scotland vs ireland
 

Hi, I am trying to plan the last few days of a trip to Europe early June 2009. I have a few days to spare at the end of my trip and am considering going to either Scotland or Ireland for 3-4 days. Any thoughts on which to visit for a short stay?

I love Scotland, but I also want to see more of Ireland so I'm probably not the person to answer.

Have you looked into your flight options to get home? I would probably lean toward the easiest way home.

Where will you be coming from - where does the rest of your trip end?

Think 3 or 4 days is too little for Ireland unless it would be Dublin and visiting Newgrange.

Haven't been to Scotland but have been researching it for a trip this year and decided on other countries instead. Think you could see something of Edinburgh and a bit of outlying countryside.

What sorts of things do you want to see/do?

3-4 days is not long enough for either "country". For one city and one day trip maybe. Edinburgh for 2 days and a coach tour to some part of the countryside (there are LOTS of day trips) would be about all you could manage.

I love Ireland. Dunblin - not so much. You'd have time for Dublin and a teensy bit of eastern Ireland - which really isn't the gorgeous bits. Those are mainly on the west and southwest coasts and inland from there. Not really doable from Dublin on such a short visit. You could fly into Shannon which is closer to the best bits - but not really doable in 3 days.

I love <b>LOVE</b> Scotland - that would be my choice. But 3-4 days is not a very long time.

I agree - 3 or 4 days is not enough really. I absolutely love Scotland, did a 3 week trip in June 2006 and would go back tomorrow if I could. I visited Ireland for about 10 days in 1999 in April and had miserable weather most of the time which I suspect has coloured my views a little. We loved the south west coast but didn´t like Dublin much at all and much prefered Edinburgh as a city.

My sense is that in limited time and assuming you start in the capital city, you would see more interesting places and stunning scenery closer to Edin than Dublin but others may correct me on that.

I, too, LOVE Scotland - have been there many times and simply cannot get enough of it. You cannot even describe how wonderful it is - there are no adequate words in the English language! Utterly fantastic.

Hi all-HELP! We are planning a trip in Feb, (must be Feb), and have to visit Amsterdam for several days, 3-4, and then trying to decide if there's enough to do in Scotland for the remaining 10 days or so. The total time we can take is 16 days so with travel from the US that doesn't leave a lot of time.

In reading posts it seems as if Scotland is the winner as to things to do and beauty.

Bottom line question is-would it be crazy to travel from the US and go to Amsterdam and Scotland only this time and not at least visit one place in Ireland? I'm a musician/writer, (Literture degree), thus Dublin is sacred to me almost so maybe Scotland and Dublin only? Thoughts? tks as always!

"In reading posts it seems as if Scotland is the winner as to things to do and beauty"

Hardly anyone on this thread is saying that. What several are saying is that Dublin's not as interesting as Edinburgh, and that you can't do justice to the rest of Ireland in 4 days. Because Ireland's glory is its villages and its coastline, abd it traditionally takes a long tine to get round (rotten public transport and slow roads, though that'll be changing by summer 2010).

Given a choice between Scotland and Ireland, and enough time, I'd take Ireland every time. But, IMHO, Dublin's attractions are pretty limited. You can certainly do them close to justice in a one dayish flying visit from Scotland (loads of flights from practically all Scotland's airports), though you really need to overnight in Dublin. Partly because of how long flying anywhere takes. But also because what's the point of being in Dublin without a night in its pubs?

lilajazz: Welcome to Fodors. A hint - you will likely do better if you start a new thread w/ your own questions, instead of tagging onto such an old thread which really doesn't apply to your situation.

I love both Scotland and Ireland, but with limited time, you really have to concentrate on what you love doing. Shopping? Beautiful cliffs? Lakes? Churches/abbeys? Music? History? Tell us (either of you) what you like, and we can make a better recommendation of which place/area would suit you best.

Greendragon: "<i>Tell us (either of you) what you like . . . </i>"

No 'either' -- the OP's post was from 2008 and her trip was last June (she hasn't been back since). Just lilajazz, who topped it.

tks for the quick feedback. I am a musician, (sing, guitar, dobro, piano, write), and love celtic music of all sorts, (especially the Wicked Tinkers based in so cal if anyone has heard them). That said, I also have a degree in Lit so both countries are so ripe with literary significance. Museums-love them-but also ghost tours. We will definitely go to Edinburgh for the tunnels.

Just seems a shame to go to Scotland and not get to at least part of Ireland so was hoping for some focus in Ireland as to cities, sites, (considering the interests noted and the fact that it will be Feb)...

tks

Duh! Missed the dates, sorry. Well, lilajazz, I think Ireland would have more for you in terms of music, but I would think Dublin's music scene to be a little touristy for you. If you want traditional music, going to the west (Galway, Doolin, Dingle) would probably be best.

Not to say you wouldn't find music in Scotland! You will - I can recall a fun session on the Isle of Skye in Dunvegan one night at the local pub :) There is a great music festival on Orkney in June, but I'm sure you can find some venues in Feb as well.

Awesome-that helps..tks.

I'm a big fan of Dublin, and don't always understand the great enthusiasm for the west, which is beautiful, but not nearly as interesting, in my opinion. You could certainly do a sane round about of Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Dublin, but it would involve a lot of trains and ferries, and really isn't enough time to get out into the countryside.

I find the west more unspoiled by modern Europe, so to speak - more Pure Irish, if that makes sense?

Yes, but in the heavily touristed places it's very deliberate, and in other places it's an artifact of mass depopulation in the 19th and 20th centuries, which is kind of depressing, to put it mildly.

It is a matter of taste, in the end, but I spent months in Dublin years ago, enjoyed it enormously, and certainly found plenty of things to explore on my recent trip.

That's true, and I didn't say I didn't enjoy Dublin. However, it's got less of an 'Ireland' feel to me, more of a 'European' feel, a little more generic than other places in the country. Part of it may be the overall 'this is a city' feeling, which detracts somewhat from the charm. Part of it may be the influx of many European nationalities, which you see more starkly in Dublin and other capital cities. Part of it may just be my own romanticism :P

Tour options from Dublin:

http://www.visitdublin.com/seeanddo/...in/dublin.aspx

http://www.railtoursireland.com/

http://www.dublintourist.com/tours/day_tours/

http://www.paddywagontours.com/viewtour.php?id=71

http://www.irelandexpert.com/dublin-...ountryside.htm

Bob

Hi all-saw my friend who is from Ireland last night who recommended the following must see places:
1)Dublin-Newgrange
2)Wicklow
3)Donegal
Would love to do it all but was wondering what anyone thought about an itineary that includes:

4 days-Amsterdam, (Feb so mostly a museum and visits with our newphew tour)
5 days Ireland
5 days Scotland

On Scotland-again, love to see it all but is it possible in 5 days to do justice to Edinburgh, Glasgow and up to the Highlands? Any recommendations on Highlands Highlights? I am actually writing a story that begins in Scotland so that's part of my focus.

You guys rock-glad I joined! I will be offering my thoughts after our trip in mid Feb for others to see....