Irish Independent Travel

10/12/2025

All tourists, whether they require a visa or not, may have to undergo social media screenings to enter the US.

Under a proposal filed this week by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), travellers (including from Esta countries like Ireland) would have to submit five years of their social media history for review... as well as details like email addresses used over the past 10 years, and phone numbers used over the past five.

Read more at independent.ie/travel ✈️

09/12/2025

'A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles, as travel writer Tim Cahill said. As a writer who frequently travels to Canada, I couldn’t agree more... and it seems like Irish people agree.'

There were 32,608 visitors from Ireland to Canada in the first half of this year - up 13.8pc on the same period last year, according to Statistics Canada. There are more direct flights from airlines like Aer Lingus, Air Canada and WestJet, too.

At the same time, visits to the US have remained relatively flat this year, and its immigration policies and political rhetoric have seen Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs change its travel advice to warn holidaymakers that officials can access devices, request passwords, and check social media activity.

With stunning scenery and cultural experiences another reason to visit, could a broader change be afoot? Read MaryRose Denton's story on independent.ie/travel ✈️🇨🇦

09/12/2025

Thursday sees the opening of the new Guinness Open Gate Brewery in London. Costing €83m, it's a big punt on the stout in a city obsessed with splitting the G, but what's it like inside?

Meadhbh McGrath got a preview of a £30 tour that takes you behind the scenes, and includes tasting flights of brews and a baby pint... though you'll have to pay extra for a 'stoutie'.

Read the full story on independent.ie/travel

08/12/2025

Dublin Airport says Friday, December 19 and Sunday, December 28 will be two of its busiest days this Christmas, with over 110,000 and 115,000 passengers respectively...

Irish airports are preparing to welcome hundreds of thousands of passengers in the run-up to Christmas.

05/12/2025

In winter, Waterford transforms into a captivating winter wonderland, offering visitors and locals a magical festive atmosphere

Waterford, Ireland’s oldest city and the most scenic county, is rich in history, delicious cuisine, and unique culture, all coming together to create a unique tourism experience. In winter, it transforms into a captivating winter wonderland, offering visitors and locals a magical festive atmospher...

04/12/2025

4 years on, Knock's Ireland West Airport is closing in on a million passengers a year, but still feels like a chilled-out counterpoint to Dublin, writes Pól Ó Conghaile.

'There are no shuttle buses, the airport closes overnight, and a pint of Guinness costs €6.50. Croagh Patrick can be seen from the control tower, where we watch a Ryanair plane pull up beside a white statue of the Virgin Mary.

'“Come here once, and you won’t look back,” Donal Healy says with a smile, touting the “stress-free nature” of the place...'

Read more about the airport's ambitions, atmosphere, and hopes for a transatlantic route one day on independent.ie/travel ✈️

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23/11/2025

✈️Nothing says luxury like a plane with its very own bar. Flying business class is boujie enough, but when you can get up out of your (lie-flat) seat, and hop on a stool for a glass of Champagne at 30,000 feet? Well, that’s next level.

Brady is far more used to life at the back of a plane, but got to sample a taste of the high life on Qatar Airways, which flies 14 times a week from Dublin to Doha (increasing to 17 from December).

The airline has a new business-class product on certain aircraft from Dublin, featuring ‘Qsuites’ with closable doors, and configurations that allow couples or even groups of four to create private spaces. Read what it's like at independent.ie/travel ✈️

22/11/2025

'What would she have looked like now? Would her hair have gone grey? Would her blue eyes have lost their twinkle?'

Missing her dear mother, writer Jacqui Deevoy decided to travel to a city she had loved to find a connection.

'I often think of my mum when I travel, usually because I find myself thinking, “Aw, Mum would love it here,” but this is the first time I felt as if I was travelling in her footsteps. She’d told me many times that I should visit Florence, and now, finally obedient, I’ve done it.'

Read her inspiring journey on independent.ie/travel ✈️

21/11/2025

Fancy swapping the clatter and queues of a busy terminal for a taste of the high life? Dublin Airport is upgrading its lounges, promising a “pre-flight sanctuary” for all passengers (for a fee, of course). Read about what the experience is like on independent.ie/travel ... ✈️

20/11/2025

A snowy winter paradise, offering world-class skiing, rich culture, and Alpine charm

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16/11/2025

'Grilled bratwursts or gooey raclette. Warming mugs of gluhwein in your mitts. Sugary chimney cakes. Puffy pierogi. Mmm... Christmas markets are a trip I think everyone should try once.'

Grilled bratwursts or gooey raclette. Warming mugs of gluhwein in your mitts. Sugary chimney cakes. Puffy pierogi.

16/11/2025

Are Irish B&Bs a dying breed, or a warm welcome in a world of key boxes?

We spoke to three B&B owners around the country, to hear about the challenges and opportunities they face (read the story on independent.ie/travel).

On the one hand, the number of Fáilte Ireland approved B&Bs in Ireland has plummeted from 2,276 in 2010 to a little over 450 today. However, it’s also true that travellers seem increasingly to seek authentic visitor experiences, and the B&B’s personal touch could be key to its survival. The owners of Barnahown, Thistledown and The Old Bank love what they do.

“I think B&Bs are going to have a moment," says Ciara O'Brien at Barnahown in Mitchelstown, Co Cork. 'People are more aware of what a contemporary B&B is – that it’s all the lovely cosy bits you would expect from the traditional B&B, but with the high-end finishes. And they’re realising that if you find a good B&B, it’s like a little hidden gem.”

Read here: https://bit.ly/4oRdhKI