Welcome back to grounds, Hoos! Yes, spring break has sadly come to an end—cue a major sigh—however, now you can reunite with your pals and hear all about their spring break adventures! I love hearing about my friends’ travels because you basically get to live vicariously through them, and you even gain some insight on where to travel next. This spring break, I was lucky to be able to travel to Ireland! It was incredible, and I’m booking a one way flight back ASAP! The country is so beautiful and I cannot urge you enough to visit! Here are my top highlights and some of my photos from the trip!
1. Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher on the west coast of Ireland is a major MUST! The view is breathtaking, and I was honestly left speechless. My friend and I ventured on a day trip with a local company, PaddyWagon, which is a great idea if you want to explore different parts of the country. Our guide, Val, was hilarious, charismatic, and even serenaded our group with some Irish folk songs. Despite the 43 mph winds, the trip to the cliffs was definitely worth it and something everyone needs to see at least once in his or her life!
2. Glendalough in Wicklow County
Glendalough was probably my favorite part of the trip. Glendalough is in Wicklow County, and is south of Dublin in the countryside. I cannot tell you how many sheep I witnessed on the busride (not to mention it was lamb season!). Again, we were on a day tour, and our bus stopped at the Glendalough Monastic Site, which was full of old gravestones, the Round Tower, and monastery ruins that date back way past the 1800s! There was also a 40-minute hike/stroll around one of Glendalough’s beautiful lakes nearby. If you ever venture to Ireland, you MUST visit Glendalough!
3. Kilkenny
Kilkenny was the medieval capital of Ireland in the 17th century, and it is so dope!. This city is beautiful! The buildings are so colorful, there’s loads of great shopping, and tons of delicious pubs, cafes, and restaurants. Not to mention you can visit the Kilkenny castle that is still standing from the 1100s! There is so much culture in this little city, and I already want to visit again!
4. Dublin
After visiting Ireland, Dublin is now one of my favorite cities on this Earth. I could genuinely see myself living there, and I’m lowkey rethinking post-graduation plans just so I can move there. Dublin has so much to offer, from lively pubs, to a diverse selection of cuisines, to great shopping, to historical landmarks! Plus, the people are lovely as well. Dublin is pretty ~hipster~ which I completely vibed with! There are really dope vintage shops around the city, and I definitely recommend checking them out, especially Lucy’s Lounge Vintage in the Temple Bar area. If you really want to delve into the culture and history of Dublin, definitely check out the Dublin Castle, Christ Church, Trinity College, the National Gallery of Ireland, and the Guinness Storehouse!
Ireland has such a rich history waiting to be explored, and should def be added to your travel bucket list. Traveling throughout Ireland is like living in a fairytale; medieval ruins, towers, and castles appear out of thin air almost everywhere. I hope you enjoyed reading about my recent travels, and have potentially inspired your future travel plans!
(All images courtesy of the writer)