The Emerald Isle - Ireland

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Do's:

  • Take a day tour to the Cliffs of Moher.
  • Take a trip up to Northern Ireland to visit Belfast and Giant's Causeway. 
  • Explore the Irish countryside and drive around the Ring of Kerry.
  • Thirsty? Visit the Guinness Brewery or Jameson Distillery. 
  • Bike around the Aran Islands. 
  • Visit a castle! They're everywhere!
  • Spend a relaxing afternoon at St. Stephen's Green.
  • Walk around the Temple Bar District in Dublin.

Don't:

  • Feel overwhelmed about seeing everything! There are very efficient day tours out of Dublin daily, so you can manage to cover some ground in a small amount of time. 

Flying into Ireland was just as I dreamt it would be with endless green fields! 

I only spent a weekend in Ireland, but surprisingly I managed to cover a lot of ground! Not only is Dublin on the smaller side making it really easy to explore, but there are several fantastic day tours that take you all around the country. 

With a weekend in Dublin, definitely set aside a full day to explore the city. Have a wander around the Temple Bar District, one of the more lively parts of the city/a great place to eat, drink or shop. With that being said, this is also a really touristy location, so my friends and I stuck to people watching then checked out the surrounding areas for some food. Since my friend is basically a local she recommended going to a tea place called Wall + Keogh. 

This place is one of the cutest tea rooms I've come across in a while and it's tea selection seems endless. The menu also includes a selection of sandwiches, sushi, and some delicious baked treats. If you're near Stephen's Green, make Wall + Keogh a stop for your breakfast or lunch!

On your walks throughout Dublin, don't forget to keep your eyes peeled for some cool street art that seems to be scattered all around the city.   

Now of course we had a big night out (you're in Dublin, so it's necessary) but let me fast forward to the next day which was one of the highlights of our trip to Ireland. Even if you have a weekend in Dublin, make sure to get on a day tour to whichever amazing land formation you prefer. Personally, I wasn't leaving Ireland until I saw the Cliffs of Moher. And that's exactly what we did. 

The Cliffs are mind blowing! The only issue we faced was wishing we could have spent the whole day here! On a sunny day, there's no amount of time that would have been enough. 

We used Paddywagon Tours; they surely won't disappoint! Our itinerary included:

  • Bunratty Castle 
  • Cliffs of Moher
  • Doolin Region - with views of the Aran Islands.
  • The Burren - limestone rock as far as the eye can see. You'll feel like you're on the moon. 
  • A drive along coastal Ireland with perfect views of Galway Bay.
  • Corcomroe Abbey - an eerie abbey in the middle of nowhere. 
  • Kinvara - a small fishing village with a beautiful harbour, perfect for a lie down in the grass. 

On our drive back to Dublin, we were greeted with a massive rainbow framing the entire city. The only thing missing was a pot of gold! 

After a long day on the road, our friend stumbled upon a magnificent restaurant called Cornucopia which caters to every food restriction imaginable. Eggs, dairy, wheat, nuts, you name it. And the best part is, even if you don't have a food allergy, you'll still have a hard time deciding on what to order because everything looked and tasted excellent. 

Sadly, this was the end to an amazing weekend in Ireland. Yet, even with such a short trip, we managed to get a good taste of what the Emerald Isle has to offer!