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Ire-Scot-land
The Emerald Isle+
May the road rise up to meet you
Why
The Why, When & How to visit...
Whether you're a Harry Potter fan, pub lover, enjoy the music, architecture, history, landscapes or golf, Ireland & Scotland have a variety of draws to attract visitors to their lovely countries. Natural beauty with UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Cliffs of Moher, Giant's Causeway & Scottish Highlands. Palaces, castles, and Highland cattle. The architecture, history, and even the tasty salmon are worth a visit.
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This is a combined Travel Guide for Ireland & Scotland centered around the capital cities of Dublin & Edinburgh, respectively with Day Trip options from both. Worth noting - The majority of Ireland is its own country - The Republic of Ireland is part of the European Union and uses the Euro for currency. The northern most 6 counties comprise Northern Ireland, which along with Scotland (Wales & England too) comprise the United Kingdom and use the Great Britain Pound (GBP). At the time of writing in April 2025, Ireland has an open border with no border control passing from the Republic of Ireland into Northern Island. Nor was there any passport control flying from Dublin into Edinburgh, Scotland at the time.
When
How
There are direct flights to Dublin from most major cities in the US, Canada & Europe primarily through Ireland's airline Aer Lingus. Edinburgh has fewer direct flights from the US, but is an easy 70 min flight from Dublin or London or a 4-5 hour train from London Kings Cross and Euston stations. Both airports are about a 20 minute drive from the cities with public bus options that take about 40 minutes to reach the city center.
Ireland and Scotland maintain mild temperatures with consistent average rain year-round. Summer is the most popular time to visit with the warmest temperatures, but I enjoyed visiting in Spring with the flowers in bloom and baby lambs newly born. Fall also seems like a nice time to visit for sweater weather. Visiting in March for St. Patrick's Day is also a popular time in Dublin & Ireland.
Where
to stay...
In Dublin, Ireland:
1) Zanibar Locke - Centrally located on the north end of the river, Zanibar Locke provides a great, fresh, contemporary accommodation in a historic loft building. The rooms vary in size from studios to suites with some rooms containing a kitchenette, washer & dryer, seating area & spacious bathroom. Rooms are colorful & cheerful with fun geometric design aesthetic. The hotel also has an airy lobby seating area, restaurant & gym. More details on the hotel, along with the ability to book is accessible here.
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2) The Fleet - The Fleet is located in the center of the action in the Temple Bar area near Trinity College and the main shopping & dining area of Dublin. It is in a historic building with a lobby oozing with charm and more recently renovated guest rooms. There is a restaurant serving a daily breakfast buffet, courtyard terrace, business center, and 2 bars. Rooms are simple, but have a variety of bed configurations to fit a variety of guest needs. More details on the hotel, along with the ability to book is accessible here.
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In Edinburgh, Scotland:
3) 100 Princes Street - Newly opened in April 2024, 100 Princes Street is what Scottish hotel dreams are made of. No detail was overlooked in this luxurious 30 room boutique hotel complete with impeccable stately decor. Rooms vary in size from cozy doubles to suites with high-end bedding with Scottish plaid accents & high-end marble bathrooms. The hotel contains a brilliant restaurant & bar only available to hotel guests (aka "residents"). The hotel is centrally located on Princes Street, which is the main street of the New Town. More details on the hotel, along with the ability to book is accessible here.
4) The Virgin Hotel Edinburgh - Virgin Hotels continues to raise the hospitality bar on the cities it graces and The Virgin Hotel Edinburgh is no exception. Opened in March 2023, Virgin Hotels transformed historic 1864 buildings in Edinburgh's Old Town into the coolest hotel in town. Rooms have the standard Virgin Hotel format with the dressing area & SMEG refrigerator. The hotel also has several cool F&B options and a gym. More details on the hotel, along with the ability to book is accessible here.
What
Do
to...
1) Explore the Cities - Both Dublin & Edinburgh have great parks & castles to explore with St. Stephen's Green & Dublin Castle in Dublin and Princes Street Gardens & Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh. Other popular attractions include visiting the Book of Kells Long Room Library at Trinity College in Dublin and the Palace of Holyroodhouse House, home of HRH in Edinburgh. In Dublin, visiting the Guinness Storehouse is a popular experience, along with a Jameson Irish Whiskey tasting at the Jameson Distillery. In Edinburgh, there's a new Johnnie Walker Experience with a great rooftop terrace overlooking Edinburgh Castle and a great view from the W Hotel rooftop.
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2) Experience the Cliffs of Moher - Getting to experience the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland was one of the main reasons I wanted to return to Ireland. Made famous in several movies, the Cliffs of Moher are dramatic seaside cliffs that reach 700 ft of elevation at their peak and stretch for 9 miles. However, due to frequent casualties of people falling off the cliffs, only a small section was available to walk during my visit in April 2025 where it was safe to do so with a short stone wall barrier. The Cliffs of Moher are located on the West Coast of Ireland, a 3.5 hour drive across the country from Dublin.
They can be visited as a Day Trip from Dublin like this one or on a road trip to or from Galway, a 1.5 hour drive north. There are also tours that stop in Galway and can coordinate staying there and return a different day. The tour will typically allocate 1.5-2 hours of time at the Cliffs, which was a sufficient amount to walk the accessible area. A tour will also coordinate entrance tickets, which are capped each day. There are also boat rides available to take looking up at the Cliffs of Moher.
If visiting on your own, tickets can be purchased directly through the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Center here and should be purchased online in advance to secure a specific arrival date & time. Being on the Atlantic Ocean pretty far north, there can be very cold wind at the cliffs even on a nice sunny day to bring a warm secure hat to keep your ears warm that won't blow off. Other visitor information to note is available on the Cliffs of Moher website here. ​​
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3) Visit Giant's Causeway - While I was most excited to see the Cliffs of Moher, I actually enjoyed the Day Tour to Giant's Causeway much more. Giant's Causeway is an area of ~40,000 interlocking basalt columns created by an ancient volcanic fissure eruption. Unlike the Cliffs of Moher where visitors are looking out & down at the cliffs (unless in a boat), at Giant's Causeway visitors are at sea level to look up at the stunning cliffs surrounding unique rock formations and able to go on short hikes around the area.
It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and considered one of the Top 4 Natural Sites to see in the UK. It's located in Northern Island (part of the UK) at one of the furthest north points of Ireland, along the North Atlantic Ocean, a 3.5 hour drive north of Dublin and 1.5 hour drive north of Belfast. A tour may include stops in Belfast to learn about its complicated history & see the Titantic Experience, where the Titantic ship was built, and Bushmills where the famous Irish Whiskey is distilled, along with other interesting stops. ​​​
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4) Venture to the Scottish Highlands - There are a variety of options to venture out to the Scottish Highlands - the area of northwest Scotland with higher elevation. I chose this Day Tour from Edingburgh to the Glenfinnan Viaduct made famous by the Harry Potter movies, which the Hogwarts Express train travels on to reach Hogwarts. Not only was seeing the Glenfinnan Viaduct cool (even for this non-Harry Potter fan), but it was a great itinerary for stops to see other highlights on the Scotland Highlands. ​
Eat
In Ireland, try the oysters, leek & potato soup, and Irish stew with Irish bread & butter​. Scotland is known for its haggis, cullen skink soup, and Scottish meat pie. My favorite item in both countries was the smoked salmon. The food at The Oliver St. John Gogarty Restaurant & Pub in Dublin was top notch and The Magnum in Edinburgh.
Drink
Experience Guinness beer direct from the source at the Guinness Storehouse and enjoy a Jameson Irish Whiskey tasting at the Jameson Distillery both in Dublin. Taste Scotch Whiskey at the new Johnnie Walker Experience in Edinburgh with a great rooftop terrace and Drambruie for a sweeter option. Be sure to also try non-alcoholic Irn-bru soda only available in Scotland.
*If of legal drinking age to drink responsibly
Wear
Warm & Waterproof
Sweaters & Wellies
Tartan & Tweed
Watch
Listen
"Beautiful Day"
by U2 &
"I'm Going to Be"
by The Proclaimers
Gift
Check out Gift & Souvenir ideas here!