As a full-time student and current working girl, my weekend getaways have been limited. But as an American living in a foreign country, I have always wanted my weekend getaways and extended travel trips to be a constant presence.
A few months ago, I shared some of my Favorite Irish Adventures to date. When my dad and brother visited, I got to take a few more adventures around Ireland and another weekend to Munich.
Though I don't get to travel as often as I'd like to, there are many trips in my arsenal that I'd like to share with you on the blog, from weekends to weeklongs and from real-life, actually-happened adventures to it's-gonna-happen-just-you-wait-and-see ones.
Welcome to Getaway! In these posts, we'll share some of my favorite short-trips.
There are few Getaways that stand out to me, whether for the epicness of the place visited itself or for the epicness of the time I personally had there. And there are a few places that I've got my eye on for near-future weekend getaways as well!
So here you go, check out Dublin and the first of many Diva's Getaways!
Dublin
My most recent jaunt to Dublin last March featured an epic Jason Derulo concert and the boy (an adventure for another post), but I've been to Dublin many times.
A small enough city, the Irish capital is like a teaser trailer of real Ireland for tourists who haven't gotten into the countryside yet and bigger cities for expats missing their homeland. Dublin has a big pub and club scene and enough shopping to satisfy a desire for retail therapy. There are so many little nooks and crannies to explore, but every time I go back all I want to do is wander the streets, visit the Queen of Tarts (best tea shop ever!), and soak up the city life.
Components in a good Dublin Getaway:
1) Hostels
Used to the luxury of a hot shower, we are often turned off by the idea of hostels. Hostels get a bad rap from films and our parents' stories of backpacking across deserted islands. But you can rest easy in an Irish hostel. The standard of living here is fairly high, and that often translates to lovely little hostels. The hostels outside of Dublin are undoubtedly better, but in the big city, they are better than most you'd find outside of Ireland. So go ahead, book a hostel, you (probably) won't regret it. Check out Kinlay House Hostel near Christchurch and Temple Bar.
2) Bus It
Dublin City has a good public transport system, which includes a tourist option. A hop-on, hop-off bus tour may sound ridiculous, but there is no better way to see Dublin. With no grid system and a sprawl of about 45 square miles, Dublin can be difficult to master your first time. Dublin Sightseeing Tours offers an inexpensive and easily accessible bus tour. Buy a ticket for the day, do the full route (45 minutes to an hour), get your bearings, and then start picking places you want to stop on the second round. Some favorite Dublin landmarks to explore include Christchurch, Dublin City Gaol, Trinity College, Grafton Street and O'Connell Bridge, and, of course, the Guinness factory!
3) Pub Culture
Pub culture is a colloquial term often used by Irish and Irish connoisseurs to describe the insatiable desire of Irish and Ireland lovers to congregate in a cozy pub and laugh and tell stories for hours and hours over a few good pints. Dublin's pub culture is no different. Many of the pubs in the city are very well decorated and include (often loud) Irish music every night. From mid-afternoon to early evening, pubs in Dublin can be chill and relaxed, a great atmosphere to unwind after a long day of touristing. After 8PM, Temple Bar area is alive with tourists and the music can be heard echoing up and down the cobblestone streets.
4) Nightlife
The pub scene might not appeal to you - perhaps you've had your fill of pubs elsewhere or perhaps you've just spent too much time in them this afternoon! In this case, the Dublin nightlife might satisfy in other ways. If you're up for a nightclub of adventures, check out Coppers - but just beware, it gets a little crazy. You have been warned.
5) Do Something City-Like
Whether Dublin is your first or only stop in Ireland or it's your weekend away from the Irish countryside, one of the best parts about experiencing Dublin or any other city is living the city life. Each city has its own aura, its own culture, and it is an awesome thing to explore. Do something super normal in the city you're visiting. Go to a show, go shopping, visit a museum, or just walk around the neighborhoods. Get down and dirty in the city and enjoy not only the novelty of a new place but also the buzz that is city life.
1) Hostels
Used to the luxury of a hot shower, we are often turned off by the idea of hostels. Hostels get a bad rap from films and our parents' stories of backpacking across deserted islands. But you can rest easy in an Irish hostel. The standard of living here is fairly high, and that often translates to lovely little hostels. The hostels outside of Dublin are undoubtedly better, but in the big city, they are better than most you'd find outside of Ireland. So go ahead, book a hostel, you (probably) won't regret it. Check out Kinlay House Hostel near Christchurch and Temple Bar.
2) Bus It
Dublin City has a good public transport system, which includes a tourist option. A hop-on, hop-off bus tour may sound ridiculous, but there is no better way to see Dublin. With no grid system and a sprawl of about 45 square miles, Dublin can be difficult to master your first time. Dublin Sightseeing Tours offers an inexpensive and easily accessible bus tour. Buy a ticket for the day, do the full route (45 minutes to an hour), get your bearings, and then start picking places you want to stop on the second round. Some favorite Dublin landmarks to explore include Christchurch, Dublin City Gaol, Trinity College, Grafton Street and O'Connell Bridge, and, of course, the Guinness factory!
3) Pub Culture
Pub culture is a colloquial term often used by Irish and Irish connoisseurs to describe the insatiable desire of Irish and Ireland lovers to congregate in a cozy pub and laugh and tell stories for hours and hours over a few good pints. Dublin's pub culture is no different. Many of the pubs in the city are very well decorated and include (often loud) Irish music every night. From mid-afternoon to early evening, pubs in Dublin can be chill and relaxed, a great atmosphere to unwind after a long day of touristing. After 8PM, Temple Bar area is alive with tourists and the music can be heard echoing up and down the cobblestone streets.
4) Nightlife
The pub scene might not appeal to you - perhaps you've had your fill of pubs elsewhere or perhaps you've just spent too much time in them this afternoon! In this case, the Dublin nightlife might satisfy in other ways. If you're up for a nightclub of adventures, check out Coppers - but just beware, it gets a little crazy. You have been warned.
5) Do Something City-Like
Whether Dublin is your first or only stop in Ireland or it's your weekend away from the Irish countryside, one of the best parts about experiencing Dublin or any other city is living the city life. Each city has its own aura, its own culture, and it is an awesome thing to explore. Do something super normal in the city you're visiting. Go to a show, go shopping, visit a museum, or just walk around the neighborhoods. Get down and dirty in the city and enjoy not only the novelty of a new place but also the buzz that is city life.
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