Ireland
Capital City: Dublin
Ireland Key Facts
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Flag
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Size
70, 273 km²
120th largest -
Population
4, 609, 600
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Ireland Location
North Atlantic
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Travel Insurance
For Ireland travel insurance, select Europe Region
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International Calling Codes
353
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Cities
Dublin
Cork
Galway
Limerick -
Language
Irish
English -
Religions
84.2% Roman Catholicism
6.2% No religion
4.6% Protestantism
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Currency
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Driving
In Ireland they drive on the left side of the road
Tourism website:
ireland.com
When is the best time to visit?
April through October are weather-wise the best months to visit. Be aware though that main school vacation in Europe happens in the months of July and August and that is the time when everyone in Europe is travelling. Hence, May/June and September are ideal months with good weather and minimum crowds
Transport Information
Airports (5 international, 5 domestic), buses, ports and harbours, highways, trams.
World Heritage Sites
- Brú na Bóinne - Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne, which represents Europe's largest and most important concentration of prehistoric megalithic art
- Scelig Michíl, a monastic complex perched on a rocky island 12km off the coast of south-west Ireland
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Average Annual Temperature
10 degrees
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Average Annual Rainfall
1020 mm
Climate Information
Ireland enjoys a temperate oceanic climate, which means it is pleasant for most of the year. Overall temperatures never really drop below -5 degrees in winter or go over 26 degrees in summer. There is quite a bit of rain all year round, with most of the rainfall happening in the winter months.
Official Holidays
- January 1 - New Year's Day
- March 17 - St. Patrick's Day
- March/April - Easter Monday
- May 4 - May Day
- Jun 1 - June Bank Holiday
- August 3 - August Bank Holiday
- October 26 - October Bank Holiday
- December 25 - Christmas Day
- December 26 - St. Stephen's Day
Why Visit Ireland?
Ireland is a popular European holiday destination, especially for visitors in caravans. With its great road system, quaint towns, beautiful countryside, and friendly population, Ireland remains a popular country for Europeans to visit.
To Do In Ireland
- Walk through Dublin
- Visit the pubs in Temple Bar
- See the spectacular countryside
- Spend a day in a tiny town and enjoy some singing in the local pub
- Visit the city of Cork
- Have a Guinness
Travel Tips For Ireland
- Do not drink Guinness in the Guinness brewery, it is for some odd reason better in the pub around the corner from the brewery than the brewery itself
- Caravans are very popular in Ireland and there are various places you can rent one for your trip
Irish Food
Irish culinary tradition is very hearty and most meals with involve some form of meat, cabbage, potatoes and perhaps a small pint of Guinness. A well cooked Irish stew, which consists of potatoes and lamb cooked in a water broth for several hours, is absolutely wonderful after a long day of walking. A traditional Irish breakfast usually involves pork bangers, bacon, eggs and some black pudding (a type of sausage made with blood) and will set you up for a good day. Other items to try while you are in Ireland are colcannon, a mix of mashed potatoes and cabbage, boxty, potatoes pancakes served on their own or with a meal, and in coastal areas make sure to have a seafood pie, which consists of a piece of fish topped with (yes, you guessed right) mashed potatoes and cheese. One item every traveller to Ireland should try is their famous soda bread: leavened with bicarbonate soda as opposed to yeast, this bread made with buttermilk is rich and almost creamy and very tasty.
Ireland's Travel Safety and Warnings
Crime is relatively low and the roads are quite safe, making Ireland truly a pleasure to travel through. As a general precaution, make sure your travel insurance for Ireland is up to date.
About Ireland
Every year millions of visitors come to the shores of this beautiful island and in 2011 it was even voted as the favorite holiday destination and the friendliest country in the world. While it will probably rain during your stay, that does nothing to detract from the beauty of the country, the amazing variety of historical sites to visit, the overall friendliness of the people or the wonderful taste of Guinness. Make sure to bring a rain jacket, get your travel insurance for Ireland sorted out, and head to the emerald isle!
Highlights of Ireland:
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Dublin: Dublin is the capital and an amazingly beautiful city. Awarded the UNESCO City of Literature title in 2010, there is a lot of culture to be discovered here. James Joyce's book Ulysses follows a man on a walk through the streets of Dublin, and now you get to set forth and discover it for yourself. Definitely worth seeing are: |
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- Dublin Castle, the former seat of the British ruler in Ireland,
- Trinity College, one of the most prestigious learning institutes in the UK where you can have a look at the Book of Kells, a manuscript dating back to 800 AD,
- The infamous Kilmainham Gaol, the prison and execution site of the rebels of 1916.
- St James's Gate Brewery, which was founded in 1759 and produces the world famous Guinness.
- The pubs and nightlife - Temple Bar with its quaint cobbled streets is a good place to start.
- The gothic castle of Charleville, which is near Tullamore and is said to be haunted,
- For American visitors, Moneygail is said to be the ancestral home of current President, Barak Obama.
Make sure you have appropriate Ireland travel insurance before going anywhere!
Cork:
Cork is Dublin's second biggest city and here you will find the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne, which were built during the population explosion of the 1800s. The best views of the city of Cork are had from Elizabeth Fort, which is a bit of a walk up a hill but well worth it for the vista it presents.
Cork is also home to one of the largest Jazz Festivals in Europe, which happens in the last week of October, as well as Film Festival at the beginning of November. For a good selection of Irish made crafts, head to the Elizabeth Fort Market, which happens every Sunday.
Skellig Michael:
Cork county is also the access point to a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has only recently started opening its doors to visitors: Skellig Michael. A well preserved monastery dating back to the 6th century perched on the side of an island, 12km off the coast.
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Galway: Galway is the most popular tourism destination in West Ireland and also acts as a gateway to many scenic areas in Ireland. The city dates back to the 15th century and was initially run by the heads of the 14 biggest merchant families, which is why it is known as the City of Tribes. There is a fantastic nightlife scene and a general buzz around Galway, and the Galways Arts Festival usually happens in July and is a big cultural event in Ireland and well worth going to. |
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The single best way of exploring Ireland is by car. The distances in the country are not vast, and being in your own vehicle allows you to see many smaller towns and places that you would otherwise just pass by. Check that you have appropriate travel insurance for Ireland before starting your trip.
For more information on Ireland, visit the Ireland Tourism Website.
