I was blessed to visit Ireland twice while I was studying abroad in London! However, the luck of the Irish was not with me when I arrived at London Gatwick Airport and realized my ticket was not working. Thinking maybe I just needed to reprint my ticket, I went over to the gate attendant, only to have her inform me that I was at the WRONG AIRPORT. Talk about feeling like an idiot, my $20 ticket had now turned into a $150 dollar ticket for Ireland that luckily left an hour later than my original flight. Needless to say, it was a learning experience that I don’t plan to ever repeat. Moral of the Story: Double-check which airport you’re leaving out of.

Once my friend and I got to Dublin, which is a very short flight from London, it was super easy to get around only using bus passes. Of course, our first stop was the famous Brazen Head, the oldest pub in Ireland, dating back to 1198. It’s a perfect place to grab a Guinness, some bangers and mash (aka sausage & potatoes) and enjoy the live music. The Boar’s Head is also a great pub to check out! Even if you have had Guinness other places, it tastes so much better freshly poured out of the tap in Ireland, trust me!

The Guinness Factory is Dublin’s most popular tourist attraction. It’s the heart of Dublin and an unforgettable start to your Irish adventure, definitely a must-do. It’s a seven floor interactive exhibit detailing brewing heritage and Irish history. At the top, you’ll be rewarded with a pint of perfection in the world-famous rooftop Gravity Bar with panoramic views of the city. Of course, Dublin is also home to the Jameson Distillery. The Distillery brings the stories of Jameson’s rich heritage to life in an immersive, 40-minute tasting tour of the home of Ireland’s best-selling Irish whiskey. There’s also a complimentary drink provided at the end at JJ’s Bar!

Day tours are a great and efficient way to see more of Ireland without the added expense of renting a car. I went on three different tours through the company, Paddywagon, to see Blarney Castle, the Cliffs of Moher, and the Giants Causeway. We scheduled the bus tour for a day trip to see Blarney Castle, and to lay back and kiss the magical Blarney stone to receive the rumored gift of eloquent speech, also known as the gift of gab. Beware though, locals are known to piss on the stone, so weigh the risk (I decided it was worth it)! Another day trip is to the Cliffs of Moher, which stand 702 feet tall at their highest point, and stretch for 5 miles along the Atlantic coast. These cliffs are a geological feat, and are well deserving of over a million visitors every year.

If you have time, arranging a tour to Northern Ireland is well worth the visit. Belfast is a beautiful city with incredible Christmas Markets and local pubs. The main reason we went was to see the Giant’s Causeway, another remarkable geological feat. It is home to about 40,000 interlocking hexagonal columns, which is the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. However, according to legend, which the museum explains, the columns are the remains of a causeway built by a giant. The story goes that the Irish giant Finn MacCool was challenged to a fight by the Scottish giant Benandonner. Finn accepted the challenge and built the causeway across the North Channel so that the two giants could meet. Finn hides from Benandonner when he realizes that his foe is much bigger than he. Finn’s wife, Oonagh, disguises Finn as a baby and tucks him in a cradle. When Benandonner sees the size of the ‘baby’, he reckons that its father, Finn, must be a giant among giants. He flees back to Scotland in fright, destroying the causeway behind him so that Finn could not follow.

Before you depart from Ireland, I would recommend stopping at Butlers and having some of the best hot chocolate of your life, along with a cronut for good measure. St. Patrick’s Day is coming up; maybe it’s time to plan a spontaneous trip to Ireland!

XOXO,

Lexi