Ireland - Euro Trip 2022 - Part 1

Sorry for being so late in posting blogs! Life has been getting in the way, but I am ready to get back into travel writing! So why don't we start with the huge adventure my fiancé and I had in Europe this past fall?

The trip began in the Philadelphia International Airport. We were optimistic, but also nervous for the trip to begin. This was going to be the first time we would be out of the country together all on our own. Not only that, but we had a jam-packed vacation planned - a total of 3 countries in 10 days. It was a daunting thought to say the least. And, as you'll see throughout these following blogs, I did NOT account for the necessity of sleep during any of this.

We arrived in Dublin at 5am after a long and sleepless flight. Chad, my fiancé, and I immediately made our way to the currency exchange counter before heading towards the taxis that awaited us outside. It was a cold and rainy morning, and luckily for us we had a super friendly cab driver who spoke with us about must-sees or tourist traps to avoid. Within 20 minutes we were at our hotel, but that's when reality hit.

Regardless of how tired we were, most hotels do not allow you to check into your room until 3pm.

We ultimately had to settle for getting ready for the day in the hotel lobby's bathrooms before handing them our bags and wondering around the unfamiliar city at 6am. However, the adrenaline had taken over our exhaustion. We were really in Ireland all on our own! We had made it. The two of us walked around aimlessly for hours, just taking in the sights and city life around us as everyone began to slowly wake up and make their ways to work.

Eventually we made our way to the Guinness Storehouse, where we had a tour scheduled for noon. With it only being 10am at this point, we found a small cafe around the corner and sat down to relax while also trying to caffeinate ourselves. That's when I got the lucky call - the hotel reached out to say that they had a room available early and we could check in. Good thing too, since both of us were practically falling asleep at the table. We opted for a quick cab ride on the way back to the hotel, and immediately passed out for an hour nap as soon as our heads hit the pillows.

Before we knew it our alarms were blaring at 11am for us to head out. We had two tours scheduled for the first day - Guinness (as previously mentioned) and the Jameson distillery. Even though the nap helped to revitalize us a bit, we still chose another cab to go back towards Guinness. Our hotel was closer to the financial district, and we did not feel like walking an hour to get back there.

The tour was self-guided - you walked through a room watching videos or listening to audio before you would make your way up to the next floor. All in all, it was very informative and fun to learn the history of Guinness as a company as well as how their beer is made. This upward path continued on and on until eventually you would reach the Gravity Bar. At the beginning of the tour you are handed a free drink voucher, and this is the place to use it. The Gravity Bar is pretty amazing - there are two large circular rooms surrounded by full glass walls, so you have a full view of the city from 360 degrees. The only downside is it was fairly packed on a Friday at noon and is pretty difficult if you are hoping to grab one of the tables to sit at to enjoy yourself, but there are plenty of places to stand and it is still a worthwhile experience.

After Guinness we made our way across the river to get to the other side of the city where Jameson distillery was. For us, it was a little bit difficult to find (only going off of Google maps) as the entrance to the place was down an alley in between several buildings and not on the main road/walkway.

The vibe of Jameson seemed to be a total flip from Guinness. The bar area was up front and was busy, but not overwhelmingly packed like the Gravity Bar. We checked in for our tour early, and were told we could have our free drink vouchers to use in order to grab a drink beforehand. This tour was also very different from Guinness and was not self-guided. We had a tour guide lead our group into a room where we sat and he went over the history of Jameson. Our guide was very charismatic and hilarious, which made the whole experience even better. After that room, we were led into a larger one where we had to stand around one of several tables that displayed the ingredients and process of making whiskey. After that, we were led into the final room where we would get to taste different kinds of whiskey. There was a total of 3 small shot cups and the guide went over each in detail before we tried them. All in all - I really enjoyed this one!

After Jameson, Chad and I grabbed food at a small restaurant across the way and began the 30 minute walk back to our hotel in the light rain. Even though we were still exhausted, our first day was a complete success. That night, we went to bed ready for the next day, where we had a full day bus tour to the Cliffs of Moher.

.....Or so we thought.

"Look for chances to take the less-traveled roads. There are no wrong turns."