Travel Guide: Ireland in a week

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Ireland

Due to the recent $379 Fare to Ireland (dates still available for Jan & Feb), it is only fitting that TWiBT help you make the most of your trip.  The way I routed my flight was to go in to Dublin and out of London, so I'll be visiting both countries.  First, we'll talk about a few basics of Ireland, then I'll hit you with a pretty solid itinerary to consider.

The Basics
Ireland is a small country, roughly the size of Indiana (but vastly more interesting).  English is the main language, but you may be able to encounter people speaking Irish Gaelic along the western coast of the country.  It sounds pretty different from English, so don't expect them to understand you, although most people there are bilingual.  Learn a few words, impress someone, maybe even yourself.  Their currency is the Euro.  Throughout history Ireland was a relatively poor country until recently.  Their economy boomed in recent years and crashed hard during this past recession.

The Itinerary
Ireland is not just Dublin and Dublin is hardly representative of Ireland.  Seeing just the capital city may work in some places (such as Indiana), but not in Ireland.  In fact, much of what you think of as true Ireland is most likely outside of Dublin.  I'll be in Ireland for a week and then London for a few days, but here's my tentative itinerary for Ireland.  You'll need to bring a Dublin street map, Ireland Road Map, both of which will be in any good Ireland Travel Guide.  I like Fodor's, Frommer's, and sometimes Lonely Planet guides.

Day 1 - The Must See's
Start out relatively early, but be rested.  Start walking and hit these sites, you may want to highlight them on a walking route with your Dublin street map.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Dublin Castle"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="St. Patrick's Cathedral"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Trinity College"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="National Museum of Ireland - Free Admission too!"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Stop off at St Patrick's Green with some food for a picnic lunch!"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="375" caption="After having your rest, check out Grafton Street."][/caption]

 

Day 2 - Dublin Night life
Free during the day.  Find something that interests you, I'll likely be renting a bike and exploring the rest of the city on two wheels.  Pack a lunch and take a nap in the late afternoon.  Then...Pub Crawl!  Whether you're a heavy drinker or not, it might be a fun experience to visit some of Ireland's most lively pubs.  Don't be afraid to make a friend on CouchSurfing or another cultural exchange site and have them join you.  If not, routing out on your Dublin Street map the following pubs:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="The Temple Bar area is a good place to start."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="O'Donoghue's - Be sure to stay for some live Irish music"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="375" caption="Ryan's Pub"][/caption]

 

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="The Brazen Head - Dublin's Oldest Pub since 1198"][/caption]

Day 3 - Hit the road
You'll find a car rental on Kayak.com from Dublin VERY cheap!  If you're travelling with more than one person, this might be a better option than the bus or rail system if you are limited on time also.  This is where you're Irish road map comes into use, or just rent a GPS too.  Keep in mind, your car will likely be a manual transmission, so you might want to become comfortable driving one before leaving home.  Besides, you may not even be able to reach all these places without a car.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Powerscourt Estate"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Kilkenny Castle"][/caption]

Bed down anywhere in Kilkenny after that and enjoy your first Irish village on foot.  Again, don't be afraid to interact with the locals.  Try making some friends with some people or bloggers before you set out there.

Day 4 - Southern Coast
A lot of people would say to hit Waterford, but personally I'd say skip it for anything more than just a lunch.  Chances are by this time you'll need some more variety than just castles and villages and that is why you're driving to Ardmore.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Spend the first half of the day in the beach town of Ardmore."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="To provide a nice contrast to all these small towns, spend the second half of the day and the night in Cork."][/caption]

Day 5 - Free Day & Get Lost!
Instead of hitting the tourist trail, you might want to either consider spending the day in Cork (possibly taking a cooking class) or just start driving off to your next destination and stop along the way at whatever looks interesting.  Part of the appeal of an Irish vacation is getting lost.  Your next destination is the Cliffs of Moher, so try driving in that direction and make a few wrong turns intentionally!  Sleep somewhere along the way or arrive in either Limerick or Shannon.

Day 6 - The Edge of Ireland
After having breakfast in wherever it is you ended up, head over to see the Cliffs of Moher.  The visitor's center is actually built into the cliffs, so keep an eye out for it.  Consider taking a ferry ride to see these cliffs from sea level.  After having your fill of the cliffs, head on up to Galway

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Cliffs of Moher"][/caption]

Spend the evening in Galway.  Treat yourself to a nice dinner and/or a show such as Trad on the Prom before you head back to Dublin in the morning.  If you have extra time, consider visiting the Aran Islands.

Day 7 - Back to Dublin
There will be many small towns on the drive from Galway to Dublin, so be sure to leave enough time to stop into some for lunch.

 

So there you have it, one week in Ireland and getting in a lot of sites without overdoing it.  Sure, I could've squeezed in Belfast, but that would've been way too much for one week.  When it comes to finding places to sleep, be sure to read these two articles to save money, whatever your style:
-Hotels
-Alternative Accommodations

Enjoy your trip!

-Jason of TWiBT

 

Travel to Iceland (and how NOT to die there!)

Travel to Iceland (and how NOT to die there!)

Up until recently, Iceland has been off the map for many tourists. Even still today to some degree, it is pushed into the shadows of tourism by many Americans in favor of nearby Europe. You may not realize how relatively close it is, just over 5 hours flight time from New York.  You can fly IcelandAir, but Delta also now has nonstop flights from New York.  While not exactly a weekend trip, it does provide an international experience if you are somewhat limited on travel time. Iceland has a natural beauty like few other places in the world. It kind of looks like a ‘Lord of the Rings’ movie in some places. While that movie was not filmed in Iceland, you’ll get that impression from Iceland’s beautiful landscapes.

Costs in Reykjavik
The capital city of Reykjavik is where you will most likely fly into. It is a modern European city, while somewhat expensive you can certainly do it smart. There are plenty of hotels, hostels, B&Bs, and CouchSurfing members in and around the city so finding accommodation in your price range should not be too much of a challenge. Peak season is summer, so try to avoid that if you want the best price. As with most place in Europe, try to cook your own food as restaurants are not cheap! If you are on a budget and must eat out, go ethnic. If you are a drinker, BYOB! Not exactly sure why, but alcohol is super expensive in Reykjavik.  Mostly this applies to bars, so if you must get drunk, down a couple 40s with some friends in your hostel before going out.  Otherwise you’ll seriously eat into your budget. Also, avoid taxis as they are extremely expensive. When you fly into Reykjavik, expect a taxi to your city hotel to be over $100. Just take the bus.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="412" caption="Traditional Icelandic Refrigerator"][/caption]

What to do
Iceland is not a huge country, roughly the size of Ohio and much of it is desolate. It is not unrealistic to stay in Reykjavik the entire time and take day tours to the surrounding area. While you won’t need a tour to see Reykjavik, it is most economical to get on a day tour to the surrounding areas instead of renting a car. Here are some popular destinations that you may want to consider.

1.) Hallgrímskirkja Church

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="455" caption="Kinda looks like a spaceship."][/caption]

Largest church in Iceland, restored in 2009. Located within Reykjavik, so its easy to get to no matter where in the city you are staying.

2.) Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="428" caption="Either kids have a separate pool, or that's a lot of chlorine."][/caption]

Natural pool of geothermal mineral-rich water. Perfect to relax in and take care of your skin, ya know, spa stuff? Located just outside Reykjavik, but you can take a bus there from downtown Reykjavik. You might also get a better value if you ride netbus http://www.bustravel.is/en/bus-tours which will also include your entrance fee to the Blue Lagoon.

3.) South Shore Tours

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="491" caption="Nature showing off."][/caption]

Outside of the capital city of Reykjavik, Iceland’s charm is in her natural beauty. Any tour along this route should include some amazing waterfalls, small villages, black sand beaches, and possibly some glaciers. Be sure your tour stops at the Seljalandsfoss waterfall.

4.) Golden Circle Tour

If you didn’t get enough mystical nature pictures on the South Shore tour (or you’re trying to make a Lord of the Rings fan film), check out a Golden Circle tour. This takes you into central Iceland where you’ll get to see the Gullfoss waterfall, Strokkur geyser, volcano craters, as well as some small villages.  Be careful to not get too close to the geysers or you'll end up like this guy who got sucked into a blowhole in Hawaii.  TWiBT readers, respect the geysers.


5.) Reykjavik Nightlife
Reykjavik has a thriving nightlife scene. Whether you are there to go bar-hopping or to go dancing, there are many impressive options you’ll encounter along the way. Don’t expect the club scene to really take off until midnight, as Reykjavik nightclubs are real after hours kinda places. The most popular clubs in Reykjavik are probably NASA and Club Sólon (which is also a tapas bar). You'll also have plenty of options of amazing restaurants. Take it from Chef Siggi Hall in this video "Iceland has always produce a great good foods".  What more do you want!?


Be sure to consider Iceland for your next trip, you’ll find it is easier to explore than many countries in Europe and you can have a great trip even if you are limited on time.  Due to its small size, you don't need a ton of time to experience the country.  Whether you are there to admire the architecture, the geology, the nightlife, or just to escape the heat, it has something for everyone. Even Lord of the Rings fans.

-Jason of TWiBT