7 days from Dublin
Galway City → Donegal Town & Slieve League · 7 days · ~13h 30m total driving
Dublin is on the wrong coast, so the first move is a two-and-a-half hour run west to Galway — do it early and don't count it as a day. From there the coast does the work.
Heading north · 7 days
Galway City → Donegal Town & Slieve League
~13h 30m total driving
Day 1 · Galway
Galway City
Latin Quarter, Spanish Arch, the cultural heart of the west.
- The Latin Quarter & Shop Street
- Spanish Arch & the Long Walk
Day 2 · Galway
~3h drive
Connemara
Clifden, Roundstone, the Twelve Bens, Kylemore Abbey.
- Kylemore Abbey
- Connemara National Park
Day 3 · Mayo
~2h 30m drive
Westport
Croagh Patrick, the Greenway, a planned town that works.
- Croagh Patrick
- The Mall and the Octagon
Day 4 · Mayo
~2h 45m drive
Achill Island
Keem Bay, the Atlantic Drive, the deserted village at Slievemore.
- Keem Bay
- Slievemore Deserted Village
Day 5 · Mayo
~2h 30m drive
Ballina & North Mayo
Downpatrick Head, Céide Fields, salmon on the Moy.
- Céide Fields
- Downpatrick Head
Day 6 · Sligo
~1h 15m drive
Sligo & Strandhill
Yeats country, Knocknarea, the surf at Strandhill.
- Knocknarea and Queen Maeve's Cairn
- Strandhill beach and Voya baths
Day 7 · Donegal
~1h 30m drive
Donegal Town & Slieve League
The castle, the diamond, and the highest sea cliffs accessible in Ireland.
- Slieve League cliffs
- Donegal Castle
5 regions skipped to fit your time
- Aran Islands — Inis Mór, Inis Meáin, Inis Oírr. Dún Aonghasa and the Plassey.
- Inishbofin & islands — Ferry from Cleggan. The kind of quiet you forget exists.
- Clare Island & Inishturk — Granuaile's tower, Knockmore, the quiet of Inishturk.
- Mullet Peninsula — Belmullet, the long strands, the islands at the end.
- Mullaghmore — Classiebawn castle, the harbour, the big-wave reef offshore.
Driving times are honest mid-range estimates. The WAW is full of small roads, and you'll want to stop. Plan for slower than Google Maps tells you.
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