A Break Away From Ireland: Change your Guinness for a Continental Lager

Tourism is a major revenue stream for Ireland, with visitors coming from the far reaches of the globe to enjoy its famed rugged coastline, ghostly castles, cosmopolitan culture and the wonderful myths and history. For many who reside in Ireland the regular interaction with tourists has sparked an excitement and curiosity for foreign travel. The airports and seaports bustle with incoming visitors to Ireland and now, those leaving Ireland to visit other countries.

As autumn approaches the weather is going to become wetter, windier and considerably more miserable in Ireland, but people are beginning to enjoy the benefits of a stronger economy and a higher standard of living by taking advantage of cheap flights to catch some last minute sunshine in warmer climes.

Ireland boasts fertile agricultural soil enriched with vitamins and minerals which has provided generations of Irish families with a wide array of vegetables and sustained high quality local livestock. The abundance of quality ingredients has given the island's inhabitants a taste for good food. The last decade has seen many new families settle in Ireland from Poland and Lithuania amongst other European countries and this influx of different nationalities and the local passion for good food has fused together to create a vibrant range of eateries throughout the country. The more experimental may wish to venture abroad to try new dishes.

The natural beauty of the mountains and coastal pathways has made outdoor exploration a key passion within Ireland, but the wet weather sometimes makes walkers long for a hotter dryer clime, such as in Greece or Spain, which offer similar landscapes and walking routes but with a little less rain!

Irish rivers are full of trout and salmon, the coasts are closely patrolled by shoals of cod, haddock and mackerel to name but a few, but many Irish anglers are testing their skills in the Mediterranean against red snapper and sea bass.

The inlets and bays of the Irish coastline are breath taking but harbour a danger which proved fatal to hundreds of ships of yesteryear. However, these sunken vessels now provide excellent challenges for those who enjoy open sea diving. As the summer comes to an end, open-sea diving may become less opportune and Irish divers may consider hanging up their flippers, but the Mediterranean offers all year round diving opportunities for those wishing to keep their aqua skills in top form.

Whether travellers seek new cuisine, scenic walks, adventure sports or simply better weather, the rapid growth in low cost air travel has seen many new destinations throughout Europe and beyond linked with Ireland. Cheap flights from Ireland to other countries have opened new opportunities for more people to take a break and escape Ireland for a weekend. so the question for the Irish is not if to go, but when!