Laura-Jane Adventures

I am sure no one will be surprised to hear that I need more practice at splitting the G.

Dublin is a popular weekend trip for those living in the United Kingdom. Whether you choose Dublin for a girl’s trip, a couple’s weekend getaway, or a messy stag do – it is entertaining and you can find something to suit everyone.

I went to Dublin for the first time at the end of March with two of my flatmates. We were there for just under 48 hours but managed to cram a good amount in, including a walking tour of the city, a visit to the Guinness Storehouse, and a wander around the National Gallery of Ireland.

The Guinness Storehouse

Even if you don’t drink Guinness or alcohol, I would recommend a trip to the Guinness Storehouse as the brand is a cultural and historical symbol of Ireland.

We opted for one of the standard experience tickets priced at 28 euros per person, and it included The Guinness Storehouse Experience plus a STOUTie (our face printed on a pint of Guinness – we had a laugh watching our pictures become more distorted as we drank our pints).

The Guinness Storehouse is designed in the shape of a pint glass, meaning you start the tour standing in the world’s largest pint glass. If filled, it holds 14.3 million pints of Guinness, which is over twice the number of people in Ireland!

The experience is informative, and you will learn how much work and passion goes into a single pint of Guinness. One of my favourite parts of the tour was learning about how the marketing of Guinness has changed over the years. Understanding the way the company has used storytelling to build brand loyalty and become an inclusive product.

The tour includes a tasting, and after educating yourself on the history and production of Guinness, you find yourself wandering into the very place where you can enjoy a pint or try one of Guinness’ other beverages. This was where we got our STOUTie: my flatmates and I watched in anticipation as a machine printed our faces onto the head of a pint of Guinness.

After enjoying our STOUTies and admiring the view from the bar, we headed up to the head of the pint to the famous Gravity Bar. From here you can see views across the city of Dublin. It was stunning!

Where to line your stomach

If you normally enjoy a few alcoholic drinks, then on a trip to Dublin, it is almost a given that you will enjoy a few more than usual! That means it is most definitely a good idea to ‘line your stomach’. However, even if you aren’t drinking at the time or don’t drink, you can still enjoy this part!

To start off our Saturday morning we headed to Una, a bakery close to our hotel for pastries and coffees. The first sign this was a good choice was the line out the door of locals waiting for their weekend treats. The pastries were freshly baked and still warm as we got them to go before heading into the city centre.

After taking a walking tour around the city centre, we stopped for some lunch at Boxty House, a recommendation from the tour guide. Here, we tried traditional Irish Boxty, which is an Irish potato pancake and often topped with various toppings.

One of the places to eat that stands out from the trip was Fish Shop. This is a wine bar that specialises in – you guessed it wine and fish and chips. I cannot explain how tasty the fish and chips we ate here were. I’d recommend this spot to anyone visiting Dublin, but make sure to book in advance as it is a small restaurant and note that all tables are bar stools.

If you are looking for something sweet and locally made, try Murphys for ice cream made in Dingle. The staff were lovely and let us try almost all of the flavours before picking what we wanted.

Brother Hubbard is another spot to have a look at if you would like some healthy and hearty brunch food after a night out in Dublin. This local chain was started in 2012 and now has multiple locations across the city. It was founded out of a love for food that felt nourishing to eat.

There are many more places to fuel up in Dublin, if you fancy some more than those above, follow this link to my Google Maps list.

A recommendation on where to stay

Whilst visiting Dublin we stayed in an area called Ranelagh, located south side of the river. It is filled with cafes, restaurants and pubs and the city centre is within walking distance or there are good transport links to choose from.

We stayed at The Devlin, and it was beautiful: very quirky, the decor was fun, and the bars and rooftop restaurant were intriguing. I definitely want to stay here again to enjoy the food and the cinema in the basement!

Opt for Ranelagh and Rathmines if you would like a location that is quieter than the centre and a little more affluent.

Cultural gems

Some other classic cultural gems to include on a Dublin itinerary are the following:

• A night out listening to live music & dancing with the locals: I got chatting to our taxi driver on the way to the Guinness Storehouse and he gave me some amazing recommendations for local places to head to with live music and a good atmosphere (as well as some advice about life and love). Temple Bar is the most popular area for tourists but if you want something authentic and less expensive then head to Wexford Street and Camden Street for a good choice of bars and pubs.
• The National Gallery of Ireland: We nipped in quickly, although I hope to return in future as I was so appreciative of the architecture of the building itself and the layout of the artwork. The gallery was founded in 1854 and includes works from Monet and Picasso.
• The Statue of Molly Malone: Until this trip, I never knew the history and meaning behind Molly Malone. In Dundee, where I am from in Scotland, there is a bar called Molly Malone’s, and I feel very stupid, considering I have never questioned its name. Nevertheless, I now know that to be called Molly Malone signifies hard work and determination. A lot of tourists believe that touching the chest of the statue brings ‘good fortune’. I really hated seeing this, particularly young boys doing it, as I think it promotes visualising women as sexual objects. So, if you visit the statue, please be respectful.
• Trinity College Dublin: The campus nestled at the heart of the city is beautiful. If you visit in the warmer months you might get lucky and be able to enjoy time on the grass soaking up the sun.

On a trip to Dublin, you will be spoilt for choice. The recommendations I have included above just scratch the surface. I am planning to go back when I can with my Dad to explore more of Dublin and meet up with the family we have there.

This trip with my flatmates was a whirlwind one. It was a chance to blow off some steam after an eventful month, have fun and be carefree and also explore a new city with friends who I feel very lucky to have. Maybe it is the luck of the Irish…

Lots of love,

Laura-Jane