Ireland Travel and Sightseeing

Your favorites and mine might be different. All I can suggest is to buy your Belfast-DUB Aircoach ticket a few days ahead, as I did. A guidebook can probably give you good advice about buying ahead for which sights.

Of the sights you listed, I went to Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin Castle, and the Titanic Experience, all worthwhile.

You don't NEED to book train tickets Dublin to Belfast, but they are cheaper if booked in advance, and if you do so you get to choose your seat, But the train can't sell out.

For Belfast to Dublin Airport there are 3 companies run coaches- aircoach (every 2 hours), translink (the National bus operator of Ulster- hourly) and Dublin Express- (hourly) (dublin express not at 1025, 1625 and 1825).

No NEED to book but it is cheaper to book ahead, at least on Translink.

Translink leave from inside Europa Bus Station, the others from Glengall Street, outside the Bus Station.

Aircoach has started in Derry, the other companies journeys start in Belfast

You will definitely want to buy advance tickets for Kilmainham Gaol. Highly recommend a visit there. Also, wander over the Ha Penny bridge to O’Connell street and check out the bullet holes in the post office from the 1916 Easter Uprising. Download the Rick Steves audio guide app and take the tour.

If you are at all into social history and how people lived 100+ years ago, then you might want to add the Ulster Folk Museum at Cultra three miles from Belfast and easily reached by either bus or train. Old buildings from around Ulster have been rebuilt here, with a town and country areas. It really is walk back in time and a blast from the past!

For Dublin, Kilmainham Gaol and EPIC were both worthwhile. We did not care for Guinness, too crowded and glitzy.

We all have different reasons for our favorites but most seem to agree on Kilmainhaim Gaol and I totally agree. Have been there four times with different travel partners and still enjoyed it each time. You really need to get tickets ahead of time. Not at all impressed with the Guinness Warehouse. Do walk across the bridge and then see the GPO. We also enjoyed the Cathedral especially the lower floors. In Belfast our number one attraction was the Black Tour and then followed .by the Titanic exhibit. you real!y can't go wrong with any of these choices.

Of the sights you mentioned for Dublin, we only did Dublin Castle. We spent a lot of time in the parks, walking along the river, checking out Post Office and Garden of Remembrance, stopping by pubs, Trinity College tour, shopping, fish & chips, and seeing St Patricks and Christ Church Cathedrals.

In Belfast we did Troubles Tour and Titanic Experience.

We left Belfast and made Derry a whole other part of the trip for two nights, along with Donegal.

@Pete we are staying 2 night in Donegal besides the obvious how else did you spend your time in that region? were going next June = Staying at the Central hotel - hoping its a good choice. We don't want a B&B. did those 40 years ago in Ireland and want our own space now :))

@Pete we are staying 2 night in Donegal besides the obvious how else did you spend your time in that region? were going next June = Staying at the Central hotel - hoping its a good choice. We don't want a B&B. did those 40 years ago in Ireland and want our own space now :))

We rented a car in Derry and drove into Donegal. Glenveagh National Park was spectacular and did a long walk there. Went out onto the Bloody Foreland cliff area and walked out to Horn Head. Walked along Killahoey Beach. Visited the Mill Inn in Dunfanaghy (not open for guests but we had a really nice visit with the owners), and also I think bought sweaters in that area. Drove around the farms and got very nice sheep/meadow photos. We stayed in Derry at a B&B.