Killarney

Killarney needs 2 days as a base for Killarney National Park, with lakes, Ross Castle and the MacGillycuddy's Reeks, Ireland's highest mountains. May-September is best for a horse-drawn jaunting car ride through the park or cycling the Gap of Dunloe. It's affordable by Irish standards, with a hotel scene geared toward passing-through tourism. It's the classic starting point for the Ring of Kerry, Ireland's most famous scenic coastal drive, at 179 km.