# Ireland

Direct flights to Dublin from thirteen Spanish airports and, within an hour or two, Newgrange, Glendalough, Kilkenny and the Cliffs of Moher.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/ireland · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## Datos clave

| Dato | Valor |
|---|---|
| Mejor época | April – June · September |
| Noches recomendadas | 4 to 7 |
| Cómo moverse | Train, bus and organised tours; car for the west |
| Aeropuerto | Dublin (DUB) |
| Ideal para | City, history, pubs and countryside |

## Why Ireland from Spain?

Because it is two and a half hours away by plane, and almost everything people come looking for fits into a week based in Dublin. The capital is small and easy to explore on foot: Trinity College with the Book of Kells, Kilmainham Gaol, the Guinness factory and pubs with live music. And within two hours, by train, bus or day tour, you have the postcard Ireland: 5,000-year-old tombs in the Boyne Valley, a monastery among lakes in the Wicklow Mountains, a medieval town with a castle and, on the Atlantic coast, the Cliffs of Moher.

Ireland here means the Republic of Ireland, with Dublin as its capital and the euro as its currency. Northern Ireland, with Belfast and the Giant's Causeway, is a different country: it is part of the United Kingdom and has its own entry rules. This guide starts with the Republic.

## How do you get there?

By plane, to Dublin (DUB). Aer Lingus flies from Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, Bilbao, Alicante, Seville, Santiago, Asturias, Palma, Tenerife South, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura; Ryanair, Iberia and Vueling cover many of those routes. From Madrid or Barcelona it takes about two and a half hours. The airport is about ten kilometres from the centre, and the Dublin Express and Aircoach coaches drop you in the city centre in around thirty minutes.

Documents. A valid national ID card (DNI) or passport is enough. Ireland is in the European Union but not in Schengen, so there is passport control on arrival. Bring your European Health Insurance Card. If you plan to cross into Northern Ireland, check that your insurance covers the UK.

## How do you get around?

Without a car you can do almost everything we suggest. In Dublin, the Leap Visitor card gives unlimited travel on buses, trams (Luas) and commuter trains (DART) for one, three or seven days. Irish Rail trains leave from Heuston for Kilkenny (a good hour and a half) and Galway (about two hours and a quarter). For Glendalough there is a daily bus from St Stephen's Green, and for Newgrange and the cliffs, day tours by coach leave from the city centre every morning.

By car, remember that you drive on the left, with the steering wheel on the right, and that a Spanish driving licence is valid. Motorways are good; minor roads are narrow and lined with stone walls. Hiring a car is worthwhile for the west, not for Dublin.

## What to see and how to combine it

Dublin, three or four days, with half a day in Howth or at Malahide Castle, both reached by commuter train.

Malahide, 25 minutes by DART: the Talbot family's castle, its gardens and Portmarnock beach. Ten minutes from the airport, it makes a good first or last night.

Powerscourt and Enniskerry, about 20 km to the south: terraced gardens, Ireland's highest waterfall and a whiskey distillery. Easy to combine with Glendalough by car.

Newgrange and the Boyne Valley, an hour to the north: the Newgrange tomb, Knowth and the Hill of Tara.

Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains, an hour to the south: St Kevin's monastery and trails among the lakes.

Kilkenny, an hour and a half away: castle, cathedral with a round tower and the Medieval Mile. Combine it with Glendalough in one day.

Galway and the Cliffs of Moher, on the west coast, two hours and a quarter by train: best with one or two nights.

The Rock of Cashel, in Tipperary, under two hours by car or on the 245X bus: the hill of the kings of Munster, with Hore Abbey at its foot.

Cobh and Cork, in the south, two and a half hours by train to Cork and 25 minutes more to the harbour: the Titanic Experience and Spike Island, best with one or two nights.

## When to go

The climate is mild and damp all year round: never very cold or very hot, with rain on and off. May, June and September are the best months: long days, green countryside and fewer people than in July and August. In June it does not get dark until after ten. In winter the days are short, some sights shorten their hours and the tours at Newgrange change, but Dublin works well and the pubs are at their best. Always bring a waterproof jacket and shoes that can take the wet.

## Consejos

### Book timed visits
Kilmainham, Newgrange and the Book of Kells are sold in time slots and sell out in season. Kilmainham sells only on its official website.

### Do not hire a car for Dublin
The centre is easy on foot and by public transport. If you want a car for the west, pick it up the day you leave the city.

### Have a plan for the rain
Free museums in Dublin, visitor centres at Moher and Brú na Bóinne. Rain rarely lasts all day.

### Check the winter timetable
From November to February many sights close earlier and some tour routes are reduced.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### Can I go to Ireland with a Spanish ID card?
Yes. A valid DNI or passport is enough. Ireland is not in Schengen, so there is a document check on arrival.

### From which Spanish cities are there direct flights to Dublin?
Aer Lingus publishes flights from Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, Bilbao, Alicante, Seville, Santiago, Asturias, Palma, Tenerife South, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Ryanair, Iberia and Vueling also fly from several of them.

### Do they drive on the left?
Yes, with the steering wheel on the right. A Spanish licence is accepted. If you do not feel comfortable, everything near Dublin can be done by train, bus or organised tour.

### How many days do I need?
Four or five days for Dublin with two day trips. With a week you can add two nights in Galway for the Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands.

### What currency is used?
The euro. Almost everything is paid by card, including in pubs and taxis.

### Is Northern Ireland a different country?
Yes. Belfast and the Giant's Causeway are in the United Kingdom. There are coaches and day tours from Dublin, but take your passport and check the UK entry rules before you go.