There’s so much to see and do in Ireland, the challenge is how to fit it all in. One way is to get your own place. You can book apartments worldwide via wimdu.co.uk, from studios in New York to beach villas in Australia. Many people have booked an apartment in Dublin @ wimdu, and it’s proven a great way to see Ireland. It’s such a small island that with a base in Dublin it’s possible to make day trips or weekend trips all around the country, getting to experience the natural beauty of the Connemara landscape, the gourmet food of Cork, and the vibrant nightlife of Belfast, all in one holiday.
A possible itinerary? Spend some time in Dublin admiring some of the best-preserved Georgian architecture in the world. Follow the Liffey down to the Guinness brewery and see where the magic happens. If Guinness isn’t your tipple of choice, cross the river to the Jameson Whiskey Distillery for another guided tour. But in spite of what you may have heard, there’s more to Dublin than booze, and if you’re tired of looking at vats of alcohol, there are plenty of great museums, galleries and shops to check out. Day trips around the city include the picturesque monastery at Gleandalough and the 5000 year-old Stone Age passage tomb at Newgrange.
Further afield, the West of Ireland is about a 3 hour drive from Dublin, and boasts some truly breath-taking scenery. Connemara is an important stop for any Yeats-enthusiasts, and the Burren in Limerick is one of the largest karst landscapes in Europe. If you want to visit London for a short-time visit, you can also book rooms on http://www.wimdu.co.uk/london.
Further south, Cork is renowned as much for the fierce independence of its people (as any Corkman will tell you, Cork is the real capital of Ireland) as for their extraordinary hospitality. Cork holds a jazz festival every October that attracts major acts from around the world, and is well worth attending.
