The day of all days to be in Dublin….the day I’ve been waiting to experience since moving here almost a year ago…
ST. PATRICK’S DAY!
Or, Paddy’s Day, as the Irish call it.
(And just a PSA for all fellow Americans…it’s not St. Pat or St. Patty’s Day. It’s PADDY, with D’s. And saying/spelling it otherwise is a bit of a pet peeve for many Irish people. It’s OK, I was guilty once too.)
Although it involved a lot of crowds and a lot of chaos, it was something that every avid traveler should try to experience at least once in their life. Ya know, just for the craic!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Ireland has some of the most amazing natural landscape I’ve ever seen. Ireland is famous for its rolling green hills, beautiful coastlines, and breathtaking cliffs. With that comes MANY amazing walking/hiking trails that offer people a taste of the natural beauty.
I’m trying to take advantage of the landscape here since where I’m from (South Louisiana) is totally and completely FLAT. Couldn’t be flatter. I already shared all about cliff walking in Howth (which was AMAZING). But during my time here in Ireland I’ve gotten a chance to do a few different hikes. It’s great for getting some fresh air, clearing your mind, and seeing some unbelievable sights.
…Weather permitting of course.
Well, one amazing hiking trail in Ireland (that’s also easy to get to from Dublin city centre) is the Wicklow Way, in County Wicklow.
As much as I love city life, it’s sometimes nice to escape the busy streets, constant cars, and general hustle and bustle of Dublin. Well luckily, there’s plenty of beautiful natural landscape that can be seen by just doing a day trip from Dublin!
When I first moved to Dublin I posted about the cute little village of Howth, just a 20-30 minute train ride North of Dublin’s city centre. Besides being a great and easily assessable getaway for anyone living in Dublin, it’s also great for visitors wanting to see a bit more of the renowned Irish landscape that may not have the time/money to travel far (a day return ticket on the DART train to Howth is only €6!!!)
The best part of this cliff walk, and the day in general, is that I hadn’t planned it at all. I had heard about the cliff walk, but I thought it was just a short trail. We ended up walking for hours (because we chose the longest trail of the 3 options).
If you want to see some breathtaking Irish nature and stunning views, this is something I DEFINITELY recommend.
Louisiana is one of those places that only has 2 seasons – really hot summer, and then a little less hot “winter.” Some years the winter can be classified as “cold.” But most years, you can get away with wearing a thin, long-sleeve, silk blouse on Christmas Day.
And obviously, such is not the case in Dublin. And that can be seen by simply taking a stroll in St. Stephen’s Green park in fall.
Of course, everyone knows of the tragic events that occurred Friday night in Paris, France.
Paris is the City of Love and the City of Light, and with good reason. But a few days ago, someone tried to darken that light and fight love with hate.
Because of these recent events, I thought it was only appropriate to start this week off by appreciating the beauty, uniqueness, and glamour of one of the world’s most amazing cities with a photo diary of Paris.
Ah, Lisbon, Portugal. To me, this place is extremely underrated and was actually my favorite stop during my Europe trip last summer. It was a last-minute addition to the trip, and the last stop, but oh my goodness was it worth it!
Not only was it the cheapest city (that uses the Euro) that I visited, but there was SO much to do there and it was absolutely gorgeous! I wish we could’ve spent about a week more there, but it just gives me an excuse to go back.
I’ve decided instead of doing a typical “5 things to do in (insert city name here)” list, I would make my list a little different by breaking it up into the 5 senses. Lisbon is definitely a lively, beautiful, bustling, unique place, and really is a feast for all of the senses!
So one of the great things about moving to Ireland was that I didn’t have to worry about a language barrier. Sure, I was moving to a different country with no job lined up and no living arrangements made, but hey! At least I wouldn’t have to worry about everyone speaking in a different LANGUAGE too, right?!
WRONG. Irish and American English sometimes feel like they’re 2 different languages.
Torvehallerne Market. I touched on this market a little bit in my 2-day itinerary for Copenhagen, but I wanted to reiterate how totally awesome this food market really is AND prove that it is an absolute must-do when visiting Copenhagen!
Like everything in Copenhagen, this market is top quality in terms of cleanliness, retailers, and overall atmosphere. But, also like everything in Copenhagen, that quality makes it a little pricier. Pricey for a food market, but definitely a cheaper meal in the grand scheme of things in Copenhagen.
I recently got to visit Copenhagen, Denmark, for the first time. It’s a city that’s been on my bucket list for quite a while. And yet, when I arrived I literally had no idea what to expect or what to do.
Not only that, but Copenhagen is pretty expensive, with a 25% sales tax already included in everything you buy. So, I arrived wanting to make the most of my weekend there, but also not spend ALL of my money (which is something I tend to do…).
If only I had had access to a super awesome travel blog that had mapped out the perfect weekend in Copenhagen for people on a budget, like me, suggesting things to do, places to eat, and must-see spots! Ah, well now I plan to do just that for if when any of you finally make it to this amazing city!
Although Copenhagen, and all of Denmark and Scandinavia for that matter, is known to be expensive, you can have an amazing time there by benefitting from free/cheap attractions!
So here it is, my 2-day itinerary for anyone visiting Copenhagen for the first time on a budget. OR, someone who doesn’t have much time there and wants to make the most of it!
For those of you didn’t know, I recently took a long weekend trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, a place that’s been on my “list” for a while now! I had heard nothing but great things from friends and fellow bloggers, and it definitely did not disappoint! Copenhagen was just as pretty in person as it is in photos!
To me, Copenhagen is a city of cleanliness, of markets, of bikes, of tolerance, of beautiful people with beautiful blonde man-buns, of history, of impressive architecture reminiscent of Paris, Amsterdam, and even New Orleans.
