Highlights
Dublin
The capital has Trinity College and the Book of Kells, the Georgian squares around Merrion Square, the Guinness Storehouse, Kilmainham Gaol and museums on Irish history and literature, plus pubs with live music most nights.
The Cliffs of Moher and the Burren
Sheer sea cliffs in County Clare that rise to about 214 metres above the Atlantic. Inland, the Burren is a limestone landscape of bare rock, rare wild flowers and ancient tombs such as the Poulnabrone dolmen.
The Ring of Kerry and Killarney National Park
A scenic road around the Iveragh Peninsula, past mountains, lakes and beaches. Killarney National Park has Muckross House, lakes and red deer, and the Gap of Dunloe is a popular walk or jaunting-car ride.
Dingle Peninsula
A rugged peninsula with the Slea Head Drive, early Christian sites, beehive huts and the lively town of Dingle, in an area where Irish is still spoken daily.
Galway and Connemara
Galway is a small, bohemian city known for street musicians and festivals. West of it, Connemara has bogs, mountains, lakes and Kylemore Abbey.
The Aran Islands
Three limestone islands off Galway Bay, with a network of dry-stone walls and the clifftop prehistoric fort of Dún Aonghasa on Inis Mór, reached by ferry.
Brú na Bóinne
A UNESCO-listed Neolithic landscape in County Meath including Newgrange, a passage tomb built around 5,200 years ago. Visits are by guided tour from the visitor centre.
Skellig Michael
A rocky island off the Kerry coast with a monastic settlement of stone beehive huts at the top of hundreds of steep steps. Landings are limited, depend on the weather and run in summer only.
Interesting facts about Ireland
- Newgrange is older than both Stonehenge and the Great Pyramid of Giza, and sunlight enters its inner chamber around the winter solstice.
- Ireland has no native snakes, a fact that legend credits to St Patrick but scientists attribute to the Ice Age.
- Halloween has its roots in Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest.
- The harp, not the shamrock, is Ireland's official national emblem and appears on its euro coins.
- Skellig Michael featured as a location in the Star Wars films The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.
Best time to visit
May to September brings the longest days and mildest weather, with June and September often the best balance of weather and crowds; July and August are busiest. Spring is green and quieter, and autumn is good for walking. Winter is mild but wet, windy and dark early, though Dublin is lively around Christmas and St Patrick's Day on 17 March brings parades and festivals across the country. Rain is possible on any day, so pack layers and a waterproof.
Practical information
| Capital | Dublin |
|---|---|
| Currency | Euro (EUR) |
| Languages | Irish, English |
| Plugs | Type G |
| Voltage | 230 V, 50 Hz |
| Emergency | 112 or 999 |
| Driving | On the left |
| Tipping | Around 10 to 15 percent in restaurants if service is not included. Tipping in pubs for drinks is not expected. Round up taxi fares. |
Getting around
A hire car is the easiest way to explore the west coast and rural areas, but country roads are narrow and winding, and driving is on the left. Trains link Dublin with Cork, Galway, Limerick, Killarney and other towns, and an extensive network of intercity and regional buses fills in the gaps. Dublin has buses, the DART coastal railway and the Luas tram. Leap cards save money on Dublin's public transport. Many visitors take day tours from Dublin or Galway to see the main sights without driving.
Staying connected in Ireland
Mobile coverage is good in Dublin, Cork, Galway and other towns and along main roads, with 5G in cities. Signal can be weak or absent in parts of the rural west, on mountain roads, in Connemara and Kerry, and on the islands. Wi-Fi is common in hotels, cafés and pubs. Ireland is in the EU, so EU roaming rules apply for visitors from other EU countries; note that Northern Ireland is part of the UK. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.
See Ireland eSIM plans · How to install an eSIM
Useful apps for Ireland
- TFI Live: Real-time departures and journey planning for Irish buses, trains and the Luas.
- FREENOW: Booking licensed taxis in Dublin and other Irish cities.
- Leap Top-Up: Topping up a Leap card for Dublin's buses, DART and Luas.
- Google Maps: Driving and walking directions; download offline maps for the west coast.