The Holy, Hilarious, and Historic: An Ireland Itinerary that includes St. Patrick's Cathedral

Your Day-By-Day Ireland Itinerary That Includes St. Patrick’s Cathedral (Without Getting Lost In Prayer Or Pub)

The key to Irish travel is managing expectations. Streets aren’t labeled with helpful frequency, locals will give directions based on landmarks that no longer exist, and “just down the road” could mean anything from 200 yards to 20 miles. But that’s part of the charm of any Ireland itinerary that includes St. Patrick’s Cathedral – you’re never really lost, just “taking the scenic route.”

Days 1-3: Dublin’s Historic Heart and St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Begin where every proper Ireland itinerary should – in Dublin, where history and hedonism coexist like quarrelsome siblings. St. Patrick’s Cathedral (St Patrick’s Close, Wood Quay, Dublin 8) stands ready to receive visitors from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM daily, asking a reasonable $9 USD admission fee that helps maintain centuries of history. Guided tours depart hourly, led by locals who deliver historical facts with the dramatic timing of seasoned Broadway performers.

The cathedral’s 13th-century origins reveal themselves in flying buttresses that defy gravity and medieval logic, while inside, stained glass windows filter light in patterns that would make Instagram influencers weep with jealousy. Jonathan Swift’s self-written epitaph describes him as being where “fierce indignation can no longer tear his heart” – the 18th-century equivalent of “don’t @ me.” Photography tip: the choir stalls offer the most atmospheric shots, especially when afternoon light streams through the western windows.

Local intelligence suggests visiting on Thursday evenings when choir rehearsals echo through the vaulted ceilings – a free concert that beats paying $80 for tourist-trap traditional music sessions. From St. Patrick’s, Dublin unfolds in manageable walking distances: 12 minutes to Trinity College and its illuminated Book of Kells (arrive before 10 AM or prepare to queue with the patience of Job), 15 minutes to the Guinness Storehouse (where Americans learn that Guinness actually tastes better in Ireland, not because of magic but physics and shorter tap lines), and 20 minutes to Temple Bar (where no local has voluntarily gone since 1997).

Dublin Accommodations: From Humble to Heavenly

Dublin accommodations span from Generator Hostel ($30/night, where you’ll share space with Australian backpackers comparing credit card debt) to mid-range Buswells Hotel ($150/night, offering an authenticity that chain hotels envy) to the luxurious Shelbourne ($400/night, where you’ll feel compelled to improve your posture and vocabulary simultaneously). Regardless of where you rest your head, Dublin’s walkability makes location more important than amenities.

For dining, skip Temple Bar’s tourist-trap pricing and head to The Winding Stair, where locals actually eat and the farm-to-table cuisine doesn’t require a second mortgage. Remember that in Ireland, the “specials” aren’t always specially priced, just specially good that day. Ask for the catch of the day – in a country surrounded by water, the fish arrives with impressive promptness and minimal travel fatigue.

Days 4-5: Day Trips from Dublin’s Orbit

With St. Patrick’s Cathedral properly appreciated, expand your Ireland itinerary with day trips that showcase why Dublin, while charming, is merely Ireland’s appetizer. Rental cars offer freedom but require adapting to left-side driving on roads so narrow they would make a claustrophobic sheep nervous. Consider Ireland’s efficient bus system instead – Irish Bus drivers navigate these roads with the casualness of someone walking to their kitchen.

Newgrange ancient tomb predates both Stonehenge and the pyramids at 5,200 years old, making American historical sites seem like recent developments. Entry requires booking weeks in advance ($25 USD) but rewards visitors with a winter solstice simulation where sunlight penetrates the tomb’s innermost chamber – ancient astronomy that functioned without NASA’s budget. The Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough monastery ruins offer landscapes comparable to “Game of Thrones” filming locations, but with fewer dragons and more rain. Pack water-resistant everything.

For seafood lovers, the coastal village of Howth provides a Maine-like experience where Dublin locals escape the city. The cliff walk offers views that would cost $500 a night if they came with a hotel room. Money-saving intelligence: the Dublin Pass ($85 for 2 days) pays for itself if you visit three major attractions daily, but becomes less economical for those who prefer lingering over rushing.

Days 6-7: Galway – Where Street Performers Outnumber Traffic Signals

Any comprehensive Ireland itinerary that includes St. Patrick’s Cathedral must balance the east coast’s historical density with the west’s wild beauty. Reach Galway via train (2.5 hours, $45 USD) or bus (3 hours, $25 USD), noting that while slower, the bus offers better views of Ireland’s interior, which transitions from gentle to dramatic like a conversation that starts about weather and ends about politics.

Galway feels like Berkeley with rain and without the political arguments – street performers create a soundtrack for the compact city center where students, tourists, and locals create a cultural stew. Accommodations range from Snoozles Hostel ($25/night, where you’ll make friends whether you planned to or not) to the mid-range The House Hotel ($140/night, offering hipster-approved design without hipster attitude) to the luxury G Hotel ($280/night, where minimalist elegance makes you reconsider your own home decor choices).

A day trip to the Aran Islands requires advance ferry planning ($30 round-trip from Rossaveal), but rewards visitors with a landscape so uniquely barren it appears more lunar than terrestrial. Sweater shopping requires its own etiquette – prices correspond to authenticity, with machine-knits available for $40 and hand-knits commanding $200+. When conversing with locals, remember that “How are you?” requires an actual response beyond “fine,” and that “grand” means satisfactory rather than exceptional.

Day 8: The Cliffs of Moher and The Burren’s Lunar Landscape

The Cliffs of Moher stand 700 feet above the Atlantic, making California’s Big Sur coastline look like a gentle slope in comparison. The $10 USD entry fee maintains paths that keep tourists a reasonable distance from edges that have no guardrails – a refreshing trust in adult decision-making that American liability lawyers would find horrifying. For unspoiled photographs, arrive before 10 AM or after 4 PM, when tour buses briefly reduce their assault.

The nearby Burren offers a geological contradiction – Arctic and Mediterranean plants growing side by side in limestone crevices, like nature’s experiment in diplomatic relations. Stay in Doolin, a village where even your antisocial cousin would make friends within 30 minutes of arrival. O’Connor’s Pub serves seafood caught that morning by fishermen who will likely be sitting at the bar by evening, creating the perfect authenticity loop.

Days 9-10: Cork’s Food Scene and Blarney’s Backwards Bend

The train from Galway to Cork (3.5 hours, $60 USD) traverses a changing landscape where sheep gradually outnumber people by increasingly concerning ratios. Cork, Ireland’s second city, possesses none of the second-city syndrome found in places like Chicago or Manchester – Corkonians know their English Market (dating to 1788) puts American “farmers markets” to shame with authenticity and product quality.

Blarney Castle stands just outside Cork, asking $18 USD to access its famous stone. The castle does not advertise that kissing the Blarney Stone requires lying on your back, arching over a significant drop, and trusting a stranger to hold your legs – information that might affect the decision-making process of those with back problems or trust issues. Summer visitors should expect a 1-2 hour wait for this backward smooch with a rock that thousands of others have already kissed – perhaps the world’s most unsanitary path to eloquence.

Days 11-12: Killarney and The Ring of Kerry’s Postcard Landscapes

Killarney serves as the perfect base for exploring Ireland’s most famous scenic drive – The Ring of Kerry. The town itself offers accommodations ranging from Neptune’s Hostel ($30/night) to the mid-range Killarney Plaza ($160/night) to the luxurious Europe Hotel ($380/night, with views that make television seem pointless). From here, visitors face the classic Irish tourism dilemma: self-drive the Ring of Kerry and concentrate on not scraping rental cars on stone walls, or join tour buses and surrender to scheduled photo stops.

Killarney National Park surrounds the town like a protective emerald blanket, comparable to American national parks but with castle ruins casually scattered about as if they’re dropped pennies. Muckross House stands as a monument to social climbing gone wrong – its owners went bankrupt preparing for Queen Victoria’s visit, only to have her stay just two nights. The Victorian gardens, however, remain spectacular evidence that floral arrangements can survive longer than financial solvency.

Days 13-14: Dublin Revisited – Closing the Loop

Return to Dublin via train (3.5 hours, $70 USD) to complete the circle of your Ireland itinerary that includes St. Patrick’s Cathedral. This return offers opportunity for last-minute shopping beyond leprechaun shot glasses – consider handcrafted jewelry, woolen items that will outlast their owners, or books by Irish authors that weigh down luggage but elevate bookshelves.

For a final meal that summarizes Ireland’s culinary evolution, The Pig’s Ear offers modern Irish cuisine that honors tradition without being imprisoned by it. Airport logistics require arriving three hours before US-bound flights and navigating the US preclearance facility – essentially experiencing American border control while still on Irish soil, an innovation that feels both efficient and slightly premature. Those who purchased items exceeding $75 should allow extra time for VAT refund processing, a bureaucratic procedure that can extract minutes from even the most organized traveler.