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Welcome to atgi, our guides provide a wealth of knowledge to personally enhance your visit to ireland, let atgi guide you:, to some of ireland's amazing coastal areas, scenic cities, or adventure activities., enjoy the culture and craic, with an atgi guide you can experience the food, the music and the culture just like a local., the approved tourist guides of ireland.

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Our members are fully trained, assessed and certified through the Irish QQI Training Authority and wear a current ATGI badge. With almost 600 members, offering national, regional and specialist skills, over 20 languages and UpToDate knowledge of Irish tourism and heritages venues, an ATGI guide will make you glad that you visited Ireland!

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Discover Ireland’s north, south, east and west on this comprehensive tour of Ireland. Discover the scenic Causeway coast and Giant’s Causeway, Galway City, The Cliffs of Moher, Kerry, Cork and much more!

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Have you been given the task of organising your family’s tour of Ireland? Or maybe you have been designated as the tour organiser for your church group or perhaps your school’s group tour of Ireland. Whatever type of private group trip you are thinking about arranging in Ireland, why not leave it to us!

We are one of the best travel companies for small group tours of Ireland; our staff are all resident here and know Ireland like the back of their hands. We are experienced in operating small group tours, having been doing it for many years.

The benefits of booking your small group tour of Ireland with the Irish Tourism Group

Each itinerary that we create is tailored to your specific requirements. You just come to us with your ideas and we will put together some suggestions for you. The final decision on what you do while here in Ireland, is entirely up to you. 

We arrange everything; you don’t need to worry about dealing with hotels, attractions, coach companies or guides. 

You don’t need to collect money from your group members, once the itinerary has been agreed, each group member can contact us directly with their booking code to make payments or any changes to their personal details. 

if you need some help whilst you are here in Ireland, we will deal with it on your behalf so your precious vacation time is not interrupted

Below you will find a selection of sample small group tours and vacations to give you an idea of the type of itinerary that can be put together. Please note that these are samples only and every tour we create is tailored to meet your group’s needs.

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The Best Time to Visit Ireland (Pros + Cons of Each Month)

By Author Keith O'Hara

Posted on Last updated: April 26, 2024

There is no single best time of year to visit Ireland, and I’m saying that having lived here for 35 years.

‘Best’ is dependant on  you . For example , if you want to visit when the weather in Ireland is likely to be good. ‘Best’ will be summer.

Below, you’ll find the pros and cons for each month to help you decide the best time to visit Ireland based on your likes and dislikes .

But first, a quick overview:

• Summer (Jun, Jul + Aug): Warmest months. Crowd/flight prices are at peak
• Winter (Dec, Jan + Feb): Coldest months. Crowd/flight prices are lower
• Autumn (Sept, Oct + Nov): Days long in Sept + Oct. Short + wintery in Nov
• Spring (Mar, Apr + May): Tends to be rainy in Mar + Apr. Summery in May

The best time to visit Ireland

If you take 20 seconds to look at the illustration above, you’ll get a quick insight into the months in Ireland and what to expect from each.

Below, you’ll find an overview of each month with info on average temperatures, festivals, what to wear in Ireland during that month along with  travel tips for Ireland .

Click to enlarge image

Ireland in January can be very hit and miss. The average temperature in January is 7°C/44.6°F with average lows of 3°C/37.4°F.

January is the best month to visit Ireland if you are working with a tight budget and you are willing to take a gamble with the weather.

• Prices : If you’re visiting Ireland on a budget , flights and accommodation are cheaper
• Crowds : The popular attractions in Ireland will be quieter, as this is off-season

Disadvantages

• The weather : The days tend to be cold, wet, and windy
• Daylight : The sun rises from 08:29 and sets from 16:38
• Closed attractions : Some seasonal attractions will be closed

Visiting Ireland in February can also be risky weather wise, with average highs of 8°C/46.4°F and average lows of 2°C/35.6°F.

Spring is still far from the horizon and the days are short and chilly. In the past, we’ve had heavy snow fall, flooding and stormy weather in February.

February is the best time of year to go to Ireland if you have a limited budget and you aren’t too phased by potentially poor weather conditions.

• Prices : February is off-season in Ireland, so flights and accommodation are cheaper
• Crowds : Ireland’s usually busy attractions will be quieter (the Guinness Storehouse and Giants Causeway will always draw crowds, though)
• Weather : Similar to January – cold, wet and windy
• Daylight : The sun rises at 07:40 and sets at 17:37
• Seasonal attractions : Some seasonal attractions will remain closed

Many people want to visit Ireland in March to attend a St. Patrick’s Day festival or to soak up the buzz surrounding March 17th.

March marks the arrival of spring in Ireland. In years past, we’ve had heatwaves in March and stormy weather. 

March is the best time to go to Ireland if you have a sizable budget and want to experience St. Patrick’s Day festivities. Spring has sprung, the days are longer and the weather isn’t as cold as the previous months.

• Weather : March marks the start of spring. There are average highs of 10°C/50°F and average lows of 4°C/39.2°F
• Long ish days : The sun rises at 07:12 and sets at 18:17
• Prices : The period around March 17th sees prices skyrocket. The end of the month (Easter) can be pricey, also
• Weather : The weather can be very changeable. Over the last five years, we’ve had snow storms, heavy rainfall and scorching weather
• St. Patrick’s Day crowds : Crowds are at their peak (it’s for this reason that, for many, March won’t be the best time to visit Dublin )

in April, the weather has picked up, the days are longer and there are average highs of 13°C/55°F and average lows of 4°C/39.2°F.

The only issue with April, aside for the potential for bad weather, is that schools get two weeks off, which results in a shortage of accommodation in some places.

April is best time of year to visit Ireland if you’re working within a budget (after Easter) but want plenty of daylight hours to explore the island.

• Flights : The cost of a trip to Ireland is much less in April, thanks to lower flight prices
• Long days : The sun rises at 06:23 and sets at 20:00
• Weather : The weather can to be nice and mild
• Easter holidays : Schools get 2 weeks off around Easter, which can drive up the cost of accommodation
• Weather : The weather  can  also be terrible (see our April weather guide )

Along with September and October, May is the best time to visit Ireland. This is the shoulder season and the weather is mild, the days are long and both prices and tourist numbers are yet to skyrocket.

I.e. the weather is mild, the days are nice and long and we’ve haven’t yet reached the summer holidays, so places aren’t too busy (see our guide to Ireland in May for more).

• Weather : The weather in May can  be good, with mean temperatures ranging between 9.0°C/48.2°F and 13.0°C/55.4°F
• Long days : The sun rises at 05:17 and sets at 21:26
• Summer buzz : Long, mild days and the incoming summer tends to bring a lively atmosphere to many towns and villages
• Festivals : This is when they really start kicking off (see our Irish festivals calendar)
• Weather : Yep – it’s a pro and  a con – the weather in May can also be awful (it was last year!)
• Prices : Accommodation and flights will be near peak level price-wise
• Crowds : Better weather and long days means more people tourists

June in Ireland marks the arrival of summer, bringing with it warm and often dry weather and average highs of 18°C/64.4°F and lows of 11.6°C/52.88°F.

This is peak season in every sense – tourist numbers jump as do the price of flights and hotels.

June is regarded as the best time to travel to Ireland by many visiting tourists as the weather tends to be good, temperatures are mild and there’s plenty of daylight hours.

• Weather : Weather tends to be dry and warm with highs of 18°C/64.4°F and lows of 11.6°C/52.88°F
• Long days : The sun rises at 05:03 and sets at 21:42
• Festivals : Numerous music festivals in Ireland  take place during June
• Prices : Demand is at its highest, so you can expect to spend more for flights and hotels
• Crowds : As June is peak season in Ireland, expect places to be more crowded

July is the best time to go to Ireland if you’re looking for good weather. Although it’s not guaranteed, it’s more likely to be fine in July than during many other months.

Personally, I head away for one week in Ireland every mid-July and, for the most part, we always get decent weather (see our guide to Ireland in July for more info).

• Weather : We get average highs of 19°C/66.2°F and lows of 12°C/53.6°F
• Long days : The sun rises at 05:01 and sets at 21:56
• Summer buzz : Long, balmy days tend to bring tourists and a lively atmosphere to many towns, villages and cities
• Prices : Summer is peak season, so you’ll be paying more for hotels, B&Bs and Airbnbs
• Crowds : As the schools are out for the summer, expect more crowds travelling around the island, especially to the likes of Killarney and the Dingle Peninsula

August boasts long days, warm weather and plenty to see and do (see our counties hub for endless places to visit).

As was the case with July, there’s several pros and cons for visiting Ireland in August , many of which revolve around the demand for accommodation and crowds.

August is the best time to go to Ireland if peak prices and crowds don’t bother you. The trade off is mild weather, long days and a busy festival calendar.

• Weather : It’s usually good with highs of 18°C/64.4°F and lows of 11°C/51.8°F
• Long days : You’ll have 16 lovely hours of daylight to wander
• Summer buzz : Again, the summer months bring a buzzy atmosphere to many towns
• Prices : Yep – prices are still at peak levels
• Crowds : The likes of the Dingle Peninsula , the Inishowen Peninsula , the Ring of Kerry and other tourist hot-spots will be very busy

Ireland in September is when the shift from a busy summer season takes place. Tourist numbers drop and the kids go back to school.

This is Ireland’s shoulder season (the season between peak season and the off season) and it’s a great time to explore.

September, along with May and October, is the best time to visit Ireland as prices drop, the days are long, the weather is mild and there’s less crowds.

• Crowds : As kids have gone back to school, there’s less crowds
• The weather : The average high temperature tends to hover between 13°C/55.4°F and 16°C/60.8°F
• Flights : Flights should be a little cheaper as this is the shoulder season
• Long days : The days are starting to shorten, but the sun still rises early at 06:33 and sets at 20:15
• Weather : Yep, a pro and a con. The weather, as always, is unpredictable. With that being said, we’ve had some great Septembers recently

October in Ireland is Autumn and you’ll find many places blanketed in orange leaves and the weather is cool and crisp.

Ireland experiences average highs of 13°C/55°F and average lows of 6°C/42°F during October

October, along with May and September, is the best time to go to Ireland thanks to lower flight and hotel prices, relatively long days and its often dry days with cool temperatures.

• Weather: We often get Octobers that are sunny, crisp and dry
• Crowds: Ireland’s usually busy attractions will be less crowded as we’re no longer in peak-season
• Prices: Accommodation in the more off-the-beaten-track locations will be cheaper (you won’t notice a huge difference in the hot-spots)
• Prices: You should find that flights are cheaper than in peak-season
• Shorter days : By mid-October, the sun won’t rise until 08:00 and it sets at 18:40
• Weather : The weather in Ireland in October is unpredictable (see our October weather guide )
• Mid-term : Schools break in Ireland at Halloween for a week and hotel prices jump

Visiting Ireland in November comes with its pros and cons. On the plus side, many towns and villages come alive with Christmas markets from mid-month.

On the con side, it’s winter , so the weather can be all over the place. November tends to be cool and crisp with an average temperature in Ireland in November between 12°C/53.6°F and 9.5°C/49.1°F.

November is the best time to travel to Ireland for a city break. Many cities (Galway, Dublin, Cork and Belfast) holding Christmas markets.

• Crowds : You’ll encounter fewer crowds at the usually busy attractions (although places with Christmas markets will be busy)
• Prices : Accommodation in the more off-the-beaten-track towns in Ireland will be more affordable
• Flights : Should be cheaper as we’ll be in the depths of the off-season
• Short days : The sun doesn’t rise until 07:23 and it sets early at 16:53
• Seasonal attractions : Some seasonal attractions in Ireland’s quieter villages in towns will be closed
• Weather : The weather could  be wintery. We’ve had mild, stormy and freezing cold Novembers in the past few years

December marks the arrival of Christmas in Ireland and you’ll find most towns and villages alight with fairy lights.

The average temperature for Ireland in December tends to be similar to November, coming in at around 5°C/41°F, but this can vary.

December is the best time to visit Ireland if you’re happy to chance the weather and you want to experience Christmas markets, cosy pubs with big open fires and less crowds.

• Festive buzz : Most towns and villages in Ireland will be decked out in Christmas lights
• Crowds : You’ll encounter fewer crowds at the usually busy attractions
• Prices : Accommodation in the more off-the-beaten-track towns and villages will be cheaper
• Flights : Flights can be pricey with people flying home for Christmas
• Short days : Sun rises at 08:16 and sets around 16:10
• Weather : The weather in December has been mild for several years, but there’s also a good chance of rain and strong winds

The best time to go to Ireland climate wise

For most, the best months to visit Ireland will be the ones where the weather is at its best. For those planning a trip to Ireland on a budget, it’ll likely be the off-season months.

Below, I’ll give you an overview of the climate in Ireland by month in some of the tourist hot-spots, like Killarney. This data comes from Met Eireann , the Irish Meteorological Service.

Need help with your Ireland itinerary ? We recently published the world’s  largest library of Irish Road Trip guides (and it’s free!)

Summer (June, July and August)

Autumn (september, october and november), winter (december, january and february), spring (march, april and may).

Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent most of the last 10 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 30 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries . Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.

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Monday 8th of March 2021

Hi! Thank you so much for all of your wonderful tips! My husband and I are planning to bring our adult daughters (24 and 29) to visit at the end is September. We are very excited! Should we stay in Dublin and then take our guided tours from there? We will have 9-10 days. Thank you! Janine

Thursday 27th of February 2020

We just booked a trip to southern Ireland for November. I am very excited. Can you recommend some must do's while we are there?

Wednesday 4th of March 2020

If you hop into our guide to the counties of Ireland you'll find heaps of things to do!

Thursday 30th of January 2020

Hi Keith Thankyou for the great read. My daughter and I are wanting to travel to Ireland for Xmas from Australia. As it will be cold n rainy which doesn’t really bother us, but worried we mighten get to see a lot of attractions would many be closed? Cheers Toni ?

Saturday 1st of February 2020

If you pop in the name of the attraction into Google and visit the official site you should get an idea of whether or not they'll be open or close when you're visiting.

Everywhere will be closed on Christmas Day with many places also staying closed on December 26th, but that can change from attraction to attraction.

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Do I need a visa to travel to Ireland?

Mar 30, 2024 • 4 min read

Ireland offers visa-free travel to citizens of many countries © David Levingstone / Getty Images

Visiting Ireland is a cinch if you’re visiting from a country that requires no visa or with whom Ireland has a visa waiver agreement. If you are visiting from a country with a visa requirement, then things can get a little more complicated, but here’s what you need to know to get you started.

Ireland is a small island, but it is home to two jurisdictions – which means two sets of immigration laws. Let us talk you through how it works.

Do you need a visa to visit the Republic of Ireland?

If you are from the EEA (the EU plus Norway , Iceland and Liechtenstein ) or Switzerland , you don’t need a visa to visit or work in the Republic of Ireland which is part of the EU.

British citizens in Ireland and Irish citizens in the UK (including Northern Ireland) hold a unique status under each country's national law courtesy of the long-standing Common Travel Area (CTA) agreement, which allows them to travel and work freely within the CTA. 

US citizens can visit Ireland for tourism or business without a visa for stays of up to 90 days. Your passport must be valid for the duration of their stay, but there is no requirement for it to be valid for any longer than that. For longer stays or to work or study, Americans will need to apply for a visa, which they can do through the official website of the Irish Embassy in Washington, DC.

Ireland has a visa waiver agreement with 56 other countries, including Australia , Canada , New Zealand and South Africa . A complete list of the exempted countries is available on the Citizens Information website.

Visa requirements for the rest of the world

Citizens of all other countries require a short stay "C" visa if they want to visit Ireland for any reason including tourism, visiting family, getting married or even if they wish to transit through Ireland.

The application process is laid out in detail by the Irish Immigration Service , and must be completed before travelling to Ireland. Families travelling together need to fill out applications for each individual as there’s no family visa option.

What you need to know about working holidays visas 

Citizens of Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan and the United States may be able to apply for a Working Holiday Authorisation through the Irish embassy in your country. This allows you to come to Ireland to work for a certain period, but it’s only available to applicants aged between 18 and 30 (35 in some cases).

No matter where you are coming from you will have to register for an Irish Residence Permit as soon as possible after you arrive in Ireland if you intend to stay more than 90 days.

How much will a visa cost?

There are three kinds of short stay visas. A single entry visa is €60, while a multi-entry visa – where you wish to come in and out of the country on multiple occasions over the course of the visa validity period – costs €100. Transit visas are €25.

The fee covers only the administrative cost of processing the visa; it does not cover the cost of submitting any additional documents. For specific information on any additional charges or costs, refer to the website of the Irish embassy or consulate in your country of residence.

The Irish Immigration Service has a dedicated page on how to pay the visa fee.

Visiting Northern Ireland

Although Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom and therefore not part of the EU, there is no physical border between the Republic and the North, which means frictionless travel between the two jurisdictions.

Like the rest of the United Kingdom, visas are generally not needed for stays of up to six months for tourism or visiting friends and family – if you are a citizen of the EEA nations, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Israel, South Africa and the USA.

However, since 2022 citizens of countries that do require a visa are covered under the terms of the British-Irish Visa Scheme (BIVS) , which allows for mutual recognition of short-stay visas between the UK and Ireland. This means that a British short-stay visa will be valid for travel onward to Ireland, and an Irish short-stay visa will be valid for travel onward to the UK. Visas that are valid for use under this scheme will have "BIVS" endorsed on them.

Citizens from countries requiring a visa should apply for a visa from the country in which you will arrive first. The vast majority of international arrivals to Ireland are through Dublin, but if you are arriving into Belfast first, you will need to apply for a visa from the UK Home Office, where you will also find a full list of those countries that require one.

A visa for the UK lasts six months and costs £115.

Ready to plan your trip to Ireland? Here are your next steps:

• Plan your trip to Ireland with this guide to top things to do . 
• Read on for the best time to go to Ireland .
• Save this transportation guide on the best ways to get around.
• These road trips will take you to all the highlights in Ireland. 
• Get into the great outdoors in Ireland with these top hikes to tackle.

This article was first published Mar 23, 2021 and updated Mar 30, 2024.

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