Dublin: Five Things in Two Days

Any trip to Ireland will likely start in Dublin. Here are some of the highlights we jumped on in the two days we were there:

1) Take in the architecture and ambiance of the old European town on a self-guided city walking tour.

2) Visit St. Patrick’s Park

We’re Americans, so we love cliches. Leprechauns, Guinness, St. Patrick’s Day – I felt validated in my quest for anything and everything oozing Irish folklore. So I guess I was a cliche foreigner! What? I owned it.

3) Head over to the Trinity College Library, which houses The Book of Kells.

Ireland’s “finest national treasure,” this illuminated manuscript contains the four Gospels of the New Testament. Created by Celtic monks, it’s a masterpiece of Western calligraphy.

4) Check out the smallest pub in Dublin (The Dawson Lounge) while crawling the many pubs the city has to offer.

You’re really going to miss out on a big part of Irish culture if you don’t visit a few pubs. Even if you’re not a big drinker, the libation establishments are cozy and atmospheric, many of them historic. Do it for architecture’s sake! (Or tell yourself that, anyway).