Wild Atlantic Way
1,600 miles of Ireland's western coast: cliffs, castles, traditional music, and rain
- Distance
- 736 mi
- 1184 km
- Driving
- 20 hr 12 min
- excl. stops
- Suggested
- 9 days
- balanced split
- Stops
- 10
- curated
Distance and driving time are measured along the mapped route through the 10 stops listed below. Officially signed versions of famous routes often quote a longer figure, since they include promoted detours this line doesn't take.
Opens the planner with every stop loaded. Free, no card needed.
Day by day
Distances are measured along the actual road geometry, not straight-line. Drive times exclude stops, traffic and ferry waits.
Before you go
Best time to drive it
May to September
May is the sweet spot: the peak month for road-trip interest three years running, but before the school holidays fill the single-track passing places.
Indicative costs
- Fuel (40 mpg petrol)£126
- Tolls£14
Tolls assume ~65% of the distance on tolled road. Fuel prices move constantly: treat these as a range, not a quote.
Driving rules
Emission zones, mandatory equipment and licence requirements change country by country, and in 2026 several of them changed mid-year.
Driving in IrelandEvery stop on the Wild Atlantic Way
- 1Kinsale
- 2Mizen Head
- 3Killarney
- 4Dingle
- 5Cliffs of Moher
- 6Galway
- 7Connemara National Park
- 8Achill Island
- 9Slieve League
- 10Malin Head
Worth a detour
Curated places within 25 km of the road.
Aran Islands
landmarkThree windswept islands off the Galway coast where Irish is the first language, stone-walled fields stretch to dramatic cliff forts and time stands still.
Kylemore Abbey
landmarkStunning Gothic castle on the shore of Kylemore Lough in Connemara, now home to Benedictine nuns with a Victorian walled garden.
The Burren
natural wonderUnique lunar-like karst landscape of 250 square kilometres where Mediterranean and Arctic-Alpine flowers grow side by side in limestone pavements.
Connemara
natural wonderWild and boggy region of western Galway with the Twelve Bens mountain range, Connemara ponies, remote beaches and Kylemore Abbey.
Killarney National Park
national parkIreland's first national park encompassing three famous lakes, ancient oak woodlands, the 15th-century Ross Castle and Ireland's only wild red deer herd.
Slieve League Cliffs
scenic viewpointAmong the highest sea cliffs in Europe at nearly 600 metres, far less crowded than the Cliffs of Moher and even more dramatic.
Gap of Dunloe
scenic viewpointNarrow mountain pass carved by glaciers through the MacGillycuddy's Reeks, best experienced by pony trap or on foot along its 11-kilometre length.
Croagh Patrick
scenic viewpointIreland's holiest mountain at 764 metres, where St Patrick is said to have fasted for 40 days, with sweeping views over Clew Bay.
Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk
scenic viewpointDramatic 20km trail along the cliff edge from Hags Head to Doolin, offering ever-changing perspectives of Ireland's most famous sea cliffs.
Blarney Castle
castleMedieval stronghold famous for the Blarney Stone, which legend says grants the gift of eloquence to all who kiss it while leaning backwards.
Torc Waterfall
waterfallBeautiful 20-metre cascade in Killarney National Park, set in ancient oak woodland at the base of Torc Mountain near Muckross House.
Dingle Peninsula
famous roadRugged Atlantic peninsula with ancient beehive huts, dramatic Slea Head Drive, Gaeltacht culture and the westernmost point of mainland Europe.
Common questions about the Wild Atlantic Way
How long does the Wild Atlantic Way take?
The driving itself is about 20 hr 12 min across 736 miles (1184 km). Most people spread it over 9 days: the day-by-day breakdown on this page splits it into balanced stretches rather than equal ones, so no single day is all driving.
How many miles is the Wild Atlantic Way?
736 miles, or 1184 km, measured along the actual road rather than straight-line between towns.
When is the best time to drive the Wild Atlantic Way?
May to September. May is the sweet spot: the peak month for road-trip interest three years running, but before the school holidays fill the single-track passing places.
What does the Wild Atlantic Way cost in fuel?
Roughly £126 in fuel for a petrol car averaging 40 mpg, plus about £14 in tolls. Indicative only: fuel prices move.
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