When I started thinking about what to pack for Ireland, I knew three things: (1) Ireland in March can be a whole bunch of different seasons in one day; (2) I didn’t want to take anything more than a small day pack and a piece of carry-on luggage; and (3) I wanted to provide travellers with the best packing list for Ireland in spring once I got home, so I couldn’t mess this up.
What this ISN’T? An Ireland packing list for fashion bloggers. Nope. I stuck mostly with basics that would go together rather than pieces made “for the ‘gram.”
Spring packing list for Ireland
In addition to priority travel necessities — passport, NEXUS card, license, health card, health insurance cards, local and foreign currency — my Ireland packing list below details everything I took for seven days in the Emerald Isle (and I still came home with unworn clothes!).
Here’s exactly what I packed into my trusty LUG wheelie, which is an even-smaller-than-required carry-on bag, and my new Timbuk 2 backpack, which is a cute, water-resistant pack perfect for day trips and will later double as the perfect commuter bag:
1. Tech
I bought a Sony A6000 last year because I was tired of lugging around my Nikon DSLR and big lenses; and while I did take it with me on my Taste of Ireland trip with Air Canada Vacations, with my Pixel in tow, I probably only pulled it out twice — once during a sunset shoot at Killiney Hill and once at the Torc Waterfall — to use settings that my smartphone just doesn’t have.
I probably could have saved myself that extra bit of space and just taken my Google Pixel 3XL. It takes brilliant photos, even in low light, and all of my pictures are automatically backed up in the fabulous Google cloud. I protected it with a Lifeproof case (in pink, of course).
The single-most used piece of tech aside from my phone during my week in Ireland? My Lifeproof external power bank — called the LIFEACTIV PowerPack 20 — which, incredibly, provided four or five complete charges to my Pixel before it ever needed recharging itself.
Pay attention to your aircraft’s inflight entertainment system before you pack for Ireland, because I didn’t and I ended up having only my pair of Sudio NIVA Bluetooth earbuds with me. I wish I’d also packed a pair of plug-ins so I could have watched several movies on my seat-back screen!
One quick tech reminder: chargers! Don’t forget your chargers, and keep in mind that if you’re travelling from North America, Ireland’s voltage is different and you’ll also need to pack a currency adaptor and converter (it has to do BOTH to work!).
2. Outerwear
Ireland in the spring means you’ll probably get rained on at least once. Packing my wind- and waterproof shell from Peak Performance was a no-brainer. It packs down into nothing, making it the perfect raincoat.
At the last minute, I took out a Peak hybrid hoodie that’s got some strategic down filling in key areas and replaced it with my packable Peak down jacket. It fit under the rain shell when I needed both warmth and rain-proofing, and ended up being the right weight for 75 per cent of our trip to Ireland in March, when weather is super unpredictable.
I also threw in a pair of quick-dry hiking pants (Peak Performance, natch) — ideal for wet, windy conditions — along with a lululemon sweat-wicking top that was thick enough on its own on warmer days:
Travelling with a scarf is a must for me no matter the destination or time of year. For my Ireland packing list, I chose a trusty lululemon vinyasa. This one was light, though there are heavier/warmer options that are thick enough to double as pillows! Vinyasas look cute and work as an accessory but also provide just the right bit of layering for variable temperatures.
It was a good thing that I threw a light hat and pair of mitts into my bag, because I wore them on and off throughout our stay.
3. Clothing
I followed my own packing-light rule very closely: pack in outfits. All said and done, in addition to the outerwear mentioned above, I brought:
- Two pairs of leggings: (1) Atmosphere leggings, which is a new fabric from Aritzia in the store’s staple-worthy high-waisted legging style. They’re a thicker, more winter-weight legging that work for hiking, road-tripping comfort and even nights out on the town. And (2) Aritzia’s regular, inexpensive leggings
- Two pairs of jeans (I took skinny jeans — a dark blue wash from J. Brand and a black vintage-y wash from Seven For All Mankind)
- Two hoodies — one casual and one dressier (from Frank & Eileen) one suitable for going out at night
- Three long-sleeved shirts (one of which came home unworn, probably because the other two are my faves from Frank & Eileen!)
- One hi-lo sweater tunic
- Three T-shirts (two of which came home unworn)
- One dress
- One merino wool tank top
- Footwear and two pairs of socks (which I’ll get to below when we talk shoes)
- Bras and underwear — as you wish, dah-ling
- One swimsuit — as always, I packed a Swimco swimsuit because you just never know if you’ll find yourself in a fabulous hotel with a bit of downtime and a pool or spa nearby
- Toiletries and makeup packed into those three little pouches
- One pair of PJs — I cozied up in bed each night in a PJ Salvage set that could double as actual clothing it’s so nice:
This is how some of these outfits played out…
P.S. I love to reserve an outfit for air travel, and Smash+Tess rompers are beyond comfy and so great for several hours in the air. Sadly, my new Sunday romper didn’t arrive in time for this trip but I’d definitely add it to any packing list — not just this one, and not just for the plane ride.
4. Socks and shoes
Blundstones were the absolute perfect footwear choice for Ireland. Now, you have to break them in at least three to four weeks before your trip (don’t say I didn’t warn you), but they’ll take you from hiking to dinner reservations without missing a beat. I did take along a few blister bandaids just in case, but didn’t end up needing them at all.
Merino socks are your best friend in nearly every travel situation. They don’t ever stink so you don’t need to take many pairs, and they’re temperature-regulating so your feet never get too hot or too cold. As if my skiwear guide wasn’t already infiltrated with Darn Tough Vermont socks, now my Ireland travel packing list has to include them! I took two pairs — one thinner (but still strategically padded) pair and one thicker pair for cooler days.
Tieks have been my go-to travel shoe for years. It’s a foldable leather ballet flat that goes with any outfit and comes in vibrant hues. Plus they’re comfy enough to walk around in for hours. Hint: you’ve got to break these in, too!
5. Accessories
I took one pair of eyeglasses and one pair of sunglasses — and IZIPIZI pair I was gifted a week or so before my trip to Ireland, and they turned out to be PERFECT for hiking in windy conditions, because they hooked around the backs of my ears! Plus, they were cute:
Jewelry isn’t a priority for me and only gets tossed in if I still have room after everything else is packed. I ended up taking one bracelet and one necklace.
I also brought my memory foam travel pillow — essential for a red-eye flight to Ireland. Oh, and I tossed a micro-umbrella into my backpack just in case…even though I didn’t end up using it once because I had a great rain jacket.
6. Toiletries and makeup
I don’t take the bare minimum when it comes to packing toiletries and makeup, but I also don’t overdo it. I wanted to avoid taking my big prescription sunglasses, so I brought enough contact lenses for every day of the week (they take up way less room!).
Here’s what I brought to Ireland:
- Reusable washcloth that doesn’t require anything other than water to clean your face — I like the Warsh Cloth or this cheaper alternative on Amazon
- Laline face oil — not only a great day and night moisturizer, but also a great hand and cuticle cream and does wonders for dry hair, too
- Travel toothbrush and toothpaste
- Hair elastics
- Milk + Sass compact hairbrush (with a mirror inside, no less)
- Quo travel makeup brushes
- Primer, foundation, blush, highlighter, concealer
- Charlotte Tilbury eyeshadow palette and one cream eyeshadow
- One Buxom lip gloss and one Charlotte Tilbury lipstick
That’s it! You’re now fully packed for a week in Ireland. Check out my post about the Taste of Ireland package with Air Canada Vacations to get you there — I’ve mapped out highlights of what I think makes the best one-week driving tour of Ireland. Here’s a sneak peek:
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