Theresa's Mixed Nuts: A Day in Dublin

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

A Day in Dublin

Everything that we read about Ireland said that to really experience the country, you must get out of Dublin. With that in mind, we only planned a day and a half in the city (1 full day upon arrival, then another 1/2 day at the end of our road trip). Like it is in most major cities, parking can get expensive in Dublin. Since we didn't want to waste money, we decided to park the car in an overnight garage and see what we could experience on foot during our time there. We booked an Airbnb in the Temple Bar area, so getting to most of the major sites in Dublin wasn't too much of a challenge since a lot of things I wanted to see were already close by.

My first stop was the famous Temple Bar. I didn't go in, but I did have a wonderful time checking out the iconic red bar that I've admired for years while watching the live streaming of St. Patrick's Day celebrations held out front.

Temple Bar

Temple Bar
Temple Bar

I did listen in on a tour group, and the guide said that Temple Bar district is what the locals call a "tourist trap." You won't find any true Irish folk in the area except for the people who work there, so I understand now why they say get out of Dublin to really experience the country and culture.

After we left Temple Bar, we came upon Christ Church Cathedral. You do have to buy tickets to tour, which run a little under $10 USD for a full day pass. We didn't go in, but we did walk the perimeter to marvel at its beauty. I was a little sad to see that there was some graffiti and even feces on some of the doors, which happened to be the filthiest thing we saw during our Ireland travels.

Christ Church Cathedral

Christ Church Cathedral

We made our way across the bridge to check out the smaller shops before heading over to Grafton Street for the more pricey, name brand shops.

Dublin

The family got hit with a nasty head cold, and since I was the only one who didn't get sick, I thought I'd venture out at 5am by myself to soak in more of the city while everyone else caught some much needed sleep before starting our road trip. Jason wasn't thrilled with the idea and brought his sick butt along, but later admitted that had he realized how safe the area was, he wouldn't have felt uneasy about letting me go off on my own for a few hours. That morning, I walked over to St. Patrick's Cathedral. It wasn't open to the public yet, but again, I was able to walk the perimeter to admire the gorgeous architecture and landscaping.

Saint Patrick's Cathedral

Saint Patrick's Cathedral

Marsh's Library, the first public library in Ireland, is located right around the corner. I would have loved to have toured it, but it was also closed since it was so early when I set out exploring.

Marsh's Library

Marsh's Library

And Jason's favorite, stopping by the Guinness Brewery. I mean, what's a trip to Ireland without indulging in a Guinness!?

Guinness Brewery

One thing I really wanted to do but didn't get the chance was explore the Trinity College Library, but when we go back, it will be the first stop on my itinerary. Some of our best eats were in Dublin, so be sure to stop back next Monday and I'll spill the tea on my favorites. Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram for more travel related content!


What touristy stop would you like to make in Dublin?



8 comments:

  1. Sure some awesome scenery indeed. Good of Jason to make sure you stayed safe. You never know when those poop throwers may strike. Who would do that to doors? Blah. Ireland sure is one spot where you can soak everything up.

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  2. I'm not sure what's in Dublin to know it by name.

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  3. Looks idyllic indeed! I still cannot believe you've been to Ireland and did not bring me photos of random Irish hunks!
    Did Jason try Guinness there?

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  4. First I have to give your husband serious kudos for not letting you venture around the foreign city alone! Even if it was a safe place, you're in unknown territory. I totally sighed and swooned when I read that. Good hubby stories even after >15 years of marriage are my favorite b/c they give me hope. I can see why they say that Dublin isn't the best place to take in Ireland. While pretty, it's nothing compared to the other places you shared. But WHY was there feces on the church doors?! Who would do such a disgusting thing to such a pretty place..

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  5. Looks like you had a good time except for the cold your family got.

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  6. You always take such beautiful photos!

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  7. I didn't know that bar was famous. :) We did Guinness. The big spire is my son's favorite memory to date. For some reason, he loved that thing. We toured Croak Stadium and that was cool. I'm glad you got up early to explore because they pictures you shared are fantabulous. :)

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  8. those are awesome places to visit! I sincerely hope I can go back to traveling soon...after this outbreak..

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