An Irish Fairytale in 4 Days

Ireland, the place of beauty, great beer, and wicked senses of humor. It is a country on many peoples bucket list but only after London, Paris, and Rome. I have been fortunate to have visited two of those three, and I can assure you, this place is worth the money and time. Here’s a little about how I squeezed nearly all of Dublin into four days.

Day 1

Getting to the airport at an early 9 am Dublin time can be a great way to push through the jet lag. On a negative note, it makes your first day feel exhausting and not nearly as fun as it should be. But it’s Ireland! Either way, you are in a new and beautiful place that offers limitless opportunities to keep you busy. This leads me to my first tip

TIP #1 cheaper flight- Choosing a red-eye flight can be a rather painful experience. But if you can sleep on the plane, it is the best option for a cheaper ticket. This goes for almost any place you visit, so it’s a great tip to have in mind. I recommend taking a sleeping aid to not only allow the flight to pass by quicker but to get yourself adjusted to the time zone you're flying in to. I slept from about 6 pm NC time which was 12 am in Ireland, and didn’t wake up until our flight landed in London.

My family and I were lucky enough to have our hotel ready once we reached our hotel. We stayed at the Mercantile hotel with the rates ranging from $80-$120 depending on the time of year. The location is amazing as it is near all the shopping, walking distance from the castle, trinity college, and only a bridge away from the temple bar area.

TIP #2 hotel location- As you probably know, in Europe they drive on the opposite side of the road making renting a car a dangerous idea. But no worries! There are taxis but getting a hotel in a central location is very important to save money on taxi fares. It also makes getting through traffic (yes there can be bad traffic in Ireland) not a problem.

After dropping our bags in the room, we headed to Trinity College. Not only is the campus beautiful, they also house the Book of Kells which is an original text of the Gospels in Latin that was created around the year 800. Admissions for seeing the book in person is €11 for adults and free for kids under 12.

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However, walking around the beautiful green and historic campus is absolutely free! Afterward, we did some shopping which I will get into further detail on day 2. Dinner we went to Stags head pub which has an adorable, candlelit dining area on the second floor with decent prices and all the traditional Irish beers available.

TIP #3 make night one easy- Don’t go all out on the first night. It’s important to be laid back your first day and become familiar with your surroundings. Being in Ireland, a pub is always a great option for traditional food with a casual feel.

Day 2

Our morning began with breakfast at Insomnia. These are everywhere! They have a variety of quick foods for breakfast and lunch along with excellent coffee. We found ourselves stopping at these shops frequently during our trip. With our breakfast sandwiches in hand, we headed across the bridge towards the Leprechaun museum. Tickets are €16 for adults and those under 18, it will be €10. This is a must do attraction if kids are on the trip with you. Its also great for adults as the tales are very interesting. They provide you with the history of Irish folk tales and more than just about the leprechauns. There is endless humor to the stories and legends.

Tip #4 Booking the Leprechaun museum- it is a small venue with a required guide. Therefore, it is nearly impossible just to walk up and immediately be given the tour. So plan some time in between. Make your reservations for the tour and walk around a bit until it is time. This gives you the opportunity to explore a new area.

Now for the best part. Shopping! I was surprised to find the number of things I did. Jervis Shopping Centre is a block from the Leprechaun museum and has some fantastic shops inside. My recommendations are pimpkie and New look. Their Newlook is enormous and has endless options with more shoes than you could ever imagine. All at great prices. Later that day we took a tour of the Guinness store house which is an absolute must do while in Dublin even if you are not a drinker. You see the whole process from beginning to end, and with your ticket, you can get a 3 drink sampler in the tasting room or learn how to pour your own Guinness pint properly. Adult tickets are €17.50 and children €16.

TIP #6 Guinness experience- If you are looking for the full experience that not only includes the tour but a bar as well, you may want to choose the connoisseur Bar over the Gravity Bar. While the Gravity Bar offers extraordinary views that is a must see for a great photo, it is not a practical place to grab a drink. It was so crowded you could not breathe without touching the people around you.

We requested our cab take us to the temple bar area and being a Saturday night; every restaurant was fully packed with at least a 45 minute wait. We were lucky to find a tiny Italian restaurant on a side street called La Gondola. They sat us in 5 minutes, and the food was excellent. We were still given a view of all the chaos happening on the streets, so it still felt like we were in the middle of everything.

TIP #7 Restaurants- make a reservation if they are available! And if you don’t find the time to call ahead, enjoy the temple bar area and then wander into a side street for your meal if you want to be seated quickly.

Day 3

When in Ireland, it is always a good idea to go beyond just Dublin. We took a train from Dublin to Galway for only €20 a ticket. This day may have been my favorite. The city was beautiful, and it really gives you a look into the countrysides of Ireland. During your train ride, you see more green than you will ever see in your life. Galway also gives you a taste of what an Irish beach looks like. Also, a must-see is the adorable latin quarters. Everything is genuinely original, colorful and exactly how you picture an Irish town to look like.

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TIP #8 time management- Give yourself as much time as possible. We only allowed about 3 ½ hours to be in Galway and I wish we had so much more. Take the early train and sleep during the ride and go home as late as you are comfortable doing. Also, take the chance to have their seafood! Being by the sea, everything is fresh and delicious.

Coming home late, we decided to have dinner at our hotel. The food was great which was another huge plus to the Mercantile hotel.

Day 4

Our last day was a sad one. It would have been great to have another day or two, but we fit in as much as we could. We started the day with another insomnia coffee and a trip to the Dublin Castle. They offer both guided, and self-guided tours. We opted for the self-guided which cost us €10 each. Despite the castle being small, it showed beautiful architecture and the royal lifestyle. Next on our itinerary is the St. Stephans Green. Being completely honest, there is very little green in Dublin. So we took the stroll with great joy. The garden held a pond, fountain, playground and many many pigeons.

TIP #9 Greenery- find a garden! If you are only staying in Dublin, you have to get creative with finding their famous green.

St. Stephan’s Green is across the street from st. Stephans green center with the most fantastic shopping imaginable. They have everything from Zara to high end. The roads seem to go on forever.

Day 5

Our very emotional flight home. I hope to return again and again.