We spent about two weeks driving Ireland on our last trip, and this 10 day Ireland and Scotland itinerary is the tighter version of that, built to give you the best of both countries without racing through them. You split the time roughly in half, drive the west coast of Ireland, then hop over for Edinburgh, the Highlands, and Skye.
Is ten days enough for two countries? Yes, as long as you don’t try to see everything. Pick a handful of stops in each and go deep, rather than spending the whole trip in the car chasing a checklist you’ll forget by the time you land home.
We traveled by campervan, but a rental car works the same on every stop here and is the easier choice for a first trip, so it’s worth taking a minute to compare car hire deals on Discover Cars before you lock in your dates. Below is the route day by day, plus where to stay, how to get between the two countries, and the stops I’d cut first if you’re short on time.
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Quick Answer:
This 10 day Ireland and Scotland itinerary splits the time roughly in half: four or five days in Ireland for Dublin, Galway, and the west coast, then a short flight to Scotland for Edinburgh, the Highlands, and a day on the Isle of Skye. Fly between the two countries rather than taking the ferry, rent a car for the road legs, and book your Skye night and your between-country flight first.
Should You Do Both Ireland and Scotland in 10 Days?
Ten days is enough for both, but only if you’re honest about the math. You’re really looking at four or five days per country once you take out a travel day to get between them. That’s plenty for a first taste of each, and not enough for either on its own.
The mistake people make is treating this as a highlights reel of two whole countries. It isn’t. You pick one region in Ireland and one region in Scotland, and you accept that most of both places stays on the list for next time.
For Ireland, that means Dublin plus the west coast around Galway and the Cliffs of Moher. For Scotland, it’s Edinburgh, a run into the Highlands, and a day on the Isle of Skye. Two anchor cities, two stretches of coast and mountains, and no attempt to loop the entire island of either country.
If you’d rather spend your whole ten days in one country, do that instead. You’d see far more of the Wild Atlantic Way, or far more of the Highlands, without a single wasted travel day. But if you want to stand in two capitals and two very different landscapes in one trip, ten days does the job.
Best Time to Visit Ireland and Scotland
Both countries share the same weather logic, so you only have to make this call once. Summer is warmest and busiest, winter is dark and cheap, and the shoulder months split the difference. May, June, and September are the sweet spot for this route.
We drove Ireland in autumn, well into shoulder season, and it was the right call. Fewer crowds at the big sites, hotels were easier to book, and the daylight was still long enough to drive and sightsee in the same day. The trade is more rain and colder evenings.
Daylight matters more than temperature for a trip like this. In June you get roughly 17 hours of light in Scotland, which is a huge amount of driving and walking time. In December you get about seven, and the Highlands roads go dark by mid-afternoon.
July and August bring the warmest weather and the worst crowds, and prices climb to match. If you go in high summer, book your Skye accommodation and your Edinburgh hotel early, because those two sell out first.
Pack for rain whenever you go. It rained on us plenty in Ireland, and it will do the same in Scotland. Layers and a real waterproof jacket beat an umbrella, which is useless the second the wind picks up on the coast.
Getting Between Ireland and Scotland
You’ve got two real options to cross from Ireland to Scotland: a short flight or a ferry. For a ten-day trip, flying is almost always the better use of your time, but the ferry has its place if you’re bringing a rental car across.
Fly Between Ireland and Scotland
The flight from Dublin to Edinburgh takes about one hour, and Ryanair and Aer Lingus both run it several times a day. Book ahead and you can often find fares under 50 euros. Add the airport time on both ends and it’s still a half-day at most.
Flying is the plan this itinerary is built around. You drop your Irish rental car at Dublin Airport, fly over, and pick up a fresh car in Edinburgh. That way you never pay to move a vehicle between countries and you skip the long ferry day entirely.
Glasgow is the other useful arrival airport if the fares work out better, and it’s actually a bit closer to the Highlands. Either one works for this route.
Take the Ferry From Ireland to Scotland
Stena Line and P&O Ferries both sail from Belfast to Cairnryan in about two and a quarter hours. There’s also a Larne to Cairnryan crossing. The catch is that both routes leave from Northern Ireland, so you’d first have to drive up from Dublin, which adds a couple of hours.
The ferry only makes sense if you want to keep one rental car for the whole trip and drive it onto the boat, or if you’re nervous about flying. On a ten-day trip, the drive to Belfast plus the crossing eats a full day you could spend in Edinburgh instead.
Cairnryan drops you in southwest Scotland, roughly two hours from both Glasgow and the start of the Highlands. If you do take the ferry, plan your route so you’re not doubling back.
Where to Stay in Ireland and Scotland
On a ten-day trip split across two countries, you want to change hotels as little as possible. Fewer bases means fewer mornings packing the car and more time actually seeing things. This route uses four bases total, two in each country: Dublin and Galway in Ireland, then Edinburgh and Portree in Scotland. Here is a solid pick in each.
Where to Stay in Dublin
The Merrion Hotel sits on Merrion Square, a short walk from Trinity College and the Temple Bar pubs, so you can drop your bags and be in the thick of it on your first night. It is a five-star set inside four restored Georgian townhouses, and it scores 9.5 on Booking.com across more than 500 reviews. If you want a quieter sleep than Temple Bar itself, a base a few streets back like this one is the move.
👉 View The Merrion Hotel Availability and Pricing
Where to Stay in Galway
Tara Lodge Galway is a family-run B&B about ten minutes from the city center, which solves the real problem in Galway: parking a large vehicle downtown is a pain. It has its own parking, a cooked breakfast, and a 9.6 on Booking.com from close to 300 reviews. Leave the car and taxi into the trad-music pubs on Dominick Street.
👉 View Tara Lodge Galway Availability and Pricing
Where to Stay in Edinburgh
Motel One Edinburgh-Royal is on Market Street in the Old Town, 250 meters from Waverley station and a few minutes’ walk from the castle and the Royal Mile. It is a reliable mid-range hotel that holds an 8.7 on Booking.com across more than 11,000 reviews, so you know what you are getting. Book it early, because the Old Town fills up fast.
👉 View Motel One Edinburgh-Royal Availability and Pricing
Where to Stay in Portree, Isle of Skye
Rockview is a B&B a few hundred meters from the center of Portree, the main town on Skye, with loch views from some of the rooms. It rates 9.7 on Booking.com across more than 700 reviews. Skye beds are limited and book out months ahead in summer, so lock this one in first, before anything else on the trip. Everything else on the route has more flexibility.
👉 View Rockview Availability and Pricing
The Full 10 Day Ireland and Scotland Itinerary at a Glance
Here’s the whole 10 day Ireland and Scotland itinerary in one place before we break it down day by day. Six days in Ireland, one travel day to cross, and the balance in Scotland. Nothing here has you backtracking, and no single drive runs more than about three and a half hours.
- Day 1: Arrive in Dublin, settle in, and hit Temple Bar for your first night.
- Day 2: Explore Dublin, including Trinity College and the Jameson Distillery.
- Day 3: Drive west to Galway and dig into the trad music scene.
- Day 4: Day trip to the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren coast.
- Day 5: Drive back east and explore the Wicklow Mountains.
- Day 6: More Wicklow or a slow return to Dublin for the night.
- Day 7: Fly Dublin to Edinburgh and get your bearings in the city.
- Day 8: Full day in Edinburgh, castle and Old Town.
- Day 9: Drive into the Scottish Highlands toward Skye.
- Day 10: The Isle of Skye, then head to your departure airport.
If you’re short on time, the two soft days are Day 6 and the second half of the Wicklow leg. You could cut those and add a night on Skye, which is the stop you’ll most likely wish you’d given longer. I’ll flag the rest of the trade-offs as we go.
More Dublin Travel Guides
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The Ireland Route: Dublin, Galway, and the West Coast
This is the half of the trip we know best, because we drove it on our last trip. Six days gets you Dublin on both ends, Galway and its music, and the Cliffs of Moher, with a run through the Wicklow Mountains to break up the return.
Day 1: Arrive and Settle Into Dublin
Fly into Dublin and take the airport bus into the city center, which is cheap and drops you right in the middle of everything. Grab a Guinness at the airport before you leave if you have time, it’s a small tradition and worth doing.
We dropped our bags in Temple Bar and walked straight into Darkey Kelly’s on Fishamble Street for a first pint. Temple Bar is touristy and you’ll pay more for beer, but it’s still a fun first night and the live music starts early.
Day 2: Explore Dublin
Start at Trinity College. The grounds are free to walk, and the Campanile, Parliament Square, and the Sphere Within Sphere sculpture are all right there. It’s one of the most underrated free things in the city.
👉 Read our full guide to Trinity College Dublin.
In the afternoon, do the full Jameson Distillery tour on Bow Street. The ticket is worth the price for the tasting flight and the glass-ceiling bar alone. After that, walk the Liffey Boardwalk and find dinner somewhere off the pub trail.
👉 See our full post on the Jameson Distillery tour.
Days 3 and 4: Galway and the Cliffs of Moher
Drive west to Galway, about two and a half hours across the country. Parking a big vehicle in the center is impractical, so we stayed at a caravan park in Salthill and taxied in. If you’re in a normal car, a city or Salthill hotel is easier.
We stepped off the taxi and could already hear music, so we walked into Monroe’s Tavern on Dominick Street to find 20 people mid-session. Tig Coilí on Mainguard Street is the other one to hit, and grab chips from Prátaí on Shop Street to eat on the street.
We’d heard a lot about Galway and it turned out even better than we thought for atmosphere and trad music. The food scene let us down slightly, because the places we wanted were fully booked. If you have your eye on a specific restaurant, reserve it days ahead.
On Day 4, drive down to the Cliffs of Moher. Instead of only doing the main viewing platform, we hiked the northern cliff path up from Doolin, a narrow trail with a sheer drop on one side and cows grazing on the farmland on the other. It’s about two hours return and far less crowded.
The cliffs are worth doing, though I’d rank Loop Head Peninsula nearby as wilder and better for photos. Dress in layers and wear real shoes, because it’s windy up there even on a calm day. If you’d rather skip the drive from Dublin, you can book the Cliffs of Moher, Burren and Galway day tour on GetYourGuide and let someone else handle the roads.
Days 5 and 6: The Wicklow Mountains and Back to Dublin
Drive back east toward Dublin and cut into the Wicklow Mountains, about an hour south of the city. This is where you find Glendalough, an early medieval monastic site set beside two lakes, with walking trails that range from a flat 20 minutes to a few hours.
The drive over the Sally Gap and Wicklow Gap is the real draw, a narrow mountain road through open bog with almost nothing built on it. Powerscourt Estate and its waterfall are close by if you want a gentler day. Not driving this leg? You can book the Wicklow and Glendalough day tour on GetYourGuide as a round trip from Dublin.
Spend your last Irish night back in Dublin so you’re near the airport for the flight to Scotland. If you’re tight on time, this is the leg to trim, and you can head straight back to the city after the west coast.
Exploring Ireland’s West Coast
- Weekend in Galway: The Perfect 2 Day Itinerary
- 10 Best Pubs In Galway, Ireland
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The Scotland Route: Edinburgh, the Highlands, and Skye
The Scotland half runs Days 7 through 10. You land in Edinburgh, give the city two days, then drive northwest into the Highlands and finish on the Isle of Skye. It’s a fast four days, but it hits the parts of Scotland you came here for.
Day 7: Arrive in Edinburgh
The flight from Dublin lands in about an hour, so you’ll have most of the day. Pick up your Scottish rental car at the airport, or leave it until you head for the Highlands, since Edinburgh is easier on foot than by car.
Get your bearings by walking the Royal Mile, the old street that runs downhill from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace. Arthur’s Seat, an extinct volcano right in the city, is a good first-evening climb for a view over the whole place.
Day 8: Explore Edinburgh
Start at Edinburgh Castle, which sits on a plug of volcanic rock above the city and holds the Scottish crown jewels and the Stone of Destiny. Book tickets online ahead of time, because the line at the gate can swallow an hour in summer.
From there, wander the closes and wynds off the Royal Mile, the narrow lanes that thread between the tall Old Town buildings. The Scotch whisky distilleries in and around the city run tastings if that’s your thing, and the Grassmarket has good pubs for the evening.
Day 9: Drive Into the Scottish Highlands
Pick up the car and drive northwest. The direct route to Skye runs about five hours, so break it up. Loch Lomond and the Trossachs come first, then Glencoe, a steep-sided valley that is one of the most photographed spots in the country.
If you’d rather detour, the road past Fort William takes you to the Glenfinnan Viaduct, the railway bridge from the Harry Potter films, where a steam train crosses a couple of times a day in season. If you’re based in Edinburgh and want this done as a guided day out, you can book the Glenfinnan Viaduct and Glencoe tour on GetYourGuide. Aim to reach Skye or Fort William by evening.
Day 10: The Isle of Skye and Departure
Skye deserves more than a day, but if this is all you have, focus on the north. The Old Man of Storr is the standout hike, a rock pinnacle above Portree with a steep but short trail. The Quiraing and the Fairy Pools are the other two big draws.
Drive back toward your departure airport once you’ve had your fill. From Skye it’s roughly five hours to Edinburgh or Glasgow, so if you have an early flight, consider stopping partway or flying out of Inverness instead, which is closer.
This is the leg to protect if you add time anywhere. An extra night on Skye turns a rushed day into a proper visit, and it’s the change you’ll be glad you made.
The Best Tours of Ireland and Scotland if You’d Rather Not Drive
Driving is the best way to do this route, but it isn’t for everyone. Both countries drive on the left, the rural roads are narrow, and Skye in particular has single-track stretches with passing places. If any of that puts you off, tours cover the same ground.
The easiest option is to treat each country separately. Base yourself in Dublin and take day tours out to the Cliffs of Moher and Galway, then base in Edinburgh and take a multi-day tour to the Highlands and Skye. Small-group operators run these constantly in season.
Public transport can also fill gaps. Trains connect Dublin, Galway, and Edinburgh well, and the West Highland Line to Fort William is a scenic ride on its own. Skye is the one place where you’ll really want either a car or an organized tour, because bus service is thin. Whichever way you go, book the Highlands and Skye portion first, since those fill up faster than anything else on this itinerary.
Cliffs of Moher, Burren and Galway Day Tour from Dublin
This full-day trip leaves Dublin around 7am and covers the Cliffs of Moher, the rocky Burren, and Galway city before getting back near 7pm. You get roughly an hour and a half at the cliffs, which is enough for the main viewpoints and O’Brien’s Tower.
👉 Check Cliffs of Moher, Burren and Galway Day Tour Availability and Reviews
Wicklow, Glendalough and Kilkenny Day Tour from Dublin
A full day out of Dublin through the Wicklow Mountains to the monastic ruins and lakes at Glendalough, then on to medieval Kilkenny. It covers the same Wicklow stops on days five and six of this route if you’d rather not drive the mountain roads yourself.
👉 See what’s included on the Wicklow, Glendalough and Kilkenny Day Tour
Glenfinnan Viaduct, Glencoe and Highlands Tour from Edinburgh
A day tour from Edinburgh that runs up through Glencoe to the Glenfinnan Viaduct, timed so you can watch the Jacobite steam train cross it in season. It’s the single best day trip to book if you want the Highlands without driving the long, tiring roads north.
👉 Check dates and prices for the Glenfinnan Viaduct and Highlands Tour
Isle of Skye Small-Group 3-Day Tour from Edinburgh
This is the one worth booking even if you drive the rest. Three days from Edinburgh in a small group with accommodation included, hitting Glencoe, Eilean Donan Castle, and the main Skye sights like the Quiraing and Old Man of Storr. It handles the longest driving of the whole trip so you can look out the window instead of watching the road.
👉 Check Isle of Skye 3-Day Tour Availability and Reviews
Where to Stay Around Ireland
- Where to Stay in Doolin: Best Areas & Hotels
- Where to Stay in Westport: Best Hotels & Accommodation
- Where to Stay in County Cork: Cork City vs West Cork
In short
- Ten days covers one region in each country: Dublin and Ireland’s west coast, then Edinburgh, the Highlands, and Skye.
- Fly between the two countries. Dublin to Edinburgh is about an hour and often under 50 euros, versus a full day on the ferry.
- Rent a car for the west coast of Ireland and the Highlands, or swap in day tours if you’d rather not drive.
- May, June, and September give you long daylight and thinner crowds than high summer.
- Book your Isle of Skye night and your between-country flight first, since those set your dates.
FAQ
Is 10 days enough for Ireland and Scotland?
Yes, for one region in each country. You get four or five days per country after a travel day, which covers Dublin and Ireland’s west coast plus Edinburgh, the Highlands, and Skye. It’s not enough to loop either country in full.
Should I fly or take the ferry between them?
Fly. Dublin to Edinburgh is about an hour and often under 50 euros. The ferry runs from Northern Ireland, so you’d lose a full day driving to Belfast and crossing. Only take the boat if you’re keeping one rental car for the whole trip.
Do I need a car for this trip?
A car makes the west coast of Ireland and the Highlands far easier, and it’s the plan this route is built on. If you’d rather not drive, day tours from Dublin and a multi-day Highlands tour from Edinburgh cover the same stops.
What’s the best time of year to go?
May, June, and September are the sweet spot. You get long daylight and fewer crowds than high summer. We drove Ireland in autumn and found the shoulder season easy for booking, with the trade being more rain and colder nights.
Which should I see first, Ireland or Scotland?
Ireland first works best for flight prices and pacing, since you can fly into Dublin from most places, then hop to Edinburgh and out of Scotland. Doing it the other way is fine too, so let the cheapest open-jaw flight decide.
Final Thoughts
A 10 day Ireland and Scotland itinerary is a fast trip across two countries, and it works because you don’t try to do everything. Two anchor cities, two stretches of coast and mountains, and one short flight in the middle. That’s the whole plan.
The Ireland half was the part we drove ourselves, and the trad session we walked into at Monroe’s Tavern in Galway was the highlight of the west coast. The Cliffs of Moher hike up from Doolin beat the crowded viewing platform, and that pattern held all trip: the bit that took slightly more effort paid off.
If you have a spare day to add, put it on Skye. It’s the one stop this route rushes, and an extra night there turns a sprint into a real visit. If you have to cut a day, take it from the Wicklow leg and drive straight back to Dublin.
Book your Skye accommodation and your between-country flight first, because those are the two things that sell out and set your dates. Sort those, and the rest of this itinerary falls into place around them.
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