Kiss the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle
A 15th-century castle near Cork where visitors lean backward over a parapet to kiss a stone said to grant the gift of eloquence.
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Western Europe
Things to do in Ireland
Cliffs that drop straight into the Atlantic, a pub culture built for conversation and live music, and a small enough island that you can circle most of it in a single well-planned road trip.
Explore Ireland on the map →Budget$$
Best for7-10 days
CapitalDublin
VisaVisa-free for up to 90 days for US, UK, Canadian, and Australian passport holders; Ireland is not part of the Schengen Area and does not require ETIAS or the equivalent Schengen visa system.
CurrencyEuro (EUR)
LanguagesEnglish (Irish/Gaeilge co-official, spoken daily mainly in Gaeltacht regions)
InternetExcellent
Typical lodging$45–$115/night
Driving sideLeft
Power & voltage230V / 50Hz (Type G plug)
Time zoneUTC+1
Emergency number999 or 112
Dialing code+353
★★★★★ Culture★★★★★ Photography★★★★★ Nightlife
Visa rules and emergency numbers can change without notice. Confirm the specifics for your nationality and dates before you travel.
Travel smart
Tap water is safe to drink. Not expected. Service is usually included.
Ireland's literary output per capita is remarkable for a country its size, four Nobel laureates in literature, from Yeats to Beckett to Heaney, and its oral storytelling tradition still shows up nightly in pub sessions across the country. The Wild Atlantic Way traces nearly 2,600 kilometres of coastline, one of the longest defined coastal touring routes in the world.
When to go
SpringMarch–May
Green and blooming with fewer crowds, though rain remains likely any given day.
SummerJune–August
The warmest, driest, and busiest months, with long evenings good for late coastal drives.
AutumnSeptember–October
Fewer tourists, mellow light for photography, and prices easing after summer.
WinterNovember–February
Short, wet, and windy, but cozy pub culture and dramatic storm-watching along the west coast.
20 things to do
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Culture & history
8Explore Trinity College and the Book of Kells
Ireland's oldest university, home to an illuminated 9th-century manuscript and the stunning barrel-vaulted Long Room library.
Explore the ancient passage tomb at Newgrange
A megalithic monument older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids, aligned so sunlight floods its inner chamber at the winter solstice.
Walk Dublin's Temple Bar and literary pub trail
Cobblestone streets tracing the haunts of Joyce, Behan, and Wilde, paired with live music spilling out of Temple Bar's pubs most nights.
Take a ferry to the Aran Islands
Remote islands off Galway Bay where Irish remains the daily language, with stone-walled fields and the dramatic clifftop fort of Dún Aonghasa.
Explore Kilkenny's medieval castle and old town
A well-preserved medieval city built around a Norman castle, with a compact old town good for a half-day stop between Dublin and the south coast.
Visit the Titanic Belfast museum
Built on the exact site of the shipyard where the Titanic was constructed, covering its design, launch, and sinking in immersive detail.
Explore Kylemore Abbey in Connemara
A 19th-century castle turned Benedictine abbey on the shore of a lake, surrounded by mountains and a restored Victorian walled garden.
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Adventure & outdoors
4Drive the Ring of Kerry
A roughly 179-kilometre loop through Killarney National Park, coastal villages, and mountain passes, drive counterclockwise to avoid tour bus traffic.
Hike the Dingle Peninsula's coastal trails
A quieter, wilder alternative to the Ring of Kerry, with beehive huts, ocean views, and a genuinely Irish-speaking (Gaeltacht) region.
Surf at Lahinch or Bundoran on the Wild Atlantic Way
Ireland's west coast has a genuine, growing surf scene, with reliable Atlantic swell and surf schools for beginners in both towns.
Cycle the Great Western Greenway in County Mayo
A 42-kilometre traffic-free cycling trail along a former railway line, passing coastline, bogland, and small villages.
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Nature & scenery
4Walk the Cliffs of Moher€10–12
Sheer cliffs rising over 200 metres above the Atlantic, with a coastal trail extending well beyond the main visitor center for quieter views.
Visit the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland
Around 40,000 interlocking hexagonal basalt columns formed by ancient volcanic activity, with folklore attributing them to a mythical giant.
Drive the Slea Head Drive on the Dingle Peninsula
A dramatic coastal loop past beehive huts, an ancient fort, and views to the Blasket Islands, often considered Ireland's most scenic short drive.
Watch the sunset from Howth Head near Dublin
A coastal cliff walk on Dublin's doorstep, reachable by DART train, with views back across the bay to the city.
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Nightlife
1Attend a traditional music session in a Galway or Doolin pub
Informal, unamplified sessions of fiddle, tin whistle, and bodhrán happen most nights: no ticket needed, just find where the musicians have gathered.
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Food & drink
3Tour the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin
Seven floors built around the history and brewing process of Ireland's most famous export, ending with a pint in a rooftop bar overlooking the city.
Eat a full Irish breakfast at a countryside B&B
Rashers, sausages, black and white pudding, eggs, and soda bread: a hearty, genuinely local start before a day on the road.
Try oysters and Guinness at a Galway seafood pub
Galway's oyster season and pub culture overlap perfectly, briny West Coast oysters paired with a properly poured pint.
Common questions
▾Do I need a visa for Ireland?
US, UK, Canadian, and Australian passport holders can enter visa-free for up to 90 days. Ireland sits outside the Schengen Area, so it has its own separate entry rules rather than the EU's shared system.
▾Is renting a car necessary to see the coast?
For the Wild Atlantic Way and rural areas, yes: public transport thins out fast outside Dublin and Cork, and driving is the only practical way to reach places like the Cliffs of Moher at your own pace or the Ring of Kerry.
▾How's the weather really. Is it always raining?
Rain is frequent and can happen in any season, but it's typically light and passing rather than constant downpours. Layer up and don't let forecast rain deter outdoor plans; the weather shifts quickly.
▾Is Irish pub culture as central as people say?
Yes. Pubs function as community hubs for conversation, live traditional music sessions, and storytelling, not just drinking. A good session pub in Galway or Doolin is one of the best ways to experience Irish culture directly.
▾How many days should I plan for Dublin versus the countryside?
2-3 days covers Dublin's core sights well; most of what makes Ireland distinctive, the coastline, small towns, and rural pubs, is outside the capital, so budget the majority of a trip for a road trip loop.
▾How much does it cost to visit the Cliffs of Moher?
The visitor center and cliff-top walkway charge around €10-12 per adult, one of the more modest entrance fees for a headline natural attraction anywhere in Europe. Parking is included in the ticket price, which isn't always the case at similar sites elsewhere.