Are you looking to go on a nonstandard holiday in one of the friendliest countries in the world? Then you should consider taking a trip to the land of green, otherwise known as Ireland. Planning a great trip can be extremely stressful, but after you arrive in Ireland, you’ll find that all the time put into booking a flight, finding the best travel insurance, reserving a decent hotel and packing is all well worth it. East Ireland has much to offer if you give it a chance. There are plenty of things to do to get a true Irish experience.
“Leprechauns, castles, good luck and laughter. Lullabies, dreams and love ever after. Poems and songs with pipes and drums. A thousand welcomes when anyone comes… That’s the Irish for you!”
Irish Saying
Dublin
Dublin Castle
Dublin has much to offer including shopping, pubs, and of course the Guinness and Jameson factories. If you want fun for your entire family and a true Irish experience, then you should consider Experience Gaelic Games. This company teaches you how to play true Irish sports including Gaelic Football, Hurling, Gaelic Handball, and Irish Dancing. Perhaps if you are not much of a sports fan, you may want to head over to the Chester Beatty Library where you can find manuscripts, paintings, rare books, and decorative art from different cultures around the world.
Ireland also conserves the famous manuscript, The Book of Kells dating back from 800. You can find it in the Old Library in Trinity College, voted to be the second best place to visit in Ireland.
If you do not like sports or museums, there is always shopping. Grafton Street and O’Connell Street are home to some of the most popular shopping places in Dublin. There, you can find anything from high-end shopping to boutiques to competitive shopping stores.
Giant’s Causeway
Giants Causeway
If you’re looking to get out of the city and see the coast of Ireland, Giant’s Causeway is the perfect place to go. Though many tourists go to the Causeway, they have good reason. Giant’s Causeway was named the fourth greatest natural wonder in the United Kingdom. It’s located on the northeast cost of Ireland and is about five kilometres in length. At the causeway you’ll find beautiful beaches, a rope bridge, stunning harbours and of course, the stones of the giants. This is no site to miss!
Wicklow Mountains National Park
On a sunny day in Ireland, Wicklow Mountains National Park is the place to be. It has over 20,000 hectares of mountain scenery, just south of Dublin. The purpose of the park is to preserve the natural flora and fauna of the Wicklow Mountains. You can roam through these mountains by nine different walking trails. For serious hikers, you can take an eleven-kilometre hike that lasts about four hours and for those who are less serious hikers, you can take a two-kilometre hike, which lasts about 45 minutes. Each trail is visibly marked with colour-coded arrows and begins and ends at the Information Office. The area is famous for the films that were shot there like: “Brave Heart” and “P.S. I love you”.
Wicklow Mountains National Park
On your tour to Wicklow Mountains you will see the legendary Glendalough Valley with its two beautiful upper lakes. It is one of the most famous monastic sites in Ireland, not to be missed!
Dun Laoghaire
Dun Laoghaire
If you’re staying in Dublin and looking for the perfect seaside day-trip, Dun Laoghaire is where you’ll want to go. Located just twelve kilometres from the Dublin City Centre, Dun Laoghaire is frequented by multiple Dublin Bus routes and trains (Dart). It features a beautiful harbour, a lighthouse, People’s Park, and Scotsman’s Bay, among other things. If one day isn’t enough for you in this small coastal town, there are number of bed and breakfasts, along with a large hotel called the Royal Marine.
It is a great place to see dolphins or seals if you are lucky enough.
Cliffs of Moher
Cliffs of Moher Trip
Last but not least, Cliffs of Moher is probably the most famous site that tourists would visit. Located on the West side of Ireland, few kilometres away from the Galway, it is a great place to spend the day wondering around the 8km long cliffs. Although those are not the highest cliffs of Ireland, they are famous for their breath-taking views. You can see the Aran Islands in the far end, and if you decide you can take a ferry to there for a day.
Cliffs of Moher is also the perfect place to observe variety of birds like puffins, razorbills, fulmars and others.
Should you decide to visit Ireland, your holiday will give you plenty of resting and relaxation. However if you still have time you can always visit the famous Ring Of Kerry and Cork, which was the last place where Titanic stopped before it actually sank. After you see all this, meet the friendly Irish and have a craic with them, it will all seem well worth!
Iveta Ivanova is an enthusiastic traveler who loves discovering the world`s beautiful places. She tries to seek out the less explored touristic destinations and reveal them to other travelers.
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