Make The Island of Ireland a Must-Visit Destination
for a Memorable Winter Escape
From magical festive markets, lively city breaks and unmissable offers with dnata travel, to an epic New Year’s festival with Westlife, there never has been a better time to escape to Ireland this winter season.
Dubai, UAE, November 2022: With the festive season fast approaching, there never has been a better time to book that winter escape to enjoy with friends, family and loved ones. Tourism Ireland is excited to reveal a host of wonderful festive attractions and experiences, suitable for the UAE traveller to enjoy this winter season, no matter their preference. Whether visitors are seeking an action-packed break in a lively city or a relaxing trip in the cosy countryside to embrace the magical Christmas festivities, make the island of Ireland a must-visit country this winter.
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Visitors to Ireland during the lively winter season are exposed to a number of unique experiences, grand festive décor around the cities, and enthralling events to capture the delight of the beloved season. With endless Christmas markets across the country, alluring hotel packages for the family, tempting festive shopping, Winter Solstice views and an unforgettable NYE celebration with Westlife, a trip to Ireland guarantees the Middle East traveller a trip of a lifetime.
Christmas Markets
The holiday season is one of the best times to visit Ireland, with the festive spirit in full swing and the cold weather just mild enough to walk around. The Christmas markets, found in towns large and small, are one of the best ways to soak up all the magical festivities. With colourful rows of glittering fairy lights surrounding charming streets, fruitful aromas of mulled wine, warm hot chocolate and lively stalls bursting with gifts and stocking fillers, an Irish Christmas Market is a must when visiting the emerald isle in the winter.
Visit the Belfast Continental Christmas Market from 19th November where the grounds of Belfast City Hall transform into a bustling continental village throughout Christmas, featuring every mouthwatering European treat imaginable. Italian nougat, Belgian chocolate and freshly made French tarts will satisfy your sweet tooth, while exotic meats from alligator to impala are bound to satisfy all cravings.
The west of Ireland is home to one of the most enchanting Christmas markets imaginable. From 11th November until 22nd December the Galway Christmas Market will welcome guests to embrace its incredible offering. The popular market features a 32m observation wheel, Après Ski Bar, Santa’s Express Train, a traditional Carousel and over 50 wooden chalets which line Eyre Square, offering scrumptious seasonal treats and a variety of crafts. Festive visitors can take pleasure in a wide variety of entertainment with carol singing and live music throughout the five-week market fair.
Waterford, Ireland"s oldest city dives into the festive season in the shape of Winterval. The lively city will be transformed into a magical winter wonderland from 18th November until 23rd December. Free and ticketed events range from storytelling in Reginald"s Tower to Yuletide Vikings and, of course, the Christmas Market. New events include the Winterval Circus, Magic at the Apple Market and Winterval’s Wizards & Dragons.
Festive Shopping
The Christmas lights on Dublin’s Grafton Street shine like endless Christmas wishes, and shopping underneath them is a treat for the UAE traveller. For crafts and design in the city, head to Powerscourt Townhouse Centre’s loft market and design centre. The centre is also home to a magical Father Christmas Work Room, where visitors can meet Santa in an 18th-century style den.
With stores in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick, Brown Thomas is a paradise for shopping enthusiasts from the Middle East. Brown Thomas features the world"s most prestigious luxury boutiques such as Cartier, Hermés, Chanel and Louis Vuitton, and is home to more than 200 labels, which are carefully selected from around the globe and edited specifically to customers’ tastes and lifestyles.
Shoppers can revel in the endless designer brands at Kildare Village, the luxury shopping destination just an hour from Dublin. With over 100 boutiques to choose from, including Louise Kennedy, Armani, Mulberry, Kildare Village is a one-stop destination for stress-free shopping this festive season. The expansive open-air shopping destination transforms into a magical realm of dazzling décor, temping eateries, electric atmosphere and luxury shopping, promising an unforgettable experience for visitors of all ages.
Winter Solstice
Experience the Winter Solstice on Wednesday 21st December like nowhere else in the world at Newgrange in County Meath’s Brú na Bóinne. Newgrange is a passage tomb, built over 5,000 years ago, consisting of an 80-metre mound, shored up with spiral-engraved kerbstones and white Wicklow quartzite.
Each year, people are selected by an annual lottery to enter the burial mound during its phenomenal 5,000-year-old light show. This inner sanctum is where these lucky few huddle together to witness the annual winter solstice illumination. In this moment, when megalithic engineering and nature come sensationally into sync, a shaft of light can be seen snaking 19 metres up the passageway, ultimately bathing the chamber in light.
New Year’s Festival
Ring in 2023 with New Year’s Festival Dublin, Ireland’s biggest New Year Celebration. Dublin City will come alive over 2 days of celebrations on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day as New Year’s Festival Dublin returns with a brand-new Festival Village and 2 spectacular countdown events all taking place along North Wall Quay.
For the first time ever, globally renowned Irish pop band, Westlife have been confirmed to headline New Year’s Festival Dublin performing in the brand-new Festival Village on New Year’s Eve, 31st December.
New Year"s Festival Dublin will present two spectacular midnight moment countdown events on New Year’s Eve with a fantastic family friendly matinee show on December 31st for all ages from 4pm, followed by the evening show starting from 8pm. Festival Village will become a hive of activity for families and friends with fun-filled festivities for all ages. Soak up the electrifying atmosphere as a host of stellar Irish musicians and DJs will perform live across 6 stages along North Wall Quay and enjoy live music, street entertainment and the best of food delights at the festival village from early until late.
dnata Travel Winter Packages
UAE residents seeking a stress-free travel experience can plan their trip of a lifetime with dnata Travel. Trips include stays in Dublin to explore its festive attractions, or self-drive or fully-escorted tours across some of the top highlights the country has to offer, from its lively cities to its rugged coastline, picturesque villages and grand castles.
With prices starting from AED3,310 per person for a three to seven night"s stay at some of Ireland’s most popular hotels, car hire or private tours and transfers, plus return economy class flights with Emirates, Etihad Airways and British Airways, a trip to the Island of Ireland is the perfect festive gift this winter season.
With Skycanner revealing 2022 travel trends and including Ireland within the top 10 destinations for UAE and KSA travellers, there never has been a better time to book that winter escape to the emerald isle. Citizens of the UAE can travel visa-free for stays under 90 days and other nationalities travelling from the UAE can apply for a tourist visa from VFS Global.
For more information, visit: http://www.ireland.com/
Discover Ireland on social media:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/discoverirelandme/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/discoverirelandme/
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Notes to Editors:
- Tourism Ireland is the organisation responsible for promoting the island of Ireland overseas as a leading holiday destination.
- Tourism is the island of Ireland’s largest indigenous industry; responsible for in excess of 4% of GNP in the Republic of Ireland and employing around 325,000 people across the island.
- In 2019, we welcomed almost 11.2 million overseas visitors to the island of Ireland, delivering revenue of almost €5.8 billion.
- Tourism Ireland’s international website is www.ireland.com, 29 market sites available in 11 language versions around the world, which attracted around 23+ million visitors in 2019.
- Since January 2018, Ireland is now visa-free for UAE Nationals, meaning easier travel and easier access to the island of Ireland.
- See more at:
- Website: www.tourismireland.com
- Content Pool (Images): https://www.irelandscontentpool.com/account/landingpage/
- Social Media: @discoverirelandme
PR Contact:
Andrea Wubben
Q Communications
Andrea.w@qcomms.ae
+971 52 360 3125
Sarah Doyle
Q Communications
+971 52 929 5368
This article was previously published on UAE Moments.To see the original article, click here