Date: 27th May 2018
We woke early and headed towards the city. As it was a Sunday public transport didn’t start until around midday so we decided to walk the 3.5 miles to the centre. It was dry and windy but a lovely walk beside the river, we passed loads of locks along the Grand Canal. The clouds started looking a little grey so we decided to jump on a tram for the last part of the journey! As we hadn’t had breakfast this morning we stopped at Container Coffee where we grabbed a drink and a bite to eat. It was a cute little coffee shop overlooking St Patrick’s Tower, a former windmill for the Guinness Storehouse.
The Guinness Storehouse was a great place to spend a few hours. We recommend going early to miss the huge crowds. We arrived at around 11 a.m. and it was starting to get busy. With your ticket you’re entitled to one pint of Guinness, which you can learn how to pour correctly in the Guinness academy!
When you enter the storehouse you start at the bottom level where there is a small introduction, here you will be told that your are stood in the worlds largest pint glass. As you look up you can see that the lay out of the building looks like a pint glass getting lighter at the top to resemble the head on top of a Guinness.
The first floor is dedicated to the ingredients used to make Guinness and how they are put together. There is a really cool waterfall at the end of this floor to represent the water used. The store house has a great system with everyone going the same way around each floor.
We then went to the taste test station. This was a great experience and the guide was excellent. You are led into a bright white room where there are different smells to represent the ingredients within the Guinness. The white room is used to heighten your senses making the drinking more enjoyable. You are given a mini glass of Guinness and led into the next room to taste. The guide goes through all the different tastes you will experience and then it was time and drink.
We then walked through the world of advertising Guinness where we loved looking at all the Toucans! It was amazing how the advertising had changed over the years. We then looked at how it was transported all over the world by train, ship and carts. One of the best parts was the Guinness Academy, where you are taught how to pull the perfect pint. The guide is really informative and you are then allowed to pour your own pint, receive a certificate and drink your pint.
We took our pints up to the gravity bar which we were really excited for. However this was the least enjoyable part of the day. The bar was so crowded and noisy that you couldn’t even get to the windows to see the view or walk around without spilling your drink because it was so busy. We literally did a lap and then left to find a quieter place to drink our drinks. We discussed that if we came again we would head straight for the Gravity Bar to beat the crowds.
The Guinness Storehouse kindly provided discounted tickets, all opinions are our own.
When we left the Guinness Storehouse it was pouring down. We walked into the centre and grabbed food at Boojum which was a Mexican. It was really good and we both went for burritos and choose which fillings we wanted. They were so full it was difficult to eat without making a mess… we ended up wearing a lot of it on our shirts!
The Temple Bar was the last place we needed to visit. This place has the best atmosphere and a great selection of drinks, especially whiskey. Top Tip:When you go into the pub walk straight down to the back as there is so much more room at the second bar. Don’t get overwhelmed with how busy the first part is. However being the most touristy pub in the city the price made our hearts hurt. We payed 18 euros for a pint of Guinness and Gin and Tonic, though you definitely have to visit this place but maybe for only one drink and then move on.
By this point it was already 7 p.m. and we decided to go to Tesco to grab some snacks for our road trip tomorrow and head back to the hotel on the bus. We were staying at Aspect Hotel Park West which was really nice. The room and bed were huge and it was reasonably priced. The bus stop is right outside the door making it easy to get into the city.
So we bought Guinness at three different places and all had a difference in price. We bought the first pint from the hotel which cost €4. The second was from the Guinness Storehouse which cost around €5.60. The last pint was bought at The Temple Bar for a staggering €7.80. (Obviously) the best one being from the Storehouse!
Steps According to Fitbit: 17,668
Miles Walked Today According to Fitbit: 7.71
Up Next: Belfast
Important Question: We felt that the Guinness Storehouse was worth the money and a great way to spend a few hours. However we found Dublin very expensive and it just didn’t give us the same feel as other cities. Maybe we are spoilt with where we have already been.