Glendalough, the perfect day trip from Dublin
What to do when spending 3 days in Dublin? I asked myself this question when my friend Matthijs and I decided to visit Irelands capital for a weekend in September.
From Amsterdam we caught an early flight with Ryanair to Dublin. Upon arrival we set our clocks an hour back and grabbed our rental car so that we could also explore some of Irelands countryside on our last day. Through Airbnb we booked a nice apartment close to Trinity college where parking also was free for the weekend, perfect!
I have to start saying that Dublin isn’t like other European cities with a whole lot of actual sightseeing spots, nonetheless you could really enjoy this place. So, what did we see?
Guinness Factory
It seems that this is a must see when in Dublin. I’m one of those few people that doesn’t enjoy the taste of beer, but I still enjoyed going tot his distillery. The museum is an open walk-through where you can learn something about the creation process and the history of Guinness. Each time we walked up one floor to explore a new area. Near the ending there’s a tasting session where we received a small glass of Guinness and an Irish fellow telling us how to drink it; don’t sip but take a deep gulp so that you’ll get the white foam mustage. Oh and don’t worry, at the end you’ll also get the complimentary pint that can be enjoyed in the glass rooftop bar with extraordinary views of the city.
Eating pub grub
I couldn’t go to Ireland without eating in a pub, so we did. We ordered the lamb stew with mashed potatoes. Although not quite high cuisine it fitted perfectly in the atmosphere.
Going out in the Temple Bar area
Around the temple bar area is the outgoing scene of Dublin. Streets aligned with pubs and other clubs. We decided to visit the George where we danced and met both interesting locals and foreigners who came to Dublin to study or work.
Trinity College
One of the actual historic must-sees in Dublin is Trinity College. This famous University has a magnificent old library which houses the ancient Book of Kells. The library isn’t large but still worth the visit.
Visitor tip! Upon arrival we noticed the long waiting line and decided to book a ticket online right there on our mobiles phones. Instant skip of the line.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Our visit to Dublin coincided with the annual heritage day. On this day all the cultural riches are open and free of access. Altogether with plenty of festivities. Our walk through the cathedral was at night, it was crowded and creepy orchestral music was playing. It gave the place a gloomy atmosphere and we were actual happy to get out.
Dubin Castle
We booked a guided tour through Dublin Castle to also learn some of Dublin’s history. Our tour guide had a typical strong Irish accent therefor I had trouble understanding everything, but that didn’t diminish any of the fun.
National Gallery of Ireland
Because it was Heritage Day we could visit the national gallery for free. We mostly enjoyed the architecture of the building and a bit of the paintings. But I always have to admit I’m not that much of a museum-visiting-type anyways.
Queen of Tarts
Close to city hall and Dublin Castle is a small pastry shop called Queen of Tarts. Definitely go in here to eat some of their delicious pies. Luckily we could seat straight away but if there’s a queue, it’s worth the wait.
In short, Dublin sure is a fun city to visit for the weekend. The city strong points are its atmosphere and the super friendly people.
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