Top 12 things to do in Ireland

Ireland

Castles that echo ancestry, land of thrones, epic coastal drives, historic link courses, literary pubs, Ireland is as strong as ever – soak it all in with these top 10 don’t-miss experiences.

1. Game of Thrones tour

Follow the stories of the seven kingdoms through the Game of Thrones tour in Belfast. See 7 iconic locations and transport yourself to the iconic-forests and castles of Westeros for a one-day tour. Details of the locations and timings of the tour can be seen here. You have a choice of a one-day, two-day or three-day tour .

Please book in advance because they get full really fast.

Game of Thrones - Tour map

2. Sunset at Cliffs of Moher

Those not in the mood for a long vacation and hard work, can choose to do a day trip to the Cliffs of Moher for its sunset. The Cliffs of Moher are one of the most photographed pieces of land in Ireland and once you arrive here you will soon understand why. On a clear day you can see for miles, while on a misty day you make the long trip here and may see nothing. That’s all part of the charm, the wickedness of nature and the ever-changing Irish weather. If you do make it here, try and stick around for the sunset, it is one of the most beautiful sights in Ireland and is honestly a photographers dream. Just be careful not to get too near the edge and DONOT miss the Irish Coffee. A hot cup of coffee feels much nicer on the top of this cliff.

Coffee at the Cliffs of Moher

3. Drive through the Wild Atlantic

Tearooms, a rugged coastline and charming villages – this is what the new touring route through the Wild Atlantic way offers. The Wild Atlantic road is reportedly the longest coastline in the world covering 1500 miles from Inishowen Peninsula in the north to Kinsale, country cork in the south and many diversions and loops. The route is sign-posted and covers approximately over 100 discovery points, including the 1972-foot high sea cliffs of Slieve League in Donegal which are 3 times as high as the Cliffs of Moher. Included are opportunities to experience Ireland's heritage, perhaps at Limerick’s King John’s Castle; head out on an adventure, such as surfing Bundoran in County Donegal; taste local delicacies like Galway oysters and take in music at events like the Willie Clancy Festival in Milltown Malbay, County Clare. It’s far more than a driving route

Drive through the wild atlantic route

4. Try some traditional food at the English Market

Cork’s city center is the traditional English market and food emporium showcasing delicious, regional Irish ingredients. It also is a popular destination for lunching, people-watching, shopping and noshing. The non-vegetarians paradise, it offers the locally produced craft butchers free-range duck, traditional black pudding, fresh fish from the nearby Castle town, and bunches of gooseberries and raspberries. There are also artisanal producers of chutney, chocolate, cakes and goat’s cheese. The Farmgate Café on the upstairs balcony features some of the market’s best: potato and wild garlic soup, St. Tola goat’s cheese salad, corned beef, bread-and-butter pudding. It’s sustenance with a story

Cheese - my favorite at the English market

5. The ultimate Dublin Pub Crawl

The city pub crawl would usually start at the O’neill’s bar and end at the Temple Bar. The crawls would appeal to any age, solo traveler, couples and groups. The crawl would usually include a pint a beer, some fries and a super-friendly guide. This is a wonderful way to get to know a city along with people from the city. The Irish love their drinks but they love foreigners more. Unlike the Britishers, they are more open to conversation, infact persistent on one. They tap their feet to great music and ensure we tap too. And if you’re a literature fan, you might want to try the Dublin literary pub crawl that covers the pubs where revolutionary leaders drank. Check the list of pubs covered here

Temple bar at day and temple bar at night

6. Northern Lights anyone?

Keeping the best for last. Over the past few years, something quite incredible has started happening in Ireland. Photographers have started to capture the Northern Lights dancing in the sky in the Northern parts of the country. There is even a website called Donegal Skies, which has a breath-taking collection of photos taken by Astro-photographer Brendan Alexander of the Northern lighting up the Irish sky.

Northern Lights

7.Learn about the titanic

The Titanic museum in Belfast showcases everything you need to know about R.M.S Titanic, the unsinkable ship that hit an iceberg with a loss of over 1500 lives. The museum is an interactive experience that tells stories about the passengers, media coverage of the sink, and also takes you on a high speed ride of the shipyard. In Belfast’s titanic quarter, you can visit the pump house and tour through the dry dock, first-class tender and so on. There is also a walking tour that takes you through the harbour cruise to see the structures and slipways from the water.

The titanic museum

8. Watch a Rugby match at Thomond Park

Besides our National sports of Hurling and Football, Rugby is the sport the Irish are most proud of. For such a small nation, they have an incredible National Rugby team and on a smaller level 4 amazing teams that represent each of Ireland’s four provinces. The Munster supporters, the Red Army, are known to be some of the loudest, most excitable, loyal and fun to be around which makes watching a match in their home stadium Thomond Park and unforgettable Irish experience. 

Thomond Park - Rugby match

9. Swim at the Forty Foot

The Christmas Day swim is another popular Irish festive tradition. While not unique to Ireland, it is growing in popularity each year and hundreds if not thousands of people can be seen jumping off piers and rocks or running into the cold water on beaches around Ireland every Christmas day. The best place to join the crowd is at the Forty Foot, a popular Dublin bathing spot just South of Dun Laoghaire.

Forty feet traditions

10. Jaunting Car at Killarney

Killarney National Park is one of Ireland’s top tourist attractions, but it is also loved by locals. No, this doesn’t have much to do with Queen Victoria’s visit to the town in 1861. It is such a beautiful place to spend the day, whether doing a tour of Muckross House, a boat trip on the lake or hiking to Torc waterfall. One fun way to get around is by taking a Jaunting Car with the locals who are sure to entertain with their funny stories and folklore.

Killarney

11. Stroll through Dublin’s famous Ha’penny Bridge

The scourge of metal love tokens which has plagued bridges from New York to Paris has not spared the ha’penny. The bridge was named as ha’penny because that was the original toll you had to pay (half penny) to cross the bridge which has now becomes Dublin’s iconic symbol

Ha'penny love

12. Celebrate St Patrick's Day with the Irish

St. Patrick is one of the most famous patron saints of Ireland: According to the legend, he brought Christianity to the island, freed Ireland from snakes and made the shamrock fashionable. The holiday marks St. Patrick’s death and has been observed as a religious holiday in Ireland for over 1500 years. So, witness the ''Greening of the city'' where all iconic buildings are lit up in green (although the original colour of this day was supposedly blue). Watch the Irish university run boat races, burn off some Guinness in a 5km run, enjoy the local tasty brews and food at the local Irish Beer market, learn some Irish dancing at the Festival Céilí. There's so much to do and feel, it's like you're already Irish just by being there. For me this would be number 1 on this list.