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-   -   Ireland/Scottland (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/ireland-scottland-666015/)

ajn Dec 25th, 2006 07:03 AM

Ireland/Scottland
 
My husband and I would like to plan a trip in May to Ireland and Scottland with our 22 and 19 year olds. We would love suggestions for an itinerary (cities to visit and how you got from city to city) What is the easiest way to see both Scottland and Ireland in about 10 days. Any information including reasonable hotels would be appreciated. An additional help is welcomed.

janisj Dec 25th, 2006 07:14 AM

&quot;<i>What is the easiest way to see both Scottland and Ireland in about 10 days.</i>&quot;

I assume you mean 10 days total (not 10 days for each country). If so I STRONGLY urge you to pick one of them and not try to squeeze two wonderful countries into such a short time frame.

As for advice - no way to help w/o more infor from you. Both are big places and even 10 days isn't long enough to more than scratch the surface. So - what sorts of things do you want to see/do? Castles? Golf? Shopping? Seaside? Mountains? Family history? Art galleries/mueseum? Or whatever? Do you want to drive or use trains/buses?

A few things to consider:

Driving is slow - especially in parts of Ireland. In vast areas of rural Scotland and Ireland you will be lucky to average 35-40 mph.

You lose a day traveling to and back from the British Isles. Then you lose almost a day when you first arrive due to jet lag and acclimating to where you are. And then you'd lose another 1/2 day or so traveling from Ireland to Scotland (which I'm not recommending in any case).

So you 10 days will really be about 7+ days free to tour around - barely enough to visit Edinburgh and a couple of areas in the highlands or islands of Scotland, or for Dublin and the SW of Ireland.

janisj Dec 25th, 2006 07:15 AM

&quot;<i>What is the easiest way to see both Scottland and Ireland in about 10 days.</i>&quot;

I assume you mean 10 days total (not 10 days for each country). If so I STRONGLY urge you to pick one of them and not try to squeeze two wonderful countries into such a short time frame.

As for advice - no way to help w/o more infor from you. Both are big places and even 10 days isn't long enough to more than scratch the surface. So - what sorts of things do you want to see/do? Castles? Golf? Shopping? Seaside? Mountains? Family history? Art galleries/museums? Or whatever? Do you want to drive or use trains/buses?

A few things to consider:

Driving is slow - especially in parts of Ireland. In vast areas of rural Scotland and Ireland you will be lucky to average 35-40 mph.

You lose a day traveling to and back from the British Isles. Then you lose almost a day when you first arrive due to jet lag and acclimating to where you are. And then you'd lose another 1/2 day or so traveling from Ireland to Scotland (which I'm not recommending in any case).

So you 10 days will really be about 7+ days free to tour around - barely enough to visit Edinburgh and a couple of areas in the highlands or islands of Scotland, or for Dublin and the SW of Ireland.

janisj Dec 25th, 2006 07:16 AM

oops - sorry about the double post . . . .

Craigellachie Dec 27th, 2006 04:32 PM

I'm with Janis (all three of her). Pick one or the other and give yourself time to enjoy it. My completely unbiased advice would be to pick Scotland of course.

DANNYBOYOH Dec 27th, 2006 05:12 PM

STAY IN ONE OR THE OTHER FOR 7 DAYS....IF YOUR DEAD SET ON SCOTLAND, I'D GO TO DUBLIN, AND JUST STAY THERE FOR 3 DAYS....SEE THE SIGHTS...LOTS OF FUN FOR TEENAGERS, AND A GOOD INTRO TO IRELAND WITHOUT RENTING CARS, ETC....TAKE A DOUBLE DECKER BUS TOUR, GET ON AND GET OFF AT YOUR LIESURE....
IN SAYING ALL THAT, I'D JUST HIT IRELAND FOR THE FULL TEN DAYS...RENT A CAR AND TAKE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.....DON'T MISS MATT MOLLOY'S PUB IN WESTPORT! CHEERS, ENOCH'S IRISH PUB


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