Although Ireland is a hop, skip and jump away from Glasgow, I had never actually visited before. And yet now, having returned to Glasgow, I would recommend a trip here to anyone.
My adventure began in Rathmines, a suburb on the outskirts of Dublin. Our hosts recommended a nearby marketplace, called the Eatyard...
Having no idea where it actually was, we only stumbled upon it by sheer luck.
The Eatyard was a concoction of food and stalls. After thoroughly exploring, I decided on the Lime and Linseed Chicken while my friend chose Meat and Cheese Arancini with some Canoli - incredible...
An amazing start to our adventure. We spent the remainder of the afternoon getting to know the city - exploring the gardens, looking for the statue of Molly Malone, walking along the river.
I also discovered some of Dublin's truly beautiful churches, which seemed to be on almost every street, each as beautiful as the last.
As evening drew closer, we felt the unwelcome pang of hunger in our stomachs and went in search of dinner.
Located in the middle of an otherwise boring street, is one of my favourite restaurants - Sophie's. With no sign in sight on the street, the place is almost invisible but to the lucky few.
You have to enter a bar, walk to the very back and then take the elevator to the top floor - and the food is well worth the journey.
Stone-baked pizza with pulled chicken, red onion, porcini mushrooms and Gorgonzola cheese, served with oven-roasted veg and Parmesan chips...
Sure it's a little pricey, but that's why you get inventive with your meal sharing. But with a sky view of the city, outside viewing and heaters, this restaurant is worth every penny.
What followed in our trip was a visit up North to the Giant's Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede Bridge and several areas from the Game of Thrones series...
I definitely recommend a trip to the rope bridge - catch it on a good day and you can see all the way to Islay, Scotland.
Wanting a little more than the city, the next day we travelled just North of Dublin to a little area called Howth. Although the city was mainly used for Golf, the coastal area had some outstanding seafood and an amazing view of the sea - if you can brave the cold.
We could'nt.
But we tried anyway...
Barely managing to survive the wind, we found sanctuary in The Bloody Stream - don't let the name faze you. Warm, cosy and friendly, it was a welcome break from the weather.
We were seated beside a charming log fire. I opted for the King Prawn Linguine, my friend opted for the Seafood Platter.
It's always great to have a day to relax while on holiday - taking it easy, not on a schedule...
And the only thing better than a lazy day... is a lazy breakfast.
Queen of Tarts is one supremely amazing place to go for breakfast. With a number of pies, tarts and cakes on offer (as well as a stunning breakfast menu) this place is great first thing in the morning.
It has to be visited to be believed...
The last day was saved for the Guinness Museum. Not a beer fan myself, the day was a bit of a struggle, but the museum was pretty interesting... and the restaurant at the top was worth me choking down the free beer.
Of course I'm going to skip the Guinness and go straight for the food.
Oysters, Chicken wings in Guinness sticky sauce, fried mushrooms in soft Guinness sauce and chips in Parmesan... and Guinness sauce.
For a girl who doesn't like beer, I sure do love Guinness sauce.
The food was delicious. And with a view overlooking the whole city (after all, we were on the 5th floor of the factory) our last few hours in Ireland were definitely well spent.
For those who love good food, genuinely lovely people and (ahem) Guinness, a trip to Ireland is definitely worth it.
Velvet Spice
