Travellers who care more about the story of a place than simply photographing it.
cultural IrelandMe tour notes
Dublin to Cliffs of Moher, Burren, Wild Atlantic Way, Galway Tour
Full-day coach tour from Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren, Wild Atlantic Way, and Galway City. Cliffs admission included, dedicated guide, free Wi-Fi.
From €85 starting price · live price may vary
Check dates & prices ↗ Free cancellation on most dates · Booked securely with Viator
Duration12 hours 30 minutes
PriceFrom €85
Rating4.9 from 13,199 reviews
BookingSecurely via Viator
The IrelandMe take
What stands out about this one
Our practical read of the published itinerary, traveller feedback and local context—not the operator’s sales description.
This is one of the most popular day trips you can do from Dublin, and for good reason. In a single day you'll cover the Cliffs of Moher, the extraordinary landscape of the Burren, stretches of the Wild Atlantic Way, and Galway City - all with Cliffs admission included and a dedicated guide to fill the journey with Irish folklore, music, and history.
The day starts with a brief stop at Barack Obama Plaza, a service station outside Moneygall built in honour of the former US president, whose ancestors came from the village nearby. There's a Conan O'Brien Air Pump on site too, a quirky local touch worth a photo. From there you head west through County Clare, passing the ancient cities of Limerick and Ennis, and briefly driving under the River Shannon - the widest and longest river in Ireland - before winding through the roads of Clare towards the coast.
At 12 hours 30 minutes, this is a long travel day. Book it for the complete route, not if you want an unhurried stop-by-stop pace.
One practical detail
The Obama Plaza stop is the service station on the M7, not the village of Moneygall itself. The village, where Obama's ancestor Falmouth Kearney left in 1850, is a few kilometres further from the motorway. The plaza has its own Obama statue and the Conan O'Brien Air Pump - use the 15 minutes for a snack and a photo, and know that the real village is a quieter and smaller thing just up the road.
How the experience works
At the Cliffs of Moher, you have a full two hours with exclusive Visitor Centre access. The cliffs rise to 214 metres at their highest point and were carved out over 300 million years ago. Look out to sea and you'll see layers of ancient river beds still visible in the cliff face. Depending on the season, you might spot puffins, porpoises, basking sharks, or even breaching whales in the waters below.
From the cliffs, you travel south along the Wild Atlantic Way through the Burren - a remarkable limestone landscape with 75% of Ireland's native wildflowers somehow growing side by side. On the way into Galway you'll pass Dunguaire Castle, a 16th-century tower house on the edge of Kinvara that's connected to writers from W.B. Yeats to J.M. Synge, with a roadside view from the coach.
Galway itself gets you a stop of 1.5 to 2 hours to explore the streets, try some seafood, and soak up the city's well-earned reputation as Ireland's cultural capital.
What the price covers
- Return transport from Dublin in a modern air-conditioned coach with free Wi-Fi
- Dedicated tour guide throughout
- Admission to the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience (minimum 2 hours)
- Travel through the Burren and along the Wild Atlantic Way
- 1.5 to 2 hour stay in Galway City
- Free downloadable app and audio guide for the Cliffs of Moher (ask your guide)
- Food and drinks (bring a packed lunch if you prefer - there's a roadside service stop on the way where you can pick up last-minute snacks)
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
The published itinerary
Use this to judge the pace and where your time actually goes. Operators can adjust stop order for traffic, weather or opening times.
- Barack Obama Plaza - a 15-minute stop at this landmark service station outside Moneygall, built in honour of former US President Barack Obama, whose ancestors came from the area. Grab a snack, take a photo with the Obama statue, and look out for the Conan O'Brien Air Pump. (15 min)
- Drive through Clare - the coach passes by Limerick, Ennis, and briefly drives beneath the River Shannon before winding into County Clare. You'll pass Bunratty Castle along the route. In Ennistymon, watch as your driver takes the famous Kissing Corner - a notoriously tight turn that less experienced drivers find tricky. (pass by)
- Cliffs of Moher - two full hours at the cliffs with Visitor Centre access included. Rising to 214 metres, the cliffs stretch for miles along the Atlantic coast. Watch for wildlife in the air, on the water, and below the surface: puffins, porpoises, basking sharks, and seasonal whale species are all possible. The cliffs were carved over 300 million years, and you can still see ancient river beds preserved in the cliff face. (120 min)
- The Burren and Wild Atlantic Way - departing the cliffs, the coach follows the Wild Atlantic Way - one of the longest continuous coastal roads in the world - north through the Burren into County Galway. Your guide will share stories, music, and local history as you pass through Lisdoonvarna and along the coast road towards Galway Bay. (pass by)
- Burren National Park - covering 1,500 hectares, the Burren's karst landscape is one of Ireland's most distinct environments. It holds 75% of Ireland's native wildflower species, with Mediterranean, Arctic, and Alpine plants coexisting in the same rocky terrain. Ancient megalithic tombs and Celtic crosses are scattered throughout. (pass by)
- Dunguaire Castle, Kinvara - a roadside view of this well-preserved 16th-century castle on the Kinvara waterfront, associated with the Irish literary revival and connected to figures like W.B. Yeats and J.M. Synge. (pass by)
- Galway City - one of Ireland's oldest cities, with roots stretching back to the first Claddagh fishing communities and the Norman merchant families who shaped it into the City of the Tribes. You'll have 1.5 to 2 hours to wander, eat, and explore - there are craft shops, artisan cafes, local seafood spots, and traditional pubs all within easy reach. (90 min)
- Return to Dublin - the coach arrives back at around 7:30 PM. (pass by)
Meeting point: Outside Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, Parnell Square N, Dublin 1. Please be there by 6:45 AM - 5 to 10 minutes before departure. Return drop-off is at the same location, between 7:30 PM and 8:30 PM.
Local tips that make the day better
At Ennistymon, the Kissing Corner is worth watching from the right-hand window. The coach driver takes a notoriously tight bend through the town - locals know it well, visitors find it startling. The town itself sits on the River Inagh, whose multi-tiered limestone falls (the Cascades) run right through the town centre - you'll catch a glimpse as the coach passes. If you ever come back independently, Ennistymon is worth a proper stop.
Lisdoonvarna is spa country at the edge of the Burren. As the route passes through, the landscape shifts from Atlantic coast to limestone interior - grey dry-stone walls, sparse grass, the smell of the water changing. Lisdoonvarna is best known outside Ireland for its September Matchmaking Festival, a tradition running since 1857, but the village has four naturally warm mineral springs that gave it a Victorian spa life long before the matchmaking got famous.
In Galway, leave Shop Street immediately and go left. The narrow laneways between Shop Street and Quay Street are where the better food is - Ard Bia at Nimmo on Quay Street is locally-run and worth knowing about. If you want a trad session rather than food, Tigh Coili on Mainguard Street runs serious sessions from around 9:30pm; it's an Irish-language pub and the music is the real thing, not a performance. With only 90 minutes in the city, aim for one lane, one meal, and one good walk to the Claddagh if the weather allows.
Good to know before booking
Infants and small children can travel in a pram or stroller, and public transport is available nearby. This tour is not recommended for travellers with spinal injuries, pregnant travellers, or those with poor cardiovascular health. Maximum group size is 53 travellers. Tour operates in English.
Make more of the area
- Moneygall - the quiet village where Barack Obama's ancestor Falmouth Kearney emigrated to America in 1850, and where Obama himself pulled a pint in Hayes' Bar in 2011
- Ennistymon - a working Clare market town where the River Inagh falls through the centre in limestone tiers and the trad sessions at Marrinan's are the real thing
- Lisdoonvarna - a spa town at the Burren edge with four naturally warm mineral springs and a matchmaking festival running since 1857
- Kinvara - a harbour village where Dunguaire Castle catches the last light on the bay and the Galway hooker fleet still ties up at the pier
- Galway - Ireland's cultural capital, a medieval city with 70+ pubs, trad sessions most nights, and the Aran Islands ferry 40 minutes west
Questions before you book
How long is Dublin to Cliffs of Moher, Burren, Wild Atlantic Way, Galway Tour?
The published duration is 12 hours 30 minutes. Allow extra time to reach the meeting point and for your onward plans.
How much does Dublin to Cliffs of Moher, Burren, Wild Atlantic Way, Galway Tour cost?
The listed starting price is From €85. Live prices can change by date, group size and availability.
What should I know before booking?
At 12 hours 30 minutes, this is a long travel day. Book it for the complete route, not if you want an unhurried stopbystop pace.
Ready to decide?
Check the live times before building the rest of your day.
From €85 · 12 hours 30 minutes Check dates & prices ↗
