In late October, we spotted some cheap flights to Dublin and booked them for a long weekend. Neither of us had ever been to Ireland before and we were expecting rainy, cold weather but the weather while we were there was BEAUTIFUL. I couldn’t imagine a more beautiful place in the Fall. We spent three nights in Dublin and rented a car for a day trip to the Cliffs of Moher.
What to do in Dublin:
Guinness Factory: SO fun! We bought tickets a few weeks before online for a specific entry time. We went on a Saturday and it was packed. We ordered our tickets on the official website here. All tickets include a complimentary pint of Guinness 😀 Our favorite part was learning how to pour the perfect pint and earning our perfect pour certificates.
Pubs: The Temple Bar neighborhood is a little touristy but totally fun to walk around. There are pubs around every corner, and you can find whatever you’re looking for whether you want to enjoy some live music or sit somewhere chill and enjoy a pint.
Trinity College and the Book of Kells: Trinity College has a lot of history and a beautiful campus. You can pay for a tour to learn more about the history or you can walk around the campus by yourself. The Book of Kells (the world’s most famous medieval manuscript) is an extra 14 euros per person and also includes access to the Long Room, one of the world’s most beautiful libraries, that houses 200,000 of Trinity College’s oldest books.
Celtic Dancing + Traditional Irish Meal: This was one of the highlights of our trip! I booked tickets at the Arlington hotel a week in advance, as these tickets generally sell out. The food was amazing, and we really enjoyed the performance. They included great explanations of styles of music and cultural history along with exceptional. The tickets were 34 euros each and included a three course dinner. It worked out perfectly as this was only a few minutes’ walk from our hotel!
St. Stephen’s Green: Gorgeous park in the city center. Great place to relax or take a break if you are doing a self guided walking tour of the city.
Whiskey Tasting: Take a tour of the original Jameson distillery and do a whiskey tasting. This option is 22 euros per person and includes a 40 minute tour and whiskey tasting.
Shop: We were there in October, so I picked up a sweater from Aran Sweater Market. So comfy! I loved it so much that I wore it the next day on our trip to the Cliffs of Moher. A finished Aran Sweater contains approximately 100,000 carefully constructed stitches and can take the knitter up to sixty days to complete. It can contain any combination of stitches, depending on the particular pattern followed. Each stitch carries its own unique meaning, a historic legacy from the lives of the island community many years ago.
Where to Eat & Drink in Dublin:
Arlington hotel: Live music, traditional Celtic dancing, and a three course meal all for 33 euros! This was one of the highlights of our trip, and we really enjoyed both the atmosphere and the food.
Hatch and Sons: Great stew and soda bread.
The Winding Stair: Good wine, cozy atmosphere with a view, and delicious food!
Vintage cocktail club: Right in the center of the Temple Bar area. 3 floors, including a gorgeous roof terrace. They have an extensive cocktail menu and their cocktails are delicious!
The Blind Pig Speakeasy: Great atmosphere with cocktails and live music.
Day Trip to Cliffs of Moher:
This was both our favorite part of the trip. We rented a car and Patrick adjusted well to driving on the opposite side of the road. We took a route from Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher that was longer but took us through the gorgeous countryside. We stopped quite a few times to get out and enjoy the views. I couldn’t believe how green everything was!
Harry potter and the princess bride were filmed here! I heard this gets pretty crowded during busy months but we just parked at the visitor center across the street, paid 8 euro each and walked across to the cliffs. The forecast called for rain, but I couldn’t believe our luck and we had sunshine while we were there! There were a few other groups there but it definitely wasn’t unbearably crowded.
Galway:
On our way back to Dublin we stopped in Galway for dinner. We ate dinner at the Quay Street Kitchen, which was delicious. After dinner we got ice cream at the famous Murphy’s. They have a few locations all over Ireland and is made locally in Dingle. It was pretty good but also overpriced. They use local ingredients and even make their own sea salt from Dingle sea water.
Where we stayed in Dublin:
We stayed at The Morrison Doubletree in downtown Dublin and loved it! I would stay here again in a heartbeat. Perfect location and amazing customer service. Book using this link and get a $25 discount.
