What I learned living in Dublin for 5 weeks

If you have read my previous posts, then you know I experienced a life changing trip to Ireland in 2019. In spring of 2022 I was fortunate to return to Ireland. This time for 58 days. 5 weeks of which I spent living in an apartment in Dublin with a friend. Read on to find out how we got on in Dublin and some of the things I learned during this experience.

Location is everything

When my friend and I hatched this plan to stay in Dublin for 5 weeks between our two different bus tours, I searched for an apartment to rent. I knew I wanted us to be in a prime spot for walking, sightseeing and public transit. Being close to some grocery stores was another important factor. We were fortunate that we were looking at places well in advance and had our pick on Airbnb. Eventually we settled on a two bedroom place a block from temple bar. I knew it would be a good location for walking to various places, and the host had rave reviews on Airbnb. Temple bar was not a big factor in our choice. Once there I realized it was a great choice for catching buses, LUAS trams, or the DART. I was able to walk all over central Dublin and found a lot of places to spend time in parks, museums, or shopping.

Get a LEAP card

Dublin transit is pretty good, and it was easy to take the bus or jump on the LUAS if you’re close to the two lines. The Luas and DART are more reliable than the city buses, however, I had not issues with the bus when I did take it. The bus routes are prone to traffic congestion and delays and people who are using the bus regularly likely deal with more delays than I did. There are a couple options for LEAP cards available. I opted for the kind of card the locals use rather than the tourist one since I was there for 5 weeks. It cost 5 Euro to buy the card and then you can add how much money you want on the card. You can reload the cards with the smartphone app or at payzones. The card is easy to use, you tap on when entering the bus and you tap on and off the LUAS and the Dart. There are daily capping to save money. If you are in Ireland for a shorter period but want to use public transit, I suggest looking into the visitor Leap card. I used the card for the bus within Dublin, the DART to adventure outside the city and the LUAS tram to save my feet from walking great distances. The DART makes it very easy and convenient to explore the coastal areas near Dublin. I traveled to Malahide, Howth, Bray and Greystones and had a lovely time in each area.

Leap Card – Home

Dublin has beautiful green spaces worth exploring

My favourite place to spend some quiet time in Dublin was St. Stephen’s green park. I would walk from the apartment to the park often. I enjoyed seeing the signs of spring and welcomed the changing season as the trees and flowers prepared for summer. One activity I enjoyed most was grabbing a coffee at a local coffee shop, walking around the park and then finding a spot on the grass to put a blanket down and read my book. The park itself has a lot of history but I found it a lovely spot to relax even in the middle of a bustling city. Another lovely place to visit is Dubh Linn Gardens at the Castle. I managed to catch a variety of flowers blooming from mid march to when I left Dublin in early May. It’s tucked in behind the castle and can easily be missed if you’re not sure of it’s location. Phoenix Park is massive, with lots to see, but it was too far from where I was staying to make the trip often. However, the Dublin Botanic gardens are well worth your time, especially if you are interested in flowers and botany in general. Even if botany is not your thing, there are a ton of great walking paths in the area and provide a nice break from the traffic and congestion of the rest of Dublin.

https://botanicgardens.ie/

https://ststephensgreenpark.ie/

https://www.dublincastle.ie/the-castle-gardens/

Guided day trips out of the city are a great option

If you want to use Dublin as a base for an extended stay like I did, you may want to look at some guided bus or train tours outside of the city. I have done the Cliffs of Moher day trip from Dublin, Titanic Belfast and the Giant’s Causeway. This trip I was really interested in more nature excursions than in the past. So I found a hiking trip in the Dublin Mountains where we went on a nice guided walk, then to Powerscourt for lunch and lastly time in Glendalough. This tour left enough time there for me to walk to both of the lakes. One of the best tours I’ve ever done was called “Hikes and Pints with Mark and Missy” in Howth. The guide brings along his dog Missy and takes you on a guided walk around part of the town and then along the cliff walk. The tour ends with a pint at the Bloody Stream pub. This was a fabulous tour and Mark was a great guide. I got to Howth by using the DART.

Temple bar really is a tourist trap

There’s no denying that fact, it is a tourist trap. Ask any local and they will likely tell you the same. Most people only go to Temple bar if they have friends or family visiting and they want to go. Temple bar itself is a pub, but the entire section of street is also called Temple bar. The whole area is the most expensive place to get a pint of beer in Dublin. There are other restaurants and pubs in the area. Prices varying along the street. The actual Temple Bar prices change depending on the time of day and how busy they are. If you want to go for the iconic pint in Temple Bar, I suggest going early in the day of a weekday to avoid the even higher prices. Don’t get me wrong, as a tourist it is a fun place to go, even just to walk through and check it out. I’ve enjoyed having a pint there and taking in the vibe, the live music and meeting people from all over. It’s just not a place I’d choose to drink at often. Have a pint if you can find a place to sit, but I would suggest going elsewhere for more pints. Even a block of two away means lower prices.

The Temple Bar Pub Dublin Ireland

One Tourist trap I do recommend…. GUINNESS

I’m sure you have heard something along the lines of “you don’t know if you like Guinness or not until you’ve had it at the Guinness Storehouse”. I will reiterate that line. I was sure I would not like Guinness until I had it at the Gravity Bar at the top of the Storehouse. It tastes so much better there than anything you get elsewhere in the world. Your tour ticket includes a drink at the Gravity Bar, and I highly recommend trying the pint of Guinness. The tour itself is fantastic and very informative. The gift shop is extensive and contains many items that are exclusive to the Storehouse. It’s well worth a visit even if you don’t think you like the taste of Guinness.

Fresh produce was cheap

Having an apartment meant we went grocery shopping and cooked meals in. Coming from Canada I found much of the fresh produce was much cheaper than at home, even with the currency conversion. We unfortunately did not have large grocery stores near our apartment, but we had the option of 3 different grocery chains and could get everything we wanted. It was nice to have lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, as vegetables aren’t prevalent in restaurant meals. We could also buy alcohol at the grocery stores, which is very different to Canada.

Irish Hospitality is amazing

Our Airbnb host was so friendly and accommodating. He made sure everything was going well and checked in often to make sure we were ok. He also carried our luggage up the 4 flights of stairs for us when we checked in. That was completely unexpected but very much appreciated. We happened upon a relatively new family run restaurant called JayKay’s a short walk across the Liffey. We were treated so well by all the staff and the food was incredible and well priced, so we frequented it often. Maybe it’s partly because the world was shut down for 2 years and the novelty of going out was great, but I truly believe it was the amazing staff we got to know, that made us return often. Everywhere we went, staff were welcoming, friendly and helpful. It was a tourist center staff member who told me it would be more economical to get a regular LEAP card instead of the Visitor one. I was thankful for her honesty and help in figuring out how the card works. https://jaykays.ie/

Eating out can be expensive

If you stick to the main tourist areas of Dublin, dining out will be more expensive than less tourist areas. My average dinner out in the temple bar area was 20-30 Euro, often with a pint of beer included. One day I met friends on the outskirts of Dublin (I got there using my LEAP card and the bus) and was shocked at how much cheaper the food and drinks were. The big bowl of Dublin Coddle was only 10 euro. The other items on the menu were noticeably cheaper than what I had grown accustomed to in the heart of Dublin. On the flip side, our favourite restaurant mentioned above was the most affordable place I found near our apartment for food. If you are only in Dublin for a few days than you may not mind the prices so much, but if you are staying for a more extended stay, then I suggest looking to other areas for some great local food options with better prices. That being said, I enjoyed most of the meals I had no matter where I ate.

Bring layers everywhere you go

Irish weather is about as unpredictable as Alberta weather. So being prepared with layers is important. It can be raining one moment and then sunny a few minutes later. I was caught out in a downpour in Dublin and then a little while later it was bright blue skies and rather humid. Over my time spent in Ireland I have determined that waterproof shoes and jacket are essential. I also find the wind can be quite nasty and therefore prefer to have a wind breaker as well. During this extended stay in Ireland the best jacket I had was a thin, water and wind proof shell from Mountain Warehouse. I could easily add more thick layers under it if needed. It was easy to pack, especially into a day pack when not needed. Link provided below.  Small gloves and ear coverings were also very beneficial. My ears get very cold when it’s windy, so I packed along a homemade ear warmer/headband a friend custom made for me. I found this to be the most versatile and easy thing to use to keep my ears warm. 

https://www.mountainwarehouse.com/ca/pakka-ii-womens-waterproof-jacket-p43884.aspx/dark-purple/

Take in a trad music session

I’ve loved Irish/Celtic Music since I was a child. It was a big part of my upbringing, and could be part of the reason I love Ireland so much. I had seen a few musicians I’m friends with in concert in Ireland before, but I had never experienced a “trad” music session. I was lucky enough to be invited to attend a session at the Brazen Head pub in Dublin while I was staying there. I’m so glad I was able to attend. Just a simple session of local musicians playing their instruments and singing in the pub. This is what I imagined Ireland pubs to be like when I was younger. They made everyone feel welcome, and everyone was singing along. I cannot wait to be back in a local pub with local musicians playing traditional Irish music.

5 positives about an extended stay in Dublin

• Lots of things to see and do within walking distance of the city center
• Fabulous history and lots of museums to explore
• The best Guinness pints in the world
• Lots of transportation options to explore outside Dublin via bus or train, no need for a car, making Dublin a decent base for exploring the greater area
• Many shopping options from higher end stores to Irish gift shops

5 negatives about staying in Dublin

• expensive accommodation
• expensive food and drinks in the high tourist areas
• crowded and very busy in the city center
• not a good sense of traditional Irish way of life
• traffic congestion, not a great city to drive in