?

Again, this will depend on you and whether you’ve been here before and what you want to do. If it was me and I was visiting for the first time, I’d aim to arrive in Shannon and then explore the lower half of Ireland.

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