VISIT DUBLIN
Happy belated St. Patrick’s Day! V and I were feeling festive, or lucky I should say, and decided to do our Ireland blog recently in honor of all things green and amazing, just like the outskirts of Ireland actually.
V and I, along with our two great friends Carolyn and Katherine, backpacked our way through Europe and our first stop was Dublin. We only had 2 days to spend here, but we made the most of every second of it. That being said, these are our TOP 5 MUST DO’S IN DUBLIN, IRELAND. 🙂
5: OLDEST CHURCH & PUB
Now before you get mad that I put a pub and a church together, who doesn’t love Jesus and wine? We suggest that when you go to Dublin that you search up whatever it is you are into and look for the “oldest” of that while there.
For us it was The Christ Church Cathedral and The Brazen Head Pub. Dublin is just so full of history, that you are going to be in awe. The reason these two made the Top 5 are because of that, their history. The Christ Church Cathedral was founded around the year 1030!! I mean how can you not find that interesting?!
What I loved about it was not only the gorgeous structure, but the fact that it had its own museum of sorts inside. You can go in and see the church and see part of its history. It will take you about 30 minutes to fully see this church, so be sure to add it to your to do list.
Also, while in Dublin, we suggest having dinner, or a pint, at The Brazen Head. The Brazen Head was founded in 1198, so you can trust they know how to run a business by now. The pub is rather large inside and when we went, it was pretty crowded. Although it was crowded, our service did not disappoint.
Our food came out quickly and we enjoyed every bite of it. While waiting, be sure to walk around and check out their unique decorations. Add a bit of Dublin’s history to your itinerary by checking out these two places on your upcoming trip.
4: EAT AN IRISH BREAKFAST
Yes, eating an Irish breakfast earned it’s own slot on our Top 5 things to do in Dublin! It was such a filling meal and one of the best we had on our entire backpacking trip through Europe. Almost any pub or restaurant will be serving this, so it truly doesn’t matter where you go, just make sure you have it!
An Irish breakfast consists of ham, sausage, eggs, beans, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, toast and potatoes. I told you, it is filling! If you eat this, you can plan on skipping lunch that day, so hey it saves you money as well. Plus the Irish breakfast is rather inexpensive, so there really is no down side to ordering it.
The best part is that in Ireland no one will judge you for ordering a pint of Guinness with it, no matter how early you may be starting your day. This meal is making me hungry as I type, so I will wrap this up, but be sure this is on the top of your list for your trip.
When you first get into Dublin, I suggest booking a day trip somewhere outside of Dublin. Dublin is fun, but a lot of us go to Ireland for the views, and you will need to take a trip outside the city for that.
Some of these trips take longer than others. We had originally planned on going to the Cliffs (which we will go back and do one day) but it took up an entire day, and as you know we were only in Dublin for 2 days, so we didn’t have that much time to spare. We decided to take a day trip to Glendalough and Kilkenny, and I am SO glad we did. If you can do both, I say go for it.
These are going to give you pictures and memories you will cherish forever. As I said, we went with the monastic site of Glendalough, and the medieval city of Kilkenny. Glendalough actually means land between two lakes. This place was so green and gorgeous, it truly makes you appreciate mother nature. After touring here, you will make a pit stop to hills for you to get more pictures as well.
Then you will go to Kilkenny which is a whole different kind of beautiful. I mean there is a gigantic castle for you to view, as well as old churches and pubs to check out. We truly loved our time on this day tour, and it only took about 8-9 hours of our day, so we were able to come back and explore more that evening in Dublin.
2: TEMPLE BAR DISTRICT
Don’t let the name fool you…. this area is so much more than just bars. Temple Bar District is filled with beautiful street art, delicious and trendy restaurants, street performers, live performances nightly, and of course the local cool pubs. We spent both of our evenings exploring this area, and never got bored.
I suggest you go here for at least one evening, grab dinner, take some photos, and enjoy the local musicians and artists. You will truly feel the Irish vibe here. There was also a leprechaun walking around taking pictures with everyone and who doesn’t want that?!
This area is definitely comparable to what you’d expect visiting Austin. Another plus is it’s near the river so you can go check it out before starting your night. Temple Bar District is also a great area to get souvenirs! Temple Bar District is sure to be a good time for the entire group you’re traveling with.
1: GUINNESS BREWERY
The Guinness Brewery is a must do for all who visit Dublin. Whether you are a beer drinker or not, you have to add this to your list. As you enter the brewery you will make your way through their own museum. This brewery is such a big part of Dublin’s and our history.
All of the funny old ads you grew up seeing are on display here, as well as they walk you through the process of how they make the beer you will later be tasting. BUT the real reason this is number one on our list is the VIEW!!! Once you finish the tour you go up to the top level to their Gravity Bar, which is made up of glass, allowing you to overlook the city of Dublin.
This is THE BEST VIEW in Dublin. You will be so happy you made it to the end and you can just overlook the amazing city you are spending your next couple days in. Plus, you get Guinness at the top, so that’s pretty great too! 😉 Do not leave Dublin without getting a look at this view.
We hope that these Top 5 Must Do’s in Dublin help you in planning your upcoming trip! Also, I hope that you are even more excited to go to this amazing city!! You are guaranteed to have a great time when visiting Dublin. If you know something we missed on our Top 5 list please comment below and help out your fellow travelers. 🙂 Let me know below if you have any questions.
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Until next time…. XOXO
KASVENTURES 