Weekend Breaks

Ireland has endless choices for weekend getaways. From villages and castles to deserted beaches and cliffs, and from islands and ruins to mountains, forests and lakes, you’ll encounter breathtaking scenery within just a few hours’ drive of the city. Thanks to its location in the middle of the east coast, Dublin is ideally located for weekend breaks, north or south. The cities of Galway to the west and Cork to the south are two of the most popular destinations for weekend breaks from Dublin – the main roads are good for driving, and there are also direct trains and plenty of bus services. Driving to Cork (around 250km from Dublin) takes about three hours and the train takes just under three hours, so you can take off on a Friday after work, return on Sunday and still have a great break. For Galway (around 200km), the journey by either car or rail takes around three hours or less. If you have a little more time, the mystical county of Kerry in the south-west, and the rugged, bleak landscapes of Donegal in the north west are great places to explore, especially by car, with wild dramatic scenery, stunning mountains, lakes and deserted beaches. Each part of the country is quite different from the next, and quite easily accessible. If you’re looking for adventure rather than just scenery, there’s plenty on offer. There are golf courses around the country and sports like surfing have become hugely popular along the west coast in recent years. Horse riding, mountain climbing, fishing, cycling, river cruising and relaxing in spas and resorts are also popular activities for weekend breaks and short holidays. For accommodation, hotels and B&Bs are the most popular places to stay and there are plenty of each in every destination around the country. In addition, most hotels have special weekend offers with two nights bed and breakfast and one dinner included, which can work out to be great value, especially off season. It’s a good idea to travel by car if you plan to do lots of sightseeing, but for a two-day city break in Cork or Galway, you can travel by train and get by without a car.