Christmas-Themed 9-Day Ireland Itinerary for December

Sharing is caring!

Are you planning a trip to Ireland in December? Keep scrolling for my 9-day Ireland itinerary that is perfect for Christmas festivities!

This 9-day Ireland itinerary was written by family travel expert Marcie Cheung and may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

I’ve been wanting to experience Christmas markets in Europe for years. So, when my friend Keryn from Twist Travel Mag suggested we head to Ireland for some holiday festivities, I immediately booked my flight!

We actually traveled to Ireland earlier this year together and it was such a wonderful trip. So, it was pretty easy to figure out what to do in Ireland in December because we wanted to maximize all the Christmas markets and festive teas.

Keep scrolling to find out exactly what we did in case it helps inspire you to visit Ireland!

How I Spent 9 Days in Ireland in December for Christmas Festivities

Day 1:

Flight from Seattle to Dublin

I booked a direct flight from Seattle to Dublin on Aer Lingus. It was my first time flying this airline (last time I flew with Iceland Air and it was awful) and my direct flight was about 9 hours.

I had an empty seat next to me and no one in front or behind me so it could truly stretch out. It was amazing!

I landed in Dublin around 12:30 p.m. (a whole hour early!) and waited for Keryn to land about 90 minutes later.

Checked Into the Zanzibar Locke

We stayed here on our last trip to Dublin and it’s by far one of my favorite UK hotels. The rooms are spacious, there’s a great cafe in the lobby, and you can’t beat the location. It’s right across the bridge from the Temple Bar neighborhood.

Our room was awesome. It had a microwave, washing machine, sink, living area, plus two twin beds. Check the latest rates and availability.

Dinner and Christmas Shopping

We headed across the bridge to The Shack Restaurant (which is directly across from the Temple Bar). The interior looked so festive and the beef stew hit the spot!

Then, we walked around looking at Christmas lights and popped into a few shops. Walking down Grafton Street was quite magical. The window display at Brown Thomas blew us away with its 12 Days of Christmas theme.

We also loved the light projections on the General Post Office; Bank of Ireland, College Green; Trinity College Dublin. These are just some of the sites that are part of Dublin Winter Lights.

By this time, it was about 8 p.m. and we were pretty wiped so we headed back to the hotel!

Day 2:

Flytographer Photoshoot

On our last trip to Ireland, we did a Dublin photo shoot with Tetiana with Flytographer. She kept up with our energy and our duffel bag full of outfit changes that we immediately booked a photo shoot with her for this trip.

Our photo shoot was at 9:30 a.m. so we took our time getting ready in the morning and grabbed coffee before walking over to the Spire near Trinity College where we met up with Tetiana.

This time, we wanted to highlight all the Christmas decorations and backdrops and we brought a bunch of outfits inspired by Hallmark Christmas movies.

We ended up doing a mix of sweaters, hats, and jackets for some really cool photos!

National Leprechaun Museum

On our last trip to Dublin, I was SO bummed that we didn’t have time to check out the National Leprechaun Museum. So I was thrilled that we made it a priority this time.

Honestly, I think the name is really misleading because I expected to see leprechaun figurines, artwork, and suspected sightings (sort of like a Sasquatch museum).

Instead, it was an immersive Irish storytelling experience and it really blew me away! It’s a group tour, so you sign up for a specific time and your leader will lead you through several themed rooms. In each room, they will tell you an Irish story.

It’s definitely one of the best things to do in Dublin for families or adults.

Festive Tea at Dylan Hotel

After the National Leprechaun Museum, we realized it would take us about 45 minutes to walk to the Dylan Hotel for our afternoon tea reservation. We debated doing the festive tea at the Shelbourne Hotel but it was twice as expensive.

To be frank, the afternoon tea wasn’t nearly as festive as I saw online before our trip. But, the food itself was really delicious. I’m still thinking about the boozy desserts!

Shopping in Dublin

On our way from the Dublin Hotel to Dublin Castle, we stopped in a few stores. I got a really lovely wool blanket that was 40% off! And my friend Keryn found a nice wool scarf and a blanket.

Dublin Castle Market

Our main goal of the night was to check out Dublin Castle Christmas Market. We had heard mixed things about it but how often can you go to a Christmas market at a castle?!?

I admit, the market itself was super underwhelming. There were a lot of generic items. I do regret not getting a warm beverage though.

But, the highlight of Dublin Castle was getting to see the State Rooms (it was free to check them out) and going inside the chapel to see their intricate Christmas display.

Dinner at Bar Italia Ristorante

The food here was SO good! We started with a caprese salad and then I got the most amazing truffle pasta. It was so decadent that I could only eat half.

They also had a nice selection of prosecco cocktails. I got a bellini and it was great!

Day 3:

Grabbed Coffee and Smoothies

We knew we needed to get sort of an early start, so we walked down the street and got fresh fruit smoothies at POG and then grabbed coffee at Hello Charlie (located at our hotel).

Went to Airport to Rent a Car

We finished packing up and we took the Dublin Express back to the airport so we could take the rental car shuttle and pick up the rental car that we used for the rest of the trip.

Had Lunch in Enniskerry

Our first stop was in Enniskerry (where they filmed Disenchanted). It was a super cute town and we peaked into a few shops.

The real treat was having lunch at the Kingfisher’s Kitchen. We split a pear salad and a bagel with cream cheese and salmon. Both were seriously tasty and hit the spot!

Quick Stop in Wicklow Town

We thought it would be cool to walk around Wicklow Town, but it was crazy rainy and a lot of the shops were closed. But we did poke our heads in a few and I bought a cheap umbrella because I forgot to add it to my Ireland packing list!

Avoca

One of my favorite places in County Wicklow is the Avoca shop. It’s where the mill is and they have a really nice store and cafe.

I found the cutest sweater that was woven right there on site. Plus, we sat down and had tea and mincemeat pies. It was a nice rest before continuing on our journey.

Treetop Night Lights at Beyond the Trees Avondale

Our main reason for coming to County Wicklow was to check out the Treetop Night Lights event at Beyond the Trees Avondale.

Basically it’s a treewalk that leads to a Viewing Tower that is pretty incredible. If you’ve done the Malahat Skywalk on Vancouver Island, it’s the exact same concept.

I recommend dressing warmly for this event. I wore a parka with a hood and I was so glad I did. It ended up hailing and it was really windy (which felt amplified as I climbed the tower).

We got there a bit early and they were still setting up the food and craft stalls and the carousel. It should be extra fun when those are in operation. I thought the event was totally worth it.

I’d also be interested in going back during the day. I think my kids would get a kick out of it and it’s a fun outdoor adventure.

Checked Into the Fitzwilton Hotel

We had about a 90-minute drive to get to our hotel in Waterford. We chose the Fitzwilton Hotel because it was in a great location for our favorite restaurant (see below) as well as all the holiday festivities.

Our room had 2 beds and it was pretty standard. But the location is ideal for walking around town.

Dinner at the Grattan Bar and Bistro

We ate here on our last trip to Waterford and the beef stew was the best I had tasted in Ireland. So, we knew we had to revisit it to see if it was really as good as we remembered. Spoiler: IT WAS!

Not only is the food fabulous but the people who run it are so friendly and personable. It’s quite lovely.

Day 4:

Shopping & Coffee

After a quick breakfast at the hotel (which was included in our stay), we ventured out in the wind and rain to do a little recon of the Christmas markets.

Once stores opened, we popped in and did a bit of shopping. A few of our favorite shops were under renovation, but we had no problem finding other cute ones.

We also swung by our favorite coffee shop in Waterford: TRADE Coffee.

And we visited a cute craft fair that was inside and had lots of locally made artisan products.

We also walked all over Waterford checking out the different Winterval events and activities.

Before our reservation for tea at our hotel, we had time to walk up to Aldi and buy tons of candy, stocking stuffers, and even a cute Christmas sweater all for discount prices.

Festive Tea at the Fitzwilton Hotel

Since we were already staying at the Fitzwilton Hotel, this was a no-brainer to book. We ended up getting a 2 p.m. reservation.

I have to admit that this was probably the most disappointing afternoon tea I’ve had anywhere. The sandwiches weren’t very tasty and the pastries seemed like they were maybe made somewhere else and reheated.

The hard part is that they gave us a HUGE amount of food (like enough for 4 people) but it wasn’t tasty enough to try to save any for later. I’m just thankful that it wasn’t a very expensive experience.

Thai Massage

This was probably the smartest thing we did all day. We walked past Original Traditional Thai Massage on O’Connell Street when we went out in the morning, and we both thought it sounded like the perfect way to stretch our tired bodies.

This may have been one of the BEST massages I’ve had (including other Thai massages in Thailand).

My therapist walked on my back (which got a lot of pops and cracks), did deep tissue massage to my limbs, and even relaxed my head. It was such a good way to spend an hour!

Christmas Markets

We had time to browse two of the markets quickly. These were better than the Dublin Castle Market as there were more activities, food booths, and vendors. But a lot of them were already shut down (or they were in the process of shutting down).

There were supposed to be a lot more holiday activities on the night we were there, but there was a massive windstorm and they canceled everything by 6 p.m.

We were bummed to miss their light show as well as their bicycle parade.

Dinner at the Grattan Bar and Bistro

We ended up going back to our favorite pub for an early dinner. I just got a cup of veggie soup that was just the right size since I wasn’t super hungry.

I was totally wiped and ended up going to be around 8 p.m.

Day 5:

Copper Coast

We had a lazy morning before we checked out of our hotel and hit the road toward the Copper Coast.

We stopped at the old Copper mill to see the ruins. Then, we walked across the street to check out the coastline.

The wind was really acting up, and I fell down twice, marching through the smooshy grass. But the views were totally worth it!

Lunch and Shopping in Cobh

This might be one of the cutest towns in Ireland I’ve visited! It’s right on the water and they have a bunch of colorful houses and buildings.

We stopped for lunch at SeaSalt and I had one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever tasted. It was called the Moistmaker and it’s their Christmas toastie.

It had Caherbeg baked Irish ham, outdoor bred of course, pork & sage stuffing, homemade cranberry & orange chutney, Brussels sprout & apple slaw & sourdough dipped in gravy.

But it’s an award-winning cafe that has tons of yummy things on its menu. It would be great to stop by any time of year.

We also popped into a few of their cute boutiques. I bought a fun mug and some artwork of this town.

And then we drove up to a viewing area that showcased the church as well as the colorful row houses (called the Deck of Cards). It’s actually in someone’s garden but they allow tourists and encourage a donation toward their son’s dream Ferrari.

We also headed down to explore the cathedral. It was HUGE and probably filled with people who prayed before boarding the Titanic.

Checked Into the Killarney Plaza Hotel

We ended up arriving at the hotel right when the Christmas parade was supposed to start so Keryn had to drive around for 30 minutes to find parking. Fun times.

But the hotel itself was GORGEOUS! It was fully decorated for the holidays with a few Christmas trees and lots of garlands. There were even massive toy soldiers outside the entrance.

And our room was great! It had a nice view of the decorated street and there was a full bathtub!

Christmas Parade and Shopping

After dropping off our luggage in our room, we headed out to check out the holiday scene. The parade had partly started so we caught a bit of it while we looked at the shops.

There were tons of lights along the street as well as stores that were fully decorated. Killarney had much more Christmas spirit than Dublin or Waterford.

We ended up catching the float part of the parade as we made our way back to the hotel and we got to wave to Santa!

Drinks at Hotel Bar and Dinner at Hilliards

We went to the bar at our hotel and had some drinks before walking over to Hilliard’s for dinner.

I had the fish and chips and it was cooked perfectly! I’d definitely come back here.

Day 6:

Brunch and Shopping in Kenmare

We slept in a bit and made our way over to Kenmare, which is another cute village in Ireland. The shops and restaurants are colorful and the town was simply adorable.

We had brunch at Maison Gourmet and I had the most amazing gingerbread latte and croissant sandwich with smoked salmon and scrambled eggs.

Then we perused the shops and craft markets and I found a few gifts for people as well as a wool sweater for myself.

Ladies Lookout

We did a quick stop here just for photos. The view was pretty amazing and there are several parking lots.

We had no problem parking but I could see how it could fill up quickly in the summer months.

Torc Waterfall

The only thing I love more than waterfalls is when they are just a short walk from the parking lot.

This was super easy to walk to and there were several viewpoints. Plus, the walk itself is through a mossy forest and it’s just pretty to meander through.

Muckross House

This is a gorgeous estate. We didn’t go inside the house (tickets are required) but it’s wonderful just to walk around and take in the beauty.

This is also a place where you can do jaunting cars, which is a horse-drawn carriage. Muckross House would be a cute place to do this.

Muckross Abbey

This was a lot cooler than I expected. It’s like the shell of an abbey that you can walk through. There’s even a tree inside the middle of it.

Some parts are kind of spooky and I know my kids wouldn’t want to explore certain parts of it.

Killarney Christmas Market

The market is really tiny but it’s cute. There are maybe 10 stalls with artwork and gift ideas.

Dinner at Celtic Whiskey Bar

The dinner and drinks here were fabulous! They have a long list of Old Fashioned cocktails, but I had a tasty lychee and vodka cocktail instead.

I loved my baked fish over roasted potatoes with citrus butter. And we ended up buying bottles of Writer’s Tears whiskey to pack home.

Day 7:

Stop in Adare

We got an early start because we knew we needed to get all the way to Galway today and make a few stops along the way.

Our first stop was Adare, which is a super cute and colorful town that has some thatched roof buildings.

We checked out a few shops before using the restroom and continuing on our way.

Cliffs of Moher

Our next stop was the Cliffs of Moher. This had been on my Ireland bucket list for a while.

We got there on a really sunny day, but it was freezing cold! Thankfully they have a cafe on site in case you need to grab a hot drink to warm up.

The views were stunning! The sun was really bright so we could only really get photos from one angle without lighting issues.

Lunch in Doolin

Keryn knew of a great spot called Gus O’Connor’s Pub that made amazing beef stew and Eton Mess.

It’s a really cool pub in a super cute town. I guess during the busier season, there’s live music and the pub gets packed.

But, I have to say, I really enjoyed the quiet so I could just sit back and enjoy the tasty food!

Checked Into the Park House Hotel

We drove all the way to Galway and checked into the Park House Hotel. The lobby was all decorated for Christmas and our rooms were lovely. Check the latest rates and availability.

The best part? It’s in the perfect place for shopping and dining!

Galway Christmas Market

We quickly dropped off our bags and headed straight for the Galway Christmas Market. And boy did it deliver!

THIS was what I had envisioned when I thought of Christmas markets in Ireland. There were tons of stalls, decorations, and rides. It felt really fun and festive.

We did a quick loop to get an overview before heading into the downtown area.

Shopping

We hit up some shops in the main area of town. There were tons of decorations and lights everywhere. It was GORGEOUS!

I insisted on going to Marks & Spencer’s to pick up a ton of foodie gifts to bring home. We also shopped for wool items and Christmas decor.

Dinner at McSwiggans Steak + Seafood Restaurant

After dropping off our shopping bags back at the hotel, we headed to McSwiggans Steak + Seafood Restaurant. They have amazing whiskey drinks and the steamed mussels made my soul happy!

We ended up arriving about 2 hours before our reservation and the restaurant was empty. That’s usually not a good sign. BUT, it was packed by the time we finished up our early dinner!

This was one of the best meals we had in Ireland and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone.

Day 8:

Shopping

We both slept in and did a leisurely breakfast at the hotel (it was great) before we headed out to do our final round of shopping. Yes, we had long lists of gifts to buy in Ireland!

Galway Museum

We also popped into the Galway Museum to check out the exhibits. It’s free and I was really impressed with how many hands-on activities they had for families.

There was also a special exhibit about the human body that was pretty cool to explore.

Afternoon Tea at Hardiman

Since our other afternoon teas were sort of a dud, I had really low expectations for this one and was even on the fence about canceling. I’m SO glad I didn’t!

This ended up being my favorite afternoon tea out of all of them we’ve done in Ireland on this trip and the last trip.

Their festive tea was created in collaboration with a local Galway influencer named Sarah Battle. Let me tell you, she knows how to pull together a tasty tea!

Spirit One Spa

The Spirit One Spa is located at the Galmont Hotel. It’s a really nice facility with steam rooms, a sauna, cold rooms, relaxation areas, and more. Plus there’s access to the pool and hot tubs.

We each got a back, shoulder, and neck massage as well as a facial. Both were fantastic and it was such a great way to take care of our skin after all the trekking around in the cold, dry winter air.

After the spa, we headed back to our hotel to get cleaned up and start to pack.

Hyde Bar Galway

We ended the day with yummy drinks, dinner, and dessert at Hyde Bar Galway. It was just a few doors down from our hotel which was nice!

It was such a great final dinner in Ireland.

Day 9:

Drove from Galway to Dublin

We woke up fairly early, finished packing, and grabbed coffee before hitting the road. It was just over 2 hours to drive from Galway to Dublin. We made a couple of restroom stops and to stretch our legs for a minute.

Flight from Dublin to Seattle

After we returned our rental car, we hopped on the shuttle and headed to the airport. The cool thing about flying out of Dublin is that we were able to do our US customs/immigration right there before our flight. This saved me a ton of time!

I ended up having an empty seat next to me again on the flight home, which was amazing!

Dublin Christmas Trip Wrap-Up

While the Christmas markets and festive teas didn’t live up to my high expectations, I was honestly impressed with the massive amounts of holiday decorations and general Christmas cheer!

Looking for more Ireland travel resources? Check out 19 Fun Things To Do in Dublin With Kids, 13 Important Ireland Travel Tips for First-Timers, and How To Plan a Trip to Ireland: Step-by-Step Guide!