Ireland Tourism

Oh to go to the isle of green makes tourists start speaking in leprechaun instead of normal voices, as though the Lucky Charms guy was the leader of the Ireland (he’s not). Traveling to Ireland is a once in a lifetime trip for most people, helping to bring them to a land that’s been marred by wars and struggles, but a land that is true to its beliefs, even as northern and southern Ireland do not agree. To make the most of the trip, you need to know where to go in Ireland, what to do, and how to get there.

The Regions of Ireland

While you might be familiar with the northern and southern parts of Ireland, you might also want to learn about the regions within these lands:

• East Coast and Midlands (County Dublin, County Kildare, County Laois, County Longford, County Louth, County Meath, County Offaly, County Westmeath, County Wicklow)
• Northern Ireland
• Shannon Region (County Clare, County Limerick, County Tipperary)
• Southwest Ireland (County Cork, County Kerry)
• West Ireland (County Galway, County Mayo, County Roscommon)
• Northwest Ireland and Lakelands (County Cavan, County Donegal, County Leitrim, County Monaghan, County Sligo)
• Southeast Ireland (County Carlow, County Kilkenny, County Waterford, County Wexford)

The northwest Ireland and Lakelands area has become more popular to tourists, so this might become a first stopping point on your trip as well. Or if you want to avoid the tourist scene, you might want to avoid this part since it is getting more popular.

Things to Do When in Ireland

You need to explore the green isles of this country, but when you are looking at the rolling hills, you will also want to check off these attractions:

• Coastal regions of County Donegal
• The Aran Islands
• The Burren
• Cliffs of Moher
• Brú Na Boinne neolithic monuments
• Connemara
• West Cork
• Kinsale
• The Ring of Kerry
• Skellig Michael
• Glendalough
• The Dingle Peninsula

Take some time to explore the coasts as well as the inland areas of Ireland as there are not only many historical sights to see, but also a number of modern day revolutions and revelations that are being explored. Foodies will find some terrific restaurants, ghost hunters can head to haunted homes and caverns, and you might just want to see the old castles and ruins to learn more about what’s been going on in Ireland for the last century.

Getting to Ireland

Normally, you’ll be getting into Ireland by plane, or you might want to take a vessel or the Chunnel from Europe, then over to Ireland. You can also fly directly into Dublin and start your Ireland adventure there. In doing so, you’ll be able to get your vacation started as quickly as possible.

Ireland might be a country with a bloody history, but it’s also a country with a bright future. As a tourist, try to look at this bright side, while trying to understand the past as well.