The Emerald Isle holds many surprises for visitors spending a few days, a few weeks, or even a few months within it’s borders. Ireland is much loved by tourists for being a country that holds on to it’s past with pride - it’s people relish having old fashioned pubs, traditional music and sing-a-longs, and an architectural style that has not changed for centuries. It’s this sentimental side that appeals so much to tourists and which continues to keep the Irish economy alive with the tourist dollar. It shouldn’t matter whether you head south to the Republic of Ireland or go north to Northern Ireland, you’re guaranteed to be welcomed by the Irish community and shown a good time.
If you’d like to experience the sights and sounds of Ireland as so many others have before you, a great way to visit without it costing a fortune is to go on a mini-break. With cheap flights and package holidays becoming more frequently available, such mini-breaks are easier and easier to organize. Rather than having to spend a fortune on a long flight, expensive travel insurance and several weeks of accommodation, food and entertainment costs you can instead keep to your budget by staying a few nights in Dublin, Belfast or one of Ireland’s delightful coastal towns. Because flights from other airports within the UK are so readily available, it should be easy to purchase tickets on sale or at a reduced price. Hotels, meanwhile, may offer last minute discounts on their room rates, particularly if it appears that they are going to be operating at less than their capacity. Two or three nights gives you enough time to sample the local culture, take in the sights and give yourself a bit of a break before you return home. It also means that you don’t have to worry about being too far from home in case of an emergency, you shouldn’t have to organize a house-sitter or someone to water your plants, and you won’t even have to negotiate time off with your boss!
Perhaps the best point about taking a short break in Ireland is that it doesn’t matter what your interests are, Ireland has something to offer. From Celtic art to pub crawls to traditional music to wide open green spaces to hearty Irish food to a long and often thrilling history, how could you fail to find something to amuse even the most difficult of holiday-makers? If you prefer to spend your time outdoors, there are a number of top quality golf courses scattered around the vast isle which should tickle your fancy. There are also many walking trails, horse-riding tracks and bicycle-friendly roads to explore. If staying indoors is more your thing, you may decide to go on a brewery tour (such as at the famous Guinness brewery), go on a guided ghost tour, pub tour or walking tour through the streets of Dublin. Shopping is also a great way to spend your time, particularly if you’re looking for souvenirs (anything green, featuring St. Patrick, or involving beer is always popular). Whatever your choice, a short break in Ireland should do you wonders.