Connemara & Clare - A West Coast Deep Dive

11 days | Galway, Connemara, the islands & North Clare

This is Ireland at a slower pace. Rather than racing around the country ticking off the highlights, spend ten nights getting properly under the skin of the West, from Galway's lively streets to the wild landscapes of Connemara, island life on the Atlantic and the limestone wilderness of the Burren.

This is just one way your journey could unfold. Every Irish Routes itinerary is designed from scratch around you.

Day 1 - Galway

Arrive into Shannon Airport (or Dublin, if flights work better) and make your way west to Galway. Check into a characterful boutique hotel in the heart of the city, drop your bags and head straight out to explore.

Get your bearings with a local guide, hearing the stories hidden among Galway's colourful streets and laneways before learning the all-important art of pouring your own pint of Guinness. If wine and whiskey are more your style, settle into a local bottle shop for a guided tasting accompanied by a platter of Irish cheeses.

As evening rolls around, find a corner of a good pub, pull up a stool and spend your first night in Ireland listening to traditional musicians do their thing.

Day 2 - Galway

Take the morning slowly. Wander Galway's laneways, browse its independent shops and, if you're feeling brave, join the locals for a dip from the diving boards at Salthill.

Lunch could mean anything from a brilliant local deli to one of Galway's Michelin-starred restaurants. We'll point you towards the places worth knowing about and can help take care of reservations along the way.

This afternoon, go behind the scenes at a sixth-generation family distillery to discover the story of Ireland's original spirit, poitín, alongside locally made gin and whiskey.

The rest of the evening is yours. Follow your nose, find a good table and see where Galway takes you.

Day 3 - Into Connemara

Leave the city behind this morning and watch the landscape become wilder as you make your way into Connemara.

There's no need to rush. Follow quiet roads towards empty beaches, stop for coffee and something sweet on the waterfront in Roundstone, stretch your legs along the Cleggan cliffs or tackle the slopes of Errisbeg.

You'll spend the next three nights in Connemara, giving you time to explore this spectacular corner of Ireland properly. Ballynahinch Castle makes an exceptional base, but there are plenty of characterful stays across the region and we'll find the one that fits you.

Spend the afternoon heading into the hills with a local guide, or simply settle in, slow down and enjoy your surroundings.

Days 4 & 5 - Deeper into Connemara

These next two days are deliberately flexible. What they look like depends entirely on what draws you here.

Hikers can head into the Twelve Bens with a local guide or follow quieter trails independently. Take to the water by kayak, cast a line on a remote lake or travel through Killary, Ireland's only fjord, surrounded by mountains.

For a taste of Connemara, meet the people farming oysters in its cold Atlantic waters, forage for seaweed along the shoreline or linger over an excellent meal somewhere you'd never have found by accident.

And if the sea is calling, step aboard a traditional Galway Hooker and discover the story of the distinctive sailing boats that once carried turf, livestock and supplies along Ireland's western coast.

You don't need to fit it all in. That's kind of the point.

Days 6 & 7 - Island Time

Leave the car behind and spend the next couple of nights adjusting to life at island pace.

Explore by bike or on foot, passing stone walls, ancient sites and extraordinary Atlantic scenery. Stop when you find a beach too beautiful to cycle past, settle into a pub for good food and traditional music, and experience a side of island life that day visitors rarely get to see.

There are plenty of ways to dig a little deeper. Learn about the traditional craft of currach building before taking to the water in one of these distinctive boats, or get your hands dirty learning the techniques behind the stone walls and potato ridges that have shaped life on these islands for generations.

Accommodation here may be simpler than elsewhere on your journey — but that's part of the adventure.

Day 8 - South to Clare

Return to the mainland and turn south, following the Wild Atlantic Way into County Clare.

There's no need to take the quickest route. Stop for a seafood lunch beside the water at the Flaggy Shore (fresh oysters and a crisp glass of wine are difficult to beat) before continuing into the unique limestone landscape of the Burren.

For the next three nights, perhaps stay in a historic country house such as Gregans Castle or Ballinalacken Castle, or base yourself closer to the action in Doolin. As always, where you stay will depend on how you like to travel.

Day 9 - Cliffs, Smoke & the Atlantic Coast

Make your way towards Doolin today, with a few worthwhile diversions along the way.

Go behind the scenes at a family-run smokehouse to discover how Irish organic salmon is traditionally smoked, perhaps following it with a craft beer tasting and a story or two next door.

Then there are the Cliffs of Moher.

They're hardly a secret, and ordinarily Irish Routes prefers to steer you away from the crowds, but some places are famous for good reason. Rather than simply joining the procession to the main viewpoint, we'll help you experience the cliffs differently. See them towering above you from the Atlantic, or approach on foot along the coastal trail with a local guide.

Take the long way home along the coast road, passing Fanore Beach and Black Head as the Burren tumbles into the Atlantic.

Tonight, settle in for an exceptional dinner in an unassuming cottage by the sea. Some of Ireland's best food is found where you least expect it.

Day 10 - The Burren

The Burren deserves more than a photograph through the car window.

Spend today exploring this extraordinary landscape. Follow gentle trails past ancient monuments and hidden holy wells, or take on a more challenging hike through its vast limestone terrain.

Better still, explore alongside someone who knows how to read it. Spend a few hours with a wildflower and foraging expert discovering what grows between the cracks, or walk with a local archaeologist who can reveal the thousands of years of history beneath your feet.

Lunch today can be casual and coastal, accompanied by a sea moss tonic at The Oir House. Stay a little longer for a tasting and discover why this humble ingredient has been part of life on Ireland’s Atlantic coast for generations.

Later, indulge your senses with small-batch chocolate made here in the Burren, or create your own fragrance inspired by the landscape at a local perfumery.

Finish your last full day in the West with a restorative seaweed bath and one final excellent dinner.

Day 11 - Home

After breakfast, it's time to say goodbye to the West.

Shannon Airport is an easy journey from North Clare, making for a relaxed final morning before your flight home, although if you're not quite ready to leave Ireland yet, we can always keep going.

Feeling inspired?

This isn't an off-the-shelf tour. Think of it as a glimpse of what ten nights in the West could look like.

Your route, hotels, experiences and pace will be shaped entirely around you.