An Ireland travel guide, giving you a quick rundown of the destination, famous sightseeing points as well as customised itineraries to suit every

traveler type.

Northern Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland'sNorthern Ireland's beauty is intertwined with tragic history, rich culture and the renowned friendliness of its people.

The wild craggy mountains, splendid lakes and sweeping coastline make it an ideal playground for watersports enthusiasts, walkers, cyclists, hikers, rock climbers and sailors.

But there are lots of things to keep those after a dose of culture enthralled, too. From boisterous oyster festivals to authentic horse fairs, and from ancient castles to elegant country houses, this spectacular part of Ireland is packed with things to do.

The six counties of Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry & Tyrone are just waiting to be explored.

Tyrone

Fermanagh

Armach

Antrim

Londonderry

Down

General Information

Climate: The peak winter months of Dec-Jan are the wettest and coldest period, although temperatures seldom fall below freezing point. The summer months between May-Sep offer the best weather, although overcast conditions and rainfall can still occur.

5hrs 30 minutes behind India in Winter (October – March)4hrs 30 minutes behind India in Summer (April – September)

Time Difference

Currency – POUND STERLING

General Information - Transport

Northern Ireland's railway network covers all the main towns in the country. There are four main routes, which begin and end at Belfast's Central Station. These run north to Londonderry and Coleraine, with a branch line from Coleraine to Portrush; north-east to the port of Larne; east to Bangor, along the shores of Belfast Lough; and South to Dublin in the Republic, via Newry.

Single tickets vary in price from £1.80 for a short journey to GBP13 for the Belfast to Londonderry run.

The eight-times daily Belfast to Dublin Express takes two hours and costs GBP23 one way and GBP25 return. (GBP33 at weekends).

There is an excellent network of regular bus routes that link those areas that can not be reached by train.

Tickets are a lot cheaper than the train network with a journey across the country costing under GBP12.

Local Cuisine

With a large fishing industry and huge expanses of farmland, there is an endless supply of fresh meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, herbs and seafood. Although in Belfast, and most major towns, you will find restaurants offering food from all over the world, the locals tend to favour traditional Irish dishes.

So, if you want to sample the native fare, here is what you should look out for:

Traditional Ulster Fry Up - a huge breakfast of bacon, egg, sausage, soda farls and potato cake. Soda bread - traditional Irish thick bread. Barm Brack - a rich fruit loaf. Irish Stew - made with local lamb or other meat, potatoes, onions and carrots. Potato cakes - flat pancakes made from potato flakes. Champ - potatoes mashed with milk, butter, chopped spring onions, chives and pepper.

Shopping

For well-known brand goods go to Belfast and Northern Ireland's other two cities - Londonderry and Armagh. In Belfast you will also find internationally renowned shops and boutiques, such as Irish designer Paul Costelloe's clothes shop.

Things to look out for include: pure Irish linen napkins, tablecloths and handkerchiefs; cut glass crystal from Tyrone; hand-woven tweeds; handmade quilts; lace from Carrickmacross; hand-knitted Irish wool jumpers; polished Mourne granite from the Mountains of Mourne; and hand made musical instruments, such as harps and fiddles.

There are also several factory shops spread across Northern Ireland where you can buy goods cheaper than the retail price. Waterford Crystal has a factory shop in County Tyrone and you can buy Belleek pottery from the factory in County Fermanagh.

Antrim Belfast may grab all the attention, but while the Northern Ireland capital is now one of the top city break destinations in Europe, with cool boutiques, hip bars and stunning Victorian architecture, there’s a lot more to County Antrim than just the urban buzz of its biggest city.

With one of the most awesome sights in the world – the Gian’s Causeway – an exceptionally beautiful coastline, historic castles and nine sublimely scenic glens, Antrim will win you over with its many charms.

Overview of Northern Ireland Regions

Armagh In the historic county of Armagh in Northern Ireland lie some of Ireland’s most fascinating sights. The ancient capital of Ulster, Armagh is also know as the City of St Patrick. Modern Armagh now offers the visitor a whole host of attractions from historical sites to lively pubs. Step beyond the city and you’ll enter into Orchard County – a fantastic area filled with acres and acres of apple trees, which blossom a spectacular shade of pink. County Armagh is also packed with National Trust properties, kids’ attractions, museums, country parks and cultural events.

Overview of Northern Ireland Regions

Down Take a glimpse into the fascinating life of Saint Patrick with a trip to scenic County Down.

With a history that covers over 7,000 years, Down is blessed with a wealth of heritage sites, but the most famous of all is Downpatrick, where Ireland’s patron saint is reputed to be buried.

County Down is a picturesque spot filled mostly with low, rolling hills that contrast spectacularly with the rugged Mountains of Mourne and Slieve Donnard, which rise dramatically to a height of 848 metres.

Overview of Northern Ireland Regions

Fermanagh The silent waters of the Fermanagh Lakelands have a romantic beauty that has captivated generation after generation of visitors.

With forests, beautiful vistas, old country houses, excellent restaurants, intriguing caves, castles and canoeing, Fermanagh is one of Northern Ireland’s best-kept secrets.

Overview of Northern Ireland Regions

LondonderryA picturesque county in the north west of Northern Ireland, Londonderry is famed for its tranquility, scenic beauty, lovely beaches and the lively university town of Coleraine. This pretty county boasts delightful scenery as well as many fascinating sites. A must-see on any visit has to be the breathtaking Mussenden Temple, an awe-inspiring spot perched on the edge of a cliff edge.

Overview of Northern Ireland Regions

Tyrone Tyrone is the largest county in Northern Ireland and one of the most beautiful thanks to the heatherclad Sperrin Mountains. These lush, sparsely populated mountains are another world with endless charm and ever-changing natural tones of yellow gorse and emerald green.

Omagh, is Tyrone’s largest town and makes a great base for touring the county and visiting the nearby Ulster-American Folk Park, one of the island’s top attractions.

Overview of Northern Ireland Regions

Republic of Ireland:Republic of Ireland:

Discover an island paradise that boasts everything from a thrilling cultural voyage to nature’s glorious wonderland

Few destinations evoke such an immediate emotional reaction as the Emerald Isle, land of saints and scholars, cloaked in mist, myth, legend and cliché.

General Information

Climate

5hrs 30 minutes behind India in Winter (October – March)4hrs 30 minutes behind India in Summer (April – September)

Time Difference

Currency – EURO

General Information

Ireland has a good transport infrastructure and is well connected to Europe and Great Britain through numerous air and sea links. In the countryside public transport can be limited.

For these reasons an increasing number of people are choosing to explore Ireland under their own steam by renting a car.

Train services are not as frequent as you might expect, and do not serve as many destinations as the traveller would hope. Dublin, obviously, is the main centre for rail travel, with links to Belfast and Derry in the North, and in the Republic Waterford, Cork, Killarney, Galway and Sligo, amongst others.

Cheaper than train travel, and often more convenient, coach travel is the best option for getting around Ireland without having your own transport.

Irish Local Cuisine

Awaken your senses with Ireland’s rich and wonderful food culture, and enjoy a pint in the warmest places on earth – real Irish pubs

Ireland is justly famous for its seafood with smoked salmon, smoked fish, oysters, mussels and crab topping the bill. But it’s not just fish that gives Ireland its reputation – the country also produces excellent lamb, beef and pork, too.Finally, it would be foolish to miss out on some of the country’s top produce including black pudding, homemade candy, farmhouse cheese, soda bread and, of course, Guinness and maybe a drop of whiskey!

What’s so great about Irish pubs?

It’s not hard to see why Irish pubs are the best in the world. From famous trad sessions in places like the Crosskey’s Inn on the old Belfast to Derry Road, to the atmospheric Johnnie Fox’s in the Dublin Mountains, to the country’s numerous old-fashioned bars and pubs with thatched roofs and grocers attached, the Irish pub is like no other. And a combination of creamy pints of stout, lively local characters, wonderful music and dance, great ‘craic’, and roaring turf fires in winter means you’ll never want to leave.

DUBLIN THE SOUTH-EAST -- (Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford)SOUTH-WEST - (Cork, South Kerry)WEST - (Galway, Mayo, Roscommon)NORTH-WEST - (Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo)EAST COAST AND MIDLANDS - (Kildare, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, North Offaly, Westmeath, Wicklow)SHANNON REGION - (Clare, Limerick, North Kerry, South Offaly, North Tipperary)

REGIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

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