Tips for travelling to Ireland - Tips and recommendations

Viajando a Irlanda

¿Estás pensando en viajar a Irlanda pero aún dudas? No lo pienses más, con estos consejos para viajar a Irlanda harás de este viaje una experiencia inolvidable.

Irlanda es una isla de 486 km de largo y 275 km de ancho. Se divide en 4 provincias históricas: Ulster, Munster, Leinster y Connacht.

pixabay photo

They are divided into 32 counties, of which 26 belong to the Republic of Ireland and 6 to Northern Ireland.

In the Republic of Ireland we will find a presidential parliamentary democracy while Northern Ireland belongs to the United Kingdom.

Ireland is largely made up of a population under the age of 30 with a great diversity of cultural and ethnic groups. This was about Ireland's geographic and political information, one of the first tips to travel to Ireland that you should know.

It is a beautiful country full of green hills, castles, beautiful cliffs, Guinness beers and friendly locals. Dublin is a lively city with pubs, while the country is full of beautiful scenery and castles, so it's hard not to enjoy a good time here.

Advice and tips for travelling to Ireland

The small size of the country makes it easy to explore regardless of the length of your trip.

No one ever leaves Ireland unhappy and, by using these tips to travel to Ireland, you will know all the best things to do so that it doesn't happen to you either.

Consider the weather

The climate is very similar to that of London. A temperate climate with summer temperatures ranging from 15º C and 20º C, in spring and autumn you can find temperatures around 10º C and between 5º C and - 8º C in winter.

It is very rare that it snows in Ireland, but, showers are very common at any time of year.

What language do they speak?

Depending on which Ireland you travel to you will find a higher percentage of Gaelic. Gaelic and English are the official languages of the country.

In the Republic of Ireland all road signs and street names are in both languages, in some areas of the country called Gaeltacht only speak Gaelic, although they understand and speak English.

In Northern Ireland the official language is English and you will only find Gaelic in specialist schools. Today Ulster Scots is a booming language and is beginning to be learned by the population to know their national identity.

Customs

If you are a visitor to the European Union you do not need to complete a customs questionnaire at the point of entry.

However, you should be aware that there are bans or restrictions on some products to protect health and the environment.

In the airports you will find a red zone and a green zone. You must use the red exit if you carry items that exceed the permitted quantities for non-EU nationals. You can use the green zone if you don't have anything to declare.

Products that were purchased in the EU and have already paid taxes can be introduced in Ireland.

If you bring food in small quantities, products of non-animal origin should be packaged and those of animal origin, vacuum-packed.

Passport/visa

If you are a Spanish citizen, all you have to do is show your National Identity Card and your valid passport to enter the country. If you belong to a non-EU country, you must apply for your visa at the relevant Irish embassy or consulate before travelling. In the case of Northern Ireland and Brexit, it is necessary to know the terms that will vary as the United Kingdom leaves the European Union.

What hours do you drive?

Ireland is within Greenwich or GMT time. The clock is moved one hour forward in spring and one hour backward at the end of October.

In summer you will find sunlight until 23 hours but in December the sun will set at 16.

Do I need vaccinations to travel?

Unless you belong to a country infected with a disease, you do not need to receive extra vaccinations to travel to Ireland.

If you are Spanish you only need the individual health card that replaces the E111 form.  You can apply for it at the Social Security Attention and Information Centres or at your health centre.

Embassies and consulates

The Embassy of Ireland is located in:

Paseo de la Castellana 46 - 4º.

28046 Madrid.

Your contact phone number is: 91 4364093

Fax: 91 4351677

Website: https://www.dfa.ie/irish-embassy/Spain/

You can get more information about the Republic of Ireland from the Irish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, whose contact details are listed below:

Telephone: +353 (0) 1 478 0822

Website: https://www.dfa.ie/

In the case of Northern Ireland you should contact:

Embassy of the United Kingdom

Tower Space

Paseo de la Castellana 259D

28046 Madrid

Your contact phone number is: 91 7146300

Fax: 91 7146301

Website: www.gov.uk/government/world/spain

If you have problems during your trip to Ireland, please contact:

Embassy of Spain in Ireland

17 Merlyn Park

Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Your contact phone number is: +353 (0) 1 269 1640

Fax: +353 (0) 1 269 1854

E-mail: emb.dublin@maec.es

Personal safety

Ireland is a safe country, but, keep in mind that you go as a tourist and therefore you will find yourself in the crosshairs of some villain, in case of being a victim of a crime, keep in mind the following:

Republic of Ireland

Irish Tourist Assistance Service: Working Monday to Friday.

Address: 6-7 Hanover Street East, Dublin 2

Your contact phone number is: +353 (0) 1 661 0562

Learn English

In Ireland you will find many quality centres for learning English for both young people and entrepreneurs.

Gratuities

It is appropriate for restaurants that do not include the service in their bill to leave a tip of 10 to 15% of the total amount. In taxis and for baggage handlers it is normal to leave a tip of 10%.

Weights and measures

Although the international metric system has been adopted in Ireland, it is common to find measurements in the English system such as miles for distances, pints for drinks and pounds for dough. Memorize a table of changes or carry an application on your mobile.

Telephones and calls

In Ireland only mobile phones with GSM and international roaming service work, consult your operator before travelling.

You can choose to use telephone booths, you can still find them in many establishments. Keep in mind that:

Republic of Ireland

If you are calling the Republic of Ireland from another country, you must precede all numbers with the prefix +353 without dialing the first 0.

Telephone information: 11811 or 11850

Northern Ireland

All numbers must be preceded by +44 without dialing the first 0 if you are calling Northern Ireland.

Pubs, restaurants and hotels

The legal drinking age is 18; however, some establishments require 21 years of age. If you're 18, you can't find yourself in stores that sell alcohol after 9:30. All pubs are open from Monday to Sunday from 10:30 a.m. and close at 11:30 p.m. on weekdays and at 0:30 a.m. on weekends.

Pubs in Northern Ireland are open from 11.30am to 11pm Monday to Saturday and from 12.30am to 10pm on Sundays.

Shop opening hours

They are open from 09:00 to 18:00 from Monday to Saturday, and on Thursdays until 20:00 or 21:00 in the case of large stores.

On Sundays the shops are open from 12:00 to 18:00 hours.

Credit/Debit Cards

All Visa, Mastercard or American Express cards can be used. If you wish to use another type of card, you must inform the establishments before using it.

Currency

The Euro (€) is the legal in the Republic of Ireland, in the case of Northern Ireland, the currency is the Pound Sterling (£).

Electricity

The voltage is 230 Kv so you will need a transformer and a plug adapter that you can buy at the airport.

One of the last tips to travel to Ireland that you should know is their emergency number (999) in case of any eventuality you can contact firefighters, police or medical personnel.

You May Be Interested:

How to travel to A ORLANDO ➤ Advice and recommendations

Tips for traveling to Miami - Tips and recommendations for your trip

Tips to travel to Rio de Janeiro tips and tricks

If you want to know other articles similar to Tips for travelling to Ireland - Tips and recommendations you can visit the category Tips.