Short escapes in Ireland
Long weekends, close to home
From an hour down the road to a proper west-coast adventure. Pick where you're travelling from to see drive times, or filter by county.
Co. Wexford · About 2 hours 15 minutes from DublinHook PeninsulaThe world's oldest working lighthouse, a famine ship and a run of beaches in Ireland's sunniest corner.
Co. Westmeath · About 1 hour 20 minutes from DublinAthloneIreland's oldest pub, a castle on the river and a lake full of islands, right in the middle of the country.
Co. Leitrim · About 2 hours from DublinCarrick-on-ShannonBoats, bars and some of the quietest countryside in Ireland, two hours from Dublin.
Co. Kerry · About 4 hours from DublinKenmareA colourful little town, a bay full of seals and a peninsula that most Ring of Kerry traffic never finds.
Co. Cork · About 2 hours 40 minutes from DublinCork CityMarkets, pubs, a harbour full of history and a city that would quite like you to know it's the real capital.
Co. Kilkenny · About 1 hour 30 minutes from DublinKilkennyCastle, cathedral, crafts and a pub on every corner: Ireland's most walkable small city.
Co. Cork · About 3 hours from DublinKinsale & West CorkPainted streets, a star fort above the harbour, the best seafood in Cork and the whole of West Cork on the doorstep. Kinsale is a weekend made for eating and walking.
Co. Kerry · About 4 hours 30 minutes from DublinDingle PeninsulaColourful harbour town, trad music every night and the most famous coast road in Kerry.
Co. Galway · About 2 hours 30 minutes from DublinGalway CitySmall, loud, creative and walkable, with the Aran Islands, Connemara and the Burren on the doorstep. Galway is the west's favourite city for a weekend.
Co. Waterford · About 2 hours 30 minutes from DublinWaterford Greenway & DungarvanIreland's longest greenway, a harbour town at the end of it and a coastline full of coves. The easiest active weekend in the country.
Co. Louth · About 1 hour 15 minutes from DublinCarlingford & the Cooley PeninsulaMedieval lanes, oysters straight from the lough, a greenway with mountain views and the Mournes across the water. Carlingford packs a lot into a small village.
Co. Sligo · About 2 hours 45 minutes from DublinSligo & StrandhillSurf lessons, seaweed baths, a mountain with a queen on top and Yeats country on the doorstep. Sligo is the west coast with a bit of everything. Drive times are estimates, so allow extra time for traffic, especially on bank holiday weekends.