Before You Go, Blog, Experiences, Getting Around

Irish Explorer Bus Tour: Day 1 – DUBLIN

June 18, 2018 /

Sean and I LOVE traveling and plan to take two bigger trips each year; one international and one within the U.S..

When we made the decision to make Ireland our international trip of 2018, we did so partly because of a co-worker of mine who suggested the tour company, CIE Tours.

On our first trip to Europe, we totally free-styled it, meaning we booked all of our own flights and AirBnb’s and planned each day as we went. We had a great time finding our way around each country we visited, whether we were figuring out how to navigate the local train and bus systems or we walked and asked locals for directions. But this time around, we thought it would be nice to try out a tour company. The idea of being bused around the country and having our accommodations, itinerary and most meals planned for us sounded kind of good. We allotted some extra time afterward to have on our own, so we thought, “why not?”.

I had never really considered anything like this before because it just didn’t seem like “traveling”. I like when we’re on our own, totally lost in a country and free to do what we want. I’ve often had the feeling that a tour company would take away from any kind of authentic experience, so I’ve been hesitant to plan any kind of vacation like the one we have just embarked on.

With that being said, we are excited to try out this style of travel and not only see which we prefer more, but bring you all along on the journey with us. I’m hoping to share our experience with you each day of our trip. You can #WanderInOurShoes by reading along here and watching our Instagram stories.

Irish Explorer 9 Day/8 Night Tour: Day 1

So, today was day 1 of our bus tour around Ireland. We met up with our group at 2 p.m. at the Clontarf Castle Hotel, where we boarded the bus and took a short tour around the city of Dublin. We were joined by a local Dublin tour guide, Neeves, who talked us through all of the history and significance of her hometown.

We made stops at both the Merrion Square and St. Patrick’s Parks where we were able to take photos of the statue of Oscar Wilde and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. From there, we made our big stop of the day at Glassnevin Cemetery, where we were given a private tour.

Striking a pose with the statue of Oscar Wilde

The idea of being guided around a cemetery seemed a bit creepy at first, I’ll admit. But, this stop proved to actually be quite interesting. Over 1.5 million people are buried here, and among them are names such as Daniel O’Connel (a champion of Catholic rights) and Michael Collins (an Irish Revolutionary). The one fun fact that really struck us: On each corner of the cemetery, there is a watch tower. Why, you ask? Apparently, back in the day, grave robbing was a pretty big hobby amongst medical students who were in need of cadavers to practice on, as well as those looking to earn anywhere from 2-3 euros (approx. 3 months of income at that time). Those with any amount of money would dig the graves up, throw them in a sack and get them over the wall. Those without money slung the bodies over their shoulder, and if asked, would say they were helping their drunk buddy get home okay – LOL.

Two of the most prominent tombstones in Glassnevin Cemetery

After the cemetery, we rode back into Clontarf to our hotel and had about 90 minutes of free time before meeting up again with our group for a welcome drink and some dinner. Although the hotel is very nice, we weren’t sure what to expect for dinner. We were both pleasantly surprised to be provided with a 3 course meal, of which we were offered different options. For a starter, Sean ordered the salmon with a crispy egg, a unique dish that he said was delicious, and I went with the roasted red pepper soup – the best I had ever tasted.

We each agreed on having the free-range chicken for dinner that came with some of the most amazing potatoes on the side. Think crisp and savory on the outside, and soft and buttery on the inside. MMM. We were also offered veggies and more potatoes as well as an assortment of rolls.

When dessert came out, we were each given an assortment of mini desserts that we enjoyed with some coffee and tea.

Dining room of the Fahrenheit restaurant

Overall, the dinner itself was phenomenal and a great way to sit down and get to know some of our fellow travelers. We ended up eating with a family who was also from PA and owns their own resort up in the Poconos, so we had a really nice time talking all things travel and life with them. Sean and I each agreed it would be nice to be able to keep these connections we make here with our group.

So, that was our recap of day 1 on our tour.

Tomorrow, we’ll be heading towards Donnegal. Look forward to sharing our day with you! XOXO

Read our experience on Day 2 here.