Best Time to Visit Ireland

Emerald Isle is the name of the beautiful heavenly land of Ireland, indicating the all-year-round green, abundant rainfall and mild climate here; despite being a small nation, just the size of Maine, Ireland is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful nations in Europe. Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are separated for political reasons.

Ireland is a beautiful place to travel as a lush country with usually decent temperatures. However, as an island nation, there are several ways to choose the best times to go.

We’ve got everything you need to know about planning a visit to this beautiful country with us right here!

When is the best time to go to Ireland?

If you want to visit Ireland at any time of the year, you can go there at any point during the year. It’s warm most of the year and has beautiful beaches, charming towns, and fascinating historical sites.

Suppose your main travel goal is to visit all these different destinations while travelling by car. In that case, going to Ireland in the summer is best. However, if you want to avoid the crowds and heat, go during the winter.

To get the most out of your trip to Ireland during winter, visit between November and February. You’ll be able to enjoy the lively nightlife and rich cultural heritage of Ireland.

And the Galway Music Festival is yet another grand event that makes June the best time to visit Ireland. If there aren’t any official events or music fests during your trip, simply visiting nearby pubs and other historic sites can fill your trip full of joy and adventure.

Visiting Ireland in January

If you want to go to Ireland during the low season (when fewer people travel), then January is the best month to go.

Ireland’s many rural and small attractions stay open after the peak season for tourism and the Christmas Eve festivities.

However, many famous and busy attractions, such as Dublin (the capital), Kilkenny, Galway, and the historical places include Bunratty Castle, the Cliffs of Moher, and the Rock of Casual, remain open throughout the year.

With less daylight in January than any other calendar, consider shortening your opening hours for the winter months.

But even during the long winters in Ireland, there are plenty of lively pub scenes.

If you’re lucky, you might get some nice winter weather where there aren’t too many people. You can then visit places without so many tourists.

Visiting Ireland in February

It’s late winter in Ireland, so days are short. You should bring some warm clothes for your trip. This is the month of St. Patrick’s Day, which celebrates the new season’s coming.

During this time of year, you’ll probably encounter some tourists, but there won’t be too many things to enjoy. You’ll likely save money by booking your hotel reservations early.

If you’re visiting Kildare during February, take advantage of the St Bridget’s Day celebrations! Visit the city centre and participate in the festivities, including eating St. Bridget’s Bread, putting ribbons around doors and gates, and leaving treats outside windows.

Even though it may be cold outside, you can still enjoy the winter landscape in Belfast, Northern Ireland, when you go for hikes. Various hiking tours in the region suit all levels of expertise.

If you’re looking for an exciting February hike, head to Carlinglough Lough’s coast. It’s a beautiful place to see fantastic sights, including the Big Stone and the forest park in Rostrevor.

Visiting Ireland in March

After a long winter’s rest, Ireland is coming out of hibernation. It’s time for travellers to get outdoors and take advantage of the sunshine. The sun will be shining brightly by the middle of the following week.

Starting from March, the temperatures tend to rise in Ireland, replacing the cold and rainy days with milder ones. You will notice these changes across the whole island.

The long winter season has ended, and the tourism industry in Ireland is starting to open up again. If you’re planning to travel to Ireland during this time, this is the ideal month to go there.

Visiting Ireland in April

Spring has arrived, which means that Ireland is in full bloom. It’s also long days and warm weather, so there are plenty of things to see and do.

Here in April, the average temperatures vary between 5°C and 11°C. Travellers will be able to enjoy five hours of sun each day. There are plenty of luxury hotels, including the Royal and Modern Luxurious Cabra Castle Hotel and the Gothic castle-Kinnity Castle Hotel.

It sounds amusing to drive along the Wild Atlantic Way during spring. You’ll be able to enjoy the scenery and get some good photos.

If you’re looking for an authentic experience of Irish culture, don’t forget to visit the Clifden Music Fest in Connemara, which features traditional Irish music and dance performed by artists from all over the globe.

You shouldn’t forget there’s so much to see in Ireland during Springtime. It’s the time when you’ll really understand why it’s called the Emerald State.

Visiting Ireland in May

April is another good month to visit as it’s early summer here with fewer rain chances. Travellers can enjoy various outdoor activities such as hiking, biking and road trips during this period and see the most popular attractions in the best ways.

As the weather gets warmer, there’s no shortage of sunshine. It rains during the day, but the sun comes back at night.

If you’re planning a trip to Dublin, Ireland, May is the best month for an extended stay. It’s when most people visit Dublin, so many hotels are available at reasonable prices. There’s also an excellent public transportation system, which makes it easy to travel from place to place.

You can visit castles throughout this year. These castles have served different purposes for hundreds of years, from administrative offices to noble residences, cultural centres, schools, and even hotel accommodations. They remain majestic and beautiful on the lush landscape.

One of the best things you could do while visiting Ireland has a Guinness at the pub. It will give you an insight into the history and the process behind the creation of this famous drink.

Visiting Ireland in June

If you dislike long lines and hordes of tourists, June is the ideal time to travel to Ireland. Though being mid-summer, it is hardly ever overcrowded in June. Tourists often overrun other popular European destinations such as Paris and Rome during peak season.

As transatlantic airline companies have a particular policy to increase their ticket prices adequately, visitors should buy tickets early in June.

Ireland has a maritime, temperate summer like most rest of the world. It gets warm but not too hot.

Rainfall in Ireland usually arrives in short bursts rather than in long periods. Rain is most likely to fall during June in the early morning and late afternoon.

As a result of its location near Nova Scotia, June has bright and long summers and shorter winters than July. It’s an excellent time for outdoor activities, especially hiking. The oldest Irish festival takes place on 21 June each year.

People who travel want to be included in the Bloomsday festival held on 16 June throughout Dublin. Suppose you’re planning to enjoy Irish culture with different festivals, including CatLaughs Comedy Festival, WestportFolk &Bluegrass Festivals, and WestCorkChamberMusicFestivals. In that case, June is the best month to go to Ireland.

Visiting Ireland in July

It’s summertime! High summer means long days of sun and warm weather. You might even get some rain if you’re lucky enough to be here at the right time.

Even though the average high temperature in August is 20⁰C, the hot weather makes exploring Ireland’s beautiful scenery easy. Fortunately, there aren’t any extreme temperatures like in other parts of Europe.

Because Ireland has an unpredictable climate, you may sometimes see sudden and short rainstorms in July. Therefore, it’s best to prepare yourself by wearing a breathable and lightweight shell coat, hiking boots, trail runners, or comfortable sneakers for hiking and other adventures.

People visiting Ireland during the summer months enjoy four significant events from the ancient past – Lughnasadh (the festival of light), the Celtic Harvest Festival, St. Patrick’s Day, and Beltaine.

Visiting Ireland in August

During August in Ireland, the weather is perfect for outdoor sports. Whether you’re hiking the East Wicklow Way, kayaking through the stunning seaside of Northern Ireland, or scuba-diving off the Connemara Coast, good weather makes these things easy.

You will experience relatively little rainfall and plenty of sunshine. The water temperatures in Ireland in August reach their peak during the summer months. Therefore, you can swim in the 15–17°C waters, but others might not be brave enough for it.

Though the summertime climate doesn’t typically happen at its best during this time, along with the previous two summers, August is the high season here. As most schools are out and family vacations begin, August is when you’ll see more extensive crowds and higher prices for flights and accommodations in Ireland.

Visiting Ireland in September

Going to Ireland at any time of the year is enjoyable. However, going there between October and March is even better.

Summertime is usually marked by settled warm temperatures. When school starts up again, the crowds begin to thin out.

Even though the weather has been cold so far, you can still visit all the historic sites in Ireland. It is now quite pleasant in the country.

Rainbows are often visible from the western and northern coasts of the islands. There are various exciting festivals in September, including the Lisdoonvarna matchmaking festival, Dublin fringe, Clifden arts festival, and national ploughing championship.

Visiting Ireland in October

During the mild winter months, October in Ireland is filled with colourful foliage, which draws in visitors from across the globe.

During the off-season, most famous sights are often crowded with people visiting them for the first time. As the holidays approach, visitors will be flocking to these spots.

It’s still possible to visit Ireland during the autumn months. You can save some money by visiting Ireland during these low-season periods.

Visiting Ireland in November

As a result of the Atlantic Ocean’s effect, Ireland has mild winters compared to other countries at similar latitudes. It experiences temperatures between 9.5°C and 12°C during the colder months.

Depending on a particular region, there are between 16 and 23 rainy days per year with 2.4 and 6.7″ rainfall. Preparing yourself with an umbrella and a jacket would be best before going out in the wet weather.

As the temperature drops from the middle of autumn through mid-November, Ireland still has plenty of activities to keep you busy.

If you want to see one of the world’s most important prehistoric sites, go to Drogheda in County Meath, Ireland. It has three significant megaliths: Knowth, Newgrange, and Dowth.

More than 1 million visitors come to the Cliffs of Moher every year. Located in County Clare, the cliffs stand at 702 feet (213 meters) above sea level. Visitors enjoy stunning panoramic vistas of the Atlantic Ocean and the Aran Islands in the bay below.

If you visit Galway, one of the most iconic places is Kylemore Abbey. You’d be remiss if you didn’t spend at least half a day here.

Seeing the Queens College, visiting Glasnevin Cemetery, enjoying a pint at the Galway Bay Brewery, Kinsale Golf Club, the charming village of Kinsale, Galway city, and travelling through the beautiful countryside of County Clare, Kerry, and Donegal will make your visit to Ireland in November meaningful for you.

Visiting Ireland in December

It’s all over there from November until January in Ireland. Bigger towns and cities are exploding, particularly festive events, elaborately decorated streets, and markets. And at the New Year celebration, visitors can enjoy the biggest party in Dublin!

Despite having low temperatures, Ireland in December is not as cold or bitter as it is in January and February.

December is a combination of two seasons in Ireland; the countryside is quiet, and most of the country appears to have been in hibernation until the next springtime. Yet you will see loads of revelries in the towns and villages concentrating on Christmas Eve.

Even though it may be too cold and wet to explore the countryside, the events and the city lights compensate for the weather.

There are many things for tourists in big cities to see and do, but few things open during the winter months. It’s too cold to go out, and the city looks pretty desolate.

If you’re visiting Ireland this month, you can enjoy the Christmas morning swim, which takes place along the coast. You will be amazed at how hundreds of tourists jump into the freezing water. Also, take advantage of the Boxing holiday held on St Stephen’s Eve in Northern Ireland and the rest of the country just one week after Christmas.

Best weather in Ireland

You cannot predict the weather in Ireland. But if you’re planning a trip there during one of these seasons, consider visiting instead of in winter.

Winter travel to Ireland means fewer tourists and cooler weather. You can visit some more miniature cities and villages rather than big cities like Dublin.

During the winter months, the weather gets cold and snowy in Ireland. People there prefer to go to cosy pubs when they’re feeling chilly.

During summer, Ireland has lots of suns, so people go out and enjoy their time off. They often participate in fun activities like swimming, hiking, biking, fishing, and golfing.

Best time to fly to Ireland

If you want to visit Ireland during the summer months, between June and August, you would be better off going in the winter.

It doesn’t rain much, but there’s no extreme cold weather either. You can visit Ireland any time of the year.

Whether in January, June, November, or December, a trip to Ireland won’t disappoint you. February offers the best deals for airfares.

Best time of year to visit Ireland with discounts

Because there isn’t a bustling tourism business year-round in Ireland, travelling here during shoulder season will help you save on airfares and hotel rooms. And you will be able to enjoy a cheaper rate during the off-season.

Spring and autumn are good times for visiting Ireland because they offer pleasant weather, reasonable prices, and manageable crowds.

Hotel & Flight Booking

There’s an old saying, “wherever you go, the earlier you book, the better deal you will get”. However, sometimes it needs to be clarified because some reasonable last-minute offers are available everywhere.

Travellers who want to save money by booking tours early should book well ahead of when they plan to travel. If someone wants to visit Ireland in May, they should be prepared to pay the total price for tickets in February.

If you want to fly cheaply, look into booking flights early. You can get seats at a lower cost than you would otherwise.

Suppose they wait to pay by the deadline. In that case, they can reserve another reservation after the deadline has passed.

Ireland travel instruction during the Novel Coronavirus

While travelling to Ireland, you should be prepared for the travel-related restrictions that can be implemented with or without notice. There would be HSE (Health Service Executive) staff to assist the COVID-19-concerned arriving passengers in the Dublin and Shanon airports.

If you believe you may have COVID-19 symptoms while visiting Ireland, you should call a doctor or dial 999 or 112 locally.

Suppose any traveller gets a positive Coronavirus test result. In that case, the individual will be isolated and treated by the DOH (Department of Health). For COVID-19-related travel queries, the Irish government has set a phone number: +353 1 613 1733.

Though there is no nationality-based mandatory quarantine rule in Ireland, any arriving visitor from the U.S. to this country is asked to follow a self-isolation period for 14 days.
On arrival, the passenger must fill out a form for the COVID-19 Passenger Locator, where they must indicate the place of self-isolate. If you complete the form with misleading information or fail to do, this will be counted as an offence under Irish law. They would be fined nearly $3,000 and imprisoned for up to 6 months.

FAQs

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Final Verdict

With four variable seasons, the weather here is constantly changeable. You can select any time of the yr for your journey. Nevertheless, the summertime is the best time to travel to Ireland. With outstanding natural beauty, an old historical past, exciting Irish celebrations, plenty of cosy pubs, and fresh farm meals – Ireland is always ready to host you to find out something brand new, nonetheless the period of the 12 months you decide to go there.