Flight prices are soaring, with the cheapest return ticket from Dublin Airport to Rome from Friday to Sunday costing €457 (approx. Frw 750,000) with Ryanair. This is more than double the price of the following weekend, with the cheapest return ticket costing €205.
To fly with Aer Lingus for the Pope's funeral this weekend, passengers will have to fork out €782 for return flights on the same dates. Accommodation is also hard to come by, with Booking.com saying nine in ten rooms are already gone and the remainder have hiked fees.
Travel website On the beach saw bookings begin to surge just hours after 'the people's Pope' passed away on Easter Monday. The firm's Zoe Harris said: 'His passing prompted an outpouring of grief around the world and what followed was a flurry of bookings to Rome.
'With the Pope's burial due on Saturday and the historic process of the conclave beginning in two weeks, it's clear that people will want to be in the heart of Italy for this historic moment. We're expecting bookings to rise further over the next 48 hours following Tuesday's confirmation of dates of service.'
President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina, were seen signing condolences for Pope Francis at the Holy See Apostolic Nunciature in Dublin, and will travel to the Vatican for his funeral.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has warned Irish travelers to prepare for significant crowds. 'Following the Pope's passing, it is expected that there will be significant crowds gathering in Rome over the coming days, particularly in the area of St. Peter's Square and Via della Conciliazione,' a new travel alert reads.
'Irish citizens who are gathering in Rome to pay their respects should monitor local news and consult Italian authorities for the latest updates. The Embassy of Ireland to the Holy See and the Embassy of Ireland to Italy are monitoring the situations closely and will be posting relevant updates on their social media pages.'
'If you wish to attend the public elements of the funeral rites, including the lying in state, please be aware that queuing will be mostly outdoors and waiting times are expected to be very long. You should check the weather forecast and ensure that you have adequate food and water for the duration of your wait,' said the advisory.
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