My husband and I are considering a trip to Ireland via Dublin the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. My questions: What might be a good itinerary at this time of year? We would definitely hit the pubs to mingle with the locals. We love a blend of touristy mixed with off the beaten path. Will it be difficult to find last minute lodging if we wanted to be a bit flexible in our journey? Thanks.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
Many historic sites are closed during the winter or have greatly reduced hours. Likewise, the choice of B&Bs is smaller because some close for the winter season. That being said, I have traveled twice to Ireland in February (still the winter season) and found B&Bs easily wherever I was ready to stop for the night. You can obtain a listing of B&Bs at the Tourist Information desk in the airport, and it lists which ones are yearround and which are not. I never booked ahead. As far as an itinerary "touristy mixed with off the beaten path" isn't very specific. What are you interested in? History? Scenery? Shopping? Hiking?
Posted by
OP
Bremen, IN, USA
56 posts
Thanks, Nancy. We are interested in a little bit of everything actually, but at that time of year I don't know what's available. One of our traveling companions is a History teacher, so she would be interested in some of the history and the castles. A bit of museum is good. I don't think we'd go too far out of our way for any shopping unless it was at an awesome second-hand shop. We all love the countryside and enjoy "field trips" down winding roads, not knowing what we'll find. We would all just love to spend time with the locals, the music, food and the Guinness. None of us are into fancy. In trips to England and Germany, my husband and I found our most favorite times of all were spent around a table drinking a pint or stein and conversing with the people.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
Do you absolutely have to go through Dublin? Or if you want to see Dublin, too, might you consider flying into Dublin and out of Shannon (or vice versa)? That would give you a chance to see some of both coasts (and the west is what I consider the "real Ireland" more than Dublin, which is a city like many others).
Posted by
OP
Bremen, IN, USA
56 posts
At this point, there are no flights available for the price I found through Shannon. :(
Posted by
San Clemente, Ca.
408 posts
Jan, My family is going to Ireland for Christmas and New Years this year. I did find it hard to find a B&B open during this time. I did find one in Cork which is where we are flying in and out of. I also rented an apartment that I found on Tripadvisor.com in Dublin for one week. It is much cheaper since we are a family of 5 traveling. I own a timeshare so we traded for one in Killarney for a one week stay. Have a fun trip.