Sample Itinerary · Ireland

Irish City Break

Dublin · Belfast

Duration
7 Days · 6 Nights
Accommodations
4-Star or Higher
Transport
Private Transfers
Best For
Couples · First-Time Visitors

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This is a sample itinerary — for inspiration only. Every Juniper trip is designed from scratch around you. Many clients travel a very similar route — if this resonates, book a free consultation and a specialist will build something just like it (or better) specifically for your travel style, dates, and group.

1
Day One

Arrive in Dublin

Dublin

Welcome to Ireland. A private airport transfer brings you straight into the city center — no driving on arrival day, no figuring out the bus from the terminal. Your specialist has chosen a hotel in walking distance of Trinity College and Temple Bar, so once you’re checked in you can drop the bags and start exploring at your own pace.

The first evening is intentionally unstructured. Wander Grafton Street as the buskers warm up, find a pub for a slow Guinness, or pick a restaurant your specialist has reserved. The bigger sightseeing day is tomorrow — tonight is for shaking off the flight and remembering you’re somewhere new.

Private airport transfer
Hotel check-in
Evening at leisure

Overnight: Dublin

2
Day Two

Dublin Sightseeing

Dublin

A full day on foot — Dublin is compact and rewards a slow lap. Morning starts at Trinity College, where your specialist has pre-booked an early Book of Kells slot so you walk straight past the queue. The Long Room is one of the most beautiful library halls in the world, and worth lingering in.

From Trinity, walk through St. Stephen’s Green and the Georgian squares — Merrion, Fitzwilliam, Mountjoy — to the National Museum of Ireland for the bog bodies, the Tara Brooch, and the Iron Age gold. Lunch in a Temple Bar pub or a quieter spot your specialist recommends. Afternoon along the River Liffey to the Ha’penny Bridge, then up to the Cathedral Quarter. Dinner somewhere reserved, and an early night — three days in Dublin go quickly.

Trinity & Book of Kells
National Museum
Georgian squares walk

Overnight: Dublin

3
Day Three

Dublin or a Day Trip

Dublin · Optional Day Trip

A flexible day, and the right answer depends on what kind of trip you’re after. Option one is to stay in Dublin and go deeper — the Guinness Storehouse with its Gravity Bar skyline view, Kilmainham Gaol for the political history, the Hugh Lane Gallery, or simply more time in the neighborhoods you liked yesterday.

Option two is a day trip, which your specialist arranges with a private driver-guide so you don’t lose half the day to logistics. The classic three: the Cliffs of Moher (long but unforgettable, the most dramatic stretch of coast in Ireland), Wicklow Mountains and Glendalough (closer, monastic ruins in glaciated valleys), or Cork and Kinsale (food-focused, southern coast). Either way, back to Dublin for a final dinner.

Cliffs of Moher option
Wicklow option
Guinness Storehouse

Overnight: Dublin

4
Day Four

Dublin to Belfast

Belfast

A relaxed transition north today. After breakfast, your private driver collects you from the hotel for the journey to Belfast — about two hours direct on the motorway, or longer if you take the scenic route via the Cooley Peninsula and the coast road. Your specialist plots it based on what you’d rather see.

The border itself is invisible — there’s no checkpoint, just a change in the speed limit signs from kilometres to miles and from euros to pounds at the next petrol station. Arrive in Belfast in the early afternoon, check into the hotel, and spend the rest of the day on a slow lap of the Cathedral Quarter or City Hall area. Belfast has changed enormously in the past two decades, and walking it slowly is the best way to feel that.

Private transfer
Cooley Peninsula option
Arrive Belfast

Overnight: Belfast

5
Day Five

Belfast Sightseeing

Belfast

The full Belfast day. Your specialist pre-books Titanic Belfast — the museum on the slipway where the ship was built, and one of the best maritime museums in the world. Two to three hours, including the SS Nomadic tender ship outside. From there, the Ulster Museum in the Botanic Gardens for the broader sweep of Northern Irish history, art, and natural history.

Lunch somewhere your specialist has booked — the food scene here has come a long way. Afternoon options include St. Anne’s Cathedral, the HMS Caroline (the last surviving WWI warship still afloat), or a black-cab political tour through the murals of the Falls and Shankill Roads — sobering and important. Dinner in the Cathedral Quarter and a quiet evening.

Titanic Belfast
Ulster Museum
St. Anne’s Cathedral

Overnight: Belfast

6
Day Six

Belfast or a Day Trip

Belfast · Optional Day Trip

One more flexible day. The Northern Irish coast north of Belfast is one of Europe’s great drives, and most travelers use today for the Giant’s Causeway day trip — the basalt columns are a UNESCO site, and the route up there takes in Carrickfergus Castle, the Glens of Antrim, the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, and the Bushmills Distillery on the way back if you’d like. Your specialist arranges a private driver-guide so it’s a single relaxed loop, not a logistics puzzle.

Alternatively, stay in Belfast and slow down — the Botanic Gardens, the Cathedral Quarter independent shops, a long lunch, an early dinner. After a full week of moving, a quieter day before flying home tomorrow tends to land well.

Giant’s Causeway option
Carrickfergus Castle option
Botanic Gardens

Overnight: Belfast

7
Day Seven

Depart from Belfast

Belfast Airport

A short morning, then a private transfer to Belfast International or Belfast City Airport for the flight home. Your specialist routes you through the airport that works best for your departure — the city airport is closer and quieter for European connections, and the international handles the long-haul flights.

Most travelers fly home wishing they’d added a few more days — a week between Dublin and Belfast goes quickly, and Ireland tends to have that effect. Your Juniper specialist remains reachable throughout departure day, and your in-app itinerary stays accessible for any last-minute questions. Safe travels home.

Private airport transfer
App support throughout

Love this itinerary? Make it yours.

This is a sample luxury custom route — a starting point, not a fixed package. Many clients travel something very close to this, customized for their travel style, pace, and dates. Book a free consultation and a specialist will build from here.

The Cities
Swap Belfast for Galway, add a third city like Cork or Kinsale, or extend the Dublin or Belfast stay if one captures you more than the other.
Accommodations
Boutique hotels in the heart of each city, or upgraded 5-star properties — chosen to match your travel style and the neighborhoods you want to be in.
Day Trips & Pace
Add the Cliffs of Moher from Dublin, the Giant’s Causeway from Belfast, or a private guide for both. Or skip the day trips entirely and go deeper on the cities.

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Activities on this itinerary

Your specialist pre-arranges the right luxury experiences based on your interests and travel style. These are the custom experience types available on this route — specific choices are made with you, not for you.

Trinity College & Book of KellsDublin

National Museum of IrelandDublin

Guinness StorehouseDublin

Historical Walking TourDublin

Cliffs of Moher Day TripFrom Dublin

Wicklow Mountains Day TripFrom Dublin

Cork & Kinsale Day TripFrom Dublin

Titanic BelfastBelfast

Ulster MuseumBelfast

Black Cab Political TourBelfast

Giant’s Causeway Day TripFrom Belfast

Carrickfergus CastleNear Belfast

Activities are selected and pre-booked with your specialist based on your interests — not all activities are included in every trip version. Availability varies by season.

The people who will design your Ireland trip

You work directly with a specialist who knows Ireland deeply — not a call center or booking agent. Every consultation is with someone who has been there, stayed in those hotels, and knows the region inside out.

Ireland · Scotland · UK · Iceland

Taryn Harrison

25 years of experience designing Ireland trips, with over 85 visits to the island. CMSC certified and former Peace Corps volunteer. Our most tenured Ireland specialist, with obsessive local detail built into every itinerary.

25 Yrs
85+ Ireland Visits
CMSC

Book a Consultation



Italy · Switzerland · Portugal · Spain

Lexi Blade

Florence and Austria-based, Lexi brings on-the-ground expertise across Southern Europe’s most sought-after destinations. Every recommendation comes from personal experience.

Book a Consultation



Scotland · Ireland · UK

Audrey Gabrys

Having lived across six countries, Audrey brings a genuinely international perspective to every itinerary. She specializes in Scotland’s Highlands and islands and brings the same off-the-beaten-track instinct to Ireland and UK trips.

Book a Consultation

About this itinerary

How many days is the Irish City Break?


The sample itinerary runs 7 days (6 nights), with three nights each in Dublin and Belfast. Juniper Tours designs every trip as a fully custom itinerary — shorter 4-5 day versions focus on Dublin alone, and longer versions add Galway, Cork, or Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast. Your specialist builds the length around your travel dates.

Is this itinerary self-drive or chauffeured?


This itinerary is designed without a rental car. Private transfers cover the airport arrival and departure, and a private driver moves you from Dublin to Belfast on Day 4 (about a 2-hour drive). Both cities are walkable, so you don’t need a car day-to-day. Day trips from each city — Cliffs of Moher, Giant’s Causeway, Wicklow — can be arranged with a private driver-guide or as small-group day tours, depending on your preference.

Do I need a passport to travel between Dublin and Belfast?


Belfast is in Northern Ireland (United Kingdom), and Dublin is in the Republic of Ireland (EU), but the border is open and there are no passport checks for travelers crossing by road. You will need your passport on you for travel and for hotel check-in, but the journey itself is seamless. Currency does change — euros in Dublin, pounds in Belfast — though cards are accepted nearly everywhere.

Can I customise this Irish City Break itinerary?


Yes — this is a sample for inspiration. Every Juniper trip is designed from scratch. You can swap Belfast for Galway, add a third city, extend stays, upgrade properties to luxury hotels, or add private guided tours and food experiences. Your specialist builds the actual itinerary around your group’s preferences during the free consultation.

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Christopher B.  ·  Verified Google Review

Build your luxury custom Irish city break with one of our top travel specialists.

30 minutes, completely free. Walk away with a clear picture of what your luxury custom Irish city break could look like — dates, cities, 4 and 5-star accommodations, and all.

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