Christmas holidays in Athlone
My tips for things to do
Athlone, as it sits halfway between Dublin and Galway, can be a nice stopover on the way to or from the airport, or a destination for a short break. During the Christmas holidays you can take part in some events in Athlone to get in the festive mood.
I have been living in Athlone for a few years now and these are some suggestions on what to do if you travel to Athlone over the Christmas holidays.
But first, a word of warning about travelling to Ireland at Christmas.
It’s not a good idea to travel on Christmas Day in Ireland
Before you start planning your trip, bear in mind that on 25th December, Christmas Day, transport services do not run in Ireland.
Dublin Airport is closed on Christmas Day so there are no flights arriving nor departing. You can check up to date information on the Dublin Airport website.
There are also three other airports in Ireland: Knock or Ireland West Airport, Cork and Shannon.
There are no trains running on Christmas Day and on 26th December (St. Stephen’s Day or Boxing Day). You can plan your train journeys on Irish Rail.
Some bus operator may offer limited services on Christmas Day, however the two bus routes serving Athlone’s urban area do not run on Christmas Day. It is worth checking the websites of each operator. The main ones are Bus Éireann, CityLink and Dublin Coach.
What to do in Athlone at Christmas
Athlone is a shopping destination: there are two shopping centres and small independent shops on the high street, however on Christmas Day all shops are closed. Pubs and bars are also closed on Christmas day.
There are also two main tourist amenities: Athlone Castle and the Luan Gallery. Both are closed for a few days around Christmas but, for example, just before the 25th Athlone Castle has family-friendly activities like meeting Santa.
If you are planning a trip to Athlone during the festivities, it is worth to bear in mind that there will be more events available before Christmas.
Local hotels offer some packages at Christmas such as dinners with entertainment and relaxing spa breaks.
The week before Christmas there is a small Christmas market in the Civic Square with stalls selling arts and crafts as well as food, however it only lasts for four days. If you travel to nearby Galway you will see a much wider range of stalls.
There are also a couple of indoor markets with Christmas stalls at Dead Centre Brewing and Rob’s Ranch House but check on their sites for dates and times.
You can look at what events are planned in Athlone on the Athlone.ie site.
How to Spend Christmas in Ireland
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