Ireland travel guide

Best time to visit Ireland from the UK

Best value: Mar–May, Sep–Oct. May–Sep: mild and long days. Busiest and priciest: Jun–Aug.

Each bar is the average temperature in Dublin for that month, and its colour shows the season for visitors: best value (good weather, fewer crowds and lower prices), busiest and priciest, or quiet (off-peak, sometimes because the weather is poorer).

• Our pick: September and OctoberThe warmest of the best-value months (11–14°C), with fewer crowds than peak season.
• Peak season: Jun–AugUsually 14–15°C. The busiest time, so book flights and rooms early and expect higher prices.
• Quiet season: Nov–FebAround 6–8°C. The cheapest and least crowded time, but cold, so pack layers.
• Warmest: July (15°C) · coolest: February (6°C)A 9°C swing between the warmest and coolest months.

Festivals and events

• St Patrick's Day Mar · Nationwide
• Galway International Arts Festival Jul · Galway
• Rose of Tralee Aug · Tralee

Festival dates move from year to year: check before you book.

Getting there from the UK

Flight time

About 1h

Distance

445 km

Main airport

DUB

Flight times are straight-line estimates for a direct flight from Heathrow; journeys with a change take longer.

Add Ireland to your bucket list Search flights to DUB

Practical info and travel guidance

• VisaNo visa neededCommon Travel Area: no visa or time limit
• HealthcareGHIC acceptedYour UK GHIC covers necessary state healthcare. Still take travel insurance.
• LGBT+ travellersLegal and broadly accepted
• Women travellersNo specific FCDO warningTake the usual precautions.

For British passport holders, summarised from the FCDO's advice for Ireland, checked October 2026. FCDO page last updated 4 September 2026. Rules change: read the official FCDO travel advice for Ireland before you book and again before you go.