Many people dream of taking scenic coastal route known as 'The Wild Atlantic Way' to experience Ireland, but at around 1600 miles in length, you want to be sure you have enough time to take it all in. Over a third of the population here speaks Irish in their day to day – something you won't find in most other areas of Ireland (the British outlawed Irish culture and language as part of their efforts to subjugate the island). Whether you’d like to dedicate a few weeks, or you’d prefer to explore it a few days at a time, there’s a Wild Atlantic Way route out there for you! If you leave in the morning, you'll reach Galway just in time for lunch. Explore our resources and use the supports to grow your … National parks, Stone Age ring forts and Even better, you can combine it with the Gourmet Greenway and stop at artisan food producers along the way! Its rugged interior, labyrinth coastline and thick bog enabled it to resist the British more successfully than other regions, allowing Donegal to remain truly wild and isolated. At over 1,500 miles (2,750 kilometers) in length, the Wild Atlantic Way is the longest defined coastal touring road in the world. How to Master Driving on the Left (as an America), Everything You Should Know about Renting a Car in Ireland. There’s enough sights here to keep you busy for a week! Just published my travel guide to San Miguel de Al, Matchy matchy for one last park run + picnic befor, What’s a mummy’s favorite type of investment c, Connemara National Park & Kylemore Abbey Tour, Unearthing French Beauty Secrets at Caudalie’s NYC Spa (Review), Galway – Connemara – Cliffs of Moher – Killarney – Dingle, Sheep Herding – Lost Valley – the Burren – Adare – Dingle, Delphi Mountain – Connemara National Park – Galway, Achill Island – Clifden Sky Drive – Cliffs of Moher – Killarney, Slieve League – Donegal – Mayo – Ballina – Clew Bay, Stand on Sliabh Liag (Slieve League), Europe's highest sea cliffs, Explore Donegal Castle and picturesque Lough Eske, Feast on local seafood in Sligo or Bellmullet, Explore Achill Island and Keem Bay, home to beautiful basking sharks, Walk the bog trail in Ballycroy National Park, Learn the art of sheep herding and try cutting peat, Get active in Delphi Mountain: ziplining, kayaking, archery, Explore the karst landscape of The Burren and visit Poulnabrone dolmen, Drive Loop Head Peninsula and climb the lighthouse, Explore the Ring of Kerry and visit Killarney, Ferry to the ancient stone monastery on Skellig Michael, Learn about the history of Ireland's independence movement in Caherdaniel, See the lighthouse at Kinsale's Old Head Kinsale's Old Head, Cross the iconic (and dizzying) footbridge at Mizen Head, Feast on the freshest seafood at Baltimore Harbor. Way. Not too inclined to freeze our bones, we opted to explore the local castles, feast on delicious seafood (the crab claws here are the biggest we’ve ever seen) and check out some of the local historical sights. Ah, so glad the post was helpful :) Thanks for letting me know! Wild Atlantic Way, Galway: "How long does it take to drive wild Atlantic way..." | Check out answers, plus see 2,701 reviews, articles, and 1,703 photos of Wild Atlantic Way, ranked No.1 on Tripadvisor among 441 attractions in Galway. Killarney is a great base for day trips and the town also has fantastic hotels, spas, shopping and restaurants. This acclaimed coastal route encompasses endless scenery, fascinating From Dublin, the most direct method to reach the Wild Atlantic Way is to drive west. The Tarbert Ferry takes 20 minutes to cross the Shannon estuary. Whether you want adventure, culture, great food or incredible architecture, there’s a piece of the Wild Atlantic Way for you. But if you're not already in the EU, most likely you'll be flying in to Dublin – this is what we did! But, the Wild Atlantic Way is more often discussed as six regions, based on the scenery of each section: Mhm…not really. When a pagan chieftain refused to convert to Christianity, St. Patrick struck the ground and split a chunk of land into the sea, with the chieftain still on it! Off the coastline is Skellig Michael, an ancient monastery featured in Starwars, while a drive down to Dingle will have you in the pubs enjoying live music all night long. Below is some guidance on how to pick a section. Credit: Raymond Fogarty At 1600 miles long, we would recommend giving yourself the time to take it all in and thus setting aside 3 weeks to complete this coastal vision. Local legend says that St. Patrick founded a church here. If you want something more active, the Wild Atlantic Way is close to 3 of Ireland's national parks (Connemara, Ballycroy and Killarney) which have incredible hiking, scenic nature walks and lots of gorgeous terrain – mountains, lakes, bog, etc. Malin Head. 9 counties are included in the Wild Atlantic Way coastal route, 7 of them are in the Republic of Ireland and 2 are in Northern Ireland. Since its launch in 2014, The Wild Atlantic Way has been a major success story for Fáilte Ireland. The Wild Atlantic Way, 1600 miles (2600 km) in length, is one of the longest defined coastal route in the world. Delphi Mountain if you are on a budget or traveling as a family, this historic mountain lodge offers tons of fun activities (we tried archery and ziplining) on over 1,000 acres of land. Michael – towering sea crags that rise from the Atlantic ocean. 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