Ireland is a beautiful country full of history and spectacular scenery. You will find rolling hills, rugged cliffs, old architecture, and even beaches on this wonderful island. Don`t miss the best activities, restaurants, and places to stop while traveling through Ireland.
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How To Get There
If you are traveling internationally you will most likely fly in and out of Dublin. When traveling from the UK you can also get flights into Belfast, Northern Ireland. Either of these cities are a great place to begin your trip through Ireland.
Best Time To Travel
July and August are the busiest times to travel and offer the best weather. May, June, and September are the shoulder season where you will still get decent weather with lower prices and smaller crowds. May to July is ideal because prices and crowds are lower and rain is minimal.
Currency
Ireland: Euro €1.00 = $1.50 CAD, or $1.20 USD
Northern Ireland: British Pounds £1.00= $1.41 USD, €1.15 Euros, or $1.80 CAD
Average Daily Budget
Our average daily budget was €100 ($120 USD) per day per person. This was renting a vehicle, eating out 2-3 meals per day, and staying in mostly Airbnbs.
Our average daily budget breakdown:
- Transportation: €33 euros ($37 USD) per person per day
- Food & Drinks: €30 euros($33 USD) per person per day
- Accommodation: €25 euros ($27 USD) per person per day
- Tours & Activities: €9 euros ($10 USD) per person per day
Vaccinations
For the most part, you won’t need any special vaccinations while visiting Ireland. It is smart to make sure your routine vaccinations are up to date. Consider getting your Hepatitis A & B vaccines if you don`t already have them. Always double check with an immunization clinic before departing to be safe.
Accommodation
You will find no shortage of hotels, Airbnbs, and local B&B`s throughout Ireland. We chose to stay in Airbnbs to keep our costs to a minimum.
Budget: €30-65 for 2 people/night: Staying in an Airbnb or hostel. We found the private rooms in the Airbnbs to be comfortable and affordable.
Mid Range: €70-140 for 2 people/night: A private room in a Bed and Breakfast. You can find many options through B&B Ireland.
Luxury: €140 + for 2 people/night: It isn’t hard to spend a lot of money on a hotel in Ireland. For example; in a city like Dublin you won’t find a hotel for under €140/night.
Food
Meals: €4-18 euros ($5-$22 USD) per person
You can expect to get a reasonable breakfast for €4-6 euros ($5-7 USD), lunch for €6-10 euros ($7-12 USD), and dinner for €12-18 euros ($15-22 USD).
Some of our favorite local foods:
Beef and Guinness Stew: A delicious meal you can find in most pubs and restaurants.
Colcannon: A traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage.
Boxty: A traditional Irish potato pancake.
Soda Bread: Local bread made using sodium bicarbonate instead of yeast.
Black Pudding: A type of blood sausage commonly served with an Irish breakfast. This one we didn’t try, but give it a taste if you’re up for something new!
Transportation
Rent a Car: In my opinion, this is the best way to see the country. It is reasonably priced and you can move at your own pace. If you time it right; you can often beat the tour buses and have many landmarks almost to yourself. Make sure to read our guide on Renting a Car in Ireland before you go.
Tour Bus: Ireland is full of tour bus companies. Whether you want a hop-on hop-off bus tour in Dublin, a 12-day tour of the island, or anything in between you can find it. Bus tours will be more expensive than driving yourself. The upside is that the planning is done for you and you get to stay in some spectacular places.
Train: Ireland has an extensive railway system allowing you to get to most parts of the island affordably. They travel much faster than cars (around 100 mph) and have multiple departure times per day. Be warned that the central hub is Dublin, so you may have to backtrack to get to your next destination.
Clothing
Packing for a trip to Ireland can be challenging. No matter what time of year you travel the weather can be unpredictable. Make sure to bring a rain jacket, closed toed shoes and a warm layer in any season. Although rain is a possibility any day of the year, it is almost guaranteed during the off season. Bring layers and be ready for anything. If you plan to spend time exploring the coastline and hiking make sure to bring sturdy shoes.
Budget Tips
- Stay somewhere with breakfast included
- Rent a car and see sights that way
- Find small cafes off the beaten path for most meals
- Bring your National Trust membership card to Northern Ireland
- Pick up water and some snacks for the car
- Spend the majority of your time in smaller towns instead of in big tourist cities
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