Ireland has always been the home of the dreamer, the poet and the storyteller.

Jordan Richard

Ireland is a welcoming place for immigrants and visitors alike. It earned its nickname, the Emerald Isle, for its lush greenness. Its cultural exports, everything from Guinness to Riverdance, hint at the discoveries that await travellers. Whether you’re in Ireland or planning to go, here’s a crash course on everything you need to know about travelling to Ireland.

What to Know About Travel to Ireland

  • The best towns to visit: Dublin, Galway, Kilkenny, Cork
  • What to see and do: outdoor sports, visit cultural sites, enjoy food and drink
  • Where to stay: from budget to lush accommodations
  • How much it costs to visit Ireland
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Let's go

🌆Your Trip to Ireland: The Most Beautiful Cities

A large church behind colourful houses on a sunny day.
Photo by Mark de Jong

Historically, Ireland was divided into 4 provinces: Connacht, Leinster, Munster, and Ulster. Six of the nine counties of Ulster in the north became Northern Ireland, a nation that remains is a country in the United Kingdom.

Of course, you don't need to know the history of Ireland, but knowing a little about it helps you appreciate the Ireland of today. It will also help you avoid making cultural mistakes as you travel through the country.

So, before you crack open the history books, discover Ireland's best towns, and mark them for deeper study.

Dublin

A brick building with a painted red front.
Photo by Matheus Câmara da Silva
  • The capital of the Republic of Ireland
  • Dublin means 'black pool'
  • the city has 770+ pubs

Cork

A harbour with a large boat at sunset.
Photo by Jamie O’Sullivan
  • a colourful Irish town
  • County Cork is Ireland's largest county
  • home to the oldest, narrowest bridge

Kilkenny

A body of water running through a town on a sunny day.
Photo by Kat Kelley
  • a Medieval town
  • home of the Hurling Championship
  • Author Jonathan Swift attended Kilkenny College

Galway

A large stone building with a twon behind it.
Photo by James Jones
  • the ocean gateway to Connemara
  • the city features 35 Heritage sites
  • voted Europe's friendliest city (2020)

Besides these four, Ireland offers other lovely villages to explore. If you can't get enough of lush greenery and Irish hospitality, consider extending your stay to visit:

🌆City 🔍What you'll find
LimerickKing John's castle
Medieval structures
The Hunt Museum
Derry-LondonderryPeace Bridge
City walls
Museum of Free Derry
KillarneyMuckross House
Killarney National Park
Ring of Kerry
SligoSligo Abbey
Benbulben Mountains
Dartry Mountains
WaterfordThe Medieval Quarter
Waterford crystal museum
Promenade along River Suir

What About Belfast?

Belfast is, indeed, a vibrant city with much to do and see. However, it's in a different country. As noted above, Northern Ireland is a separate nation, one that's a part of the United Kingdom.

A large stone building with a green lawn in front of it.
Belfast is also home to lovely architecture.

You may still visit Belfast, of course, provided you have all the travel 'musts' in place: an itinerary, a budget, accommodations, and a visa, if necessary. However, this article is all about Ireland, not its northern neighbour, so we can't include Belfast in this exposé.

Going to Ireland isn’t just about tourism. A lot of people travel to Ireland to experience the culture and learn its history. You might want to sharpen the language skills you mastered in your online English courses. Whatever your reason for going, you’ll find the Irish welcoming and friendly.

🛌Where to Stay During Your Trip to Ireland

A hotel room with a king-sized bed.
Photo by Vojtech Bruzek

Where you stay during your trip to Ireland depends on many factors. For example, you might focus on Dublin, if this is your first trip to this country.

Or, you might have a long backpacking journey ahead of you. In that case, you might plan your route around a series of hostels, so you can meet like-minded travellers.

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Travelling to Ireland

Tourism is a key pillar of Ireland's economy.

Tourism is a major industry in Ireland. This country has much to offer its visitors: heritage sites, outdoor adventures, and historical buildings. Logically, it follows that Irish cities offer their visitors many outlets to enjoy food and drink, and places to sleep. In fact, deciding on a place to stay in Ireland might be a bit of a challenge.

insert_chart
Ireland hotel counts

The Irish Hotels Federation represents nearly 1,000 hotels and guesthouses.
The industry monitors a further 822 hotels and 11 hotel chains across the country.
Statistics count around 1,664 enterprises in the hospitality industry (2025).

Our list offers only 12 top hotels in Ireland's 4 top tourist destinations. (Note that prices are subject to change, based on travel dates.) Obviously, you have many more options to consider.

🏨Hotel name🌆City💰Price per night📝Notes
Butlers TownhouseDublin$1214-star hotel
Free WIFI
Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Dublin$1294-star hotel
WIFI, parking, and food services available
The Bonnington Dublin$1464-star hotel
WIFI, business centre, and food services available
Oakland Bed and BreakfastCork$147WIFI, breakfast included
Clayton Hotel Silver SpringsCork$1504-star hotel
WIFI, parking, and food services available
Maldron Hotel ShandonCork$1514-star hotel
WIFI, food services, swimming pool available
Hoban HotelKilkenny$1784-star hotel
WIFI, parking, dinner included
The Brook Lodge
Galway$1813-star hotel
WIFI, parking, breakfast included
Knox HotelGalway$2033-star hotel
WIFI, parking, breakfast included; accessible
Hibernian HotelKilkenny$2204-star hotel
WIFI, parking, breakfast, and tour tickets included
The Morrison Dublin$2425-star hotel
Close to city centre
The Lodge at Ashford CastleCong$2644-star hotel
WIFI, parking, and food services available

Camping in Ireland

Many visitors to Ireland want to experience this country's full power and beauty. Camping is one way to get away from urban centres, and immerse oneself in nature.

A tent on a plateau at sunset.
Photo by Kevin Ianeselli

Tourists may hire a caravan, campervan, or all the kits they need to sleep rough. Such kits include tents, sleeping bags, and cookware.

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Where to Camp

Always set up camp in a designated camping area.
Do not camp on roadsides, beaches, or private lands.

Around Ireland, you'll find many campsites and caravan parks, typically not too far from population centres. These maintained grounds offer some amenities, such as showers and cooking facilities. You'll pay a lower per-night fee for a camping lot than for a hotel room. Some parks even have cabins for rent, should you decide the ground is too hard (or wet!) for your tastes.

🎪Ireland Travel Guide: What to See and Do

A narrow street with tall buildings, and pennants strung across them.
Photo by Christian Bowen

The list of what to see and do in Ireland is very long (click that link to find a whole article about it). You might already have a few destinations in mind, such as the Guinness brewery (Dublin), or Kilkenny Castle. What about Galway's music scene, or the Falcon School in Cong?

Those are all tourist highlights every guidebook features. They are important attractions, to be sure, but they aren't to everyone's taste.

For those wishing to experience the unique aspects of Ireland, consider these bucket list destinations.

🎪Attraction📍Where it's at🔎What you'll find
The highest point in IrelandKerry Carrauntoohil, Ireland's 1,038m peak
The Ring of Kerry Kerry A 175km route to bike or hike, perhaps in smaller sections 😀
Night kayakingWest CorkBioluminescent plankton light the water in magic blue.
Connemara National ParkGalwayLakes, ramparts, Diamond Hill hike
Dursey IslandCorkRide Ireland's only cable car
DingleKerry Colourful town
Dingle Bay
Slea Head Drive
Carrowmore MonolithSligoDolmens,
Stone circles
Ancient tombs
Doolin PierClareMagnificent sunsets
Mitchelstown CavesTipperaryTower of Babel and other cavern formations
Wild Atlantic WayFrom Kinsale to DonegalA long coastal road, with points of interest and towns along the way.
A crowd of people wearing green line an empty street.
St Patrick's festivals are multi-day events. Photo by Sophie Popplewell

Festivals in Ireland

Summertime is usually festival time in Ireland, though Autumn and Spring offer occasions to celebrate, too. You'll naturally want to experience St Patrick's Day in Ireland. This day of March revelry has grown into a multi-day event, complete with music, art, and cultural events. But, St Paddy's is not the only Irish festival to look forward to.

Puck Fair Killorglin

  • Ireland's oldest festival
  • celebrates the country's bounty
  • takes place in August

Galway Arts Festival

  • features music, street performances, and visual art
  • a multi-day event
  • Takes place in July

Cork Jazz Festival

  • over 90 venues to enjoy
  • artists from around the world
  • takes place in October

Fleadh Cheoil Wexford

  • full name: Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann
  • world's largest Irish music festival
  • takes place in August

Literature Festival Dublin

  • welcomes writers, performers, and artists
  • features storytellers, live readings, discussions
  • takes place in May
A person packing a suitcase
Photo by Kateryna Hliznitsova

What Should You Pack for Your Trip to Ireland?

What you bring with you depends on what you plan to do during your stay. If your itinerary is all about exploring the country's urban landscapes, comfortable shoes, and clothing to suit the season are enough.

beach_access
Irish rain

Ireland's temperatures are generally mild, but it rains a lot, so pack accordingly.

On the other hand, if you have outdoor adventures planned - cycling, kayaking, or hiking the island's wide-open spaces, you should bring the gear you need. Of course, that doesn't mean packing your kayak or bike; you can hire those. But, you should bring your wetsuit, gloves, and proper footwear.

Otherwise, the standard packing list applies:

  • personal care items
  • electronic devices and their chargers
  • travel documents and copies of them
  • first aid kit and medications
  • a power adapter kit

How much clothing you bring depends on how long you plan to stay, and what your personal habits are. Those who don't mind wearing clothing more than once won't need as much as those who insist on a new outfit every day (or for every activity).

beenhere
Pro Tip

Find out if your hotel offers laundry services, so you won't need to bring as much.
That way, you'll have more room in your suitcase for gifts!🎁

About shoes: unless you have activities planned that demand special footwear, one pair of comfortable, sensible shoes should be enough. If you find your footwear unsuitable while you're in Ireland, you can always buy another pair. Incidentally, that goes for pretty much everything you've left off your packing list.

In all, these are the factors to consider when writing your packing list:

Your plans:

  • lots of walking
  • indoors or out
  • sports or leisure

The season:

  • hot, humid, summer
  • cold, rainy, winter

Your stay:

  • a few days
  • a week or more
  • two weeks and beyond

💳A Trip to Ireland: Is Ireland Expensive?

How expensive Ireland is depends on you. As noted above, you can sleep in a low-cost hostel, or splurge on a luxury suite. You can let Ireland's expansive scenery take your breath away for free, or pay for activities and installations.

With that said, you will incur basic costs - food and transportation, among them. Here, too, you have price ranges, but you can plan your travel budget around these average prices (actual for 2025).

A tall building with Irish flags and a neon sign.
Photo by Barbora Dostálová
🔢Item🤷‍♀️What it is💳Average price
Restaurant meal typically three dishes, plus drink €19 to €30
Pub meal
burger, sandwich, meat pie
with chips (fries) and a drink
€13,50 to €20
Fast food mealfish'n'chips
curries
kebaps
€5 to €8
Eurail rail pass6 days of travel within one month €177
Dublin Pass A pass to receive discounts or free entry to Dublin attractions€124 for a 3-day pass for adults

Prices for Alternate Accommodations

An apartment on a sunny day.
Photo by Natalia Blauth

Modern initiatives - or, in some cases, modern twists on ancient ideas, allow for lodging outside of hostels and hotels. Homestays, work exchange programmes such as HelpX, and platforms like Airbnb propose a different set of costs.

Shopping for food, as you would at home, gives you a new price list to consider (as reported by Numbeo)

😋Food item💰Cost
Litre of milk €1,34
Dozen eggs €3,76
Bread (500gr) €1,87
Rice (kg) €1,66
Chicken fillets (kg) €9,94
Cheese (kg) €9,17
Fruits (kg) Between €1,88 and €3,74
Depending on type
Vegetables (kg) Between €1,15 and €3,49
Depending on type
Wine (bottle) €12,00
Beer (0.5l bottle) €2,87

Note that none of these prices include your airline tickets, or traveller's insurance fees (please do take out travellers' insurance!🥺). Also, they don't account for any souvenirs or anything else you might buy during your stay (maybe some fine Irish lace? 👚). Don't forget to leave room in your budget for those incidentals!

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Sophia Birk

A vagabond traveller whose first love is the written word, I advocate for continuous learning, cycling, and the joy only a beloved pet can bring.