Two Nights In Dublin

[karinad]

This will be our first time in Dublin and we can't wait to see it! We took the opportunity to do a stop-over on our way to Barcelona to for a Med Cruise. We'll be arriving at around 10am and staying 2 nights at the Westin Dublin. Our flight leaves from Dublin at 6:45pm arriving at BCN after 10pm. Any suggestions how to best take advantage of our time? DH likes castles. I seen a tour that takes you to Malahide Castle and Dublin Bay and is about 3 1/2 hrs. long. It gives the choice of morning or afternoon. It gets great reviews. Other then that, what's your favorite sites and places to see?

 

Also, what's the best way to get from the airport to our hotel?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Mairnealach]

Hi,

 

The best way to get from the airport to the Westin Hotel is by the Dublin Bus Airlink Express number 747.

 

http://www.dublinbus.ie/Your-Journey1/Timetables/Airport-Services/

 

The fare is €10 for a return ticket. Get off the bus at College Green, the next stop after O'Connell Street where a lot of the passengers will be leaving, and the Westin Hotel is only 100 yards away. There is a bus every fifteen minutes. At the airport, the bus starts at terminal 1 before going to terminal 2. The reverse happens on the return journey. You get your tickets from the driver or there is normally a staff member selling tickets at the airport stop. It would be helpful if you had some small denomination euro notes. If you wish to pay by credit card, the best option is to get the bus tickets from the Spar shop at arrivals in the airport. There are supposed to be vending machines at the bus stop, but I have never noticed them.

 

The Visit Dublin website lists a large number of the city's attractions.

 

http://www.visitdublin.com/home

 

Enjoy your visit,

 

Dermot

[karinad]

Hi,

 

The best way to get from the airport to the Westin Hotel is by the Dublin Bus Airlink Express number 747.

 

http://www.dublinbus.ie/Your-Journey1/Timetables/Airport-Services/

 

The fare is €10 for a return ticket. Get off the bus at College Green, the next stop after O'Connell Street where a lot of the passengers will be leaving, and the Westin Hotel is only 100 yards away. There is a bus every fifteen minutes. At the airport, the bus starts at terminal 1 before going to terminal 2. The reverse happens on the return journey. You get your tickets from the driver or there is normally a staff member selling tickets at the airport stop. It would be helpful if you had some small denomination euro notes. If you wish to pay by credit card, the best option is to get the bus tickets from the Spar shop at arrivals in the airport. There are supposed to be vending machines at the bus stop, but I have never noticed them.

 

The Visit Dublin website lists a large number of the city's attractions.

 

http://www.visitdublin.com/home

 

Enjoy your visit,

 

Dermot

 

Thank you for the great links! It looks like I could get all the info we need from them. I really appreciate it!!:)

[karinad]

Hi,

 

The best way to get from the airport to the Westin Hotel is by the Dublin Bus Airlink Express number 747.

 

http://www.dublinbus.ie/Your-Journey1/Timetables/Airport-Services/

 

The fare is €10 for a return ticket. Get off the bus at College Green, the next stop after O'Connell Street where a lot of the passengers will be leaving, and the Westin Hotel is only 100 yards away. There is a bus every fifteen minutes. At the airport, the bus starts at terminal 1 before going to terminal 2. The reverse happens on the return journey. You get your tickets from the driver or there is normally a staff member selling tickets at the airport stop. It would be helpful if you had some small denomination euro notes. If you wish to pay by credit card, the best option is to get the bus tickets from the Spar shop at arrivals in the airport. There are supposed to be vending machines at the bus stop, but I have never noticed them.

 

The Visit Dublin website lists a large number of the city's attractions.

 

http://www.visitdublin.com/home

 

Enjoy your visit,

 

Dermot

Hi Dermot, me again! So the stop is listed as Trinity College? Is the Westin across from the college?

[Cotswold Eagle]

The stop is listed as College Green & Temple Bar (see the bus brochure, not the list of sights/areas on the webpage). The Westin is in Westmoreland Street, just up from Trinity College.

[karinad]

The stop is listed as College Green & Temple Bar (see the bus brochure, not the list of sights/areas on the webpage). The Westin is in Westmoreland Street, just up from Trinity College.

 

Thank you! Yes, I was looking at the webpage as I don't have the brochure. I was reading about the Pass that would include the airport transfer and hop on hop off bus and debating if it would be worth it for us. I thought that the 72hrs would be best for us.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Thank you! Yes, I was looking at the webpage as I don't have the brochure. I was reading about the Pass that would include the airport transfer and hop on hop off bus and debating if it would be worth it for us. I thought that the 72hrs would be best for us.

 

You can download the brochure off the page that Dermot linked, just below the big 'Buy Now' button :)

[karinad]

You can download the brochure off the page that Dermot linked, just below the big 'Buy Now' button :)

 

Thanks!:)

[Mairnealach]

Hi Dermot, me again! So the stop is listed as Trinity College? Is the Westin across from the college?

 

Yes, the hotel is across the street from Trinity College. As the Eagle says, the stop is in College Green and it is the stop for Trinity College and Temple Bar. Put ''Westin Hotel, Westmoreland Street, Dublin'' into Google Maps to clarify the bus route. The 747 bus crosses the river Liffey at O'Connell Bridge and goes southwards up D'Olier Street as Westmoreland Street is one way for northbound traffic. The bus then takes a right turn into College Street before stopping across the street from what is quaintly described by Google as Irish Houses of Parliament, being over two hundred years out of date, but is now the Bank of Ireland. You then just have a 100 yards walk to the hotel.

Edited August 30, 2016 by Mairnealach

[karinad]

Yes, the hotel is across the street from Trinity College. As the Eagle says, the stop is in College Green and it is the stop for Trinity College and Temple Bar. Put ''Westin Hotel, Westmoreland Street, Dublin'' into Google Maps to clarify the bus route. The 747 bus crosses the river Liffey at O'Connell Bridge and goes southwards up D'Olier Street as Westmoreland Street is one way for northbound traffic. The bus then takes a right turn into College Street before stopping across the street from what is quaintly described by Google as Irish Houses of Parliament, being over two hundred years out of date, but is now the Bank of Ireland. You then just have a 100 yards walk to the hotel.

 

Thanks, Dermot! It sounds easy enough. I seen that if you buy the Pass that the ride from the airport is included, but not the ride back. I did just order a tour book from Ebay for a couple dollars. My dh doesn't use the internet and likes to look at the tour books.:)

[Mairnealach]

Thanks, Dermot! It sounds easy enough. I seen that if you buy the Pass that the ride from the airport is included, but not the ride back. I did just order a tour book from Ebay for a couple dollars. My dh doesn't use the internet and likes to look at the tour books.:)

 

The number of different bus tickets can appear bewildering. The Airlink Combo Return Ticket, €27, includes a return ticket to the airport on the Airlink Express as well as the HoHo tour.

 

https://www.dublinsightseeing.ie/Airlink/AirlinkComboReturn.aspx

 

If you do not plan to take the HoHo tour, then there is the 3 days (72 hours) Leap Visitor Card for €19.50 which includes return travel to the airport and unlimited travel on all Dublin Bus scheduled services (but NOT the HoHo bus).

 

https://about.leapcard.ie/leap-visitor-card

 

Dublin Bus drivers are normally very helpful and the Airlink Express ones exceptionally so. They are accustomed to dealing with visitors' queries. If you unsure where the Westin Hotel is located, just ask the driver.

[karinad]

The number of different bus tickets can appear bewildering. The Airlink Combo Return Ticket, €27, includes a return ticket to the airport on the Airlink Express as well as the HoHo tour.

 

https://www.dublinsightseeing.ie/Airlink/AirlinkComboReturn.aspx

 

If you do not plan to take the HoHo tour, then there is the 3 days (72 hours) Leap Visitor Card for €19.50 which includes return travel to the airport and unlimited travel on all Dublin Bus scheduled services (but NOT the HoHo bus).

 

https://about.leapcard.ie/leap-visitor-card

 

Dublin Bus drivers are normally very helpful and the Airlink Express ones exceptionally so. They are accustomed to dealing with visitors' queries. If you unsure where the Westin Hotel is located, just ask the driver.

Maybe I am a bit confused about it. Is there different HoHo Buses? I seen one listed that it said included the Malahide Castle Tour with a half day tour. We definitely want to do that. I looked at some of the stops on the one card and I really don't see us taking advantage of most of them. I'm guessing that where the Westin is that we could walk to some places. I do think a day or 2 on the hoho bus would show us a lot and perhaps get off at some of the places we want to see.

[Mairnealach]

Maybe I am a bit confused about it. Is there different HoHo Buses? I seen one listed that it said included the Malahide Castle Tour with a half day tour. We definitely want to do that. I looked at some of the stops on the one card and I really don't see us taking advantage of most of them. I'm guessing that where the Westin is that we could walk to some places. I do think a day or 2 on the hoho bus would show us a lot and perhaps get off at some of the places we want to see.

 

The HoHo (hop on/hop off) bus and the North Coast and Malahide Castle tour are two separate entities. There is no connection between them, except the fact that they are both operated by Dublin Bus. Here are details of the Malahide Castle tour:

 

https://www.dublinsightseeing.ie/northcoast.aspx

 

And here are the HoHo bus details:

 

https://www.dublinsightseeing.ie/citytour.aspx

 

The HoHo bus operates in Dublin city centre and the surrounding areas. The bus goes around the city, stopping at places of interest where the passengers can get off and then pick up the next bus. Another bus comes along every 10/15 minutes.

 

Malahide is a seaside suburb, located approximately 10 miles to the north of the city centre. There is only one bus that operates the tour. So once on the bus you cannot disembark and later pick-up another one. It is a full half day tour.

 

You are only in Dublin for two days. The Westin Hotel is situated in the city centre. Most of the city's attractions are within walking distance of the hotel. You definitely want to take the Malahide Castle tour. So your best option may be to get an Airlink Express ticket, to get you from/to the airport, and the Malahide Castle tour ticket. If there is anywhere in the city you want to visit that is not within walking distance of your hotel, you could just buy a ticket from the driver of the scheduled bus service.

Edited September 1, 2016 by Mairnealach

[karinad]

The HoHo (hop on/hop off) bus and the North Coast and Malahide Castle tour are two separate entities. There is no connection between them, except the fact that they are both operated by Dublin Bus. Here are details of the Malahide Castle tour:

 

https://www.dublinsightseeing.ie/northcoast.aspx

 

And here are the HoHo bus details:

 

https://www.dublinsightseeing.ie/citytour.aspx

 

The HoHo bus operates in Dublin city centre and the surrounding areas. The bus goes around the city, stopping at places of interest where the passengers can get off and then pick up the next bus. Another bus comes along every 10/15 minutes.

 

Malahide is a seaside suburb, located approximately 10 miles to the north of the city centre. There is only one bus that operates the tour. So once on the bus you cannot disembark and later pick-up another one. It is a full half day tour.

 

You are only in Dublin for two days. The Westin Hotel is situated in the city centre. Most of the city's attractions are within walking distance of the hotel. You definitely want to take the Malahide Castle tour. So your best option may be to get an Airlink Express ticket, to get you from/to the airport, and the Malahide Castle tour ticket. If there is anywhere in the city you want to visit that is not within walking distance of your hotel, you could just buy a ticket from the driver of the scheduled bus service.

 

Thank you! After i read through the link you gave me yesterday and how it had the 2 separated and there was nothing said in the description of hoho bus with stopping in Malahide, I did come to that conclusion. I think what confused me was on another tour site that they combined the 2. I went back to that one and seen that the price was higher. Thank you for clearing it up and for the links!

 

We will get into Dublin on the 12th around 10a.m. The best day to do Malahide would be the 13th. The next day our flight is 6:45pm, so any sightseeing will end by 3:30-4:00pm.

[karinad]

Hi Dermot or Eagle or anyone else that might have visited or heard of Drimnagh Castle. I just ran across it when looking at tours. It said it isn't one of the well known attractions, but very worth the visit. Have you ever been there or know about it? How far or what's the best way to get to it from where we're staying, at the Westin in Dublin?:)

[Mairnealach]

Hi Dermot or Eagle or anyone else that might have visited or heard of Drimnagh Castle. I just ran across it when looking at tours. It said it isn't one of the well known attractions, but very worth the visit. Have you ever been there or know about it? How far or what's the best way to get to it from where we're staying, at the Westin in Dublin?:)

 

Location, location, location! Drimnagh Castle is situated in an industrial and unfashionable part of suburban Dublin. The Long Mile Road is very busy with commercial traffic heading to and from the industrial estates of west Dublin. It is lined with many commercial sites selling fitted kitchens and the like. As you have only two days in Dublin, there are many better things to do with your valuable time. If you still wish to visit the castle, then Dublin Bus numbers 56a or 151 will get you there.

[karinad]

Location, location, location! Drimnagh Castle is situated in an industrial and unfashionable part of suburban Dublin. The Long Mile Road is very busy with commercial traffic heading to and from the industrial estates of west Dublin. It is lined with many commercial sites selling fitted kitchens and the like. As you have only two days in Dublin, there are many better things to do with your valuable time. If you still wish to visit the castle, then Dublin Bus numbers 56a or 151 will get you there.

 

Thank you, Dermot, I really respect your opinion and will probably avoid it. As you said, we're only there for 2 days.

 

I'm debating on the Guinness Storehouse Tour. I'm not a beer drinker and my husband might have one, but isn't really a drinker. My thought is that if you're there with a few people it would be more fun. I'm looking at the time. I'm sure we'd spend 2 hours there that could be spent seeing something more worth it. The reviews I read were all good and it's in a convenient spot, but, I'm questioning it.

 

Our 42nd anniversary is on the day we arrive in Dublin. Do you have any suggestions for restaurants that are convenient to The Westin area and are not expensive. We'd like a decent meal, but nothing that fancy. We'll be eating good the next 10 days on the cruise.

 

I feel I should buy you a pint when we're in Dublin for all your good info!

[4774Papa]

The HoHo bus is a great option. Go to Trinity College and Book of Kells, as well as Guinness Brewery.

[karinad]

The HoHo bus is a great option. Go to Trinity College and Book of Kells, as well as Guinness Brewery.

 

Our hotel is right by Trinity College. We were debating on the HoHo, but, I understand that most of what we want to see is within walking distance for the short time that we'll be there.

[4774Papa]

Our hotel is right by Trinity College. We were debating on the HoHo, but, I understand that most of what we want to see is within walking distance for the short time that we'll be there.

 

There is a lot more to see in Dublin that is not within walking distance.

Two Cathedrals, the Guinness Brewery and more is some distance from Trinity.

[Cotswold Eagle]

There is a lot more to see in Dublin that is not within walking distance.

Two Cathedrals, the Guinness Brewery and more is some distance from Trinity.

 

Which illustrates the problem of phrases such as "walking distance". I'd regard the two cathedrals as a short walk from Trinity; Guinness Storehouse is further and quite a dull walk in places, but eminently walkable :)

[Mairnealach]

Our 42nd anniversary is on the day we arrive in Dublin. Do you have any suggestions for restaurants that are convenient to The Westin area and are not expensive. We'd like a decent meal, but nothing that fancy. We'll be eating good the next 10 days on the cruise.

 

The three restaurants I will recommend are within a ten minute walk of the Westin. Eating out is expensive in Dublin and, in my opinion, you will not get a decent meal in a nice atmosphere for less than they charge. All three offer an early bird menu and, if the timing suits, this is the most economical option.

 

 

My first recommendation is The Winding Stair:

 

 

http://winding-stair.com/about-us/

 

 

As its name suggests it is situated at the top of a flight of stairs and does not have a lift (elevator). The dining room is plain and the tables are close together. If you manage to get a window table, you will be looking out over the river Liffey.

 

 

Next option is The Pig's Ear:

 

 

http://www.thepigsear.ie/about-the-pigs-ear/

 

 

A word of warning, though. It is situated at the top of two, steep flights of stairs. If you have any mobility issues, it is not suitable.

 

 

My final choice and my number one recommendation is Peploe's Wine Bistro:

 

 

http://peploes.com/

 

 

It is located on St. Stephen's Green and access is down a few steps. It is open all day from noon and the early bird menu is available if you order your meal by 6:15pm. I have eaten here several times recently and the food and atmosphere were excellent.

 

 

If you have any questions about these restaurants, please let me know.

 

 

Dermot