Dublin.

Flights

Is there anything better than finding a super cheap flight? With budget carriers such as Ryanair it has never been easier or more affordable to become a globetrotter. You can’t beat that we flew from London to Dublin for only 20€. However, sometimes that is only in theory as low cost airlines are notorious for having exorbitant prices if you accidentally pack one too many pairs of shoes or if you forget to check in online and print off your boarding pass. I have broken down all you need to know about flying with low cost Ryanair.

Hand Luggage:

Restricted to one item of cabin baggage per passenger. You may also bring on-board one additional personal item (handbag, briefcase, laptop, shop purchases, camera, etc.).

Max weight – 10kg ( I was at 14kg but luckily he let that slide since I had to pay more for my checked bag )

Dimensions main piece of cabin baggage – 55cm x 40cm x 20cm
Dimensions additional personal item – 35cm x 20cm x 20cm

Make sure if you carry any liquids that they are all under 3oz and that they can all fit into a small zip block bag so you can breeze through the security line. .

Traveling VIP

If you would like to be able to board first or reserve a seat ahead of time here are the two options available:

Priority Boarding: starting at €2 per passenger if booked in advance or starting at €4 at the airport

Reserved Seating: Regular seats are €5 per passenger booked in advance or €7.50 at the airport. Regular seat with priority boarding included €7 per passenger booked in advance. Premium seat with priority boarding included are €10 per passenger booked in advance or €15 at the airport.

Checked Luggage

If you would like to check baggage the prices differ depending on the weight of the bag and the time of year you are flying. Passengers can check a maximum of 2 pieces of luggage each. Pooling of luggage for passengers on the same booking is allowed, for example, if two travelers have paid for two 15kg checked bags then one of the travelers can bring a bag weighing 17kg and the other traveler one at 13kg.

Prices for checked baggage purchased during online booking process:

1st/2nd bag (15kg):€30
1st/2nd bag (20kg) low season*: €40
1st/2nd bag (20kg) high season**: €55

Make sure you check the weight of your bags before leaving your house as they charge €10 euros per KG you are over in weight. If your hand luggage does not fit in the cabin above you they will check your hand luggage at the boarding gate.

Online check-in

All passengers must check-in online from 15 days up to the deadline of 4 hours before the scheduled flight departure time. To check-in online: Go to the Manage my Booking section on ryanair.com and print out boarding passes. If you do not have baggage to check, you can go straight to the security check point with your boarding pass.

Passengers are required to print boarding passes during the online check-in deadline. Passengers failing to do so will be charged a re-issue fee. Boarding Pass Re-Issue Fee is €15 for passengers who have completed online check-in and €70 for passengers who have not checked-in online at least 4 hours before scheduled flight departure.

Arrivals and Departures

After flying into Dublin airport the quickest way into the city centre is via taxi for approx 25€. You’ll be at the heart of the city centre in less than 20 minutes and ready to enjoy your amazing vacation. On a budget? Hop on a bus for only 7€ and you can use the money saved on all the Guinness Dublin has to offer.

Getting Around Dublin

The most cost effective way to see Dublin is on a bus. On most buses the fare depends on the distance you travel.  If you are paying in cash, you tell the driver your destination, they tell you the fare, you drop the coins in the black box and they print you off your ticket.  Keep in mind that on the bus the driver can not give change or take banknotes so make sure you have the exact coins. If you don’t have the exact coins the driver will print you a change receipt which can only be redeemed at the Dublin Bus Head Office but who wants that hassle when you are on vacation! If you plan to use buses more than a few times in Dublin, it’s well worth getting some type of prepaid ticket or pass, many of which are also valid on rail and/or tram services, such as the leap card. This will probably save money and certainly avoids having to carry a pocketful of heavy coins. If you are addicted to your phone like I am, most buses have free WiFi!

While the rail service is not extensive, a nice quick way to get a breathe taking scenic view of cliffs is  to head north of the city centre to Howth. Take a quick thirty minute  train ride on the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) to the end of the line. The Pearse street station was the closest to our hotel and only about a seven minute walk.  It’s not particularly expensive and only cost about €6 round trip per person. Make sure you have cash on you as they did not take credit cards. Trains run approximately every 15 minutes. For exact times, check the Iarnrod Eireann (Irish Rail) website.  

I am a big fan of Uber car service. In Dublin the Uber app works as it normally does but it calls you a local cab. These taxi journeys are also charged on a meter and the cost is figured out at the end of your journey.  The rough costs on taxi’s from the city centre are about €15 to Temple Bar area and approx €25 to the Jameson factory. Keep in mind that unlike most big cities where you can catch a uber in about 5 minutes, here it takes around 20 minutes outside the city centre to get one.

Hotel

The Maldron Hotel Pearse Street

The best thing about this hotel was that the rooms were very clean, modern and lets not forget affordable. We were able to check in early around 10am which we considered ourselves very lucky!  A tip if you ever stay here, make sure to get an inside room away from the city streets or the buildings on the side. Ireland doesn’t get hot enough for any place to have air conditioning, but it was very very humid and warm when we stayed. We had to leave the window open to keep the room somewhat tolerable. There was a very busy apartment building next to our room and every five minutes or so the main door to the building would open and slam shut which is the worst when you want a good nights sleep. The hotel was about a ten minute walk to Trinity College, but a little distant to areas like Temple Bar which you might want to take a cab to. The area surrounding the hotel is somewhat industrial/commercial so if you want charm in Dublin, stay closer in.

Pros: Walking distance to Trinity college
Cons: No air conditioning

Address: 97-107 Pearse St, Dublin 2, Ireland

Activities

Kilmainham Gaol

We jumped off our hop on hop off bus and were greeted with ‘sold out’ message. TIP: buy your tickets online in advance to avoid disappointment! The tour is about an hour max if booked in advance but if they happen to have any walk up tickets available then the tour is only 30 minutes.

Address: Inchicore Rd, Kilmainham, Dublin 8, Ireland

Guinness Storehouse

If you are a student make sure to bring your ID for discount admission.This multilevel self guided tour provided so much information about the history and process of brewing their product. Don’t forget your camera! There are so many photo opportunities along the way. Make sure to visit the gravity bar on the top floor. On a beautiful day you have amazing views over the whole of Dublin and each section has a little information telling you exactly what you are looking at.

Address: St James’s Gate, Dublin 8, Ireland

Howth Coastal Path

If you don’t have time to drive three hours to the Cliffs of Moher but still want that true scenic Dublin view then head on over to Howth. Only a thirty minute train ride from Dublin’s city centre and only a 6 euros round trip ticket.

Old Jameson Distillery

Make sure to book your tour time slot in advance to avoid waiting around. Take a guided tour and you won’t be disappointed. The tour took just the right amount of time, not too short but not too long, and was really informative. Excellent tour guide, and they give you three small shots of whiskey at the end of the tour. Make sure to try the Jameson and ginger drink at the end, it was refreshing.

Address: Bow St, Smithfield Village, Dublin 7, Ireland

Best Places to Eat & Drink

Gourmet Burger Kitchen

Words cannot describe how delicious the burgers served here are. Great quality for money and friendly staff. Try the caesar salad, bacon and avocado hamburger or the chicken, bacon and avocado burger.

Address: Unit 1, Temple Bar Square, Dublin, Co. Dublin City, Ireland

The Dog House Blue’s Tea Room

Tucked away beside the railway station is this utter gem of a restaurant. The interior design of furniture and decoration has a very bohmeian mixed with an eclectic vibe. We popped our head into the Dog House before we had visited Howth for the day. The atmosphere was fabulous throughout and the service was amazing. The food came out fairly quick and was simple yet very very delicious: we both shared a quesadilla and bruschetta. Darci the whole meal RAVED that it was the best quesadilla she has ever had. We were STUFFED and very happy by the end.

Address: The Dart Station, Howth, Co. Dublin, Ireland

Church Bar

Built in a former Church, Yes! It is located in an actual church! This pub/restaurant still has some of its original church decor like the lovely windows. A fun fact the founder of Guinness, Arthur Guinness was married here. We were told dinner was only served until 8:45pm as they turn into a nightclub after. Live Irish music and dancing was going on while we had dinner. I had a pint of Hoegaarden and Nachos while Darci enjoyed some traditional fish and chips.

Address: Jervis St, Dublin 1, Ireland

The Temple Bar

We dropped by to see what all the fuss was about, and to our surprise, we LOVED it! Everyone is telling us it is the hot-spot of Dublin and now we understand why.They have live music all the time and there are so many rooms that offer unique sitting throughout the bar. This place will not bore you and I promise there is something for everyone especially people watching which is definitely my favorite thing to do.

Address: 47-48 Temple Bar, Dublin 2, Ireland

Copper Face Jacks Nightclub

Admission will cost about 10€ per person. If you go before 12 admission is free but I have heard it is totally empty so be prepared to hang out in the corner and wait for everyone else to arrive. We got in at 1am and the dance floor was packed! There’s basically no “in-between” with this place. Cheesy sing along music, blasting electro jams, girls in heels toppling over left and right and very embarrassingly intoxicated crowds that have you staring at everyone with that “WTF face. Regardless, cheap and strong drinks, young and fun crowd, but venue itself is a bit divey and rundown.

Address: 29-30 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2, Ireland

General Tip

If you are a student make sure to bring your student ID as most places offer student discounts!