A day in Dingle Kerry: The Perfect One Day Dingle Itinerary

• Instagram
• Pinterest
• Facebook
• Mail

Are you planning a trip to Ireland and want to know how to spend a day in Kerry?

When it comes to planning a bucket list trip to Ireland, the majority of people tend to focus their attention on the Wild Atlantic Way. There are so many great towns to visit along this route and Dingle has proven to be a real favourite among visitors.

The peninsula is home to some of Ireland’s rarest wildlife including dolphins, whales and puffins and the area is filled with great views, scenery, lots of colour and a lively atmosphere in Dingle town.

This guide to Dingle will take you through a complete one day itinerary, from how to get there, to getting around and the best things to do in Dingle. We will also provide you with some great hotels in Dingle if you decide to extend your stay while you are there.

How to get to Dingle

Car

The main way to get to Dingle is by car but if you are driving for the first time in Ireland, we drive on the left side of the road and many country roads are quite narrow. If you are travelling from Dublin the main route is to follow signs for the M7 towards Limerick and from there the N21 to Tralee and then the N86 towards Dingle.

From Cork, take the N22 towards Killarney and the drive should take around 2 hours. From Galway, take the M18 towards Limerick and then follow the same route as you take from Dublin – this drive takes around 3 hours.

Guided Tour

Alternatively, if you are visiting from abroad and don’t feel comfortable driving in Ireland we would recommend taking a guided tour. This again will depend on where you will be travelling from but there are a number of options available. If you are visiting from another part of Kerry we would recommend taking this tour which departs from Killarney and takes you around the Ring of Kerry. You can also take this open top bus tour around Dingle which will include stops at some of the best sites in Dingle including Paidi O’Se’s pub and Clogher Strand.

Alternatively, we would recommend taking this tour if you are visiting from Cork. One other option if you are visiting from abroad would be to take a multi day guided tour to take the stress out of planning. One of the most popular options is this one by Paddy Wagon tours, which includes stops in Galway, Clare, Kerry and Cork.

Bus

Another option is to use public transport to get to Dingle. Again this will depend on where you are travelling from but there are direct buses to Dingle from Tralee, which is serviced by locations around the country. You can get more information on the available routes on the Dingle Tourism site.

Is a day in Dingle enough time?

One day in Dingle is enough time to enjoy the town itself, explore the streets and enjoy some local delicacies. That being said, a trip to Dingle should include trying out a boat tour, exploring the Slea head drive, Connor Pass and wider region.

If you do have more than a day in Dingle, we would highly recommend taking a trip to Killarney and the Gap of Dunloe to get a full experience of Kerry during your stay.

Additionally, many people will add a day in Dingle as part of a wider trip to Ireland. We have put together a number of Irish travel guides to help you plan out your trip around the country.

Where to stay in Dingle

If you decide to book a hotel in Dingle, we would highly recommend staying at the Dingle Skellig Hotel, which has a spa, indoor swimming pool and beautiful on site restaurant for a luxury stay in Kerry. We have also provided a few alternative hotels nearby to help you choose where to stay.

One day in dingle Itinerary

Morning – Dunquin Pier; Coumeenoole Beach and Caife Na Tra

Your day in Dingle is going to start with 3 of the best things you can have on any trip; incredible views; golden sand and coffee with a view.

You are going to start your day in Dingle by taking a drive beyond it to one of Ireland’s most beautiful viewpoints, Dunquin Pier. To get to Dunquin Pier, you will drive about 15-20 minutes past Dingle along the Slea Head drive before reaching a narrow stopping point where you will find a coffee cart alongside the viewpoint. If you are not familiar with Irish roads, please take your time driving here as the roads are windy and narrow.

Dunquin Pier

Dunquin Pier itself is just a short walk from where you will park your car and it is suitable for all ages. There is no entry fee etc. either so it’s a great addition to your Dingle itinerary. You can choose to take the winding path down towards the rocks but the best view of Dunquin is from above. The cliff edges are not guarded here and do have some loose ground so do take precautions and stay a few metres back from the edge.

After Dunqin, we would suggest taking a walk along Coumeenoole Beach, just 5minutes from Dunquin or else visiting Caife Na Tra, one of the most scenic cafes in Ireland, for a quick coffee.

If you are a fan of sporting memorabilia, we would also recommend stopping off at Paidi O’Se’s pub on your way back towards Dingle. This pub honours one of the great Kerry footballers, Paidi O’Se, a multiple All Ireland championship winner. This pub contains lots of great pieces of sporting history from Ireland’s national sport.

Alternatively, just 10 minutes from Dunquin, you could also stop off en route to Dingle to hold a baby lamb. We know it’s random but trust us, you will love it!

Afternoon – Dingle Dolphin Boat Tour

Your afternoon in Dingle should be spent doing only one thing – this Dingle Dolphin Boat tour. Before you go on the boat tour, we would recommend grabbing a coffee at either My Boy Blue or. If you want to get some lunch before you head out we would recommend the Fish Box for some incredible fish and chips.

This 4 hour boat tour will take you from Dingle Harbour out to the Blasket islands where you will have the opportunity to spot some of this coasts stunning wildlife including dolphins, whales, seals and possible even puffins. The islands themselves were previously home to Irish speaking inhabitants but have been abandoned since 1953 so it is now mainly known for wildlife conservation.

During the boat tour you will also pass along ‘Cathedral Rock’, a unique rock formation that towers above the boat as you make your way towards the islands. We would definitely having your camera ready for this incredible sight.

By the time the boat tour has ended you will be more than ready for a great dinner in Dingle and a visit to a traditional Irish pub to round off an incredible day.

Evening – Colourful shops; specialty ice cream and a traditional Irish pub

Okay so now you have had a busy day filled with sightseeing, the evening is all about good food and soaking in the atmosphere in Dingle. Dingle is renowned for its colourful streets and friendly atmosphere so start your evening off with a stroll around to enjoy the town itself.

After that, we would suggest going for dinner at Solas Tapas, a beautiful restaurant specialising in sharing plates with locally sourced ingredients. Rather than getting a dessert here though, we would suggest taking the short walk to Murphy’s Ice Cream. This locally famous ice cream shop is renowned for its unique flavours of handmade ice cream including Irish brown bread and Dingle Gin flavour. This is a must on any visit to Dingle.

After you have filled up on some great food it’s time to enjoy some more local specialties. Make your way to Dick Macks pub for a pint of Guinness/Murphy’s (Non alcoholic versions are available), some Dingle gin and if you can stomach more food, a packet of Tayto crisps.

Enjoy some traditional Irish music at O’Flaherty’s or O’Sullivan’s pubs and dance the night away in Dingle.

So there you have our idea for the perfect way to spend a day in Dingle including great views, exploring nature, colourful streets, lots of food and drink and a bit of dancing in between – what’s not to love?