Volume One · Start Here

Choose the Ireland
you want.

Some trips move slowly. Some begin in cities. Some belong entirely to the coast. Eight ways to begin, set by American editors living here.

A Note Before You Begin

We don't believe in trip filters. We believe in finding the right version of a country for the trip you actually want to take. Below are the eight openings we send to friends. Read the one that sounds most like you. The rest of the archive will follow.

The Editors · Currently writing from Kerry

Pathway 01

First Time in Ireland

Iconic, but elevated.

The first trip should feel composed, not crowded. We send first-timers a balanced week. A short Dublin opening, a Connemara stay, a slow Kerry close. The cliches done well, the rest left out.

Best for ·: Best for travelers who want the icons, taken carefully.
Pacing ·: Seven to ten days. Balanced. One short city stay, two country bases.
Season ·: May through early October. Long evenings, soft light.

Pathway 02

Slow Ireland

Villages, weather, long lunches.

Some trips belong to two-night stays and afternoons that don't need a plan. This is the Ireland of country houses, hotel breakfasts that are worth the room, and weather you stop fighting.

Best for ·: For travelers who prefer one long lunch to five attractions.
Pacing ·: Ten days, taken slowly. Two-night stays the rule.
Season ·: Best in shoulder season. October fires, March light.

Pathway 03

The West Coast

Atlantic roads. Salt air. Long evenings.

The road keeps the sea on your left. Cliffs above, weather coming in, and the bases that make the long drives worth it. The west is where most readers say the trip really begins.

Best for ·: Best for first-timers who want one coast, properly.
Pacing ·: Seven to ten days. Road-heavy. Two bases on the Atlantic.
Season ·: June through September. The Atlantic is kindest then.

Pathway 04

Dublin First

Georgian streets, late light, bookshops.

Three days is enough if you spend them well. Bookshops, bar light, late conversation. The Dublin we walk friends through, with the rooms we'd put them in.

Best for ·: Best for first-time city-only visitors, or as a long opener.
Pacing ·: Three to four days, on foot. One hotel base.
Season ·: Year-round. Best in winter, after dark, in good coats.

Pathway 05

Families with Young Kids

Slow mornings. Forgiving days.

Hotels with grass to run on. Drives short enough to keep everyone happy. A castle visit, a beach afternoon, one big farm morning. The version of Ireland small children remember.

Best for ·: Best for families travelling with children under ten.
Pacing ·: Seven days. Short drive days. Two-night stays only.
Season ·: Late June through August. Long, forgiving evenings.

Pathway 06

Families with Older Kids

Cliff edges. Cold swims. Long days.

The Ireland we book for families whose kids are old enough to be out the door first. Surf in Strandhill, a cliff walk in Howth, one round of links golf, dinners they're actually welcome at.

Best for ·: Best for families travelling with teens.
Pacing ·: Ten days. Active. Two-night bases, dramatic landscapes.
Season ·: May, June, September. Cold swims, warm dinners.

Pathway 07

Honeymoons

Fires already lit. Rooms you don't want to leave.

Country houses where the fire is already lit. Restaurants worth dressing for. Three nights in Kenmare. The week we book for our own friends getting married.

Best for ·: Best for couples who want intimacy, not itinerary.
Pacing ·: Seven to ten days. Slow. Three bases at most.
Season ·: October fires, May light. Avoid August.