A weekend in Dublin, the famous capital of the green Ireland

I had always had a little 'the myth of Dublin and Ireland, so I kept an eye on opportunities that could go with Ryan Air. In late November, the opportunity has finally arrived and with only 32 € in total (!) I booked a flight from Ciampino to the end of January, this time just for me and my husband: in short, that's right: 16 € head-trip. Already many years ago I learned to appreciate the trip and at times completely out of season, maybe it makes a virtue of necessity, but some city magazines later in the month of August, I did not like anymore. Because they are too chaotic, dirty and filled with hordes of Italians. . . and general tourists.
However, before explaining the details, I must say that the city has me a bit 'disappointed and, worse, a triangle of campaign we've seen on a guided tour was even more disappointing: it had nothing to do nor with the English, nor even with the Scottish moors.
Then, as always I read many travel stories to me an outline of what we wanted to see the last minute and we have provided a guide Lonely Planet, which gave us further guidance. Also I had also booked through the internet from home visit to the Guinness Storehouse, saving 1, 50 € for 15 tickets and a trip organized and Glendalouch Kilkenney, south of Dublin. With regard to sleep, I would like to dispel the myth of the Bed & Breakfast. In fact, I saw that the prices are very high and do not make deals, while many hotels lowered prices more and more as you get closer to our date, so I booked only 2 or 3 days early. Sure, the off-season period allowed it, but it's worth more and do some 'comparisons. In addition, many prefer the B & B because they seek a more homemade, but in my experience in other countries can ensure that guests really talkative and spontaneous, I have rarely stumbled. Indeed, close to Loch Ness, the hostess came to confess that he said he believe in the existence of Nessie, purely for reasons of tourism! So, I am getting the idea that, since travel is nice, but costs, if you can, you should save! Returning to the hotel, we chose the Ripley Court Hotel, Talbot Street, which I highly recommend for the ideal location, in the central north of the River Liffey, its proximity to the station and the bus stop coming from the airport to cleaning and plenty of breakfast e. . . for the price: 169 € in 2 to 3 days. Also here: on booking. it, the hotel was not there on latebreaks. com and the site of the hotel, had the same price when I looked the first time. Then when I went to book, like a fool, I redid the comparison and I booked through Latebreak, who asked me to spend € 8 and I had to pay 10% of the total, with the possibility of cancellation for the remainder. The next morning, out of curiosity, I looked on the website of the hotel and discovered that not only the price was € 10 riabassato other, but there were no additional charges for booking! Well, another lesson: always check both the reservation portals that hotels directly!

 

The flight from Ciampino lasted nearly three hours and on arrival there s e are not the direct output of the small airport in Ireland. At the exit we took the bus 747 for € 6 into the center by only 2 stops. The 748 is fine and both leave every 10 minutes. E 'possible for the same money, buy a Rambler ticket day, the machines on the platform, which allows you to get on and off the bus by all citizens. But we do not care, because we had the hotel in the center and we were in a hurry to get to town, so we have a ticket with the driver. Attention, drivers do not give rest, but give a good equivalent that can be presented in some parts of the city bus company to get money and we will have found one near the Spire on O'Connell Street, in short, in the city center. The journey lasted half an hour, mostly because there are many traffic lights and roundabouts because they were born in Britain and imported gradually throughout Europe, but. . . . have not set foot in Ireland!
We just fell in O 'Connell Street and from there we reached the hotel in 5 minutes. Time to drop your bags and we left without even trying to eat, despite being the 13. 30, because the museums close by all the 17 summer and not much later. . . so we did not want to waste time. We headed straight for the southern part of the center (the reference point is the river Liffey) in search of the Irish Museum Nazionele because I had read that the Celtic Gold collection was worth it. The museum is not large and, like all national is free, and the collection in question is really fantastic. Then we went to Merrion Square, a square surrounded by houses dating back to George (the beginning of the first 700 to 800), Zone "in" Dublin, where, at number 1, has also resided in the family home of Oscar Wilde. They are all building of 4 floors at most, with facts that should be reddish brick Palladian-style! In fact, for me, neo-classical style of our Palladio, have only the doors, even the columns that surround them and the lintel that overcomes. . . . in itself because the doors are all beautiful and bright colors contrasting with each other. Well colored doors that we have all seen the photos of Dublin! Then we visited the house which is located at number 29 of Fitzwilliam Street, on the corner of Merrion Square. A Victorian house with antique, in detail and really care where Mr Michael, a senior in the past has been our guide. A treat not to be missed.
Then, we began to stroll through the center, particularly around Grafton Street, a pedestrian area full of shops and restaurants and we had confirmation of what they read: Dublin is a city very young and dynamic.
We were hungry by now and since we knew the damage Pub to eat no later than 20 or 21, we felt entitled to look for one for dinner. . . already at 18. 30. . . ! We passed through Temple Bar, the street famous for its pubs, and we went to eat at the Porterhouse, a nice time and all wood, where, however, since even a brewery, they had Guinness, but their beers, however good, of which one made with oysters. Atmosphere lively and noisy, hard to even find a table, but it was worth it. After dinner we went straight to the hotel destroyed. In addition, the day after we meet at 8. 45 of the bus near the hotel with Collins, for a guided tour, so it was better to rest.

We tried the full Irish Breakfast, which. . Well. . . is a bit 'too: eggs and bacon, two different types of pudding, tomatoes, beans and sausages. . more choice, the usual hot drinks, bread, butter, jam, muesli, yoghurt, prunes, grapefruit or fruit juice! And we have gone too far.
Then, we went to the appointment with the coach, 10-minute walk from our hotel, and despite our advance, we found it already there. I had everything organized from Rome, with the help of travel stories I've read, the sites visited was the http://www. collinsdaytours. com / contact. html, which I booked a trip online for 27 € per person (discount of € 3 to 31 January), and by organizing Discoveryireland, the official website of tourism, the discount was not there and it was € 30. I have even emailed to say they have received money sent by credit card. . . ! The trip was at Glendalough monastic site on the Wicklow Hills and then walk and visit to Kilkenny, the medieval village of clear southeast of the capital. The bus waited for Collins and the other customers, on time, he headed off to the other four stops to pick up the others who had booked the tour. For once, no Italians on board, and many many Spaniards. The guide, Jerry, talked a bit 'too much too quickly, I realized that an increasingly lower as the day passed and we were tired cooked. . . . however, a particular topic! The summary was: wi ewi Celts Vikings. . and death to the Roman Empire, believed that God knows and did not deserve! Maybe. . . ! Meanwhile, the monastic site was little left. . . maybe because not built by engineers' Urbe ?????
Returning to the trip, for us it was a slightly disappointing compared to expectations, but we would make anyway.
A disappointment while the landscape, that just has nothing to do with the English countryside, nor with the magical Scottish moors.
At Glendalough, the ruins of the monastic site of St. Kevin, accompanied by Celtic TPIC cemetery, we should have run to a nearby pond, but the heavy snow and rain this winter, had destroyed the bridge leading to the site and therefore, unfortunately That part of the trip is skipped.
Then, with the coach we went to see the hills where they shot so many films, including Braveheart and King Arthur and this landscape has been disappointing.
The town of Kilkenny is nice and we can say that the castle is absolutely not the € 6 ticket. We knew, but we also tried to visit it!
We ate salmon, shrimp, and finally Guinness in one of the many pubs and then we went to rendezvous with the guide to return to the city. At about 18 we were ladled on the River Liffey, close to O'Connell Street, we jumped at the hotel and we went in search of a pub. The problem is that there are so many that it was difficult for us to choose one. We went to a street off Grafton Street, where we finally got the Irish stew, Irish stew, which we had heard and it was really tasty. I must add that we, when we travel, we forget pasta, pizza, coffee and other wonderful Italian to fully immerse ourselves in local realities. . . we did it in the least safe and in the midst of the Egyptian desert. We have not always been exempted from bad stomach ache, but it is part of the game: a country is its food and I sincerely am sorry for all those who have just arrived abroad, are immediately seeking a Italian restaurant. That is resolved, then, inevitably, a big disappointment!

On Monday morning, the national museums were closed and little else.
We had a lighter breakfast and we went by bus 123 to Kilmainham Jail, rather than outside the central core of the city.
Here you can only do the tour and there was good, because the guide, a young woman named Liz, was really a hard whining and talking very fast, so even here I have just started to astrarmi. In addition, it was so cold and she has had terrifying than an hour. I read the book of signatures, Donal (without d) would be a guide of a different nature. . . sin! However, the prison is very interesting and is connected to the history of Ireland (Perhaps this was the boredom... Told us all about it), also where they shot the film "In the name of the father" that we worship and we seen it many times. After the visit, there samo heated pool and after 3 or 4 stops of the same bus, to the inner city, we reached the Guinness Storehouse, also booked this from home, online. This will pay 13. € 50 instead of 15 and the ticket must be used within one year from the date of booking, so it is very comfortable and practical, as well as convenient. By the way, I read that file at other times there are tremendous and this allows you to get around them: they go to the machine, you enter the code online and got that spits the ticket. These Guinness really know what is business. Inside, they give you headphones with audio guides in all languages and the view begins. It is not a real museum, but it makes you understand something of this world, its organization, its history and the brilliance with which everything is always been managed and promoted. On the top floor, in the famous Gravity Bar, where you see the city in almost 365 degrees, giving you a pint of Guinness, which, according to many experts, is the good of the world. The Storehouse is located in a real industrial town, it's incredible, but it seems a just world, working with the perfection of a Swiss watch and the brand. . . everywhere.
From here we have reached on foot the two main churches, the first Christ Church and then St. Patrick, both paid and both Protestants. The second we liked much better than the first. Along the way we lined the church of St. Audeon, unfortunately closed to the public. We have also lined the Dublin Castle and the museum in Dublin, but this time we decided to follow the advice of travelers who have gone before us and we have not visited any of the 2. We reached the famous Trinity College, built by Elizabeth I of England, whose courtyard is not me at all since those suggestions, many of whom own plan and instead I have definitely passed the colleges of Oxford. The Book of Kells, a collection of four Gospels illuminated by monks in the eighth century and considered one of the most precious books in the world, this did not seem surprised. Suggestive but (thankfully!) Bibilioteca of the Long Room, a room 65 meters long and containing about 200. 000 books!
After this visit, this one day "job" is over, so we went to Bewley's Oriental Cafe on Grafton Street, to enjoy a classic tea accompanied by a scone each. The restaurant is distinctive and historic, the atmosphere is right. . . . . but the scone was heavy as a brick and I was placed on the stomach and the tea! So, the evening ended badly with a big stomach ache. . . . . .

This is the last day, the plane takes off at 16, 05, so we decided to take the bus to the airport to a maximum of 13. About 30. We have breakfast, we leave the room and luggage at the hotel and back in the area of the castle, to visit the Chester Beatty Library, which according to Lonely Planet, is the most beautiful museum in Dublin. The library opens at 10 and displays a collection of ancient sacred writings of the major monotheistic religions: fine, really amazing! All this in a very beautiful, that I will not describe in words because it seems to diminish the magic. If you just love the little books: GO! Other than the Book of Kells. . . . . . . In the sense that we do not shoot and if the material have also incredibly valuable. We left very satisfied, we walked to the neighborhood of the Docks and we went back by bus. We shot a little 'shop and then we returned to the Porterhouse for eating and drinking our last beer in Ireland. At 13. 30 and 14 were in the hotel. 30, with a large advance, but reassuring, inside the airport.

In short, I am left somewhat disappointed, but Dublin is not bad, we would like view, if it happens a good opportunity for the flight. Otherwise, it might be worth if it goes with the prospect of visiting the whole of Ireland.
In my opinion, does not take itself too seriously even in the sense that it is a city that has no grandiose claims, he knows what he is and knows what he has.
And, on the other hand, if many of its famous citizens was close, there is obviously the reason.