From Dublin Pubs to Star Wars Paradise: The Ultimate Ireland Itinerary that includes Skellig Michael

Your 10-Day Ireland Itinerary That Includes Skellig Michael (Plus Plan B)

The perfect Ireland itinerary that includes Skellig Michael requires strategic planning that balances ambition with realism, making comprehensive planning a trip to Ireland essential for success. This 10-day adventure begins with cosmopolitan Dublin, works southwestward to position you for multiple attempts at landing on the famed Jedi island, and incorporates spectacular alternatives should Mother Nature decide you’re not ready for Jedi training. Embrace this approach, and neither rain, gale-force winds, nor choppy seas will derail your Irish adventure.

Days 1-2: Dublin – Literary Pubs and Viking Foundations

Upon landing at Dublin Airport, resist the bewildering array of transportation options by heading straight for the Aircoach (€7/$7.60) for budget-friendly transit to the city center, or splurge on a taxi (€25-30/$27-33) if jet lag has you questioning your basic navigation abilities. Dublin’s accommodations span from raucous dorm rooms at Abbey Court Hostel ($25/night, where sleep is theoretical rather than actual) to the hushed luxury of The Merrion ($400/night, where even your shower gel has an impressive pedigree).

Tackle the Book of Kells at Trinity College before 9:30am unless standing in hour-long queues with jet-lagged tourists ranks high on your vacation wish list, as this represents one of the best things to do in Ireland for culture enthusiasts. The Long Room Library upstairs outshines the faded manuscript anyway – imagine Beauty and the Beast’s library after several centuries of scholarly acquisitions. The Guinness Storehouse provides both cultural education and the most expensive pint you’ll ever justify ($28 entrance, but the 360° rooftop views almost make it worthwhile). Dublin boasts exactly 772 pubs, creating the mathematical impossibility of visiting them all despite the determined efforts of generations of American college students.

Evening revelry in Temple Bar guarantees authentic “Irish” music performed by Romanian virtuosos who learned “Danny Boy” through painful repetition, all while paying $9 for a pint that costs $5 three blocks away. For genuine local atmosphere, slip into The Long Hall or Kehoe’s where Dubliners actually drink when not dodging tourists.

Days 3-4: Cork – Eloquence Stones and Butter Museums

The three-hour train journey from Dublin to Cork ($60 one-way) offers glimpses of Ireland’s verdant midsection without the stress of navigating manual transmissions on the wrong side of impossibly narrow roads. Cork proudly presents itself as Ireland’s “second city,” much like Boston positioning itself against New York, but with more defensive posturing and inexplicable accent variations.

The English Market stands as Cork’s culinary cathedral, where fishmongers and butchers continue traditions established in 1788, giving them seniority over most American institutions. Sample local delicacies at the Farmgate Café upstairs, where traditional dishes like tripe and drisheen (blood pudding) test visitors’ cultural adaptability. Cork’s compact center houses unexpected gems like the Butter Museum, which proves surprisingly fascinating despite sounding like a destination invented to punish unruly children.

A day trip to Blarney Castle ($18 entrance) presents your first major Irish decision – kiss the bacteria-laden Blarney Stone for supposed eloquence or preserve your immune system intact. Local legend insists the stone bestows “the gift of gab,” though witnessing Americans awkwardly arch backward while a septuagenarian Irishman holds their torso over a substantial drop suggests gullibility rather than eloquence is the real gift. The castle’s poison garden, featuring toxic plants with informative placards describing their lethal properties, offers disturbing but enthralling alternative entertainment.

Days 5-7: Killarney – Strategic Positioning for Skellig Success

The two-hour train from Cork to Killarney ($35) transports you to Ireland’s premier national park and optimal Skellig Michael launch position. Accommodation selection becomes strategic rather than merely preferential – Killarney Plaza Hotel ($180/night) and The Europe Hotel ($350/night) understand their clientele’s early-morning departure needs, while budget travelers at Black Sheep Hostel ($35/night) bond over shared Skellig ambitions and weather obsessions.

Killarney National Park provides essential diversions while monitoring boat operators’ weather updates, offering excellent things to do in Ireland while you wait for optimal conditions. Traditional jaunting cars (horse-drawn carriages) offer transportation with running commentary from drivers who’ve perfected the balance between historical facts and embellishments that sound sufficiently authentic to report back home. Muckross House represents Victorian Ireland’s attempt at rustic charm, which meant importing exotic wood and elaborate furniture to remote locations to create an impression of “roughing it” that would make modern glampers seem minimalist by comparison.

The Ring of Kerry drive deserves a full day, though its narrow roads and popularity with tour buses create traffic jams where sheep outnumber vehicles. The Kerry Cliffs ($4 entrance) provide panoramic views of Skellig Michael from a safe, land-based distance – potentially your consolation prize if sea conditions prevent landings. Derrynane Beach offers swimming opportunities for those with polar bear DNA or wetsuits, while the 6th-century Staigue Stone Fort demonstrates that circular living arrangements predate modern tiny house movements by 1,500 years.

Day 8: Skellig Michael – The Main Event (Weather Permitting)

The centerpiece of your Ireland itinerary that includes Skellig Michael arrives with day eight’s early morning departure from Portmagee or Ballinskelligs harbors. Booking 3-4 months in advance through licensed operators is non-negotiable unless disappointment ranks among your desired vacation outcomes. The $75-100 investment buys you a 45-minute boat ride that redefines “bumpy” and approximately 2.5 hours on an island that challenges both calves and courage.

Pack essentials that would make a wilderness survivalist proud: waterproof everything (jacket, pants, backpack cover), sturdy shoes with actual tread, snacks (the island offers no services), and camera equipment with backup batteries. The Atlantic’s salt spray renders smartphones temporarily blind, making waterproof cases worth their weight in Irish gold. Temperature expectations require adjustment – “summer” in southwest Ireland translates to 60-65°F with wind that redefines your understanding of “breezy.”

The physical requirements deserve serious consideration – 618 uneven stone steps with no handrails, significant exposure to drops, and terrain that makes grocery store “watch your step” signs seem laughably cautious. Those with mobility issues or severe height phobias should consider the alternative experiences described in the backup plan below. Star Wars enthusiasts discover that Luke Skywalker’s dramatic final resting place looks significantly smaller in person, while history buffs marvel that medieval monks built stone structures that have outlasted most modern construction – truly a highlight of any Ireland bucket list adventure.

Day 9: Skellig Michael Backup Day or Dingle Peninsula

Building a flexible Ireland itinerary that includes Skellig Michael means planning for Irish meteorological reality. If yesterday’s landing was canceled, today offers a second chance, assuming you’ve booked with operators who understand anxious travelers’ need for contingency options. If seas remain unfriendly, eco boat tours circle the islands without landing ($45), providing decent photography opportunities and fascinating seabird colonies (including adorably awkward puffins from April to July) without the cardiac stress test of the landing experience.

When Skellig access proves impossible, the Skellig Experience Visitor Centre on Valentia Island ($5 entrance) offers historical exhibits and a scale model that lets you visualize the monastery without vertigo, serving as one of the best places to visit in Ireland for alternative experiences. The real hidden gem, however, is the Dingle Peninsula – equal to Ring of Kerry in beauty but with approximately 60% fewer tour buses. Slea Head Drive winds past ancient beehive huts that resemble the Skellig Michael structures, offering a land-based alternative with similar historical resonance.

Dingle Town itself boasts Ireland’s most scientifically perfect ice cream at Murphy’s (brown bread flavor contains actual bread and tastes improbably delicious) and seafood at Out of the Blue that arrives so fresh it sometimes posts “closed today – no fish” signs when local boats can’t go out. For traditional music without the tourist markup, O’Sullivan’s Courthouse Pub offers nightly sessions where locals and visitors share tables, tunes, and occasionally tall tales about Skellig Michael experiences that grow more dramatic with each retelling.

Day 10: Return to Dublin with Tales of Triumph or Near-Miss

The journey back to Dublin requires either retracing your route via public transportation or returning a rental car while explaining mysterious new scratches acquired on country lanes. Last-minute shopping opportunities abound for those who’ve neglected souvenir obligations – Dublin Airport’s gift shops offer emergency Aran sweaters and Celtic jewelry at prices that make city center shops look reasonable by comparison.

Final night accommodations near the airport (Carlton Hotel Dublin Airport $150/night) simplify early departures while providing space to reorganize luggage now inexplicably 20% fuller than on arrival. The extra weight comes partly from purchases and partly from Ireland’s moisture, which infiltrates clothing and camera equipment with tenacity that would impress military strategists.

Whether your Ireland itinerary that includes Skellig Michael resulted in actual Skellig landing or magnificent “almost” tales, you’ve experienced Ireland’s essential truth – the island operates on its own terms, offering beauty, history, and occasional frustration in measures that ultimately leave visitors planning their return before departure. Like the ancient monks who settled that rocky outpost, you’ve learned that Ireland’s most valuable experiences often require flexibility, determination, and a healthy respect for Atlantic weather patterns.