Dublin, Ireland
One of my favorites! Cobblestone streets, great music, cold Guinness, and amazing people. Maybe it is my Irish heritage, but I felt at home walking the streets of Dublin. I can’t stress enough the kindness of the people. When I was here, it was before the GPS and smart phone days. We only had a map and our sense of direction, so we got lost… a lot. But the Irish people were always so willing to help. “You’re going the wrong way mister, but pop in for a pint of Guinness and I’ll show you on your map how to get there.” Ummm, no problem! And of course, they never let you have just one.
Notable sites include St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Temple Bar, and the Old Jameson Distillery. Regrettably, I was young and had not developed a keen sense for whiskey yet so I did not tour Jameson. I only made it to the Guinness Storehouse (see below), but it just gives me a reason to go back!
Two pieces of advice for Dublin: 1. Just wander the streets of Dublin. Allow yourself to get lost and be cognizant of the small shops, bars, and the people passing you by. Just ‘follow the music’ and you’ll be fine. 2. After you’re done wandering, take the bus to the Wicklow Mountains. Great hiking and beautiful mountain range. But more importantly, it gets you out of the city. The real charm of Ireland is in the countryside and small towns along the way.
Guinness Storehouse
The Guinness Storehouse Tour is unique because it is a self-guided until the very end and then, you get to pour yourself a pint of Guinness under the tutelage of the bartender! “The Perfect Pint”, they call it. Please note: You actually don’t see the beer being made. That happens across the street and behind St. James Gate, which is not open to the public.
You start out traversing the first level of the tour by learning about how Arthur Guinness started his brewery and where they get their ingredients. You continue the self-guided tour level by level (for 6 levels) where they tell you how they make the beer and other tidbits. The most interesting level to me is the 3rd floor where they have hoards of the old advertising material as well as cans/bottles from decades ago. Once you’ve reached the 6th level, be sure to look down. From that vantage point, the levels form a perfect Guinness pint glass. Then, you’ve reached the last and final level… The Gravity Bar!
The Gravity Bar is an indoor observation deck of sorts that is closed in by floor to ceiling windows. It stands 7 stories high above Dublin’s streets and you can see way beyond the city limits. This is the highlight of the tour as you learn how to pour the Perfect Pint of Guinness and look out over Dublin’s urban sprawl. Amazing experience and I’ve never had a Guinness that tasted better than that first one I poured myself. It may have been a mental thing, but I’m confident it tasted better. When visiting Dublin, taking the Guinness Storehouse Tour is a must even if you don’t like their beer.
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