Pacing an Itinerary: A Low-Energy Guide to Planning 4 Days in Dublin

We are flying to Dublin on September 5th as a redirect from Wingbuddy. Because of this, it's our responsibility to plan our stay and itinerary for our time in the city. Knowing that I'm going to have to plan around pill schedules is a little daunting. It means days can't start too early. Having researched the city and the things you can do there, I already know that it's going to be 4 days where we explore medieval history within a vibrant, lively, and youthful culture. I won't want it bogged down by pills.

The Right Activities for Us

There are only a few things we definitely want to do. The rest of the time, we intend to just soak up the culture and experience what the city has to offer.

The things we absolutely have to do include

• Dublin Castle

• St. Stephen's Green

• Guinness Storehouse

• The Jameson Distillery

• Temple Bar

I'm mostly excited for Dublin for the lively atmosphere and walkability of the city. We can probably do everything we want to do in one jam-packed day, so there's also the ability to do a day trip to see more of Ireland

Structuring Our Time

We arrive in Dublin around 7:30 am on September 6th. This means we are likely to get to our hotel around 9:00. It will probably be too early to check in directly, so we will plan to leave our bags at the front desk then go explore the area for a few hours. I'm anticipating that we will be jetlagged and tired, so likely this day is just going to be a lazy one where we adapt to the new timezone.

We don't have many options for structuring our time because I have to make sure that there's a mix of go time and downtime that will fit my personal needs. We have chosen to structure our time as follows:

September 6th: Arrival day and down time day to get used to Dublin and the new timezone

September 7th: Explore most of what Dublin has to offer and partake in its pub culture.

September 8th: A slow morning to see museums and a day trip in the afternoon.

September 9th: A free day for anything we missed to really experience Dublin.

The good thing about structuring our time like this is that we will be able to rest the day before we fly to France early on September 10th.

Our Current Itinerary

Because Dublin gets busy, it's recommended to book many activities in advance of your stay. For that reason, I've already booked most of our activities through GetYourGuide.

Starting with the hotel transfer, I chose a bus option that I found for a very reasonable price. I don't know for sure whether they take us directly to our hotel, but I'm sure it will be close enough because I've spent the last week viewing maps of Dublin on the daily.

The first activity we are going to do while we wait for our hotel room to become available is the Delicious Donut Adventure in Downtown Dublin. It promises multiple stops for samplings of donuts and coffee. Also it's a guided tour with some history of the city wrapped in there. For the purposes of getting into the vibe of the city, I thought this activity would be a great way to eat something and get the lay of the land. I haven't booked anything else on September 6th. I figure we'll stay close to the hotel and take it pretty easy that day.

For September 7th, I have booked a Hop on Hop off Bus Tour combined with a trip to the Guinness Storehouse for the morning at 9:30. We don't meet at the Guinness Storehouse, so that means we will get to see a few things that morning before we have to make room for beer in our stomachs and bloodstreams. I'm thinking we will do Dublin Castle and some cathedral. We'll head to Guinness around noon and then back on the bus to see more of the city. Then in the afternoon at 3:45, I've booked our tour of the Jameson Distillery, where we can have a whiskey cocktail and sample some whiskey too. After this, I think we'll be in a good mood to head over to Temple Bar and get a meal as well as party for the remainder of the evening.

On September 8th, there's a slight chance we'll wake up with headaches. I do my best to act in a measured way when it comes to drinking, but it is Ireland so I can see getting into the pub spirit happening. I've been smart to book a half day trip to Glendalough and Wicklow that starts at 1:50. At Glendalough there are monastic ruins and a waterfall. I anticipate that we will get to watch the sunset in the beautiful Irish countryside.

We don't have any plans for September 9th yet. I think we may do the Book of Kells experience that day. I just want to make sure that with planning, I don't over plan every moment and make the energy of the trip less relaxed and enjoyable by doing so.

Our Boutique Hotel

I got excited when I found a cute hotel within our budget in a fantastic downtown location and I booked it. We will be staying at a boutique hotel called Wren Urban Nest. All the reviews for it rave about the location and it did seem central to all the activities I've already booked, so we are within walking distance of most of our meeting points. This hotel offers cozy little rooms in the heart of Dublin, right between Trinity College, Temple Bar, and Grafton Street. It promises to be close to restaurants and museums and pubs, so we are within walking distance for September 7th when we plan to get lively.

Other Must See Attractions and Events

I have yet to do any research on what events will be happening while we're in the city. As it gets closer to the date, I might do this if I feel like I'll have the energy to make the commitment. Ultimately, I'd love to hear from you if you've been to Dublin or you live there. Do you know of any attractions we've missed? What must do things are missing from our list?