Ireland

Whether you've heard of this nation from its creamy stout, or from its famous Shamrock, Ireland is full of Culture and remarkable landscapes. This country is most definitely a place to visit if you want to dive into a new immersive culture making you wish you from here.

24-hr Itinerary

I have visited Ireland only once in my life in January 2025, after two friends of mine planned a day out in Dublin. We are lucky that our local airport in Birmingham offers multiple flights daily between BHX and Dublin. This meant we could go for a day trip and fly back later in the evening. Even though we spent roughly 12 hours in the city, I honestly felt that was enough for Dublin. We managed to get a lot done in the time we had, and we didn't feel rushed. Although our day was heavily based around boozing, we still managed to get a good feel of Dublin and the culture.

However, i feel like there is still a lot of more of Ireland for me to discover, although i had a great time in Dublin and would happily go back, I feel there's a lot more to explore in Ireland such as the diverse Irish country, as well as possible trips to Limerick and Cork.

The
Lively
Capital

A visit to Dublin is a must do in my opinion. The city holds a huge amount of history as well as its vibrant culture which attracts younger tourists. It may hold its reputation for not being one of the prettiest cities, but even on the dullest of days, Dublin has a lot to offer. If you have slightly longer in Dublin, I would recommend the Hop on - Hop Off bus tour as this allows you to see a lot of the city, fairly quick. Additionally, these buses are fairly frequent and not packed to the brim. Popular stops on the route are the Guinness Storehouse, Dublin Zoo, Temple Bar, Trinity Street, Kilmainham Gaol, and O Connell street, where the tour initially begins.

Although the bars of Dublin attracts many Stags and Hens, the environment still remains friendly. However from the afternoon onwards is where Temple Bar can get very busy, meaning if you find yourself a seat in any of the pubs, you have earnt your place. If your not standing, squeezing your way to the toilet after drinking too much Irish Whiskey, then your not doing Dublin properly, and might as well of styed at home!

The Temple Bar

Temple Bar is the most famous Pub in Dublin, an even Ireland itself. It is full of Irish history, and has stood since 1846. The Pub has an immense vibe to it, with live music all day everyday and always a great atmosphere. I visited at 10:30 in the morning and it was still busy, however after also returning around19:00, the vibe was much better then. The pub offers a huge range of Irish Whiskeys, as well as traditional Irish coffees, and Lagers. And of course good old Guinness!

This pub is most definitely worth a visit. Even if you don't drink, just to experience the vibe and aesthetics of the pub itself, is worth the time. Additionally, this pub is along a popular street filled with tourist shops, nightlife venues and other Irish pubs.

Guinness Storehouse

The Guinness Storehouse was the highlight of my trip to Dublin, although if you don't enjoy the drink, then this may not be for you. The factory was more of a presentation of how the drink is made, the culture and history behind the drink and also points to try the drink. It took roughly 1-2 hours to complete, including a visit to the Bar at the 7th floor to claim a free glass of Guinness.

We went on a Saturday, which was a peak time for this attraction, however I didn't feel the place was overcrowded. The factory is around a 20 minute walk from the centre of Dublin and about 5 minutes in a taxi. Id recommend adding this to your Itinerary if you like Guinness and want to "fill some time".

What else ?

There is a whole lot more to do in Dublin, however I haven't been able to do it all yet due to the short period of time i had over there.

Some other suggestions would be Dublin Castle, St Patrick's Cathedral, and also to visit other St Patrick's Weekend (Mid March), to experience proper Irish Culture. As well as this, Dublin is only one city in Ireland, exploring Rural Ireland is also good for hiking and adventure such as the Cliffs of Moher and venturing Galway and Cork.