On our first FULL day of Dublin adventures, we first walked to get our Dublin Passes. It was about a mile-long lovely stroll across and along the River Liffey. We then jumped on the Hop-on Hop-off Bus for an overview of the city. I definitely recommend these tours as an introduction to a new city–it gives you an idea of what you want to go back to for further investigation!
Guinness Storehouse
We got off at the Guinness Storehouse and toured the facility. We at lunch there and enjoyed a free pint of Guinness Stout! It was a very informative self-guided tour that taught us about the ingredients and the process of making beer, as well as a lot of the history of Guinness in particular.
For lunch there, I had a traditional Beef and Guinness Stew with a pint of Hop House 13 Lager (a lighter beer made by Guinness). The stew was quite amazing and I recommend you get this at least once if you visit Ireland! Seth opted for a Guinness Stout with a flatbread that was delicious!
After leaving Guinness, we took in many sights from the bus, including the Gaol (prison), several churches, Phoenix Park, Trinity College, and even an apartment (penthouse, of course) owned by Bono of U2! We got off the bus near the Whiskey Museum near Trinity College to check into the “whiskey brunch” they advertised (more about that in a later post), then walked the mile or so back to our hotel.
Our driver, Colin, had recommended the Ferryman Pub, right down the street from our hotel, and we wanted to have dinner there, but it was so crowded, we could not get a table. Instead, we walked to the canal area a block or so away, and we found the H-Bar. I had a mango peach fizz and ate a traditional seafood stew. It was a delectable combination! Seth drank a blackberry mint gin and ate a char-grilled chicken burger. We were definitely not disappointed in our choice!
After a busy day, we were happy to get back to our lovely hotel to relax and get some rest!