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I’ve been thinking about Ireland lately as I’ve been putting together some itineraries for clients who want to travel there. Ireland is a magical country, full of leprechauns & luck. I wrote a previous article about what to do in Ireland, so today I thought it would be fun to share some random Irish info & tips. After the tips, I’m including a sample itinerary that some clients are taking this year; they’re flying into London, then visiting Scotland for a few days, and finishing up with some amazing experiences in Ireland.
Colored Doors
You may have heard about the famous “Doors of Dublin.” If not, as soon as you open any travel guide, you will have seen one or two. And once you arrive in Dublin, you will spot them everywhere. During the early 18th century, Dubliners began to build elegant new Georgian homes beyond the walls of the original medieval town. At the time of construction, all of the exterior doors were the same color due to strict rules laid down by the developer. To set themselves apart, the Dubliners started painting their front doors whatever color struck their fancy, once they moved in.
Irish Pubs
Irish pubs have existed for roughly a millennium. For decades, the pub has been a center for cultural gatherings in Ireland. It is a social hotspot where people from all walks of life come to gather. In addition to the casual social atmosphere, hearty food and drink, sports, and traditional Irish music are hallmarks of pub culture. The menu is usually regular and straightforward, featuring classic Irish dishes.
Golf in Ireland
Ireland is a golfer’s paradise, with world-class courses in some spectacular places. Ireland has a selection of exceptional championship courses in unusual locations. Every year over 240,000 golfers from all over the world come to experience these impressive but unforgiving fairways. Most of Ireland’s trails are open all year round.
Dolmens
There are about 190 dolmens, or stone monuments, in Ireland. Dolmens are known by many different names: cromlechs, Giants Graves, Diarmuid and Grainne's Beds, and stone tables. They generally have an entrance feature, the 'portal,' although a blocking stone often closes this.
The most characteristic feature is a massive roof stone, weighing tons and inclined at an angle with the highest part over the entrance.
Ireland Adventure Travel
Ireland is a great destination for adventure travel such as hiking, cycling, and climbing. The Mourne Mountains boast a host of hikes. The Wicklow and Kerry Ways traverse stunning mountainscapes which fit a variety of hiking abilities. For every step you take, legend says, a fairy, a warrior, a banshee, or a ghost has taken it before you.
Scotland/Ireland Itinerary
I have some clients traveling to Scotland and Ireland later this year; they decided to fly into London and home from Dublin to get better pricing on flights. You could take off the night in London at the beginning, and just start from Edinburgh. (Click here to read a post about fun things to do in Scotland!)
Here's a link to my clients' Scotland and Ireland trip. Or, if you just want a high-level overview, here's what they're doing:
Day 1 - Flight departs for London
Day 2 - Flight arrives in London
Stay at Clermont London Hotel, Victoria - 1 night
Day 3 - Train from London to Edinburgh
Stay at Ibis Edinburgh Centre South Bridge - 3 nights
Day 4 - 1-Day Jacobite Train from Edinburgh (Harry Potter-themed excursion into the Scottish Highlands)
Day 5 Edinburgh - sightseeing
Day 6
Check out from hotel
Transportation to airport
Flight from Edinburgh to Dublin
Transportation to hotel
Check in at The Riu Plaza Gresham Dublin - 1 night
Day 7
Transportation to Rail Station
Ireland Rail Tour - First Class
Blarney Castle, Cobh and Killarney
Killarney moderate hotel - 2 nights
Day 8
Ring of Kerry Tour
Day 9
Bunratty Castle, Cliffs of Moher & Galway
Galway hotel - 2 nights
Day 10
Connemara & Kylemore Abbey
Day 11
Aran Islands & back to Dublin
Check in at The Riu Plaza Gresham Dublin - 1 night
Day 12
Check out from hotel
Transportation to airport
Your flight departs for home
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