Ireland is one of my most booked European destinations. My clients explore the country by rental car, private driver, or guided tour. We spent almost 3 weeks traveling around the Ireland countryside by rental car. We spent time in Dublin, Kilkenny, Cork, Killarney, Limerick then back to Dublin. We enjoyed the lush green landscapes, historic sites, and learning about the popular beverages. ⁠

⁠One of our first stops was the Kilkenny Castle. The castle was built in 1195 to control a fording-point of the River Nore and the junction of several routeways. It was a symbol of Norman occupation and in its original thirteenth-century condition it would have formed an important element of the defences of the town with four large circular corner towers and a massive ditch. We spent a few hours exploring the different rooms inside the castle.

We then headed to the Blarney Castle. This castle was built nearly six hundred years ago and has since become an icon in this country. The grounds are covered in trails and lush greenery.

You can't visit Ireland without kissing the Blarney Stone. For over 200 years, world statesmen, literary giants, and legends of the silver screen have joined the millions of pilgrims climbing the steps to hang upside down to kiss the Blarney Stone and gain the gift of eloquence. We took the stairs to the top where we stood in short line to kiss the Blarney Stone. I will have to be honest, it may look liked I “kissed” the stone, but I couldn’t bring myself to kiss a stone that others ahead of me kissed.

⁠When we arrived at the Cliffs of Moher the gate attendant was honest and told us it was too foggy to even see the Cliffs and that it might not be worth walking over to them. While he was right about the fog, with a little patience, the fog eventually lifted. Tim was able to get this photo just as we were about to give up. ⁠

I loves a good library. Trinity college in Dublin houses more than 200,000 books. The smell of old books is strong here. ⁠

Sometimes you run across an unique experience while traveling. We would of expected this bar to be in New Zealand but instead found it in Killarney, Ireland. The Shire bar features all things Lord of the Ring. They even had special beers on tap dedicated to the characters: Gandalf's Ale⁠, Bilbo Beer⁠, and Frodo's Lager⁠.

You can’t visit Ireland without going to the Guinness Store hours and the Jameson Distillery.

After touring the Guinness Storehouse we took a class on how to pour the perfect Guinness. Never miss an opportunity to learn. I am now certified to pour the perfect Guinness.

⁠How to pour the perfect Guinness: ⁠Start with a clean, dry glass. Pour the Guinness Draught into a glass tilted at 45 degrees, until it is three-quarters full. Allow the surge to settle before filling the glass completely to the top. Your perfect pint, complete with its creamy white head, is then ready to drink. ⁠

Jameson Distillery Bow St. was one of the neatest experiences. We are both fans of whiskey. We decided to start with the basic tour and tasting. The tour was informative and we had a fun experience in the tasting room.⁠

⁠We decided to really enhance our experience as Jameson and add on the secret whiskey tasting featuring 4 premium blends. A Jameson Ambassador took us back to a private bar and we got to dive into the different types of blends, two of which you can only get here. She even gave us a taste of an exclusive bottle that wasn’t on the menu. After the tasting we bottled and labeled our own bottle of the distillery edition. ⁠

⁠It isn’t a Visas and Vistas Travel adventure without mentioning the food. The food was all comfort in Ireland. Lost of deep fried, meat filled pies, and carbs. Fish and chips were a frequent meal for us. And you would generally find a side of bright green mashed peas with each meal. ⁠

Ireland is a great first international travel destination. Everyone speaks English (with a thick accent), the food is familiar, and there are lots of unique experiences.