Ireland holidays

Quaint, verdant and cosmopolitan, Dublin is a compact city with a big heart. You’ll find culture, incredible food and plenty of opportunity for lively chats with the locals.

Cork is a colourful gem tucked into Ireland’s rolling green hills. Come discover its grand castles, up-and-coming eateries and cosy pubs where the music never stops.

Craving the perfect city break? Galway boasts literary festivals, historic watering holes, family-run bookshops and enough classic Irish charm to keep you coming back for more.

Ireland was made for road trips, with routes like the Wild Atlantic Way and The Ring of Kerry taking in some of the country’s most arresting coastline. Hike up 670 steps to the island monastery of Skellig Michael, home to Luke Skywalker in ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’. It’s only open between May and September, so book tickets far in advance to avoid disappointment.

The UNESCO-listed Brú na Bóinne in County Meath is one of the world’s most magical Neolithic tombs. Visit during the winter solstice and enter a lottery in hopes of witnessing the shaft of sunlight as it hits the burial chamber. And learn about the exploits of Ireland’s pirate queen, Gráinne ‘Grace’ O’Malley, at the Granuaile Visitor Centre in County Mayo.

One of the best things to do in Ireland is to learn how to brew the world’s most popular stout at Dublin’s Guinness Storehouse. From there, follow the sound of fiddles, flutes and banjos to the trad sessions of Temple Bar. On the Dublin Literary Pub Crawl, raise a pint to Irish literary icons Joyce, Wilde and Behan as actors bring their works to life.

The Forty Foot is a historic swimming spot located in Dublin Bay and a focal point of the community come rain or shine. You’ll join generations of gutsy Dubliners as you take an invigorating plunge into the Irish Sea. Surf the world-renowned waves of the Wild Atlantic Way in Lahinch, a charming west coast beach town well stocked with pubs, restaurants and inns.

Gaze down at the crashing Atlantic Ocean from the Cliffs of Moher, keeping your eyes peeled for Ireland’s largest puffin colony. Hike the Slieve Foye Loop Trail, where, according to local lore, the country’s last remaining leprechauns hide amid the craggy hills. Or kayak on Lough Hyne’s bioluminescent surface. Prehistoric worlds come alive on County Kerry’s Valentia Island, where fossilised tracks date back 385 million years.

Fuel up for a day of outdoor adventure with a full Irish breakfast — eggs, sausages, baked beans and mushrooms. On your return, settle in with a warming bowl of Guinness stew. Restaurants in Ireland have upped their game in recent years, and many highlight fresh seafood pulled straight from the Atlantic. For a unique holiday activity, try traditional seaweed foraging with the Sea Gardener in County Waterford.

Dublin’s EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum is one of the top museums in Ireland, documenting the struggles of people driven to distant lands by famine. The Little Museum of Dublin is a crowdsourced effort to tell the story of this great city, with a room dedicated to U2. In the town of Cobh, the Titanic’s last port of call is remembered at the Titanic Experience.

Summer is often best for weather and scenery, while spring and autumn offer a packed itinerary of events. Join the country with a toast to St Patrick on 17 March, or celebrate Halloween where it all began at Boyne Valley’s Púca Festival. Looking for love? The Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival in County Clare has been setting up singles each September since 1857.

Cheap holidays to Ireland are much easier when you focus on getting out into nature. Hop on a bike and explore one of the country’s many greenways. When you need to refuel, a simple meal can cost less than 18 euros (€), and a cold pint is about a third of that.