EF Ultimate Break Grand Tour of Ireland: Packing + Free Time Guide
Before I get into it, I wanna add a quick hello!
My name is Alex! I've been traveling with EF Ultimate Break for several years now and have done a ton of their trips. I've heard nearly every question in the book about traveling with EF, and if I don't know the answer, I'll gladly find it for you!
I've been to over half of the US states and 20+ countries and counting. I love planning my own trips when I'm not traveling with EF, so I have lots of other resources here that you're more than welcome to pick through.
I'm a backpack die hard, coffee and craft beer lover, adventure seeker, and just here to see as much of this big beautiful world that I can!
Grand Tour of Ireland is the first EFUB trip I've ever taken, but it's a tried and true classic trip offered by EF that hasn't needed much changing over the years. Although this was my first trip, I try my best to revisit these itineraries regularly and do updates accordingly!
Packing Essentials:
• Carry on or checked luggage? In short -- this is really up to you and your personal travel style. I'm a carry-on backpack only girlie, but I know not everyone loves that life! You know yourself best!
If you do check a bag, I would suggest taking precautions/keep these things in mind:
• Keep at least 1-2 changes of clothes in your carry on bag in case of your checked luggage getting lost. I will say that on 4/5 of my trips abroad, there was always at least one person who lost their luggage and had to wait 1-3 days for it to arrive.
• Always keep medications and essentials in your carry on.
• Be aware that you may have to lug your suitcase up flights upon flights of stairs, over cobblestone, sand, and who knows what else. Nothing wrong with this, just something to keep in mind.
• Adapter? You will need a Type C or F, however, my recommendation always is to use a universal adapter! This way, you can use and reuse in many places across many different countries without worry.
• Outerwear? one light waterproof jacket, emphasis on waterproof (not water resistant - I learned from experience that this is not the same jacket rating) if you're traveling during warmer months. I went in May, and a light jacket was sufficient. Colder months may call for bringing a bit thicker of a jacket just in case - still waterproof and/or dressing in layers. Columbia is a really good brand for waterproof jackets, and I have my favorites listed in my Amazon storefront below.
• Do I need hiking boots? In my opinion, no. Unless you're doing the Active Ireland trip, you will be just fine in sneakers! If you're an avid hiker and enjoy the comfort of your boots, then go for it!
• General packing? For a 9 day trip, you're most likely going to want 7-8 base outfits, though you could always pack more. As a general carry on tip, I like to pack clothes that are often interchangeable as tops/bottoms. This way, you're able to mix it up if you need to re-wear anything. Another option and way of packing I like and find helpful is to pack specific for each day and plan ahead. You know you want to wear your Gymshark outfit on day x, so that outfit is already planned for you. You know you want to be comfy on the plane perhaps, so that day is done. Etc, etc, day by day.
To list it all out, I would recommend bringing (minimum) 7-8 outfits (pants/tops combo or dresses/rompers), 8+ underwear and socks, toiletries, prescriptions, chargers and adapter, 1-2 jackets, and a trusty reusable water bottle. Of those outfits, most travelers like to wear something nicer for the Welcome Mixer and the Farewell Dinner. "Nice" in this case is totally up to you! Truly, whatever you're comfortable in will be just fine. If this means a full gown, so be it. If this means jeans and a nice top, that's absolutely okay too!
Because this trip is 9 days long, I'd personally recommend packing for that full amount of time, so that there's no worry of the hassle of doing laundry.
Free Time Suggestions:
Dublin:
• EFUB will take you to visit the Guinness Storehouse, St. Patrick's cathedral, and on a city walking tour. Highly recommend attending all of this! It really covers many of Dublin's staples.
• Trinity College: While EFUB will walk past here on tour, they will not go inside. If you decide to visit the inside as well, I'd recommend getting there early to beat the crowds! Hours vary depending on season, but admission ranges from 11-14 EUR.
• Jameson Distillery: Tired of beer? Swap it out for whiskey! Distillery tours tend to be quite elaborate, so you're likely in for a treat even if you're not super in love with whiskey tasting typically. Tours range from 45-90min costing 25-60 EUR per person.
• Temple Bar: Going to be honest here that this is known as a pretty overpriced, touristy place. However, it's fun to see at least once! I'd opt to not stay too long, and go check out other local pubs nearby.
• The Brazen Head: Ireland's oldest pub!
• Take your hostel's pub tour! Or if you're not at a hostel, check out one nearby and join in. They're a fun way to meet other hostel guests, and with a shot/drink at each stop, well... let's just say it pays for itself! Just stay safe!
Kilkenny:
• Kilkenny Castle: an iconic medieval castle that is the town's most visited site. In fact, it's actually one of the top visited in all of Ireland.
• St. Canice’s Cathedral & Round Tower: Ireland's second largest medieval cathedral. The tower is open to the public, and you can even climb the narrow, steep steps to arrive at a nice view of Kilkenny.
• Have a pint in a local pub! You'll see this is starting to be a trend, but this IS Ireland after all. Do as the locals do!
• The Canal Walk: Walk along the River Nore taking in more views of Kilkenny Castle. This is a great walk around sunset!
• You won't have a ton of time in Kilkenny, but it was a great, more off the beaten path town to visit!
County Kerry/Killarney:
• On your first day, you'll stop at the Blarney Stone in Blarney Castle! Be sure to kiss the stone for the "gift of gab"
• More pubs! I've said it once and will say it again: Ireland has some of the best and most lively pubs in the world! It's so much fun, and the Irish really can go all night long.
• Take a ghost tour! We did a ghost tour in Killarney, and it was entertaining for everyone. Medieval castles and cathedrals are already spooky enough, but add in the darkness and a good tour guide and you'll be ready to call Mystery Inc.!
• Killarney National Park: In addition to the park itself, you can also visit the Killarney House, Gardens, Muckross House, and Ross Castle. Opening hours vary for the houses, gardens, and castle, so be sure to check that before going.
Galway:
• On your way here, you'll visit a sight that'll leave you wanting to see Moher of it... haha! Enjoy the Cliffs of Moher! You might just witness a marriage proposal like I did.
• Do a pub crawl here! If you didn't do one earlier in your trip, or even if you did, this is the perfect place for one! This was one of the funnest nights of my trip
• The Quay's Pub: Recommended by my TD (Gavin!!!) as his fave bar. However, do not listen to the Aussies in your pub crawl who mistake your accent for The KINGS Pub! Lol! It was actually a great mistake that made for both a great night and story, so much so that I'm recommending it next.
• The Kings Pub: As mentioned above, I did end up here by mistake, but it was a great stop on our endless night of pubs!
• Optional Add-on Excursion: Aran Islands
Highly recommend doing this excursion! It was THE most beautiful day on my tour. There were amazing views, and I got my favorite souvenirs here (lots of wool socks!). How was the ferry? For us, we got lucky with a calm day and had no issues. I have heard that it can be a bit rough if the waters are also rough on the day of the tour. If it gets too rough, they could unfortunately cancel, but this is for the safety of everyone involved.
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