dublin
Exploring Dublin: Being the Capital and largest city in Ireland, we recommend spending 2-3 days checking out all that the city has to offer. Our favorite way to explore a big city on the first day is to join a free walking tour. You can easily walk around and see the sites, but with walking tours, you get to hear all the history and fun stories that are behind what you are seeing. The 3 hour walking tour through Dublin (more info here) took us by almost all the major attractions, listed to the right, and was a perfect introduction to the city. The tour is tip based and €10-20 per person is a good rule of thumb.
Trinity College/Book of Kells: While you can go into the college and walk around for free, admission to the Book of Kells and the Old Library require tickets, which you can book here.
Guinness/Jameson Tours: While you are in Dublin, it would be a shame not to visit either the Guinness or Jameson factories. And before you go saying that you don't like Guinness, that may be just because you have not tasted it in Ireland. Anyone you talk to who has had Guinness in other parts of the world can attest that it doesn't come close to the real deal in Ireland. The standard tour for the factory costs €28 and takes about 1.5 hours and includes a pint of Guinness. There are also tours that include an extra pint with your selfie in the foam or an option for your to pour your own pint. Tour options can be explored here. Another brand that calls Dublin home, is Jameson, so if whiskey is more your speed, you may want to head on over there to learn how it is made and do a tasting. Tours range from 45-90 minutes and €26-140. More information about those tours can be found here.
Temple Bar: While exploring the city is a great way to spend your days, nighttime is when Dublin truly comes to life! Temple Bar, with its many pubs, live music, and happy patrons, has an energy all its own and is the beating heart of the city. Make your way down there at the end of the day, find a spot in one of the pubs, and get lost in the experience!
Must see sites
- Temple Bar
- Guinness Factory
- Jameson Distillery
- Trinity College/Book of Kells
- Dublin Castle
- Christ Church Cathedral
- Saint Patrick's Cathedral
- Molly Malone
Galway
Arriving in Galway: After a few days exploring the big city of Dublin and fighting for a space in one of the Temple Bar pubs, it will be time to head out to the countryside, and there is no better town to visit than Galway! Galway is the perfect mix of a small coastal town and traditional pubs, but still lively enough to keep you entertained. It is also the perfect location for day trips to places like the Cliffs of Moher and Kylemore Abbey To reach Galway from Dublin, you can take a bus, train, or rent a car and reach the town in about 2-3 hours. The bus will cost you about €15 one way (you can book tickets here), the train will be about €30 one way or €40 round trip (you can book tickets here), and a car will be about €30-40 per day.
*Athlone Bonus Stop: If you do rent a car, the town of Athlone is a little over halfway between Dublin and Galway, perfect for a lunch stop. You don't need to spend a ton of time here, the town is small, situated on the river and boasts a castle, but the main reason to stop is to enjoy a pint at Sean's Bar, the oldest pub in Ireland, if not the world. Dating back to 900AD, the place is riddled with history and worth a visit. Make sure to try some of their homemade Irish Whiskey while you are there.
Exploring Galway: The best part about visiting Galway is simply enjoying the charm of the small town. There isn't a ton to see, but there is a wonderful energy about the place and the people. Take some time strolling through the shops, purchase an authentic Claddagh Ring from the city where it was created, but most importantly, enjoy some local food and a few pints while enjoying live music in the many pubs. Best spots for live music include The Quays Bar, Tig Choili, & Taaffes Bar.
Must see sites
- High Street
- Spanish Arch
- Galway Girl Statue
- Galway Cathedral
- Claddagh Ring Shops
Cliffs of moher
1.5 Hours outside of Galway, stand the infamous Cliffs of Moher, or the Cliffs of Insanity for any Princess Bride fans out there. These stunning cliffs, are not to be missed while on a trip to Ireland, so make sure to plan a day to visit.
To get to the cliffs, you can either take a day trip with one of the many companies offering bus tours (you can find a list of tours from Dublin & Galway here) or you can drive out there and the entrance fee is €12 per person. If you do drive, make sure to stop at Dunguaire Castle along the way!
One thing to take note of for your visit is the weather. Try to plan your day around the local weather, because it would be very sad to get out there and not be able to see the amazing views or cliffs themselves. They are also sometimes closed due to bad weather, so just keep an eye on it. Either way, make sure to bring layers because it does get quite windy up there.