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
🌆Your Trip to Ireland: The Most Beautiful Cities

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

- The capital of the Republic of Ireland
- Dublin means 'black pool'
- the city has 770+ pubs
Cork

- a colourful Irish town
- County Cork is Ireland's largest county
- home to the oldest, narrowest bridge
Kilkenny

- a Medieval town
- home of the Hurling Championship
- Author Jonathan Swift attended Kilkenny College
Galway

- 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 |
---|---|
Limerick | King John's castle Medieval structures The Hunt Museum |
Derry-Londonderry | Peace Bridge City walls Museum of Free Derry |
Killarney | Muckross House Killarney National Park Ring of Kerry |
Sligo | Sligo Abbey Benbulben Mountains Dartry Mountains |
Waterford | The 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.

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

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.
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.
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 Townhouse | Dublin | $121 | 4-star hotel Free WIFI |
Louis Fitzgerald Hotel | Dublin | $129 | 4-star hotel WIFI, parking, and food services available |
The Bonnington | Dublin | $146 | 4-star hotel WIFI, business centre, and food services available |
Oakland Bed and Breakfast | Cork | $147 | WIFI, breakfast included |
Clayton Hotel Silver Springs | Cork | $150 | 4-star hotel WIFI, parking, and food services available |
Maldron Hotel Shandon | Cork | $151 | 4-star hotel WIFI, food services, swimming pool available |
Hoban Hotel | Kilkenny | $178 | 4-star hotel WIFI, parking, dinner included |
The Brook Lodge | Galway | $181 | 3-star hotel WIFI, parking, breakfast included |
Knox Hotel | Galway | $203 | 3-star hotel WIFI, parking, breakfast included; accessible |
Hibernian Hotel | Kilkenny | $220 | 4-star hotel WIFI, parking, breakfast, and tour tickets included |
The Morrison | Dublin | $242 | 5-star hotel Close to city centre |
The Lodge at Ashford Castle | Cong | $264 | 4-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.

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

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 Ireland | Kerry | Carrauntoohil, Ireland's 1,038m peak |
The Ring of Kerry | Kerry | A 175km route to bike or hike, perhaps in smaller sections 😀 |
Night kayaking | West Cork | Bioluminescent plankton light the water in magic blue. |
Connemara National Park | Galway | Lakes, ramparts, Diamond Hill hike |
Dursey Island | Cork | Ride Ireland's only cable car |
Dingle | Kerry | Colourful town Dingle Bay Slea Head Drive |
Carrowmore Monolith | Sligo | Dolmens, Stone circles Ancient tombs |
Doolin Pier | Clare | Magnificent sunsets |
Mitchelstown Caves | Tipperary | Tower of Babel and other cavern formations |
Wild Atlantic Way | From Kinsale to Donegal | A long coastal road, with points of interest and towns along the way. |

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

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.
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).
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).

🔢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 meal | fish'n'chips curries kebaps | €5 to €8 |
Eurail rail pass | 6 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

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!