Why We Spent a Week in Ireland (and Loved It)

Between Galway’s music and harbor vibes and Dublin’s historical streets and pubs, Ireland delivered a perfect combo of coastal scenery, culture, and cozy nights with live music. While Ireland is definitely one of the more expensive countries we visited, you can save some money by being flexible with your itinerary. For example, we planned to visit Dublin over the weekend and hotels were around $1k per night because there were several events taking place. By switching to Galway over the weekend and Dublin during the week, we saved quite a bit of money (even though both places were still pricey). 

Galway

The second biggest city in Ireland and worth exploring for a different vibe, fewer tourists (but still lots of tourists), and being closer to some national parks, the Aran Islands, and the Cliffs of Moher. Prices were a little better than Dublin as well. You can get to Galway easily from Dublin by train or bus, or an express bus directly from the Dublin Airport.

Getting There & Where We Stayed

• Citylink coach from Dublin Airport → Galway (The bus ride was 2.5 hours, but the seats were comfortable and the bus station was a short walk to our hotel.): About $32 per person
• The House Hotel (3 nights with breakfast). We picked this hotel because it was a great price for the central location near the Latin Quarter: $870.31.
  

What We Did

• Seaside stroll along the long promenade to the nearby town of Salthill (views across Galway Bay’s famous oyster beds).
• Free walking tour of Galway with Tribes Tour Galway (we tipped $18).
• Wandered the pedestrian Shop Street and the Latin Quarter while enjoying street performers, shops, and pubs. Great street for people watching, shopping, and eating.
• Aran Islands & Cliffs of Moher day trip with Wild Atlantic Way Day Tours: $89/person.
  • The Aran Islands is composed of three islands, and our tour went to Inisheer island by boat after taking a bus from Galway to Doolin port. After two hours at the Aran Islands we took a boat back to the mainland by skirting the Cliffs of Moher to give a waterside view of the cliffs. Once we got back on land, we went to the Cliffs of Moher visitor center and walked along the cliff edge for an hour enjoying the great views.
  • Horse & carriage ride around Insheer island to the ship wreck, which took about an hour: $18/person.
  • Walk to the castle on the hill directly from the Inisheer port for expansive island and water views.
  • Lunch at Seaweed Café: 2 paninis + water for $20.
  • Man of Aran Fudge: A very popular fudge brand made on this island. A bag of traditional fudge for $7.

Where We Ate & Drank

• O’Connell’s Beer Garden (live music every night; this was our favorite pub): 2 Guinness for $16.
• Kirwin’s: 2 seafood chowders + small mussels: $40.
• Tigh Nora: Local western Ireland gin tasting: $30.
• Taaffes Bar: 2 seafood chowders + 2 Smithwick’s: $33.
• Eastern Tandoori: 2 beers, lamb vindaloo, chicken biryani: $58.

Dublin

Ireland's main city and definitely has a big city vibe. You will find the most to do as far as urban activities go. Be prepared for a lot of tourists and higher prices, particularly around the main Temple Bar area. There are great parks, pedestrian streets, and restaurants in Dublin that are worth exploring, and if you are looking to go elsewhere in Ireland, Dublin probably offers the most options for transportation to that destination. We thought a day trip to Howth by DART train was a great escape from the city and enjoyed wonderful water and cliff views. 

Getting There & Where We Stayed

• Train Galway → Dublin: About $20 per person.
  
• Uber from train station to hotel in the city center: $18.
• Motel One Dublin (3 nights with breakfast): The name has "Motel" but this was a modern, stylish hotel and is very centrally located. $676.51.

What We Did

• Grafton Street Which is a pedestrian street with plenty of shopping.
• Relax in St. Stephen’s Green which is the city's most active park. Large and beautiful and you will see many locals sitting on the grass during great weather. 
• Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral, and the Spire.
• Temple Bar for the atmosphere and live music. Highest prices in the city though due to the bar's popularity.
• Sandeman’s free walking tour, which we thought was really great. Took about two hours and a good way to start your Dublin stay. 
• Irish Whiskey Museum tour + 3 tastings. There are a number of distileries in Dublin but the tastings are on that respective brand. We picked tastings at the Whiskey Museum because they allow you to sample a variety of brands, plus you learn the history of whiskey in Ireland: $27 per person.
• Guinness Storehouse: A bit of a walk from the center but a must-do if you are in Dublin and enjoy Guinness. The tour is multi-media and you go at your own pace, but interesting to learn about this iconic brand. The tour price includes a free Guinness you can enjoy at the rooftop bar and enjoy city views: $40 per person.
  
• Half Day Trip to Howth: The DART train to Howth took about 30 minutes, and the station is in central Dublin was very easy to get to. Once you pull into Howth, there are easy signs for the hiking routes you can start right from the Howth train station. We took the easiest route (green colored) and took about two hours. The hike route had wonderful scenery of the water and hills. Highly recommend for a day out in nature and away from Dublin. The DART trains both ways run about every 20 minutes. 
  
  • DART round-trip for two: $13.
  • Howth coastal hike: stunning cliff views and sea air.
  • Rosie’s Café: fish and chips + lasagna for $40.

Where We Ate & Drank

• Lunch at The Oliver St. John Gogarty: Irish Stew + Beef Guinness Casserole: $56.24.
• Fade Street Social: 2 pints of Guinness: $18.
• Temple Bar: 2 pints of Guinness: $25.
• The Seafood Cafe: 2 pints of Guinness and 6 oysters for $40.
• The Old Storehouse: 2 pints of Guinness and 2 large seafood stews for $76.

Final Thoughts

From Galway’s harbor promenades and island day trips to Dublin’s bustling streets, landmarks, and legendary pubs, Ireland is built for slow strolling, good stories, and great pints. Add a coastal hike and a boat past towering cliffs and you’ve got an incredible week. Ireland is a very popular tourist destination so just be prepared for crowds in most urban locations. There are a lot of national parks and more quaint regions of the island you can visit to have a more cultural experience and fewer people.

Planning your own adventure? Be sure to grab our free packing list. It’s got everything you need to travel smarter and lighter.