Ireland > Through the Wicklow Mountains

In the morning, we take the bus to the Wicklow Mountains, a natural area west of the city of Dublin. The bus winds along the narrow roads through the mountains. Along the way, we enjoy truly stunning views of green landscapes, steep mountains, and lakes. It is Sunday morning, and luckily the roads are not busy, as passing other vehicles on these narrow roads can be tricky. We stop briefly at the Guinness Lake to take a photo. The dark water of the lake and the sandy shore on one side make it look like an overturned glass of Guinness.

Ireland - The lake in the Wicklow Mountains resembles a spilled glass of Guinness

In the Wicklow Mountains, we visit Powerscourt House and Gardens. The house dates back to the 18th century and offers fantastic views over the gardens surrounding it. We tour the house and climb the Pepper Pot Tower in the garden. From this tower, we have a nice view of Powerscourt House. We walk down the steps to the pond and then return to the bus via the main staircase. After visiting Powerscourt House, the bus heads back toward Dublin. In the city center, we are dropped off and have a few hours to explore Dublin. There is also the option to visit the Book of Kells, but we skip this as our time in Dublin is limited. We stroll through the shopping streets. Despite it being Sunday and the shops being closed, the streets are still fairly busy. Among other things, we visit Stephens Green Shopping Centre, dating from the 1920s. In a small café, we grab something to eat while watching a football match on TV. It is an important match for Ireland, and our driver has placed a bet on one of the teams. After lunch, we continue walking through the city toward the nightlife district, Temple Bar. Eventually, we return to the bus, which takes us back to the hotel outside Dublin. In the evening, the entire group goes to the pub across the street for a drink and to “celebrate” the last night.