The taste of Christmas in Ireland

Castlemartyr Resort is a beautiful 18th-century manor house that boasts a 220-acre estate in Cork city, Ireland. The resort grounds offer its guests a mature landscape full of streams, parklands, a tranquil lake, and the ruins of an 800-year-old castle. The gardens around the property have abundant wildlife and a myriad of activities for outdoor pursuits. Some of the things to enjoy during your stay include kayaking, cycling, playing tennis, learning archery, croquet on the lawn, clay pigeon shooting, playing golf, and hiking through the woods. If you are not an outdoorsy person and prefer to relax, the Castlemartyr resort also has a contemporary spa that features many indoor activities. You can rejuvenate in their vitality lounges, steam room, sauna, and jet pool.

For Christmas, you can book a two-day package or a three-day package that starts with a warm glass of mulled wine at check-in, followed by evening cocktails by the fireplace. On Christmas Eve, enjoy a 5-course tasting menu in their Canopy restaurant. The menu offers dishes such as sweet potato soup, Guinea fowl terrine with bacon, smoked haddock with crispy egg, barbequed monkfish, beef filet, and crispy roasted chicken. For desserts, they will pamper you with strawberries with basil and olive oil meringue, hazelnut cake with Guinness ice cream, and chocolate with poached pear. Enjoy a hearty breakfast on the morning after Christmas Day before heading home with fond memories.

Ultimate Christmas Package (3D, 3N) – 815 € per person per night
Christmas in Cork (2D, 2N) – 1095 € per person per night

Clontarf Castle Hotel in Dublin is one of the best Christmas hotels in Ireland. It is a perfect blend of boutique and luxury hotels that provides exceptional service in comfortable surroundings. The Clondorf hotel is built keeping the guests’ comfort in mind. It provides a modern aesthetic build with all the amenities surrounded by an ancient castle form. Its ornamental gatehouse dates to 1830. During Christmas time, the driveway is lit with festive lanterns and twinkling fairy lights that welcome ‌visitors to a palatial entrance. Sip the citrus-spiced warm wine offered at the check-in counter, followed by a choice of relaxing by the fireplace with family or a tour around the capital city to enjoy the Christmas markets and festivities.

The Clontarf Castle hotel provides a two-day, three-day, and four-day Christmas package to discover its magical surroundings. For Christmas Eve dinner, there is a 4-course tasting menu followed by live music in the lobby. The menu offers you classical Christmas feast dishes such as slow-cooked garlic and thyme chicken, roasted turkey with stuffing, honey-glazed Limerick ham, and 28-day dry-aged prime roast rib of Irish beef. You can also enjoy a late Christmas night with cocktails at the Knight’s bar for some entertainment. Located just 10 minutes from the heart of the city center, this fine establishment is the ideal oasis with a tranquil setting for your Christmas celebration.

Two Nights Package – 669 € per person
Three Nights Package –809 € per person
Four Nights Package – 929 € per person

Glenlo Abbey Hotel is a 5-star estate dating to the 18th century in Galway city, Ireland. It is a scenic estate covering 138 acres of private land, which is an idyllic setting for outdoor adventures. Some of the activities at Glenlo Abbey include fishing, water cruise, trekking, horse riding, falconry, playing tennis, indulging in water sports, and playing golf. For Christmas, they offer two-night and three-night packages to stay in the comforts of a palatial manor and dive into relaxing activities along with trying splendid authentic Irish cuisine.

The most unique dining experience in Ireland is offered at the Pullman Restaurant. The establishment comprises two former dining carriages from the original Orient Express dating back to 1927. It offers fabulous views of Lough Corrib and the estate beyond. The food is made with the best locally sourced ingredients, accompanied by selected fine wines and jovial service. Savor your Christmas Eve dinner aboard the Orient Express and relish dishes such as crab with vegetables, foie gras and eel terrine, grilled sea trout with roasted summer vegetables, beef filet with bone marrow onions, and guinea fowl with baby vegetables. Glenlo Abbey Hotel is where old-world charm meets contemporary elegance.

Two Nights Package – 1200 € per person per night
Three Nights Package – 1600 € per person per night

Fire Steakhouse is an award-winning restaurant located in the heart of Dublin, at Dawson Street. The restaurant’s dining area was originally built in 1864 in the mansion of the Lord Mayor of Dublin. Today, the building is still in the care of the state and the Lord Mayor is still in residence in the Mansion House. The original “Supper Room” has been renovated and converted into this fine dining establishment. The ambiance features incredibly high vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows, and a beautiful terrace seating overlooking the mansion’s garden. The menu focuses on using premier quality meats and produce sourced from sustainable local Irish farmers.

For Christmas, the steakhouse offers a tasting 3-course lunch and dinner menu. You can choose from their specialty menu, which consists of dishes such as oysters, wood-fired tiger prawns, spiced Irish lamb skewers, grilled monkfish, 10oz ribeye prime steak, turkey roulade, dry-aged Irish Hereford beef, and porterhouse steak. For desserts, you can pick from unique sweet delights such as brandy and Guinness Christmas pudding, lime mascarpone mousse with gin and tonic lemon jelly, chocolate framboise, lemon tart, and coffee-soaked ganache with redberry cream. They also offer a wide array of wines for pairing with your meals and some exquisite cocktail selections. For an upscale Christmas dinner in Ireland, visit the most historical and impressive dining room in Dublin.

3-course Lunch Menu – 52 € per person (without wines)
3-course Dinner Menu – 72 € per person (without wines)

Fade Street Social is a Michelin Guide-recommended restaurant that is worth a visit for a truly Irish experience in Dublin. It incorporates three dining areas under one roof – the restaurant dining room, the Woodfired menu in the cocktail lounge on the second floor, and a heated outdoor terrace area. The dining establishment creates a casual atmosphere in a huge area of about 8000 sq ft with wooden furniture and brick-lined walls. With over 9+ years of experience in hosting Christmas parties, it is the ideal place to have a festive meal. The owner and chef Dylan McGrath became a household name in Ireland after showing his culinary prowess on Masterchef Ireland as a contestant. Fade Street Social restaurant was voted the Best Restaurant in Dublin in 2020 by a local Irish website.

For Christmas, the place has created special lunch and dinner menus with two options – the Xmas restaurant menu and the woodfired menu. The Xmas menu offers its guests a 3-course meal with dishes such as chicken liver parfait, onion soup, roasted pumpkin hummus, whole roasted red pepper snapper, coal roasted pork rib-eye, grilled sirloin steak, blackberry pavlova, and pear cobbler. The woodfired menu also features a 3-course meal with specialty dishes such as roasted pumpkin rosemary soup, deep-fried cod in olive oil, dry-aged steak burger, roasted bean stew with chorizo, rump steak with mashed potatoes, plum cobbler, and cheese board.

3-course Lunch Menu – 52 € per person
3-course Dinner Menu – 72 € per person

Irish Christmas

Ireland is a relaxing, attractive, and one of the most charming places on Earth. It sits in a location that is expected to have much snowier and chillier weather. But the North Atlantic winds bring warm waters from the Gulf Stream in the North. This helps influence the climate in Ireland to be pleasant during winter, making it an ideal tourist destination during Christmas. In addition to magnificent attractions such as the Emerald Isle, the Irish Sea, and the beautiful Irish countryside, the region is rich with 5000 years of culture and history. Visit the beautiful country of Ireland for a memorable and unforgettable Christmas vacation.

What are your plans this Christmas? Have you planned your festive dinner already? Share your ideas with other foodies in the comment section below, and let us all have a Merry Christmas!