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As March 17th approaches, the whole of Europe turns green as the cities come alive with Irish holiday celebrations. The streets are filled with the sounds of traditional Irish music and people wearing green.
What was once an Irish only tradition has become a global phenomenon with European destinations embracing St. Patrick’s Day with parades, pub parties, live performances, and cultural events that capture the hearts of locals and tourists alike.
From marching bands to Irish dancing, the continent offers many ways to experience this holiday, whether you’re a seasoned St. Patrick’s Day enthusiast or a first timer. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in many cities around the world every year with elaborate floats and parade routes that showcase the Irish heritage and culture.
Join us as we explore the top European cities where Ireland comes alive, each with their own twist on this holiday, celebrating the country’s patron saint with Irish pride and a nod to the Irish immigrants who brought this joy to the world.
Ireland’s national holiday, which started as a religious observance in Ireland, has become one of the world’s biggest cultural festivals. Every March 17th millions gather to celebrate St. Patrick, the country’s patron saint who brought Christianity to Ireland and according to legend drove all the snakes out of the Emerald Isle.
Though its roots are Irish, St. Patrick’s Day has gone global and is now a celebration of Irish culture, heritage and the Irish spirit. From Dublin to Berlin, cities turn green as people from all walks of life come together to experience Irish traditions through parades, folk music and lively festivities that capture the warmth and craic of the Irish.
St. Patrick’s Day is a cherished celebration that has been embraced for generations, and its traditional customs continue to be enjoyed by many today. One of the most beloved traditions is wearing green, a nod to Ireland’s lush landscapes and its revered patron saint. Many also sport shamrocks, the three-leafed plant that St. Patrick famously used to explain the Holy Trinity to the Irish pagans.
The day wouldn’t be complete without the lively sounds of traditional Irish music and dance. The air is filled with the melodies of fiddles, bodhráns, and tin whistles, while dancers delight crowds with jigs and reels. And let’s not forget the hearty Irish cuisine, with dishes like corned beef and cabbage, soda bread, and colcannon, warming hearts and bellies.
In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is more than just a holiday; it’s a national celebration. People gather for church services, join in parades, and partake in traditional activities like ceilidh dancing and storytelling. It’s also a time for families to come together, share meals, and enjoy the joyful spirit of the day.
When it comes to experiencing St. Patrick’s Day in its purest form, nothing compares to the electric atmosphere of Dublin’s festivities. On Ireland’s national holiday, the capital city transforms into a mesmerizing spectacle of colour and excitement, with the legendary St. Patrick’s Day Parade drawing thousands to witness elaborate floats, world-class performers, and marching bands parading through historic streets.
The Festival Quarter in Dublin Castle is the hub of cultural activity while pubs and venues across the city are filled with traditional music sessions and contemporary celebrations that go on late into the night.
And Cork offers a more low-key but equally lovely celebration where the St. Patrick’s Festival showcases local talent and Irish traditions. The family friendly parade and cultural events create a warm and welcoming atmosphere while the streets are filled with street performers, craft markets and music sessions that capture the Irish spirit in a more laid-back way.
Across Europe, cities big and small have got in on the St Patrick’s Day action, each putting their own spin on this Irish favourite. From the big parades of London to the pub sessions in Prague, every destination has its own way of celebrating the craic.
European celebrations have moved beyond the pub crawl and now feature cultural festivals, family friendly events and creative interpretations of Irish traditions. These vibrant St. Patrick’s Day festivities attract large crowds to enjoy parades, traditional music, dance performances, and authentic Irish food, showcasing the rich Irish heritage while blending with local cultures.
This cultural mash up has created a rich tapestry of celebrations that make St. Patrick’s Day one of the most popular spring festivals in Europe. Let us take you to the places to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day on the continent.
Main Attractions: Trafalgar Square parade, Irish film screenings, and themed pub celebrations.
As the biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebration outside of Ireland, London becomes a showcase of Irish culture and tradition, with the city’s big St. Patrick’s Day parade through Trafalgar Square attracting over 50,000 spectators and featuring elaborate floats, traditional music, and Irish dance troupes.
London’s Irish community add to the atmosphere with Irish film screenings at select venues and special events in historic pubs across the city. The celebrations don’t stop at one day, with a week-long festival featuring Irish food markets, music sessions and cultural exhibitions that highlight the connections between Britain and Ireland.
Main Attractions: Munich St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Irish music and dance at Odeonsplatz festival, Bavarian-Irish events in local beer halls.
In the Bavarian capital, St. Patrick’s Day takes on a German twist while still being very Irish. Rumour has it that Munich’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations started as early as 1996. The city’s parade through the historic centre is one of the biggest Irish celebrations in continental Europe, combining Irish traditions with Bavarian festive fun.
Munich’s beer halls become the hub of Irish celebrations where traditional Bavarian brass bands play alongside Irish folk musicians, filling the air with lively Irish tunes. The festival attracts thousands of partygoers from all over Germany and beyond, a strange but wonderful mix of German and Irish traditions.
Main Attractions: Nyhavn parade, Irish dancing events, and St. Patrick’s Day activities at Tivoli Gardens.
Copenhagen’s events are famous for their craic. The Danish capital puts its own Nordic spin on St. Patrick’s Day with a charity focused celebration that is very Scandinavian in its social consciousness. The city’s famous Nyhavn harbour goes green as participants take part in a charity pub crawl that benefits both local and Irish causes.
Tivoli Gardens gets in on the action with Irish themed entertainment and decorations, a lovely setting for families. The celebration combines Danish hygge with Irish craic, with cozy pub sessions, Danish-Irish fusion food and local Irish dance troupes performing in the streets of Copenhagen.
Main Attractions: St. Patrick’s Day canal cruises, pub events, and Amsterdam’s vibrant Irish Festival.
Along Amsterdam’s canals, St. Patrick’s Day has become a bigger and better celebration every year. The city’s Paddy’s Day festival started in 2014. The historic squares come alive with traditional Irish music spilling out of the pubs and onto the canal side terraces.
Irish bars become cultural hotspots with live performances of Irish ballads and modern Celtic rock. Amsterdam’s party atmosphere fits perfectly with the Irish celebrations, with canal boats dressed in green offering St. Patrick’s Day cruises through the lit-up canals.
Main Attractions: Irish pubs, a parade on La Rambla, and rooftop parties overlooking the city.
The Catalan capital puts up its own Mediterranean version of St. Patrick’s Day, a mix of Spanish and Irish cultures. La Rambla becomes a green river as the parade snakes through the Gothic Quarter and rooftop bars have views of the celebrations below.
The city’s Irish pubs, scattered throughout the historic centre, are the hubs for traditional music sessions and dance performances. Barcelona’s warm weather means the celebrations go late into the night, with Irish expats and locals enjoying the perfect combination of Spanish tapas and Irish stout.
Main Attractions: Irish-themed ceilidh dances, pub gatherings with live music, and a festive parade through Old Town.
The Scottish capital goes big for St. Patrick’s Day, drawing on its Celtic heritage to create a special festival atmosphere, much like the celebrations in Northern Ireland. The cobblestone streets of the Old Town ring out with Irish and Scottish traditional music, while historic pubs host ceilidh dances that combine both cultures’ traditions.
The city has a big Irish community, and they put on the real deal, with traditional music sessions and Irish-Scottish fusion food. The celebrations go on into the next day and some pubs are famous for their recovery breakfasts. That should be a thing everywhere, shouldn’t it?
Main Attractions: St. Patrick’s Day pub gatherings in the historic centre, Irish music in cellar bars, Czech-Irish fusion beers.
The Golden City goes big for St. Patrick’s Day, combining Irish traditions with local customs in the historic centre. The medieval streets and squares become the backdrop for a weekend long celebration, with Irish pubs like James Joyce and Rocky O’Reilly’s being the cultural embassies of Irish spirit.
The city’s brewing tradition adds to the fun, as Czech beer halls join Irish pubs in special St. Patrick’s Day brews. Traditional Irish music sessions in centuries old cellars is an experience that can only happen in Prague.
Main Attractions: Open-air celebrations in Cais do Sodré, Irish pub events mixed with fado houses.
Portugal’s coastal capital brings the Mediterranean sunshine to St. Patrick’s Day, especially in the Cais do Sodré district. The city’s old bars and new venues alike go Irish, for a perfect mix of Portuguese and Irish hospitality.
Lisbon’s mild March weather means the celebrations can go outdoors and spill onto the cobblestone streets and waterfront promenades. The combination of traditional fado houses and Irish pubs is a cultural mashup like no other, while the city’s viewpoints are the perfect spot to watch the sunset on St. Patrick’s Day.
Main Attractions: Irish music sessions, St. Patrick’s Day events across pubs and clubs, Celtic Football Club matches.
Glasgow has a big Irish heritage so it’s a natural fit for great St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. The city is famous for its St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, live music is par for the course. The city’s nightlife goes green as comedy clubs, music venues and hundreds of pubs host special events that honour both Scottish and Irish traditions.
Celtic Football Club’s Irish heritage adds a sporting element to the celebrations, with matches around St. Patrick’s Day taking on a special meaning. The city’s pub culture comes alive with traditional music sessions, while Glasgow’s food scene serves up creative fusion dishes that celebrate both Scottish and Irish cuisine.
Main Attractions: A multicultural St. Patrick’s Day parade, themed pub events, and late-night parties.
Berlin goes big for St. Patrick’s Day with a multicultural twist, the parade features Irish dancers, local groups and international bands. As Berlin attracts people from all over the world, the Irish community in Berlin is growing every year – as is the festival of St. Patrick’s Day.
The parade is a celebration of Berlin’s diversity and creativity so it’s the perfect choice for those looking for a new spin on St. Patrick’s Day. From the heart of Berlin, the parade continues with live folk music and dance performances at popular Irish pubs, including Kilkenny Pub and the Cliffs of Dooneen.
Berlin’s nightlife adds to the fun, with themed parties at clubs and bars for all styles. The city’s St. Patrick’s Day is a perfect blend of Irish culture and Berlin’s modern, open-minded vibe – so you can party all night long.
Main Attractions: Irish pubs, themed river cruises on the Seine, and live Celtic performances.
Paris puts its own French twist on St. Patrick’s Day with events all over the city, from Irish pub sessions to themed river cruises on the Seine. The cruises are decorated in green and have live Irish music, so you can see the city’s landmarks while celebrating Irish style. Irish pubs like O’Sullivan’s have live folk bands and dance performances, so you’ll feel like you’re in a Parisian salon.
Plus, Paris has several Celtic music concerts and gatherings so it’s a great choice for music lovers. Irish traditions meet Parisian atmosphere, the city goes green with French elegance and Irish fun.
Main Attractions: Irish Week, Irish food markets, and the “green lighting” of major landmarks.
Brussels is fast becoming a St. Patrick’s Day destination thanks to its annual Irish Week festival with Irish dance, concerts and screenings that attract locals and international visitors. One of the city’s favourite traditions is the Irish food market where you can try Irish specialties like soda bread and Guinness alongside Belgian treats with a green twist.
And to top it all off Brussels lights up key landmarks like the Atomium and the Grand Place green for the holiday. The green glow of the city is a warm welcome, a mix of Irish and Belgian traditions for a special and unforgettable celebration.
From the streets of Dublin to the canals of Amsterdam, Europe has so many amazing destinations to experience the magic of St. Patrick’s Day. Each city puts its own spin on the celebrations while honouring the core of Irish tradition.
Whether you like London’s big parade and performances, Munich’s beer halls with Celtic music, Copenhagen’s charity vibe or something else, there’s a St. Patrick’s Day for every kind of traveller. Edinburgh’s Celtic fusion, Barcelona’s Mediterranean style, Prague’s medieval cellars…
The magic of St. Patrick’s Day in Europe lies in the variety of experiences—from traditional Irish music in Lisbon’s old town to Glasgow’s fusion of sports and culture. Each destination proves that Irish hospitality knows no borders, whether you’re raising a pint with locals in Brussels or watching the sunset after partying the night away in Berlin.
So, grab your shamrock, put on your greenest and choose your favourite European destination to celebrate Ireland. After all, on St. Patrick’s Day everyone’s Irish, no matter where you are in Europe!
Visiting London, Munich, or Paris for St. Patrick’s Day? Make the most of your trip by adding a City Pass to your itinerary! These passes provide skip-the-line access to top attractions, saving you time to fully enjoy the festive celebrations and helping you plan the rest of your trip.
In London, complement the St. Patrick’s Day parade with visits to iconic landmarks like the Tower of London or Westminster Abbey—all included in your City Pass. In Munich, balance the lively Irish festivities with access to must-sees like Nymphenburg Palace or the Olympic Tower. And in Paris, pair Irish music sessions with a scenic Seine river cruise or a trip up the Eiffel Tower, ensuring your visit blends cultural festivities with sightseeing highlights.
With a City Pass, your St. Patrick’s Day celebration becomes part of a broader exploration of Europe’s most vibrant cities, offering unbeatable convenience and value.
