1: If you love bright greens, you’ll love the landscapes of Ireland. I certainly did
2: Live music pubs. Even without the live music
3: That astonishingly rugged yet captivating coastline we all know from films, for instance the Causeway Coastal Route which runs for 100km up the Antrim coast from Larne to Portrush. The cliffs of Ireland really are as spectacular as in the movies
4. Fresh, brightly painted villages and cottages with thatched roofs. My favorite village was Inistoige, near Kilkenny
5. The cheerful directness of the locals (even towards strangers), their openness, their charming generosity, and the relaxed, laid-lack lifestyle in the countryside
6. The peace and mystery which pervades the rural landscapes, and the easy, tranquil atmosphere of the smaller towns
7. The seashore near Dublin, for instance the charming little town of Dalkey, and hilly Dingle in county Kerry.
8. Trim Castle (or King John’s Castle), a ruin, but one with an uncanny ability to transport you back in time
9. The ancient ’Brazen Head’ and ’Abbey Tavern’ pubs in Dublin
10. The early Christian ruins of Glendalough, in an evocative setting of woods and lakes
1. Rain is heavy and frequent, often combined with heavy winds
2. The continual obligation to drink more beer
3. The thick accent makes it hard to understand what everyone is laughing at in the pubs (though it doesn’t stop you sharing the good humor)
4. The shops close very early, and you have to plan your meals carefully – it’s impossible to get a hot meal anywhere between three and six, or after nine at night.
5. Many country roads are rough and narrow, and the local driving style is unpredictable (plus they drive on the wrong side!)
6. We underestimated the number of famous sights and places worth visiting
7. High prices in restaurants (bad price/value ratio) and Irish cooking is nothing very special. The menu options in pubs and restaurants were more or less the same everywhere
8. If you’re visiting the Aran Islands, not only do you have to buy an expensive ferry ticket, plus bike hire or a bus ticket once you arrive, but they even charge you €5 to visit the ancient hill fort of Dún Aonghasa
9. There are an unbelievable number of homeless people in Dublin (mostly from Eastern Europe)
10. You have to pay attention to your gas tank, because in many rural areas the only pump is at a little shop, and you can only fill up when the shop is open