Once you've decided where you want to go in Ireland, there's another fairly important question to answer. Who's driving?
For many visitors, particularly those coming from the US, the thought of driving on the left, down a winding road seemingly designed for one small donkey, while another car approaches in the opposite direction can be enough to make a private driver sound very appealing.
And it is. Having your own chauffeur-driver is undoubtedly a luxurious and comfortable way to travel around Ireland. But self-driving brings a different kind of freedom that we also love.
So which should you choose? As with most things at Irish Routes, we don't think there is one right answer.
The case for self-driving
There's a wonderful independence that comes with having your own car in Ireland. You can leave when you want, stop when you want and change your mind without feeling like you need to explain yourself to anybody.
See a trail disappearing into the hills and fancy a walk? Pull over. Spot a tiny beach from the road? Go and investigate. Drive past a pub that looks particularly inviting? Stop for lunch.
Of course, a great private driver can be wonderfully flexible too. But there is something different about being completely on your own time.
You also have more privacy. A road trip can be part of the holiday: music on, windows down when the weather allows, stopping for coffee, getting mildly lost and having nobody else in the car while you decide that perhaps you didn't need to turn down that particular boreen after all.
For couples especially, that time alone can be lovely.
But what about Irish roads?
They're not quite as terrifying as the internet might have you believe. Mostly…
If you're coming from the US or mainland Europe, there are two obvious adjustments: driving on the left and discovering that what Ireland considers a perfectly reasonable two-way road can look suspiciously like a mere walking path.
Some rural roads are extremely narrow. You'll encounter bends, stone walls, tractors, cyclists and the occasional sheep with absolutely no sense of urgency.
But thousands of visitors self-drive around Ireland every year. Take your time, choose an appropriately sized car and don't let somebody behind you pressure you into driving faster than feels comfortable. Better yet, pull in and let the locals pass when you can. They’ll thank you for it and you’ll be glad they’re no longer driving up your backside.
After a while, you will get the hang of it. And if the idea still fills you with dread rather than excitement? That's a fairly good sign that a chauffeur might be money very well spent.
The joy of having someone else drive
There is a particular luxury in leaving your hotel in the morning, settling into a comfortable car and knowing that getting to the next place is somebody else's problem. No navigation. No parking. No panicking to understand who has the right of way on a tiny bridge.
You can simply look out of the window and take it all in. And in Ireland, that's no small thing.
With the right driver-guide, the journey itself also becomes part of the experience. They can tell you what you're passing, add depth and context by telling you the history of the landscape, point out places you'd never notice yourself and provide the sort of local context that no satnav can.
A great driver-guide doesn't simply get you from A to B. They can change how you see the country, and it’s not unusual to leave Ireland feeling like you’ve made a new friend along the way.
And then there's the drinks…
There is another very practical advantage to not having the car. Ireland produces some pretty great things to drink.
Perhaps you want wine with a long lunch. Perhaps there's a whiskey distillery hidden at the end of today's drive, and they have space for a tasting. Maybe you find a tiny pub at the edge of the coast and decide that one pint should become two.
With a chauffeur, nobody needs to draw the short straw. That's a real luxury, particularly on a food-and-drink-focused trip where tastings and leisurely lunches are part of the experience rather than an occasional indulgence.
The compromise: self-drive, with a little help
Choosing self-drive doesn't mean you have to drive everywhere. This is where a more thoughtfully planned trip can give you the best of both worlds.
If there's a whiskey tasting one afternoon, we can arrange a transfer. If you're planning a special lunch and would rather share a bottle of wine, leave the car behind that day.
Perhaps you want to head out with a guide just for the day in a particular location, so you can enjoy the scenery without worrying about the directions.
You keep the independence and privacy of your own car for most of the journey, then bring in drivers where they genuinely make the experience better.
There is, of course, a difference in cost
A private chauffeur-driver is a significant investment.
You're not simply paying for somebody's time behind the wheel. There are fuel costs, the driver's accommodation on a multi-day trip and the expertise of a professional who may be travelling with you for much of your journey.
Over a week or two, that adds up. Self-driving therefore leaves considerably more of your trip budget available for other things: exceptional hotels, private experiences, brilliant meals or simply a longer trip.
But this isn't really a question of one being “better value” than the other. You're buying different things. With self-drive, you're buying independence. With chauffeur-drive, you're buying ease, and the added value of a daily guide.
When we'd choose a chauffeur
If budget isn't the deciding factor and the thought of driving in Ireland makes you even slightly anxious, we'd strongly consider it.
You're on holiday. There is no prize for spending seven days worrying about clipping a wing mirror on a stone wall.
It's particularly worthwhile if you love history and storytelling and choose a genuinely knowledgeable driver-guide. Suddenly those hours between destinations aren't dead travel time at all, they're part of the tour.
It's also hard to beat if your priorities are simply comfort and ease. Your luggage disappears into the car. Somebody else knows the route. You can have the second glass of wine. You don't need to find parking. You arrive. That kind of seamlessness is a luxury.
And when we'd choose self-drive
If you're a confident driver, enjoy independence and like the idea of having portions of the trip completely to yourself, self-drive can be brilliant.
It's particularly suited to travellers who want to hike, explore rural areas and occasionally decide at 10am that today's carefully considered plan can wait because they've just spotted something interesting on the map.
It can also make sense if you'd rather put more of your budget into where you stay and what you do.
And remember: you can always add private drivers and guides for particular days.
So, which is better?
Neither.
The question is really how do you want to feel while you're travelling?
If you want complete independence, privacy and the freedom to disappear down whichever road catches your eye, take the car.
If you want someone else to handle the logistics, remove the uncertainty and help bring the landscape to life as you travel through it, take the chauffeur.
And if you want a bit of both? We can do that too.
The best Ireland trip isn't the one with the fanciest vehicle waiting outside. It's the one that gives you the freedom to experience Ireland in the way that suits you.
Not sure which way to travel?
Every Irish Routes journey is designed around you, including how you get around. Whether that means the freedom of your own car, a private driver-guide throughout, or a carefully considered mix of the two, we’ll work out what makes sense for the way you want to experience Ireland.