Iceland or Ireland?
May 17th, 2006, 03:26 PM
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Iceland or Ireland?
Our stateside vacation plans with our grown kids pooped out, so DH and I are taking this as an opportunity to do a week overseas. We only have a week, and we've narrowed it down to either Iceland or Ireland. We've never been to either place; both sound fascinating! Our ideal of a great vacation is see some gorgeous scenery and/or historical sites and take in a little hiking. Thoughts from other Fodors?
May 17th, 2006, 04:17 PM
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Thanks - I read another post where you "must have" hotel reservations for Ireland. We winged it in Australia a few years back and didn't have any real problems finding a B&B. I wonder if that would be the same for either of these locales?
May 17th, 2006, 04:27 PM
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You will have no trouble finding B&B in Ireland. Why tie yourself down to a certain place and a certain time? We have traveled over 20 countries and our #l pick (four of us) is Ireland. The people are friendly and the singing is great fun in the pubs. (No smoking in Ireland Pubs)Also no one cared who our president was.
May 17th, 2006, 04:36 PM
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I would not recommend going to Iceland without hotel reservations. While you can probably find a place to stay, it could be quite costly. Do your research, know where you're staying and what it will cost. For hotels, the most cost-effective approach may be to package it with airfare through Icelandair.
May 17th, 2006, 05:34 PM
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Here's a vote for Iceland! Lots of great hiking in Thingvellir Park where the world's oldest democracy was founded. Some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen. You would be there in time for the puffins. Consider renting a car, driving is easy as they drive on the same side as US. The Hertz car rental sells CDs that give you a nice self guided tour of the Golden Circle (lots of history and hiking) or the Raykjanes Peninsula (hiking and the Blue Lagoon) so you can move at your own pace and stop for hikes and picnics. Reykajavik is a very European city with great museums, restaurants (yes, I did have great meals there!) but you can get away from it all in merely minutes in the car. Oh, and the Iceland ponies, a great way to take in the scenery when your feet wear out from hiking. Then soaking in the geothermal pools to prepare the the runtur, the Icelandic pub crawl.
I wouldn't recommend not going without reservations for your hotel. As already mentioned, Reykajvik is an expensive city, but if you plan ahead and take advantage of Icelandair's Lucky Fares and packages will help keep the cost reasonable.
I love Ireland too, but I'm biased towards Iceland just having been there three weeks ago. Both countries are amazingly beautiful and fun in their own way, but Iceland is really a unique experience in my opinion.
How many days will you be going for? Reykajvik is good for about 4 days (it is a small city), then you would want to consider moving on to another town or going around the ring road.
I wouldn't recommend not going without reservations for your hotel. As already mentioned, Reykajvik is an expensive city, but if you plan ahead and take advantage of Icelandair's Lucky Fares and packages will help keep the cost reasonable.
I love Ireland too, but I'm biased towards Iceland just having been there three weeks ago. Both countries are amazingly beautiful and fun in their own way, but Iceland is really a unique experience in my opinion.
How many days will you be going for? Reykajvik is good for about 4 days (it is a small city), then you would want to consider moving on to another town or going around the ring road.
May 17th, 2006, 09:09 PM
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Hi Amor - we *only* have 7 days. I'm still flip-flopping, but I need to make a quick decision (by Friday?) We'd fly out of either Baltimore or Philadelphia, so the airfares are comparable. We don't mind driving an hour or so each day to get to some pleasant scenery, etc., but I'm wondering if we should have a hotel "base" or just keep moving on - wherever we wind up going. (Ireland sounds so enchanting; Iceland sounds so interesting!)
May 18th, 2006, 03:54 AM
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My first choice would always be Iceland (provided the trip budget allowed).
But in your case, (with 7 days and a preference for historical sites) I'd go for Ireland and here's why:
1) If you had 3 or 4 days then you could easily spend that time in Reykjavik and the surrounding area.
2) If you had 10 days, that's just enough for a trip around the ring road of Iceland and a chance to see the whole country.
You can see you have inbetween which I think is the hardest time to make a good Iceland trip.
Iceland deserves much more than a stopover on another trip to or from the US. There's much more to it than a quick dip in the Blue Lagoon and a photo of Geysir before getting your next flight.
But in your case, (with 7 days and a preference for historical sites) I'd go for Ireland and here's why:
1) If you had 3 or 4 days then you could easily spend that time in Reykjavik and the surrounding area.
2) If you had 10 days, that's just enough for a trip around the ring road of Iceland and a chance to see the whole country.
You can see you have inbetween which I think is the hardest time to make a good Iceland trip.
Iceland deserves much more than a stopover on another trip to or from the US. There's much more to it than a quick dip in the Blue Lagoon and a photo of Geysir before getting your next flight.
May 18th, 2006, 06:48 AM
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I've been to both and they are so different it would be hard to choose but I would pick Iceland.
Scenery is spectacular, glaciers and waterfalls are breathtaking and so easy to get up close and see it all.
Scenery is spectacular, glaciers and waterfalls are breathtaking and so easy to get up close and see it all.
May 18th, 2006, 08:25 AM
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I've been to both and would definitely choose Iceland over Ireland. Ireland was beautiful and fun, but so developed with subdivisions that it seemed more like the U.S. I don't plan on going back.
I have been to Iceland twice and cannot wait to go back. The first trip was two weeks..we drove the ring road around the island. (it would be possible in 7 days if you skip Reykjavik.)
The second trip was 1 week. I returned to my favorite spot in Northern Iceland and hung around Reykjavik longer than I did the first time.
Iceland can be done very reasonably. (I was on a strict budget.) I carried in all the food I was allowed to (13lbs at the time), shopped in grocery stores for everything else I needed, and stayed in hostels. Hostels in Iceland are cheap, clean, fun, have private rooms and best of all provide kitchens so you can save a heap on dining. All of the natural attractions in Iceland are free. The extra fun tours (snowmobile, caving, horseback riding, whale watching) can be costly but extraordinary.
Good luck!
I have been to Iceland twice and cannot wait to go back. The first trip was two weeks..we drove the ring road around the island. (it would be possible in 7 days if you skip Reykjavik.)
The second trip was 1 week. I returned to my favorite spot in Northern Iceland and hung around Reykjavik longer than I did the first time.
Iceland can be done very reasonably. (I was on a strict budget.) I carried in all the food I was allowed to (13lbs at the time), shopped in grocery stores for everything else I needed, and stayed in hostels. Hostels in Iceland are cheap, clean, fun, have private rooms and best of all provide kitchens so you can save a heap on dining. All of the natural attractions in Iceland are free. The extra fun tours (snowmobile, caving, horseback riding, whale watching) can be costly but extraordinary.
Good luck!
May 18th, 2006, 06:24 PM
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Woo-hoo, we're goin' to Ireland! Thanks to all the great advice from fellow Fodorites, our trip looks like this:
Sat 6/3 - Arrive Dublin, explore
Sun 6/4 - Dublin/Newgrange
Mon 6/5 - Depart for Galway, Connemara (sp) Nat'l Park, overnight in Galway
Tue 6/6 - Explore Burren, Cliffs of Moher, overnight in either Shannon or Limerick
Wed 6/7 - Dingle Penisula, overnight in Killarney
Thu 6/8 - Iveragh Peninsula/Ring of Kerry, overnight in Killarney
Fri 6/9 - Flexible - Cork? Overnight in Shannon
Sat 6/10 - Return to US
How does this look to those of you experienced with traveling in Ireland? I've made the Dublin hotel reservations and the last night in Shannon reservations. We want to keep our schedule pretty flexible, and I'm pretty sure we can wing it during the week. I am so excited!!! Thanks for all the great help here!!!
Sat 6/3 - Arrive Dublin, explore
Sun 6/4 - Dublin/Newgrange
Mon 6/5 - Depart for Galway, Connemara (sp) Nat'l Park, overnight in Galway
Tue 6/6 - Explore Burren, Cliffs of Moher, overnight in either Shannon or Limerick
Wed 6/7 - Dingle Penisula, overnight in Killarney
Thu 6/8 - Iveragh Peninsula/Ring of Kerry, overnight in Killarney
Fri 6/9 - Flexible - Cork? Overnight in Shannon
Sat 6/10 - Return to US
How does this look to those of you experienced with traveling in Ireland? I've made the Dublin hotel reservations and the last night in Shannon reservations. We want to keep our schedule pretty flexible, and I'm pretty sure we can wing it during the week. I am so excited!!! Thanks for all the great help here!!!
May 18th, 2006, 07:22 PM
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DejaDeb,
Something that is essential to know about Ireland is that you will average 35 mph on your trip, if you are lucky. I suggest you go to this site: http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/routes/ Put your trip through it. When the mileage comes up divide by 35 to get your drive times. You will soon realize that your plan has you in your car all the time.
Narrow you focus, delete a few things, slow down and have a great time.
Something that is essential to know about Ireland is that you will average 35 mph on your trip, if you are lucky. I suggest you go to this site: http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/routes/ Put your trip through it. When the mileage comes up divide by 35 to get your drive times. You will soon realize that your plan has you in your car all the time.
Narrow you focus, delete a few things, slow down and have a great time.
May 19th, 2006, 02:04 AM
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DejaDeb. I grew up in Limerick and I would give it a miss - its really not a destinaton, neither is Shannon. IrishEyes is right about the distances also.
For the last night a cute although touristy town near shannon is Bunratty... at least you will have something to do. They are some very nice restaurants there. Its about 5 or 6 miles from the airport. Shannon is mainly an industrial park around the airport.
Newgrange is definitely worth the trip, also I just saw that a fab new hotel just opened in Galway if you want to splurge. Otherwise Galway is fun.
It will be a very tough day exploring the Burren and Co. Clare from Galway and then going on to Limerick that night. I would overnight somewhere along the coast in Co. Clare and enjoy the evening.
For the last night a cute although touristy town near shannon is Bunratty... at least you will have something to do. They are some very nice restaurants there. Its about 5 or 6 miles from the airport. Shannon is mainly an industrial park around the airport.
Newgrange is definitely worth the trip, also I just saw that a fab new hotel just opened in Galway if you want to splurge. Otherwise Galway is fun.
It will be a very tough day exploring the Burren and Co. Clare from Galway and then going on to Limerick that night. I would overnight somewhere along the coast in Co. Clare and enjoy the evening.
