After landing in Dublin at 5:00am in the morning, we headed to the hotel to check in. It only took about 20 minutes to get there. The staff was all ready for us when we arrived. We were able to get into our room and freshen up so that we could hit the town.
Our first stop was to find somewhere to get breakfast. We found Bread 41 not far from our hotel.
After breakfast it was time to start exploring Dublin. Even though the official tour started the next day, we wanted to get an idea about the city. We wanted to start enjoying everything Dublin had to offer.
The architecture of the buildings around the city was beautiful. It was a combination of old and new.
There were pubs on every corner, just like I was expecting. Each front was a different color! It helped them stand out.
There were several churches along the way. I stopped into St. Teresa’s Carmelite Church. It was hidden down the alley between the other buildings. It was founded in 1792. When you walk in it is nice and bright. The colorful stained-glass windows glowed.
There is a statue that is a must visit to everyone who visits Dublin, the Molly Malone Statue, located on Suffolk Street. Molly Malone is a semi-historical, semi-legendary figure. There is a song about her called “Cockles & Mussels”. Clearly you can tell where all the good-luck photos are taken.
While walking around Grafton Street, it was a little chilly, so we decided to warm up with a cup of coffee. We stopped at Bewley’s Oriental Cafes. We enjoyed sipping our coffee and listening to the street performers as we continued walking around.
I was amazed how many flower vendors were on the streets. They had such lovely flowers in every color.
If you are into music history the birth of Irish music happened right on Harry Street. And the bar Bruxelles played an important role. Bands like Skid Row and Thin Lizzy got their start here. Plus, it is a great place to go to get traditional Irish food.
Enjoy!
T
