Spending the Week in Ireland 

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Ireland Dublin Night by Hans-Peter Bock, CC BY-SA 3.0

Spending the Week in Ireland 

 Ireland Dublin Night by Hans-Peter Bock, CC BY-SA 3.0 

Ireland has it all: breathtaking scenery, fascinating history and a warm welcome for everyone. The Emerald Isle is a fitting name for Ireland’s lush green landscape, and while it may not have the weather for lounging on the beach all day, it more than makes up for it with culture, countryside and liveliness. A week spent in this friendly and charming country promises to be a holiday like no other, and there are many reasons that Ireland is such a special place to visit. 

The Irish people are famous for their hospitality, and nowhere is this more recognizable than in the plethora of pubs found in every corner of the country. You can’t travel to Ireland without trying one of their most famous exports: Guinness. This prized beverage can be found in most pubs and taverns, but even if you’re not a fan of the black stuff, you’ll find plenty of different tipples to tickle your fancy. Why not make a night of it? Dublin’s fair city is the perfect place to take a tour of Ireland’s best alehouses and provides a great start to your week away. 

 Bar in einem Pub in Dublin by Falco Ermert, CC BY 2.0 

You’ll find more than just a fine selection of drinks on offer in the 740 pubs scattered across Dublin though. There’s a tradition for live music in Irish pub culture, and if you head to established mainstays like The Cobblestone or O’Donoghue’s, then you’ll be treated to a lively evening you’re likely never to forget. Both can get packed, but the crowds only add to the atmosphere, and soon you’ll find that you’ve made a whole new group of fast friends. 

Outside of the city, the nightlife is the Irish countryside. With its rolling hills, acres of unspoiled land and stunning coastline, Ireland offers up a fairyland that’ll keep you busy exploring all week. If you’re based in Dublin, then you’re spoiled for choice with day trips to stunning locations. History buffs can head over to Newgrange, a tomb dating back to 3200 BC, a site older than the Egyptian pyramids and offers a fascinating look at Neolithic sculpture and architecture. 

If hiking is more your thing, then County Wicklow is the place for you. Just a short drive from Dublin, it boasts the Powerscourt Gardens, home to Ireland’s highest waterfall, Glendalough or “the valley of the two lakes” and the Great Sugar Loaf, which is the perfect place for a moderate day’s climbing. The beauty of staying for a week is that you can see what takes your fancy on the day and save the next enticing trip for tomorrow. 

 Gunpowder Mills, Ballincollig, Co. Cork Weir built 1795 by The Speckled Bird, CC BY-SA 4.0 

There is more to Ireland than just Dublin, however. County Cork is another popular destination for visitors, and with good reason. You can visit the cinema in a converted church at the Triskele or go stargazing at Blackrock Castle Observatory. You can take a stroll along one of the numerous picturesque beaches or kiss the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle — it’s meant to leave you with the Irish gift of the gab! 

Wherever you decide to visit in Ireland, you’re guaranteed two things: a wonderful time and a wet one! Make sure you pack plenty of wet weather clothing as the secret to the Emerald Isle’s glory is the unrelenting rain. Don’t let this spoil your fun though — it’s just part of the country’s charm, and you’ll find that it wins you over in the end.