I have always dreamed of seeing the rolling hills of Ireland. Miles of stone walls and beautiful landscapes. I recently took a trip with my Mom to Europe and it was completely unforgettable. We started our journey with a very rocky start that I am only going to briefly talk about. My mom had a car accident on the way to my place to go to the airport. She was taken to the hospital but luckily didn't have any major injuries, just bumps, and bruises. Because of this, we had to move our flight four hours later. This was a stressful and expensive option but it wasn't a choice at all. It was the only way we could still make it on our trip. Once we were on our way we could take a breath and enjoy it.
Charlotte ---> New York
New York ---> Dublin
Day 1: Dublin
Travel days going abroad are honestly the worst. Going to Europe from the U.S. is especially exhausting because you are going forward 5-7 hours. And most of the time when I have done it I arrived at the butt crack of dawn. Everyone in the new city is hustling and bustling but all you want to do is sleep. Then the ultimate question of should I take a nap or not comes up. If you do take one it will feel great but it messes up your day because you wake up at night. If you don't take a nap you are tired and grouchy all day. I decided to risk being awake all night and take one. After this, we went straight to the Guinness Factory for a tour and dinner.
I will be honest....I hate beer. But who can pass up the opportunity to try a Guinness in Dublin? I might have only tried a couple of sips but hey I tried it right? The original Guinness factory is in Dublin and is a major attraction in Dublin. There's so much history to this brewery, where do I even start.
As you enter you walk across the cobblestone with abandoned train tracks that used to be the main form of transporting Guinness beer. Next, you are transported to the bottom of a 7-floor pint glass. It is the largest pint in the world and is incredibly fitting for this factory. The guided tour covers various floors while a few are used for dining, shopping, and tasting. Then there is the Sky Lounge, where you can sample a fresh out of the tap Guinness while getting a panoramic view of Dublin. This was amazinggg and a great introduction to Ireland!
Day 2: Dublin
For the second day in the vibrant Irish capital we did some walking around and sightseeing. Dublin is a much larger city than I imagined, and it's adorable. I might have forgotten my map of the city which made it a little difficult to get around. But we used the tram a ton here because it had a stop in front of our hotel. It only cost a couple of euros and took us right into the center of town. Like most major European cities Dublin has a river running through downtown, River Liffey. This makes Dublin the stunning picturesque place it is. There are all kinds of sights to see here that honestly, three days isn't nearly enough time, but I saw as much as I could.
Here you can see, hear, taste, and feel what makes Dublin so famous. The architecture here is a new twist on an old town. There is a good bit of construction because Dublin is expanding their city so much. Even though new buildings are going up the old ones remain. I could feel the history lying in the streets as we made our way to the Books of Kells and St. Patrick's Cathedral. The Book of Kells is located in Trinity College with a stunning library that you can tour, (that was featured in the Harry Potter films.) The Book of Kells is a Gospel manuscript written in Latin. They contain the four Gospels of the New Testament. Next, I had to check out the incredibly beautiful St. Patrick's Cathedral.
This cathedral is an unbelievable sight to see. St. Patrick's looks like a sparkling castle. I was in awe of how stunning it really was. A gorgeous garden sits beside the church where people can pray and relax. St. Patrick's Cathedral might have been my favorite part about Dublin because it is so breathtaking. Take a tour of the famous cathedral or attend one of their incredible church services.
Day 3: Countryside and Cliffs of Moher
This adventurous day was a last minute decision but it was by far my favorite in Ireland. An all-day excursion to the Cliffs of Moher. A remarkable coastline of steep and rugged cliffs. The journey to the cliffs was just as amazing as seeing the cliffs themselves. We took a lovely drive through the Irish countryside. Along the way seeing rolling hills, stone walls, animals, and small rural towns.
We made tons of stops along the way to capture pictures and take in the spectacular views. We drove on mostly curvy roads through a bunch of small towns as we finally spotted the world-renowned Cliffs of Moher. We were lucky enough to visit on a day with clear skies and calm seas. As we drove up to the cliffs I was jumping in my seat to get out and explore these picturesque cliffs.
The cliffs are so fucking beautiful. There is no other way I can think to describe them. They go on for miles with a man-made pathway along the water. You walk along this path at your own risk with no fence or walls separating you from the 702 ft drop. The path moves with the rough terrain of the cliffs so you have to be careful of your footing while walking and taking pictures. I walked as close as I could to the edge without falling off. I love heights and adventuring to new places so this was an amazing experience. As we began our long drive back to Dublin I realized we had to leave Ireland the next day. While I was sad to leave this beautiful country I was so excited to pack our bags for London!
Queen Wanderlust