Today the road trip officially begins!

We’ll load up the van and leave Dublin behind, heading south to Kilkenny, one of Ireland’s best-preserved medieval cities.

We’ll explore Kilkenny Castle, wander through the old streets, and have time for lunch before continuing south.

Our next stop is one of the most dramatic historical sites in Ireland.

Perched high above the surrounding countryside, the Rock of Cashel looks like something straight out of a fantasy movie. Kings ruled from here for centuries before the site became an important religious center, leaving behind an extraordinary collection of medieval buildings and ruins.

From Cashel, we continue to Waterford, Ireland’s oldest city and our home for the next two nights.

TOTAL DRIVING TIME: Approximately 3h45m–4h, broken into drives of about 1h45m, 1h, and 1h10m–1h20m
OVERNIGHT: Dooley’s Hotel
MEALS: Breakfast