An Adventure Awaits
Twelve days through ancient lands, emerald hills, and the wild Atlantic coast
Plan the JourneyThe Wild Atlantic Way is one of the longest defined coastal driving routes in the world, stretching 2,500 km along Ireland’s western seaboard from Kinsale in County Cork to the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal. It traces the raw, untamed edge of Europe — where sheer cliffs plunge into the Atlantic, where ancient stone forts cling to headlands battered by wind and spray, and where the light shifts every few minutes from brooding grey to dazzling gold.
The route passes through some of the most dramatic landscapes on the continent: the towering Cliffs of Moher, the otherworldly limestone pavement of the Burren, the wild beaches of Connemara, the jagged peaks of the Skellig Ring, and the lonely grandeur of Slieve League. Along the way you’ll find tiny harbour villages where traditional music spills from pub doorways, islands reachable only by cable car or currach, and roads so narrow that passing another car requires a friendly reverse and a wave.
Much of our itinerary follows sections of this route. When you see the distinctive white “W” signposts with the wave motif, you’re on it. Don’t rush — the WAW is about the journey, not the destination. Pull over at the discovery points, walk out to the cliff edges, stop for chowder at a roadside café, and let the Atlantic air remind you why this coast has inspired poets and wanderers for thousands of years.
Best flexibility for the Wild Atlantic Way. Book early. Remember: drive on the left! Budget ~€40–70/day.
Intercity buses connect major towns. Expressway routes are comfortable and affordable. Book at buseireann.ie.
Dublin to Cork, Galway, and Killarney by train. Scenic routes, Wi-Fi onboard. Book at irishrail.ie.
For short trips and airport transfers. Use FreeNow app. Typical airport–city ~€25–35.
Driving in Ireland (and the UK) is on the left side of the road — the opposite of Czechia and the rest of continental Europe. The driver sits on the right side of the car, the gear stick is on the left, and roundabouts go clockwise. It takes a day or two to adjust, but the key moments to focus are: pulling out of parking, joining a road from a petrol station, and turning at junctions — your instinct will try to go right.
Everything is mirrored. Overtake on the right, stay left. Roundabouts go clockwise. Most rental cars are manual with the gear stick on your left — consider booking automatic.
Motorways: 120 km/h. National roads: 100 km/h. Regional roads: 80 km/h. Towns: 50 km/h. Same units as CZ (km/h), but limits are often lower on rural roads.
Motorways are excellent. But many rural roads (especially on the WAW) are very narrow — single-lane with passing places. Expect to reverse for oncoming traffic. Nothing like Czech silnice.
M50 around Dublin uses barrier-free eTag tolling (your rental may cover it — ask). M1, M4, M6 have toll plazas accepting cards/coins. No vignette system like CZ.
50 mg/100 ml blood (0.05%) — same as Czechia’s tolerance for experienced drivers. But police checkpoints are common, especially at night. Safest: don’t drink and drive at all.
On rural roads, sheep wander freely. Slow down on country lanes, especially in Kerry, Connemara, and Donegal. You won’t see this in Czechia!
Petrol stations are plentiful in towns but scarce in remote areas. Fill up before heading into Connemara or Donegal. Prices are higher than CZ (~€1.70–1.90/litre).
Czech driving licence is valid. Bring your passport for ID. Rental insurance: take full CDW/SCDW — Irish roads can be rough on wing mirrors. Check excess carefully.
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Ireland is one island but two countries. The Republic of Ireland (26 counties) is an independent EU member state. Northern Ireland (6 counties: Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone) is part of the United Kingdom. There is no hard border — you can drive between them freely, often without even noticing — but the rules change.
The Republic uses the Euro (€). Northern Ireland uses Pounds Sterling (£). Most shops near the border accept both, but at poor rates. Use a card — Revolut or a travel card with no FX fees is ideal. ATMs switch currency automatically when you cross.
When Ireland gained independence in 1922, six northern counties with a Protestant/Unionist majority opted to remain in the UK. The partition led to decades of conflict (“The Troubles”, 1968–1998), ended by the Good Friday Agreement. Today the border is invisible, but political identity remains sensitive — say “Derry” or “Londonderry” depending on your company.
The Giant’s Causeway, the Dark Hedges (Game of Thrones), the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, the walled city of Derry, Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, and the stunning Causeway Coastal Route. Well worth crossing into.
No passport control, no checkpoints, no signs except the road markings change (km/h → mph) and the road surface sometimes improves. Speed limit signs switch to miles. Your phone may roam onto a UK network — check your plan.
The Republic uses country code +353, Northern Ireland uses +44 (UK). EU roaming rules apply in the Republic (free for CZ SIMs). Northern Ireland is post-Brexit UK — check if your Czech carrier charges roaming. Revolut eSIM or a local SIM is a good backup.
Road signs: Republic in km, NI in miles. Postboxes: green (Republic) vs red (NI). Emergency: 112 works everywhere, but NI also uses 999. Pubs close later in Belfast. Sunday trading hours differ. Metric vs imperial is mixed in NI.