I meet my friend every year for a short visit. This year our usual destination is too expensive and we are looking for other options. Ireland (Dublin) is one and so is Iceland. We usually meet up for about 5 days. Which destination would you recommend and why?

They are both expensive locations!

Iceland would be pretty reasonable (if not downright cheap) right now and you'd be helping out the local economy.

If they are both expensive, then where else would you recommend? I am coming from US Northeast, and she is coming from Russia. Also, isn't Iceland dark most of the time in January? Both locations have relatively inexpensive airfares. Thanks!

That's a challenge. I infer that you want to find a place that is about midway between your bases, and then there is the airfare variable.

Central and eastern Europe are generally cheaper (and colder): Berlin and Budapest are both much less expensive for accommodation and meals than Dublin. Spain and particularly Portugal also allow your money to go further. France outside Paris is not too bad.

If airfares (and routes) restrict your choices greatly and you consider to consider Ireland, your money goes further outside Dublin.

Apart from meeting, what do you want from this trip?

I have not been to Iceland, but I too live in the northeast and have travelled to Ireland twice in January; it's like our spring--lots of green grass,the daffodils are out, few tourists, etc. Our hosts thought we were crazy to come at that time of the year, but I reminded them of the weather we had left. There were a few places closed for the season, but I would imagine that won't be the case in Dublin.