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Packing List for Ireland: What to Bring for Every Season
Traveling to Ireland and not sure what to pack for your trip? No worries, we have you covered with the ultimate Ireland packing list.
July 23, 2024
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From breathtaking landscapes to unique cultural experiences, Ireland has plenty to offer to travelers from all over the world. But packing your bags for Ireland isn’t easy. With the weather sometimes changing several times a day, you need to be ready to take on any conditions when you visit Ireland.
To help you prepare, we’ve come up with the ultimate Ireland packing list, complete with all the essentials you’ll want to pack before your visit to the Emerald Isle.
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Seasonal clothes
Some joke that you can experience all four seasons in a single day in Ireland. However, the weather is still seasonal, and the clothing you pack will depend on when you plan to visit Ireland.
Summer clothing
Just like the UK, Ireland has a reputation for getting plenty of rain and cloudy weather. However, that’s not always the case, with heatwaves becoming more and more common in recent years. No matter what, you’ll want to prepare for both rain and sunshine. Pack some T-shirts, shorts, and a sundress, but don’t forget to bring a sweater and some pants with you as well.
If you plan on doing some hiking, make sure to pack a lightweight rain jacket and at least one pair of waterproof hiking boots. Protecting yourself from the rain is crucial if you want to stay warm and comfortable.
Early mornings and late nights can also get pretty chilly, so if you’re sensitive to the cold, you may want to consider packing a scarf, a warm hat, and some gloves. However, they’re far from a must in the summer.
Winter clothing
Thanks to being surrounded by the coast, Ireland’s winters are not as harsh and cold as they are in many other European countries. That said, you’ll still need to pack some warmer clothes. The temperature usually ranges between 4°C and 8°C (39°F-47°F). Snow and below-freezing weather are rare but not unheard of.
Therefore, you’ll definitely want to pack a warm hat, gloves, and some warm socks. You can expect quite a lot of rain in the wintertime, so it’s also a good idea to add rain gear to your Ireland packing list.
You may be able to get away with just wearing a warm sweater with a rain jacket, but it’d be a good idea to pack a warm coat with a warm pair of pants just in case a cold front hits the country during your Ireland trip.
Spring/Fall Clothing
Both spring and fall average temperatures are right around 10°C (50°F). Perfect if you love sweater-weather moody walks in the hills surrounded by fog. Your packing list for these seasons shouldn’t be that much different from what you pack for the winter, with just a little less super warm clothing.
No matter when you visit Ireland, you’re likely to get some rain. So if you’re planning to spend a lot of time outdoors, make sure you pack everything you need to stay dry.
Medications and hygiene essentials
While Ireland has no shortage of pharmacies and stores where you can get hygiene supplies, you might still want to pack your own. If you use prescription medication, you may not be able to get it in Ireland. Make sure to pack enough to cover your trip, and you might want to have the prescription with you in case airport security has any questions.
Hygiene supplies, such as deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, lip balm, etc., are simply nice to have wherever you go. Whether it’s for keeping yourself fresh at the airport when your flight gets delayed or simply having everything ready and not needing to worry about it when you arrive in Ireland.
Travel documents
As with all international travel, you’ll want to make sure you have all the necessary documents well in advance. You’ll need all the usual stuff, and you may need an Irish visa, depending on where you’re traveling from. U.S. citizens can visit Ireland for up to 90 days without a Visa, but that’s not the case for some other countries.
Here’s a quick rundown of the documents you’ll want to add to your Ireland packing list:
- Passport;
- Health insurance;
- Travel insurance;
- Plane tickets;
- Driver’s license;
- Visa (if required).
You won’t even be able to board the plane without having a passport or your plane tickets with you. Having health and travel insurance provides peace of mind when it comes to most travel-related accidents. And having your driver’s license with you allows you to rent a car and move around Ireland freely.
It’s also always a good idea to keep copies of your documents in a separate place. That way, if you lose them, you’ll at least have copies with all the essential information there.
Choose your luggage
Before you start packing, you need something you can pack the essentials into. Choosing the right suitcase or backpack for airplane travel is crucial. All airlines have different descriptions of what they consider to be carry on luggage. Make sure your bag fits that description, otherwise, you might have to pay extra to check your bag or pay an oversize fee.
Checked bags aren’t free from restrictions either. Most of them have a weight and size limit which varies between airlines. So check the size and weight of your luggage before you arrive at the airport to avoid paying any extra fees.
You might want to pack a compact day bag within your luggage as well. It should be just big enough to allow you to pack for a day trip once you arrive in Ireland. That way, you won’t have to carry around a large backpack everywhere you go.
Take care of your internet connection
Data roaming charges can cost you a fortune when traveling abroad. Thankfully, there are much cheaper and more convenient options you can rely on. Getting an eSIM card is arguably the best one, since you can purchase and set up your eSIM online without having to buy a local SIM card or visiting a carrier.
You can also buy the eSIM in advance and activate it as soon as you land in Ireland. That way, you’ll have an internet connection at all times during your trip.
Holafly offers affordable eSIM plans for Ireland with unlimited data. If you’ll be traveling to more countries in Europe during the same holiday, you can get a Europe plan that provides coverage in the entire continent with a single eSIM.
Essential electronics
We live in a digital age, so traveling without some electronic devices seems impossible. There’s no need to take everything you have when you pack for Ireland, but having your phone and a way to keep it charged is a must.
Keep in mind that sockets in Ireland are different from those in the US, which means you’ll need a travel adapter to plug in your charger and other devices. You might also want to take a power bank with you, just in case your phone runs out of battery when you’re away from your hotel.
What should I pack for a 7-day trip to Ireland?
To quickly recap the information above, here’s a checklist for everything you’d need to pack if you visited Ireland for 7 days. Feel free to use it as a basis for your own checklist and adjust it by adding items that you can’t imagine traveling without.
Clothing
- Rain jacket;
- Waterproof boots;
- Both warm and light socks;
- Several t-shirts;
- Enough underwear to cover the trip;
- Shorts, skirt, or a dress for warm days;
- Warm pants and a couple of sweaters for cold days;
- Scarf;
- Warm hat (not during summer);
- Gloves (not during summer);
- Warm coat (not during summer);
- Light jacket for cool summer evenings.
Documents
- Passport;
- Health insurance;
- Travel insurance;
- Plane tickets;
- Driver’s license;
- Visa (if required).
Medication and hygiene essentials
- Any prescription medication;
- Toothbrush;
- Toothpaste;
- Deodorant;
- Shampoo;
- Body and face wash;
- Lip balm;
- Wet wipes;
- Sunscreen for the summer months.
Electronics
- Cell phone;
- Travel adapter;
- Phone charger;
- Power bank;
- Laptop and/or tablet (if you use them frequently);
- eSIM card for internet connection.
Enjoy your trip to Ireland
With your bags packed, you should be ready for an amazing trip to Ireland. Take some time to truly appreciate what it has to offer.
Visit the Killarney National Park or the Wicklow Mountains to see the stunning, diverse nature of the country. Or walk the streets of Dublin, enjoying friendly banter with the locals and maybe even a cheeky pint of Guinness at the local pub. You’re in Ireland, after all.
The list above should just about have you covered, no matter what you do. Explore the major cities or wander through the Irish countryside, knowing that you have everything you need with you.
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FAQ
The clothing choices in Ireland depend on the season. Wintertime requires some warmer clothing, including warm hats, gloves, and jackets. Summertime weather is usually quite pleasant, and you can get away with wearing just shorts and a T-shirt.
One thing is for sure, though — Ireland gets quite a lot of rain, so make sure to have an umbrella or a waterproof jacket ready whenever you visit.
While it might be a bit cold for leggings in the winter in Ireland, you can definitely wear them whenever the weather is good enough. Usually, the temperatures from mid-to-late spring through mid-to-late fall are perfect for leggings.
The amount of money you’ll need in Ireland depends heavily on what you plan on doing. On average, around €300 per person should be enough to cover multiple meals in the town, groceries, snacks, and other little things you might want to buy while in the country.
