Ireland, Poland, Czechia, Lvov and Graz

The initial plan was to visit North Korea in August, but it remains closed till August 2024. So I searched for an alternative and Ireland came to mind as I didn’t visit it yet. I had nine days at my disposal and it was too long just for Ireland.

So I decided to fly back to Poland and slowly return home over the Czech Republic and Austria, making short stops in cities already visited, and meeting some friends. While there I decided to cross the border to Ukraine and visit Lvov for a day. Below there are my notes about what I saw, where I slept, what I ate, how I moved around, how much I paid for things, …

Daily review

• Ljubljana-Zagreb-Dublin-Kilkenny-Cork
• Ring of Kerry and Cliffs of Moher
• Northern Ireland
• Dublin
• Warsaw
• Lvov
• Krakow and Wroclaw
• Prague and Brno
• Graz

Transport

In 9 days I was moving around in different means of transport, made some 7.500 km in 87 hours. Below it is explained in more detail. My perfect ratio of time spent while traveling would be 1/3 sleeping, 1/3 moving, and 1/3 experiencing. If I put walking to experiencing this time I was very close to my goal. As for cost, it was almost 60 % of my budget. I made some wrong decisions there.

Walking/Hiking

At that time I walked around 126 kilometers, which would take me more than 1 day (26+ hours). The least was just 7 km and the most was 22 km, on average 14 km. In that period I saw Ireland’s nice coastal towns, cities with museums, natural park, and attractions.

In other places, it was mostly walking around the old town. This activity is free, you get to see things up close, and has some health benefits. I had just some Skechers sneakers, they were to soft and not good especially for hiking.

Airplane

I had two flights with Ryanair this time. The first one was from Zagreb (Tuđman-nice, small, new) to Dublin (Aerfort Baile Átha Cliath-not to small, not nice), 1.800 km in 3 hours. I paid 200 €, too much while I bought it late in high season and paid for extra leg space.

The second one was from Dublin to Warsaw (Modlin-low budget, not nice), similar 1.800 km in 3 hours. I paid 50 €, one week earlier from departure, and got extra leg space for free.

On both flights, you had to take into account that you crossed the time zone. So arriving in Ireland meant minus one hour and to Poland back plus one hour – on the phone is done automatically. An interesting incident was waiting on a plane in Warsaw because of a bomb threat and emptying terminal – lost more than an hour.

Bus/Van

I used the bus to move between cities in continental Europe or from/to the airport. On the bus, I sat for 18 hours and made 850 km. In Dublin, the return ticket from/to the airport was 14 € (15 km, 30 min). Similarly in Warsaw was almost 7 € one way (40 km, 1h).

With Flixbus I moved from Warsaw to Lvov (35 €, 9h, 2h border), from Lvov to Krakow (64 €) – tried and after 2h went on my one, Wroclaw to Prague (21 €, 5h). Again, buying a ticket upfront would mean cheaper prices

Shuttle from to rent a car at Dublin airport was free, also van to Ukraine/Poland border was free.

Train, Tram

On the train, I made more than 1100 km in less than 14 hours. First was the train from Przemyśl to Krakow (changed plan, crowded-sat on the floor, missed one, 21 €, 3h). Second was Krakow to Wroclaw (similar, crowded, 21 €, 3,5h). Next was Prague to Brno (15 €, 3h). Last was Brno to Graz (78 €-expensive, 4 h, Simmering part nice). One could see many deer and rabbits from a window while on the train.

Also had one ride with a tram in Warsaw, 1€.

Car

I started and ended the trip with a car and made a circle in Ireland, around 1.800 km in 23 hours. To Zagreb airport a bit more than an hour, 135 km, gas expense, toll of 1 €, and a vignette for Slovenia I had before this trip. In Ireland, I made a bit less than 1.500 km with a hybrid Toyota Yaris. Gas was 1.7/l but with low consumption, I paid only 100 €.

Rent a car I overpaid, 500 € instead of 300 for 3 days, mostly my mistake. The toll was cheap (3.5 € and twice 2.1 €). Highways there are fine, but on the west side, there are none so it was narrow, steep local roads with high speed limits while driving on opposite side. Those were strenuous 20 hours, but worth it because of the scenery. In Graz sister picked me up by car, 2h for 200 km, expense was gas and 9.9 € vignette.

Boat

The only time I was on the water was a ferry in western Ireland between Tarbert and Killmer, 23 € for me, and a car in less than half an hour.

Accommodation

On this trip, I slept out of my home 8 times and spent 525 €. I tried different types of accommodation

Ireland

It is very expensive. I had a car so first two nights I slept outside cities. The first one, 40 km from Cork in a small house I got a room with a big bed and shared bathroom, paid 55 €, not in the best condition, also one Romanian stayed there. The next night I was 30 km from Galway, a huge room with a bathroom, a filled fridge, and a nice host, 83 €.

In Northern Ireland, I slept in the Mourne Country Hotel on the way to Dublin, for 90 €. Last night I stayed in Dublin in a hostel, nice location, room to the main road-loud, shower with cold water, 35 € with discount.

Poland

The first night I should have been on the Blablacar ride and slept there, but I had to change my plan. In Warsaw, I slept in an Ibis 3* hotel close to West Station where I had Flixbus, 60 €. In Wroclaw I was in the city center, 2* Hotel Traffic, 34 €.

Ukraine

In Lvov I slept in a motel close to the railway station, basic, 56 €. I could find a 4-star hotel in the city center for that kind of money, but because of further plans, I chose this option.

Czech Republic.

For last night in Brno, I took something luxurious, 5* Grandezza Hotel in the old town, nice view, good room, 113 €.

It was 25% of the budget, I could save if all the places were hostels, but comfort has a price. Also traveling alone increased this expense by almost half.

Food and drinks

For food and drink, I spent around 290 €, around 15 % of budget. 2/3 was food and 1/3 was drinks. I would have biscuits, bananas, and water always with me and eat 2 meals per day (50 € in 9 days). Usually on a trip, you try local cuisine. But Ireland is not a culinary center. Other countries I already visited. So this time I ate other ethnic food, McDonald’s and ćevapi.

In Kilkenny double burger with chips (vinegar?) was 7.5 €. On the second day, I ate biscuits, bananas, and food I found in the accommodation. In Londonderry, I found just a Turkish restaurant open and paid 14 € for an Adana kebab plate. In Belfast quick stop at McDonald’s 9 € for menu without plate. In Dublin shop in the morning and in the afternoon first ćevapi on the road. In the shopping part of town, a huge portion of meat and kajmak, average lepinja, ok onions with coca cola 21 €, charcoal grill, nice chat, probably best on this trip.

The next morning some bananas, and in Warsaw another ćevapi, lamb meat, not traditional but still tasty, with Skopsko beer for 14 €. Some chicken wings with fries in Lvov, 18 € with a few beers. Breakfast from the motel, 10 € for chicken steak in Przemyśl. In Wroclaw Pawel took me for spicy pizza, 8 € at Pizza Si.

I found also ćevapi in Prague, a great location, a small portion, mixed meat, OK kajmak, with beer, and a tip 17 €. In Brno Štepan took me to Vietnamese restaurant Go, I ordered Bún bò Nam Bộ – noodles with beef for 6.5 €. Last morning in Brno McDonald’s for 7.5 €, classic. In the afternoon met with my sister and her family at ćevapi in Graz, tasty, small, kajmak not too good, for 5 people with drinks and a tip 80 €.

As for drinks, I was driving and on a tight schedule so I didn’t drink much, except Lvov. In Ireland, whiskey was 9 € and beer 5-7 €. In Poland around 4 €. In Ukraine 2-4 €. In Czech republik 1.5-4 €. For a bottle of water, I paid from .2 to 2 €. Cigarettes were the cheapest in Ukraine (2 €) but in the end, they cost the most.

Sights

Ireland

Dublin as the capital has a lot to offer, from the Viking part, St Patric’s church, parks, free museums, Trinity college, shopping part, pubs, … Belfast in Northern Ireland I visited just for Peace lane, many visit titanic shipyard. Londonderry has an interesting walled city. Cork has an old town on River Island, but I wasn’t impressed. Kilkenny as a small town was great as small villages on the Iveragh Peninsula (Sneem, Waterville, Cahersiveen). Nature is also worth seeing, from Cliffs of Moher, Giant’s Causeway, Killarney National Park, beaches, and countryside all around the island.

Poland

In Poland, I stopped in cities I already visited, Warsaw, Krakow, and Wroclaw. All of them have great old towns and you can find them on the UNESCO list. Visiting some friends.

Ukraine

I was just for a day in Lvov. city has a nice vibe, many historical buildings secession). But they were not in good shape prior to the war. Sirennoise can spoil the atmosphere.

Czech Republic

Again went to familiar places, Prague and Brno. similar great old towns on the UNESCO list. Visiting some friends.

Austria

Just a few hour stop in Graz after many years. Nice afternoon with family in another great old town and castle on the hill

Budget

The budget for this trip was around 2.000 €, way too much. But mostly it was my fault. Rent a car should be 250 instead of 500 €, if I booked on time and didn’t mix PIN on the card. Another 150 € was spent in vain for flight from Zagreb, because of late booking (200 instead of 50 €). Also, some 100 € could be saved on other transportation with earlier booking.

But to summarize, out of 2.000 €, more than 1.100 was spent on transport (55%), and accommodation was 525 € (25%). Food and drinks took around 290 €, a bit less than 15%. All other stuff was around 100 € (5%).

I could take a trip with a travel agency for 8 days to Ireland for 1.500 and spend the rest money on food and drinks but even if I saw more of Ireland, I would experience much less and miss my friends. It is not an optimal way to travel, but it is my way.

Weather

Ireland

Weather in Ireland is changing often from sun to rain and wind before getting back to the sun. And all this can happen within half an hour. Good thing that the rain is not heavy. Just once I stopped for one cigarette before it got OK to walk on. Most days were around 25 Celsius, just one morning was cold in Dublin 15 degrees.

Other

Other countries had continental climates, very hot in the summer up to 35 Celsius. It rained only on the way to Lvov but it stopped on arrival. So in general I had luck with the weather.

Packing

Again it was light packing. A backpack was smaller than the budgeted flight limit. I packed 5 sets of t-shirts, underwear and socks, some toiletries, shorts, flip flops, and electronics (charger, converter, power bank, cables, action camera). I was wearing long light trousers, a hoody, and sneakers.

As for documents I had bank cards, driver’s licence, passport – Ukraine, some cash (€).

Misc

As for phones in the EU, I had no problem. In Northern Ireland, they had moderate prices, but still, I set roaming to off and tried navigating without help. In Ukraine, prices would be crazy so the internet is just in accommodation and bars.