My family is considering spending Christmas / New Years in Ireland. I'm looking for some suggestions as to where (Dublin? Galway? Belfast? other small towns?) and where to stay. Has anyone taken this type of trip and would like to share their experiences and suggestion? Thanks!
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9363 posts
I would be concerned about things being closed for the holidays. Many B&Bs close for the winter, and attractions can have shortened hours during the holidays, as well. Personally, I wouldn't find it a very satisfying time to travel.
Posted by
Edmonds, WA
7 posts
Hi katyamom, I lived in Dublin for a few years, and Christmas was one of my favorite times of year. It is a big deal in Ireland and there is a lot of excitement leading up to the holiday. It can be a bit quiet between Christmas Day and New Years, but not nearly as bad as it used to be. Many things will be closed on Christmas Day, including pubs, but everything will reopen the next day for The Sales. St. Stephen's Day has become quite a big shopping day. Galway, Dublin and Belfast all have beautiful Christmas markets and fun activities that are only available around this time of year. If you have young kids, check out a pantomime (silly stage adaptation of a kids story filled with pop songs and usually starring a local celebrity). There are lots of holiday foods to sample in December like mince pies, Christmas cake and Christmas pudding. Add brandy butter if you want to be really indulgent! The weather can be variable at this time of year with quite a bit of snow in the mountains and rain at lower elevations. But main roads are generally cleared quickly and public transportation is rarely impacted. For the last few years Dublin has hosted a public New Years Eve street party, and the city is abuzz. Its a great time to be in Ireland, and not one too many Americans experience. Wish I was going- have fun!
Posted by
Seattle
3 posts
Hi katyamom,
My boyfriend and I will also be in Dublin around Christmas/New Years. We'll get there a bit after St. Stephen's day so most of the closure's will have ended. Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral, The Brazen Heads, Guinness, Museum of Ireland, etc. all look to be open! We are staying in an AirBNB near St. Patrick's Cathedral, and since we will not be renting a car we are taking two day tours through irishdaytours.ie. To be quite honest I watched the RS Dublin and built my itinerary from there, and added other sights by googling "dublin walking tours"! Have a great trip, maybe we'll be near each other :).