Our Quickest Trip to Ireland Ever

It went by in less than a blink of the eye. On our way to Italy last month, we spent just two days in Ireland. . . just as we started to settle in it was time to head to the airport again!

While we were grateful for even a little bit of time in Ireland, we knew time was ticking and planned on cramming in as much as possible without entirely exhausting ourselves. Spoiler: It mostly involved eating and drinking!

An Irish breakfast at home after the post-flight nap is a must. Buckets of tea and lashing rain make it all the better.   

Irish summer can be beautiful, but for the most part, it can be pretty miserable, especially in the West. We got the miserable bits.

When it rained we sought shelter in favorite watering holes like Tribeton, which has a veritable bible of gin and some of the best cocktails I have ever had. It’s also just a really cool space with very friendly and creative staff.

Galway’s dining scene is booming, and I always try to visit a new or new-to-me spot. This time it was the delightfully playful Biteclub, which had a whimsical cocktail menu with options like little slushies, along with an extensive food menu.

I tend to crave vegetables while traveling, and this giant plate of veggies and falafel totally hit the spot.

Gin is still all-the-rage in Galway, so I made sure to have plenty of beautiful gin cocktails and even visited their newest bar, Tigh Nora, which is dedicated to gin. The number of gin options made in Ireland is growing, and it was fun to try a different one with each cocktail.

Of course we also made time for old favorites, classic Irish pubs like Taafe’s, with views of street performers, stellar people watching, and pints.

And let’s face it, no trip to the pub is complete without some garlic cheese chips after! No trip to Ireland is complete for me without a visit to Supermacs.   

In spite of the cold, gray, windy, and often rainy weather, we still also spent plenty of time outside, taking in the beauty of all of the lush gardens, buoyed by the rain and truly stunning.

Rain or shine, there’s a wild beauty to the beaches in the West of Ireland, and even while shivering, I somehow managed to fit in an ice cream cone.

Two days or two weeks, it never seems like there’s enough time when we land in Ireland, but I will always take whatever we can get, and always miss it terribly when we leave.