Why Should You See Ireland West
Ireland West is the place to see Quintessential Ireland — dramatic cliffs, coastal hikes, golden crescent beaches, airplane-like views, elegant palaces and even a fjord. This route is covered in 7 posts and needs at least 7 days. It is ideal for a short trip.
Author & Photographer: George Mitchell
Our recommendations are not influenced by affiliate links – we do not have any. Our advice is derived from our personal experience and knowledge based on living in Europe for seven years and studying its art, architecture and culture.
All of our recommendations are top-rated by Google Maps Ratings, which is based on everyone, not just tourists. Each place recommended in our custom Ireland West Map is appended with a Google Maps Rating (G0 to G5).
Ireland West Itinerary
Cliffs of Moher
Ennis to Cliffs of Moher 40 km, 0:43 hrs.
Lahinch to Cliffs of Moher 11 km, 0:15 hrs.
Ballyvaughan to Cliffs of Moher 28 km, 0:36 hrs.
Galway to Cliffs of Moher 76 km, 1:31 hrs.
Cliffs of Moher offers dramatic cliffs and lots of tourists — go early or go late in the day. Our favourite activity was the cliffside hike from Guerin’s Hill (G4.8) to O’Brien’s Tower (G4.5).
More than the Cliffs of Moher
Ballyvaughan to Burren 6 km, 0:08 hrs.
Cliffs of Moher to Burren 22 km, 0:25 hrs.
The Burren National Park (G4.7) offers karst limestone landscapes, unusual formations, flowers, unmarked off-road walks, and Neolithic Poulnabrone Dolmen altars (G4.5). The Burren area is so unusual that it will probably be underappreciated by many tourists. Those who love nature will probably rate this higher. You are walking on millions of years of compressed seashells, also known as limestone.
Galway to Gurteen Bay
Galway to Gurteen Bay 80 km, 1:22 hrs.
Clifden to Gurteen Bay 21 km, 0:27 hrs.
Roundstone to Gurteen Bay 3 km, 0:05 hrs.
The Galway to Gurteen Bay day trip offers Pines Island reflections (G4.7), spectacular Gurteen Bay (G4.9) and Dog’s Bay (G4.8) crescent-shaped beaches, an easy hike between these two beaches, White Strand beach (G4.7), and Sky Road Viewpoint (G4.8).
Kylemore to Connemara
Galway to Kylemore 78 km, 1:19 hrs.
Clifden to Kylemore 19 km, 0:23 hrs.
Kylemore to Leenaun 16 km, 0:19 hrs.
Leenaun to Galway 64 km, 1:06 hrs.
Kylemore to Connemara day trip offers wide open views, rugged mountains, Victorian mansions, gardens, fjords, red rhododendrons, and dramatic mountain passes. Kylemore Abbey (G4.6) is a highlight.
Galway
Spend a day in the city of Galway with the wood and marble Galway Cathedral (G4.6), St. Nicholas Church (G4.6), specialty shops, pedestrian and riverside walks like the River Corrib (G4.8).
Cong
Galway to Cong 41 km, 0:43 hrs.
Leenaun to Cong 36 km, 0:38 hrs.
Cong may not be well-known, but it is worth a stop. First, we visited the ruins of the 7th-century Cong Abbey in a river park. Then we found out how to walk to the luxurious Ashford Castle hotel, normally for guests only. Rooms cost up to €5000 per night!
Achill Island
Galway to Cong 41 km, 0:43 hrs.
Cong to Westport 43 km, 0:41 hrs.
Westport to Keem Beach 85 km, 1:40 hrs.
Achill Island is one of the must-see gems of Ireland. The highlights were driving Highway L1405 through colourful rhododendrons, Kildavnet Tower (G4.5) of pirate queen, Grace O’Malley, and the rugged coastline from Cloghmore Viewpoint (G4.9). Most tourists miss these sights by travelling on the boring central highway to quickly get to their destination – the gorgeous Keel Beach (G4.8) and Keem Beach (G4.8).
Detailed Itinerary Guides
Here are our detailed day-by-day itineraries.
Final Comments on this Itinerary
This is an action-packed itinerary. Most newbie tourists head to sites they have heard about, or what I call name recognition. The places we recommend are all highly rated by local people, as shown by the high Google Map Ratings. Remember, the most important “destination” is meeting the people.
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Itinerary Map & Resources
We spent 8 days, as we allowed an extra day in case of rain. You may want a couple of days before and after this itinerary for Dublin and/or Trim. Trim is an excellent base to use to reach Dublin Airport.
If you have more than a week, then combine Ireland West with all or parts of the Ireland South and/or Ireland East itinerary below.
Google Maps Ratings
Google Maps provides a rating from 0 to 5 for all sights, hotels and restaurants (but not cities). All of our recommendations are appended with the rating (prefixed with a G) from Google Maps. As it is based on feedback from tourists and locals, it is much more reliable than travel booking websites. We consider a score of 4 to 4.39 to be Very Good; 4.4 to 5 to be Excellent.
Ireland FAQ
The Ireland FAQ post answers Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) like:
- Where should I go in Ireland?
- What is the best season for travel?
- What is the best clothing?
- Where should I go? What are the must-sees?
- How much time do I need for Ireland?
- Can I see everything in a week?
- How safe is Ireland?
- How much cash should you take to Ireland?
- Should I pay in Euros or my own currency?
- What apps are useful for travel?
- Should I rent a car? Take a Taxi?
Terra Encounters 
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