3 day Wild Atlantic Way itinerary – The PERFECT way to explore the Wild Atlantic Way

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When I see anyone planning a trip to Ireland, the thing that is at the top of most discussion boards (aside from where to find a great Guinness or two) is advice on planning the perfect Wild Atlantic Way itinerary.

For us, if you want to see the real Ireland, you have to start with it’s small villages, historic castles and our narrow winding roads that test the nerve of almost any driver and cling to its rugged coastline.

Because it rains a lot here (and I mean a lot), the true beauty of Ireland is found much more in its rural nature than in cities lined with towering sky scrapers that you will often see elsewhere.

The Wild Atlantic Way captures all of this, from colourful villages like Kinsale and Doolin, stunning cliff ranges in the Kerry Cliffs, Cliffs of Moher, Kilkee Cliffs and Slieve League and some ‘challenging roads’ like the Conor Pass in Kerry.

Surprising to some, you will also find some incredible beaches along this route, from Couneenoole in Kerry to Murder Hole Beach in Donegal (not as intimidating as the name might suggest), this route has everything to keep you outdoors exploring, while providing the warmth and charm of snug pubs and traditional music sessions to comfort you in the evening.

We have travelled every inch of Ireland by now and never tire of seeing our favourite spots along this route. The key to a great Wild Atlantic Way itinerary is not to underestimate just how far apart some places are in practice. Pick a base, keep the travel distance quite compact and allow yourself time to appreciate each place you visit en route.

We have chosen this route as we feel it offers the most bang for your buck when you only have 3 days but you could easily spend 3 days in West Cork and Kerry alone or Donegal & Sligo alone as well.

How to get around The Wild Atlantic Way

There are two main ways you can structure your 3 days on the Wild Atlantic Way. The option that will give you the most freedom is to hire a car and explore the area at your own pace.

That being said, if you have never driven in rural Ireland before, it has the potential to be stressful. We would encourage you to familiarise yourself with the ‘rules of the road’ as they are known here to understand when to use lay bye etc.

Alternatively, you can use the more relaxed approach and take guided tours which will remove the stress of driving but will also be a bit more inflexible and remove a little bit of the sense of raw adventure that the Wild Atlantic Way offers.

If you would like to rely on guided tours, there are a number in this area that we would highly recommend.

Firstly, you can take this guided tour which from Galway to the Cliffs of Moher, which will take you directly from Galway to the cliffs and stop at the picturesque village of Doolin.

We would also recommend taking this tour if you would like to explore Connemara, which will take you through an area of natural beauty, stopping at Clifden along the way, as well as the beautiful Kylemore Abbey.

Is 3 days enough time to see the Wild Atlantic Way?

One mistake we often see tourists make is to underestimate the size of Ireland. While it looks tiny on the map, travelling 50 kilometres here will often take you significantly longer than you think. Very few point A to Point B routes are in a straight line and will often involve navigating several narrow, winding roads.

With that, we would say no matter how much time you think you need for your Irish itinerary, you actually will need more. Don’t build an itinerary where you try to cram as much as possible into a day on this route as you simply will not enjoy it.

Ireland and the Wild Atlantic Way is designed to be done at a slower pace; for you to stop and admire the view, hold the baby lamb (yes you can do this) and reconnect with nature and people. We are sociable people, we love hearing the stories of visitors passing through and we love showing you the traditions that make Ireland feel like home to its visitors.

Take your time, choose a few points of interest and just enjoy them for what they are, rather than as a box to tick before moving to the next location.

With that, you really would need at least 7 days to fully explore the Wild Atlantic Way. This 3 day Wild Atlantic Way itinerary is designed to be practical with your time and minimise the distances you need to travel between each of the sites.

Most importantly, we wanted to ensure that despite only having 3 days on the Wild Atlantic Way, you would still leave feeling like you got a true sense of its colour, nature and culture.

Where to Stay on the Wild Atlantic Way

There are two approaches you can take when choose where to stay on the Wild Atlantic Way. The first, is to choose a base and plan your trip around that location.

If you only have 3 days on the Wild Atlantic Way, we would recommend choosing Galway as your base. Galway is a city meaning that you will have a wider choice of hotels to choose from, while it also provides a good base to access the main roads running through this route.

Galway also has great nightlife so if you choose to base yourself here for 3 days, you won’t run out of options during the evenings when you return after a day of exploring.

If you do decide to stay in Galway, we would recommend staying at Glenlo Abbey for the ultimate luxury hotel experience. The hotel is set on a huge estate overlooking Lough Corrib and a stay here will make you feel like you are living out a real Irish fairytale.

Alternatively, we would also highly recommend staying at the Dean Hotel which is set right in the heart of the city or if you would prefer to wake up by the sea, we also really enjoyed staying at The Galway Bay Hotel in Salthill, which is a coastal area about 15 minutes outside the city centre.

The alternative is to pick 3 locations and stay in each of those for one night.

Day 1 – Loop Head; Kilkee Cliffs or Cliffs of Moher & Doolin

For your first day on the Wild Atlantic, you are going to travel 1.5 hours South of Galway to County Clare.

Clare is one of our favourite places to visit in the country and the plan for day 1 will make sure you see colourful villages, iconic cliffs and beautiful castles without travelling too far between each location.

The good thing about using Galway as a base is that a number of guided tours also run from the city, meaning you don’t necessarily need to drive.

If you don’t feel comfortable driving on the left side of the road or it is your first time visiting Ireland, then taking a guided tour is a great way to explore stress free.

If you would prefer to take this approach, we would recommend taking this tour from Galway to the Cliffs of Moher. The great thing about this particular tour is that it offers you the opportunity to experience the Cliffs of Moher from both land and sea, giving you two completely unique perspectives of the iconic landmark.

It also includes stops at Inis Oirr, the smallest of the Aran Islands, as well as spending some time in Doolin, all of which we would recommend when travelling by car as well. With that, this tour will cover everything you need to avoid the feeling of missing out on anything.

Doolin

After visiting the cliffs, we would highly recommend a stop at the small, colourful village of Doolin.

Doolin perfectly captures the atmosphere of this route, with colourful thatched cottages, cozy traditional pubs and beautiful views towards the Atlantic.

One of Ireland’s best restaurants, Homestead Cottage, which has two Michelin stars, can also be found here. So if you are a foodie, this is a must add to your itinerary.

If you’re travelling by car, take the short (but windy) drive to Doonagore Castle to get some nice photos before making your way back to Galway for the evening.

If you do decide to stay in the area instead, we would highly recommend booking a night at the Fiddle & Bow collection.

Note: If you have more than 3 days to I explore this area, we would highly recommend travelling further south of Doolin where you can see the Cliffs of Kilkee and take the Loop Head scenic drive.

Evening in Galway City

If fine dining isn’t your thing and you want something quick when you get back to Galway, we would highly recommend getting a pizza from Dough Bros before settling in for the night.

Galway is renowned for its lively atmosphere, and always attracts buskers singing on the streets, which have included Ed Sheeran in the past.

The main place to go for nightlife is Galway is Quay Street, which runs through the heart of Galway’s Latin Quarter. Here you will find, bars, restaurants, cafes and lots of traditional Irish shops selling knitwear and souvenirs.

Spend the evening along Quay Street and take in some traditional Irish music at one of the bars – check out Tigh Neachtain’s or else The Front Door pub to get a real sense of the local atmosphere.

Day 2 – Connemara (Clifden, Sky Road; Gurteen Bay; Dogs Bay and Kylemore Abbey)

Day 2 on this route will take you an hour away from Galway city to the stunning area of Connemara.

Start your morning off with breakfast at Ard Bia in Galway, get a coffee for the road from Coffeworks & Press and hit the road.

Again, if you would prefer not to travel by car then we would recommend taking this tour, which will take you around Connemara National Park and to some of Ireland’s most renowned locations including the beautiful Kylemore Abbey.

This route will again show you the best of Ireland, with some stunning beaches, rural landscapes, picturesque drives and cozy villages along your day.

Roundstone, Gurteen Bay & Dogs Bay

Stop 1 is a fairly short drive from the city and takes you to a beautiful seaside village called Roundstone.

The village itself is a quiet picturesque area, with lots of craft shops – a lovely place for an early morning walk. More importantly though, it is home to two of Ireland’s most beautiful beaches which is where you will spend your morning.

First is up along the route is Gurteen Beach and Dogs Bay, two of the most beautiful and scenic beaches in Ireland. The two beaches sit back to back, with crystal clear water and are great for activities like kitesurfing. Naturally, in an area of natural beauty, the beaches also provide beautiful views of the countryside.

Clifden & The Skye Road

From Roundstone, make the short drive to the colourful village of Clifden, one of Ireland’s most beautiful villages. From here, take a drive along the picturesque Skye Road. This 10mile round trip route has amazing views looking out to the Atlantic Ocean. Along the winding route, make a stop at Eyrephort Beach before maing your way to another of Ireland’s most iconic locations, Kylemore Abbey.

Kylemore Abbey

Kylemore Abbey is a must visit on any trip to this region. This incredible residence has been home to Benedictine nums since the early 20th Century and attracts thousands of visitors every month. The gothic style facade perched on the lakeside makes this place immediately catch the eye. Entry to the Abbey is €18 for an adult ticket.

If you have time on your way back to Galway city, we would also recommend taking a drive to the village of Cong in neighbouring Mayo, filming location for the Oscar winning ‘The Quiet Man’.

Day 3 – Sligo

On your final day on the Wild Atlantic Way, you’re going to be spending it in County Sligo. We could easily have chosen Mayo for this one as well, as the driving distance is roughly the same but honestly, Sligo is one of the most underrated places in Ireland.

Before you arrive in Ireland, you will have an image of the Cliffs of Moher and places like Temple Bar in Dublin in your head. But I can promise you, when you leave, you will be thinking of Sligo.

One caveat here is that there are not many guided tours running from Galway to Sligo. So if your preference is not to drive, we would suggest taking this guided tour instead. The tour will take you directly to our alternative option, Westport & Achill Island.

Westport is one of Ireland’s most beautiful towns, sitting beneath one of its tallest mountains, Croagh Patrick and is also well worth visiting if time allows. Not far from there you will get to explore Achill Island, where you will often hear Ireland’s ancestral language spoken and where you will get to see possibly the most beautiful beach in the country, Keem Beach.

But back to Sligo – a small county about a 2 hour drive from Galway City. Your day in Sligo will largely be spent outdoors so with Ireland being Ireland, you should ensure to pack appropriately. Bring multiple layers and a good raincoat as the weather tends to be very changeable here…even on the ‘good’ days.

Gleniff Horsehoe

First on the list in Sligo is Gleniff Horsehoe, a 10km loop that captures the true colour and beauty of rural Ireland.

This scenic loop is one that we never miss any time we are in Sligo, it is unlike almost anywhere else in Ireland. While you can walk along the route we would recommend saving your walking shoes for other points in the day and driving slowly along this route to choose some stops along the way.

Benbulben Forest Walk

Nearby, you will find Benbulben Forest Walk, set beneath a unique mountain with a flat top that you will immediately spot as you approach sligo. The forest walk is a great way to take in the natural beauty of this area, filled with the vivid green landscape that you will often imagine when you picture Ireland.

Alternatively, If you would prefer to just a get a great view, take the short drive out to Mullaghmore Head, where you can get a beautiful shot of Benbulben setting the backdrop behind Classiebawn castle.

Mullaghmore Head has also become a bit of a surfers paradise in recent times, with the raw swell of the Atlantic very prominent along this pocket of the coast. So if surfing is your thing, this is a must visit place on the Wild Atlantic Way as well.

The Devil’s Chimney

Your final stop is Ireland’s tallest waterfall, the Devil’s chimney. The waterfall gets its name from the fact that on a windy day you will often see the water blowing back

Two things we would say about visiting the Devil’s chimney before visiting. One, you need there to have been a rainy day before you visit to experience it properly (highly likely you will get all the rain you need in Ireland) and two, it does take about a 45 minute walk to get through the walking trail from your car to the waterfall.

That being said, if it happens to be sunny in the days before you visit, or you simply do not want to walk for another 45 mins (each way), then we would suggest taking a short drive down the road to Glencar Waterfall.

You get a similar nice waterfall experience, all within a 5 minute walk from your car, what could be better. Also, if you are travelling with young children there is also a small play park at the entrance with beautiful views of the surrounding area.

Return to Galway that evening to enjoy some more of the Latin Quarter before finishing up your trip to the Wild Atlantic Way. If you plan to spend more time exploring Ireland, check out our 7 day guide which takes in Dublin, Kilkenny and Cork as well.