A Week in Dublin and Beyond

17 7 0

Translated from French — Read the French original

Dublin, the Irish capital, is a city you absolutely have to visit! I spent a week there this winter, back in February, with a friend, and I’d love to share my story with you.

Day 1

We arrived at 11 a.m., full of energy, and decided to head straight out to explore the city.

We wandered around for a bit, walking down O'Connell Street where the massive Spire stands, and the surrounding area: we discovered The Church, a pub/restaurant housed in an old church, plenty of shops, and pubs tucked away in narrow alleys...

Next, we headed to Trinity College. We decided to grab lunch at the Buttery, a sort of university canteen that’s open to visitors. In a lively student atmosphere, we had the vegetarian special of the day, veggie croquettes with salad, followed by a delicious homemade dessert and a coffee.

Refueled, we set off again: we walked up Dame Street to reach the beautiful and imposing Christ Church Cathedral, which we toured. Afterward, we headed toward St Stephen's Green, a large, lovely park in the heart of the city, to soak up some sun. We then visited the National Gallery of Ireland; an hour was enough for us since the top floor was under renovation.

After a quick coffee at Dwarf Jar, which I highly recommend, we strolled along the Liffey before heading to Govindas Restaurant, a very affordable vegetarian spot just a stone's throw from the Spire. It was a beautiful, sunny day that allowed us to see a good chunk of the city center, which is very pleasant and lively.

Day 2

We decided to spend this day heading to Glendalough, the Valley of the Two Lakes, home to a stunning monastery, an 11th-century round tower, two absolutely magical lakes, made even more mystical by the light mist that day, a pretty waterfall, and some beautiful walking trails nearby. We were lucky enough to avoid the rain, but I’m certain this place is magnificent even under the Irish drizzle!

We loved the cemetery, the tall round tower with its inaccessible door, but above all, we loved simply walking through these magical grounds: you could almost imagine Leprechauns popping out of the forest at any moment, and the Upper Lake has such a mysterious vibe.

On the way back, around 8 p.m., we ate at the Mongolian Barbecue (fantastic if you're starving!), then went to check out the famous Temple Bar! It was packed, so we ended up sitting in a pub called Turk's Head. About 10 minutes in, we heard Swing music, and since my friend and I are both Lindy hop dancers... well, before we knew it, we were dancing in a bar by pure coincidence (these swing nights happen every Monday!).

Day 3

A bit tired from the night before, we decided to explore the area around our Airbnb in Clontarf. We walked along the Clontarf Promenade, where we spent the time reading the plaques that tell the story of the famous battle that took place here.

We ended up on a small island called North Bull Island. It’s a magnificent nature reserve with a long sandy beach and thousands of birds. If you’re in the area, it’s definitely worth a look!

After a stroll through St Anne's Park, we went for a coffee at Kennedy's Food Store, a truly charming spot. As evening fell, we headed back toward our neighborhood, stopping to see the famous Clontarf Castle, which is apparently even more beautiful at night.

Day 4

This fourth day was spent exploring the northern outskirts of Dublin. We took the Dart (the Dublin commuter train) to Malahide around 11 a.m. to visit the castle. The tour was a bit long but interesting; the gardens are worth the trip, though unfortunately, you can only see them if you pay for the castle entry...

After 3 hours of walking and touring, we hopped back on the Dart to Howth. This place was my favorite part of the trip! We saw seals in the harbor (you have to get close to the fishing boats to spot them), tons of birds, and even a dolphin in the distance... Magical. There are several different trails for exploring the peninsula, ranging from 1.5 to 4 hours. We chose the longest one and didn't regret it. The start of the trail was crowded with visitors, but the further we went, the more beautiful the scenery became and the quieter it got...

At the end of the walk, we visited the small Howth market and found plenty of little things to bring back for our friends, before grabbing a delicious Fish 'n Chips at the Octopussys Sea Food Restaurant.

Day 5

That day, we decided to explore the city again to catch anything we might have missed the first time around.

We started our day with brunch at the Phoenix Café in Phoenix Park. A word of warning: I think you really need a bike for Phoenix Park! Otherwise, the park is just way too massive to hope to reach the center, or even a quarter of the way... In that little café, I had the best scones of my life! If you have the chance to stop by, don't hesitate, everything was delicious, and the pastries were impressive, both in variety and quality!

We spent a good part of the day wandering through the park. We saw deer and does, numerous squirrels, rabbits, hares, and lots of birds...

Leaving the park, we headed to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells exhibition and the Old Library. It's a magnificent place, even if the admission price felt a bit high for the half-hour we spent in the building. While chatting with a student, we discovered the fabulous Mama's Revenge, a small Mexican restaurant that serves, among other things, Burritos, the best I've ever eaten!

Day 6

We chose this final day to explore the south of Dublin. We took the Dart to Bray. From this small coastal village, a very accessible cliffside path starts, connecting Bray to Greystones in about two hours. There are some magnificent viewpoints along this walk, it's definitely worth it!

In the late afternoon, we returned to Dublin city center to visit the Chester Beatty Library, behind Dublin Castle. This beautiful exhibition of Mr. Beatty's acquisitions is well worth the detour: hundreds of art objects and artifacts from Asia are gathered here, with clear explanations, videos showcasing different creation techniques, games for kids, and a video explaining the life of Chester Beatty... Perfect!

We ate at Umi on Dame Street, really good falafel served with plenty of little side salads, before heading back to France in the middle of the night.