Wild Atlantic Way named as one of the 10 most beautiful road trips in the world

Northern Ireland's Causeway Coastal Route also nabbed a spot in the top 20.

The Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland has been named as one of the most beautiful road trips in the world. With international travel still a bit up in the air (pardon the pun), there really is no better time to plan a staycation, and the presence of two drives amongst the beautiful in the world just goes to show we're not short of options on the island of Ireland. A study by Pentagon Motor Group analysed over 7 million Instagram hashtags to find the most picturesque road trips by calculating the number of photos posted on Instagram of each road per mile.

The research revealed that Australia's Great Ocean Road is the "most beautiful road trip in the world", followed by California's Big Sur, then Jebel Hafeet in the United Arab Emirates.

However, Ireland has no shortage of scenic spots you can visit before aviation reopens either, with The Wild Atlantic Way coming in at number eight on the list, and the Causeway Coastal Route nabbing the number 19 spot.

The Wild Atlantic Way, from the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal to Kinsale in Cork, stretches for 1,553 miles, with roughly 853 pictures being taken per mile according to the Pentagon study.

The stunning route is divided into five sections along the coastline and includes breathtaking beaches, sea cliffs and 157 discovery points, 1,000 attractions and more than 2,500 activities. For anyone who's been on it, it's easy to see why it made the top 10.

Meanwhile, the Causeway Coastal Route, stretching 200 miles between Belfast and Derry, totalled 244 pictures per mile.

The road is well known for its striking sea and cliff views, and if that's not enough to sell you, halfway along the route, you’ll also find the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Commenting on the research, Jonathan Lingham, Marketing Director at Pentagon Motor Group, said: "Despite the looming question over international travel, road trips are still on cards, thanks to the luxury and convenience of our wheels."

"As there are so many driving holiday destinations around the globe, we were curious to find out which route is officially the most beautiful."

Take a look at the full list below:

Top 20 Most Beautiful Road Trips:

1. Great Ocean Road, Australia - 8,418 pictures per mile 2. Big Sur, USA - 5,226 pictures per mile 3. Jebel Hafeet, United Arab Emirates - 4,840 pictures per mile 4. Hai Van Pass, Vietnam - 4,298 pictures per mile 5. Chapman’s Peak Drive, South Africa - 3,425 pictures per mile 6. Blue Ridge Parkway, USA - 1,148 pictures per mile 7. Going-To-The-Sun Road, USA - 940 pictures per mile 8. Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland - 853 pictures per mile 9. Olympic Peninsula Loop, USA - 798 pictures per mile 10. Icefields Parkway, Canada - 781 pictures per mile 11. Route 66, USA - 780 pictures per mile 12. Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse, Austria - 677 pictures per mile 13. Pacific Highway, Australia - 657 pictures per mile 14. Tioga Pass, USA - 533 pictures per mile 15. Military Road, UK - 483 pictures per mile 16. Cabot Trail, Canada - 466 pictures per mile 17. Hana Highway, USA - 345 pictures per mile 18. The Atlantic Road, Norway - 294 pictures per mile 19. Causeway Coastal Route, Northern Ireland - 244 pictures per mile 20. North Coast 500, Scotland - 226 pictures per mile