The Irish capital has it all, from great history to fantastic nightlife. I love Dublin and would recommend a trip to anyone who loves to have a great time. Dublin is just an all-around fun city and Dubliners are very friendly people. I can’t imagine it took me this long to visit. A weekend did no justice and I feel there is a lot more than I missed on my first trip.
From Dublin's Airport, the Airlink 747 Bus takes you to central Dublin (€6 one-way, €10 roundtrip). An ideal stop is O'Connell Street. This puts you in the center of the action and the beginning of the magic.
Here you are greeted with your first image of the Dublin Spire. I wanted to get a rich history lesson of Dublin so I opted for a Hop on Hop off tour (€19 one day, €22 two days). These tickets can be bought throughout the city but it’s better to get them at the tourism office as they are able to sell you packaged deals on several attractions throughout the city.
After hearing so much about it, a stop at Trinity College was in order. After a tour of the campus, it was on to see the Book of Kells. (no filming or pictures authorized). After learning of its rich history, a visit to the Long Room of the Trinity College library ended the college trip. The grounds of the college has a lot of art as well.
The streets of Dublin has many statues, so visiting a few were on the list. First was the Molly Malone statue. From there was a brisk walk to Merrion Square to see the Oscar Wilde Statue. Behind the statue is the Giants Garden. It’s a great place for kids to come and have a great time. The Dublin castle was next on the itinerary. The next stop was a visit to the Christ Church Cathedral.
The night began in the historic Temple Bar. Temple Bar is an area in town but there is also the Temple Bar, perhaps Irelands most iconic Pub. Live music, great atmosphere and loads and loads of great fun. If traveling solo, here’s where you’ll meet a lot of travelers like yourself and many locals alike.
The vegan cafe Meet Me in the Morning is the best place to have brunch. The food is fo fresh and rich in flavor. Its literal heaven for a foodie. Great coffee and deserts and an all-around must while in Dublin. This is truly a hidden gem and worth the trip.
Next up, the Irish Whiskey Museum. Learning about the origins and history of Whiskey was quite amazing. The tour shows the pride put into its whiskey production as well as gives a detailed outline of what happened to whiskey production from 1920 onwards. The tasting at the end, however, lets you taste a few of Ireland's different whiskeys.
If someone asked me, “What’s one thing that’s an absolute must do in Ireland?" The answer will be the Guinness Storehouse. Purchasing tickets from the tourism office allows you to skip the line and go right inside. Once inside, you are taken in the middle of the floor to see a copy of the 9000-year lease that Arthur Guinness signed which showed his commitment and vision towards his product. You would also be given a brief history of the building. From there you get to see the ingredients that make a Guinness. There’s also a tasting room where you perfect the art of tasting and how to drink a Guinness. The Guinness Academy is a one of a kind experience and last but not least is the Gravity Bar on the top floor. Perfect 360-degree views of the city of Dublin while relaxing and having a cold Guinness, it can’t get any better.
The rest of the evening was spent on visiting a few places on my lists, such as Ha’penny Bridge and the Famine Statues. From there it was another night of visiting the different cuisines in the Temple Bar area and having one last pint before the end of my night.
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