Last month we visited Ireland and we took so many beautiful photos that I wanted to share them with you. We decided to stay in Dublin for the week and use the train and bus to travel to some beautiful locations. We know now why Ireland is called the Emerald Island. Absolutely beautiful! We are already trying to figure out how we can visit again.
Here are some of our favorite photos which were very difficult to try to narrow down. I decided to not take my Nikon which will be traveling with me next time! Most of the pictures are with my iPhone or my Minolta.
We arrived in Ireland at 5 am and spent the day exploring Dublin. We had the most delicious breakfast at Third Space in Smithfield Market. The concept is that it is a used bookstore and cafe that allows you to borrow and read books while enjoying breakfast or lunch. What a great idea for a cafe! We enjoyed morning coffee from Third Space and Costa Coffee. Highly recommend both!
After being up for almost 27 hours, we ended the evening crossing over the Liffey, feeling tired and excited for what we knew was going to be an amazing week.
Guinness Storehouse Tour did not disappoint and love that they took the old factory and used it to share the history of Guinness. The link is provided if you're interested in learning more.
We then toured Roe and Company Irish Whiskey which was across the street from Guinness. When booking the tickets for Guinness there was an option to book both tours and would recommend it if you have the time. Another great history lesson, a tour of the factory, learned how to make the perfect cocktail, and then enjoyed a whiskey cocktail made with Earl Grey tea. The bartender told us that he thought it would be considered a lowball cocktail in the US.
We took a bus tour from Dublin to The Cliffs of Moher through Paddywagon Tour Company. It was a long wonderful day that started at 6:45 am in Dublin, visited Galway, Cliffs of Moher, lunch in Liscannor Village, and a stop at Bunratty Castle before returning to Dublin around 8 pm. Another perfect day!
Next up on our trip was a train ride to Malahide to visit the town and Malahide Castle. We had only planned to be there for the morning and lunch but realized quickly that we could have spent the entire day in this sweet coastal village.
Ended the week in Dublin with visits to the Dublin Castle and Garden which I think we visited the gardens almost every day. The flowers were beautiful. I don't think I've ever seen foxgloves so tall and vibrant.
We loved Trinity College and the Book of Kells. Maddie had visited Ireland through college for a summer and it was fun to compare pictures of Trinity College Library. They're in the process of preserving the books and you'll see in our pictures that many of the shelves are empty. When we look at Maddie's pictures from 2018 the shelves are filled with books. The project is amazing and there is a part of the tour that provides you with a look behind the scenes and how they're working on the preservation of thousands of books.
There was so much that we didn't get to tour on the inside did love from the outside. The list of places to visit next time is long!
We ended most days with a walk over the Liffey and to the pub for live music. Singing, laughing, and sharing smiles every evening was good for the soul. We left Ireland with a renewed and refreshed mindset and hope to visit again soon!
(This is not a sponsored or paid ad but my own words from our trip to Ireland.)