Emerald Isle Week 6 - Best times of year to visit Ireland

Welcome back everyone! After a brief hiatus the weekly blog posts are back! This week we have an important topic for those looking to plan a trip to Ireland. The time of year you travel is almost just as important as the destination itself. Factors like weather, festivals, and other events all can make or break your trip. So, this week we will be discussing the best times of the year to travel to Ireland and why, so let's dive in! 
Most people, even if you have not traveled to Ireland, know that Ireland is infamous for rain and clouds. However, there are some periods of the year where travelers will see better weather. Summer is the obvious answer here when temperatures will reach Mid-Upper 60s and you will see more sunshine. This time of year schools are also out of session in Ireland so there are many festivals, carnivals and gatherings, so this is a perfect time of year to see the buzz around the various cities. The only real downside to this time of year is prices for travel are at their peaks, airfare and hotels will cost you a pretty penny. I would still recommend this time of the year as the best time to travel especially for first time travelers to Ireland .
Spring and fall bring similar weather patterns to Ireland, with temperatures in the mid 50s and long days. The weather is slightly crisper, and children are back in school so you can expect less crowds in some of the tourist hubs throughout the cities. There is less activity overall so if you are looking for festivals and parties, this may not be the season for you to visit Ireland. This is not to say that there is nothing to do by any means, just less in comparison to summer. On the plus side, airline prices especially start to fall as well as hotel and Airbnb costs, so if you do not mind less going on and slightly cooler weather, visiting in spring or fall may be for you! 
The last season is Winter and were going to split this up into 2 sections, Christmas time and non-Christmas time. The Christmas time is a fantastic time to visit Ireland as long as you can handle the very cold weather. The towns light up with festivals and markets and there are smaller crowds as well. Some prices can rise slightly around the holiday but are generally lower than peak summer season. As for the non-Christmas season, there is not much going on in Ireland and some attractions might have different hours for the off season. Prices are at their lowest in January and February so if you are looking to travel on a budget, this is the time of year for you!
Thanks for reading this week's edition of the Emerald Isle! We have a few more weeks of these blog posts coming and that will conclude our summer series. As always, if you are ready to book your Ireland trip or anywhere else contact the experts at Port of Call Travel to book your vacation of a lifetime!