1 March 2022
By Roger L. Kennedy
roger@TheCork.ie
Travel
The best way to explore Ireland is to take a car trip and plan your own schedule. Foreigners can rent a car while visiting if they have the proper documents. You will need to request an international driving permit if you are coming from countries that don’t have a national license in English.
It is easy to obtain an International license Ireland and it’s based on having a national permit. It lasts for a year and it’s easy enough to renew. If you’ve decided to visit Ireland this way, it’s also rather important that you choose a car that’s comfortable and safe.
Four Wheel Drive for a Scenic Trip
If you plan to take a long and scenic trip that will allow you to enjoy the beautiful Irish outdoors, you’ll be better off renting a four-wheel drive. Chances are that you may experience some bad weather during your trip and a four-wheel-drive helps with that as well. If the weather is too extreme make sure you get a car accident lawyer if the worst occurs.
One of the most popular such scenic trips is probably a drive from Derry to Belfast. The drive is about 150 miles long and the legroom that a four-wheel-drive offers comes in quite handy after a while.
Sports Cars for a Trip to the Coast
When it comes to driving on coastal roads, chances are that sports cars are the best way to go. Good tires and easy handling help a lot when you’re driving along winding roads that are common on the coast of Ireland. Those cars, however, don’t have enough room for luggage and that’s something to take into account as well.
These cars are better suited to short drives since they are not as comfortable and don’t have as much legroom as 4×4 drives. It’s best therefore to choose a car based on where you’re going and what the plans for your trip are.
A City Car for a Busy Trip
When visiting Dublin or Cork you’ll do best to get a car that’s made for driving in a city, since it’s the best way to find a place to park and to deal with the traffic. A small car that’s also comfortable to spend a long time in, is the best-suited driving in the city.
It’s also important to consider the cost of petrol at this point since that’s a much more important issue when you’re driving a short distance within a city, than when you’re going on a road trip.
Safety and Other Considerations
Regardless of what kind of car you plan to rent for your trip to Ireland, you should make sure that the car is safe and that you have an insurance plan to cover you in case something happens.
It’s also useful to have GPS features since you’re exploring a country that’s new to you and that has vast stretches of areas with low populations and beautiful scenery but not much to help you make sure you’re on the right track. It’s a small additional expense but one that you’ll find rather useful when it comes to making your trip more comfortable.
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