IRELAND
Ireland is a country filled with endless mythical wonder, beautiful rolling green hills, stunning cliff side views, intriguing history, local live music all around, and a good pint at the pub at the end of the day.
Our final stop on our European adventure was Ireland and we were lucky with clear blue skies the entire length of our stay. We were pretty beat from traveling for 2 weeks straight around 5 countries and decided to take the first day slow, taking in Dublin, particularly Grafton St and had an early evening in to rest as much as we could before taking in Ireland over the next 4 days.
Our first full day took us to the Guinness Storehouse (see below), lunch at the Brazen Head, and seeing many beautiful cathedrals throughout including St. Patrick’s and Christ Church. The second day we toured the west side of the country in County Galway and County Clare visiting the Cliffs of Moher and the vibrant city of Galway.
Our last two days we explored Dublin as much as possible! We toured Trinity College especially the Long Room and the Book of Kells, a 9th century exquisite and highly decorated Latin manuscript. The National Gallery of Ireland, Oscar Wilde House and statue, relaxed at St Stephen’s Green park, saw the old Dublin city wall, the Molly Malone statue, Dublin Castle, and visiting a few times the ever infamous Temple Bar district.
GUINNESS STOREHOUSE
Guinness is known around the world to be quite a famous beer, however it is more than just a pint at the pub. Guinness can be found in breads, cakes, and even stews and they’re all delicious too I might add! I was hesitant about the tour but after multiple recommendations from friends we booked our tickets the day we were going to Europe and I can confidently and highly recommend the tour! If you like beer or simply like the chemistry and history about brewing this is definitely the place to be, plus the tour is honestly beautiful and interactive.
MUST EATS
Gino’s Gelato: Gino’s is hands down an absolute go to; grab a gelato and listen to local musicians play on Grafton Street! Get the Kinder Bueno, we were so obsessed with this flavor we went twice.
Neon: If you are looking from a change from pub food give Neon a try! Amazing thai food with a fun environment plus they have vegan and vegetarian options.
RoCo Cafe: If you’re looking for a good cup of coffee and a quick bite Roco Cafe is the place to go! The baked ham sandwich is a must!
The Brazen Head: Although this is often controversial the Brazen Head is the fourth oldest pub in the world and the oldest in Dublin dating as far back as 1198! Snag a seat outside, tuck into a mid afternoon pint, a traditional meal and enjoy the ambiance.
Gallagher's Boxty House: If you are looking for great service, good drinks, and an amazing authentic meal on Temple Bar try Gallagher’s Boxty House. We got the Stew Platter, 3 traditional Stews – Irish, Beef & Stout and Coddle with a side of Boxty fries made of a savory pancake batter. You won’t regret this meal!
CLIFFS OF MOHER
A beautifully sunny and windswept day! The first stop on our tour we enjoyed seeing the Kilmacduagh monastery, a monastery that dates back to the 7th century. We then made our way through County Clare to the Cliffs of Moher, experiencing a rarely seen perfect view of the cliffs. A blissful afternoon spent enjoying the breeze and sunshine, the rolling green hills, the infamous cliffs site of a scene in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, fan girl moment, and pretending to be Elizabeth Bennett from Pride & Prejudice in my empire waist dress on the cliffs edge. We took the Wild Atlantic Way stopping at The Burren a vast pavement of glacial era limestone rock formations, ocean views, and more.
Our final stop on the tour before returning to Dublin was the lively city of Galway, you’ve probably heard of a little song called “Galway Girl”. Galway has a special vibe and is known exclusively for its live folk music and we were not disappointed! We grabbed some wood fire pizza from The Dough Bros, perused shops and enjoying the live music floating throughout the air.
