Touring the Beauties of Ireland

When touring Ireland, you have several options to choose from: tour via walking, cycling, paying a taxi or a driver, taking a bus, boarding the train, or renting a car and driving. Here are some ways to tour Ireland:

Touring Ireland by Driving

Should renting a car and doing your own driving strike your fancy. Here are a few things to know. The drivers in Ireland are typically polite and the traffic is more on the lighter side than being heavy. Like the rest of Britain, you drive on the left side of the road. The Irish roads tend to be very narrow but well maintained. They're stonewalled lined or lined by hedges and with slower speed limits, you'll feel like you're zooming by everything. Many times, you'll have to stop to let the traffic that's oncoming pass you. Be sure to check for convex mirrors that have been placed in the bushes and hedges so that you can check for cross traffic. Do keep in mind that sometimes taking a car is slower than you would think as many highways run directly through the middle of towns.

Touring Ireland by Train

Traveling by train is a good way to see the major villages including Waterford, Galway, and Cork. Those who backpack and bike may find taking the train useful. If you're trying to go from the west side of Ireland to Dublin, then traveling by train by be your quickest bet as even divided highways run smack dab in center of towns. However, taking the train around Ireland will limit you as their are many places such as Newgrange, Ring of Dingle, The Giants Causeway, and many rural areas in Ireland that the train cannot get you to. Many people combine train travel with bus and/or ferry. Touring Ireland by Bus

Touring by bus is very affordable. There is a huge variety of escorted bus tours with different themes and locations. Here are just a few: a "taste of Ireland" type tour where you get a tidbit of this area and that area including the foods of that location, an Irish heritage type of tour where you get to experience the deep traditions of Ireland the way it was, and a bus tour that focuses on the Irish legends and traditions.