3 Days In Killarney: An Itinerary For First Time + Returning Visitors

If you’re spending 3 days in Killarney, you’re in for a treat. Once you have a logical itinerary, that is.

3 days is a lovely chunk of time to explore this corner of County Kerry, regardless of whether you have a car or are relying on organised tours.

Below, you’ll find 2 ways of spending a long weekend in Killarney:

• Option 1: Uses Killarney as a base, explores the national park and then takes day trips along the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula
• Option 2: Explores at a slow pace, exploring the town, its immediate surroundings and takes a day trip to Beara (perfect for those that have already driven the ROK)

Itinerary A: For those using Killarney as a base to explore from

One of the best ways to spend 3 days in Killarney is to dedicate 1 day to the national park and then 2 to day trips (some of the best things to do in Kerry are nearby, after all!).

What to know about this itinerary:

• Who it’s for: Those looking to stay in Killarney, explore the park and take day trips along the Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula
• Speed of travel: Medium
• Fitness levels needed: Medium
• Where to stay: Kingdom Lodge is a good budget option, Killarney Avenue is mid range while The Killarney Park is luxury

Day 1: Killarney National Park

Day 1 of your long weekend in Killarney will see you explore Killarney Town along with the magnificent Killarney National Park.

I’m going to give you a few options here — 1 for those exploring by bike, 1 for those driving, and another for anyone using the hop-on/hop-off bus.

For those able to cycle

Killarney is very well set-up for cycling around (the town centre is the one exception). There are excellent cycle lanes and the routes are nice and flat.

If you’re spending 3 days in Killarney and if fitness allows, rent a bike from the rental spot on the Muckross Road (plenty of parking). Then follow this route:

• A: Ross Castle
• B: The 1-hour Lakes of Killarney Cruise
• C: St. Mary’s Abbey and lunch
• D: Muckross Abbey
• E: Muckross House
• F: Torc Waterfall

For those driving/getting the bus

If you can’t/don’t want to cycle during your 3 days in Killarney, don’t worry – you can either:

• Drive: Killarney is handy to get around by car. You can follow the itinerary above with ease
• Get the hop-on/off bus: This bus stops at each of the locations on the map above

Day 2: The Ring of Kerry

Day 2 of this 3 day Killarney itinerary is dedicated to a day trip along the mighty Ring of Kerry route!

As was the case with day 1, I’ll give options for those with a car and for those relying on organised tours.

For those driving

The best way to explore the Ring of Kerry is by car as it gives you the freedom to stop wherever takes your fancy.

I’ve popped a map above to guide you. Just note: it includes the Killarney Town stops you’ll have ticked off on Day 1.

To get started, head out the Muckross Road and make a beeline for Ladies View, your first stop, and a mighty one to kick things off.

This route also takes in the Skellig Ring, a wildly scenic detour packed with gems like the Kerry Cliffs, Valentia Island, and more.

For those not driving

Killarney is well served by tour providers that offer day trips along the Ring for those that can’t/don’t fancy driving it themselves.

This tour takes you around the Ring with scenic stops and a dash of culture.

You’ll visit the Kerry Bog Village, sheepdog demos, and quick breaks in Waterville, Sneem, and at Ladies View.

Day 3: The Dingle Peninsula

The final day of this 3 day Killarney itinerary takes you on a day trip to the Dingle Peninsula.

As was the case with the previous days, I’ll give options for those with a car and for those relying on organised tours.

For those driving

This is a tried-and-tested itinerary that’ll see you explore the very best of the area. Read my Dingle Peninsula Drive Guide which accompanies the map above.

Over the course of the day you’ll saunter along Inch Beach, grab lunch in Dingle Town and embark upon the Slea Head Drive.

You’ll conquer Conor Pass, admire Coumeenoole Beach and gaze down at the quirky Dun Chaoin Pier.

For those not driving

If you aren’t driving, you can take this 6-hour guided day trip from Killarney to Dingle and beyond.

You’ll spin to scenic spots like Inch Beach, Slea Head, and Dingle Town.

The drive itself is a treat—especially around Slea Head where you’ll spot Iron Age forts, beehive huts, and views of the Blasket Islands that’ll stop you in your tracks.

Itinerary B: For those that have already explored the Ring of Kerry

My 2nd 3 day Killarney itinerary will suit those that have explored around Killarney before, and who want to see a different side to the town and its surrounds.

This itinerary takes you across the Lakes of Killarney, through the Gap of Dunloe, up Torc Mountain and to some very unique tours.

What to know about this itinerary:

• Who it’s for: Those who have seen the Ring of Kerry/Dingle Peninsula and who want to explore more of the park
• Speed of travel: Slow
• Fitness levels needed: Good

Day 1: The Gap of Dunloe, the lake cruise and the town

Day 1 will suit those with and those without their own mode of transport. The 1st 1/2 of the day is dedicated to one of Killarney’s finest tours.

The 2nd 1/2 of the day sees you explore around the town and visit the brilliant Killarney Brewing Co.

Have less time in Killarney? Here’s a 2 day Killarney itinerary and a 1 day Killarney itinerary!

Morning and early afternoon

One of the most popular ways to experience the Gap of Dunloe is on this 5-hour tour that combines a pony-and-trap ride with a traditional boat trip.

It kicks off in Killarney Town, where you’ll hop on a bus to Kate Kearney’s Cottage. From there, you’ll climb into a Jaunting Car and travel up through the Gap, with views and local stories along the way.

At Lord Brandon’s Cottage, you’ll switch to a boat for a 2-hour journey across the Lakes of Killarney for a fresh and scenic perspective on this soul-hugging corner of Kerry.

Late afternoon/early evening

The second 1/2 of the day is nice and chilled. Here’s what I’d recommend you consider doing:

• Lunch: You’ll start with a post-cruise lunch in Bricín or in one of the many great places to eat in Killarney
• St. Mary’s Cathedral: An impressive Gothic Revival Catholic cathedral built between 1842 and 1855 in the town
• Live music: An evening spent in the traditional pubs in Killarney, like Murphy’s, Courtney’s and Jimmy Brien’s

Day 2: Walks and tours

The 2nd of your 3 days in Killarney contains less activities than the first, mainly because there’s a fine aul hike thrown in.

Now, if you don’t fancy doing the Torc Mountain Walk, don’t worry – there are plenty of other great walks in Killarney that require less of an effort, like Tomies Wood.

Morning

The map above will give you a sense of what to expect from both the long and short trail up Torc.

There are three trail options, depending on your fitness and transport.

• The short 7.2km trail (2–2.5 hours)
• The longer 14km trail (4–5 hours) via Cardiac Hill
• The 18km route from Killarney Town (6+ hours)

Early afternoon

After the hike, head back to your accommodation and freshen up (see my Killarney hotels guide if you’ve yet to decide).

When you’re ready-to-rock, it’s time for a feed, and a fine one at that! Café Du Parc is tucked beside the entrance to Killarney National Park, in the thick of the town.

It opens daily from 9am with a weekday menu that covers everything from skillet breakfasts with black pudding to vegan burritos and French toast stacked with banana and pecans.

Lunch runs through to 5pm with chicken burgers, cauliflower patties, and loaded fries. On weekends, the full ‘Funky Brunch’ menu kicks in!

Late Afternoon/early evening

The Killarney Brewing & Distilling Co is the largest independent brewery, distillery, and visitor centre in Ireland

It’s a 10-minute drive from town and you’ll be able to grab a taxi handy enough (you can use the FREE Now taxi app if you like).

The setting is striking – lakes on one side, Ireland’s highest peaks on the other. Inside, tours run Wednesday to Sunday.

Brewery tours include a guided walk-through and beer tasting while the distillery tour dives into whiskey-making with a three-glass tasting.

Day 3: The Beara Peninsula

The final day of this 3 day Killarney itinerary involves a day trip to the Beara Peninsula in the wonderful West Cork.

You can use the map above along with my Ring of Beara guide for a full breakdown of the stops.

The one key bit of info you need is to head for Glengarriff, first, and then drive in a clockwise direction.

Wrapping up this 3 day Killarney itinerary

As you can probably now tell, there are plenty of ways to spend a long weekend in Killarney Town, and what you do will likely depend on if you’ve visited the area before.

I hope you’ve found the above useful. If there’s anything I can give you a hand with, shout in the comments below and I’ll do my best!