Starting a RTW Trip in Ireland

Anyone who’s planning a round-the-world trip has lots of questions to research and answer. Some are more on the boring end of the scale – whether to get travel insurance, getting a storage unit vs. selling all your stuff – but many are quite fun. Itinerary questions tend to be the most fun to research, and the question of where to start your RTW trip on its own can be a big one.

While most RTW travelers will tell you they began their trips in Asia or Central/South America for money-saving purposes, that doesn’t mean you can’t start a trip in Europe. If you’re a smart budgeter and careful with your money, there’s no reason you can’t start a RTW trip in Europe – and, specifically, in Ireland.

Starting a RTW trip in an English-speaking country can be a softer way to ease into culture shock for English speakers who haven’t traveled as extensively, and although Dublin’s reputation as a party city is warranted, Ireland as a whole offers a variety of activities and experiences that are sure to please any intrepid RTW traveler. Yes, traveling in Ireland – as is the case with much of Western Europe – can be more expensive than many other places on earth, but you can minimize the cost of the Ireland portion of your trip by choosing cheaper lodging (from Dublin hostels to countryside B&Bs to self-catering apartments) and by limiting the amount of time you’re in the country.

By being careful with your money during the first stages of your RTW trip in Europe, you’ll have even more freedom to stay longer in cheaper places later on. Fancy a month in a beachside hut in Thailand? No problem – you don’t need to save up for a Europe stint at the end of your trip anymore, because you’ve already been there.

>> Get started plotting out your RTW route using this trip planner, and let your imagination take you away.

photo by Barnacles Hostels