Dublin and its surroundings in 10 days

Discover the city. Visit Trinity College and admire The Book of Kells. Then go up Grafton Street and walk around the Georgian district. It is here that there are great museums, such as the National Museum of History and Archaeology or the National Gallery, which deserve special attention. Spend the evening in a pub (or several) in Temple Bar, a tourist district par excellence.

Head to the north shore: walk along the docks, past Custom House, then stroll along the busy O'Connell Street and up to Parnell Square where Dublin Writer's Museum and the Hugh Lane Gallery are located. Then, go near Smithfield Square to visit the old Jameson distillery. You will admire the architecture of this district, not to mention the Four Courts, the massive silhouette of the courthouse topped by a heavy rotunda with columns. If you have time, go to Phoenix Park.

The morning is devoted to a visit to the magnificent Chester Beatty Library, which opens a window on the artistic treasures of the world's great cultures and religions. Then walk around Dublin Castle, where you can discover part of the city's medieval history. In the afternoon, visit Kilmainham Prison, which will tell you a lot about the history of its prisoners and their fight for independence. You can then go to the Royal Kilmainham Hospital where the Museum of Modern Art is located. In the evening, deserved relaxation in a traditional pub with live music.

Visit Guinness Storehouse and enjoy the panoramic view of the city from its Gravity Bar on the top floor. Then walk through the historic Liberties district before reaching St. Patrick's Cathedral and Christchurch in the medieval district. In the evening, if by any chance a Gaelic football match is planned in Croke Park, go ahead! Atmosphere guaranteed!

Three quarters of an hour's drive from downtown, the Wicklow Mountains promise you a great getaway and a breath of fresh air. These low-lying mountains are crossed by winding roads that cut through forests, streams and fields populated by black-headed sheep. A break in the Powerscourt garden beautifully laid out around a castle with a breathtaking view of the Wicklow Mountains. The route continues to Glendalough, the starting point for more or less long walks around its lakes. Amateur photographers will undoubtedly appreciate Glendalough Cemetery, with its tall narrow stone tower built in the middle of round tombs and dolmens.

Dublin, by the sea. We're heading for one of the coastal cities on the outskirts of Dublin: Howth, Malahide, Dalkey..., all accessible by the DART (equivalent to our suburban train). There, we will visit the area quietly, without forgetting to enjoy a good meal made with fish and seafood.

We go north to the Boyne Valley, where the Battle of the Boyne took place, and which saw the victory of the Protestants over the Catholics in 1690, a valley rich in Celtic sites, and we can visit Hill of Tara, a pagan site of which there is almost nothing left, as well as the Neolithic sites of Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth, listed as Unesco world heritage sites.

It is now Connemara, in the west of Ireland and a three-hour drive from Dublin, which is available to you. This beautiful region of lakes and hills faces the Atlantic Ocean and gives the opportunity for a walk on the coast. We'll finish the day with a pint in a Galway pub!

Two options for this ninth day: go back to the west of Ireland, discover Cliffs of Moher and enjoy once again this superb coast, or move north. In Northern Ireland you will discover Giant's Causeway and its volcanic formations, but also Belfast, a city in history - very recent - exciting.

On this last day, you can visit either the Wax Museum, the Leprechaun Museum, or the art galleries in Temple Bar. We'll end up with an afternoon of shopping. From store to store, you can stroll through Dublin's shopping streets: Grafton and Clarendon Streets, St Stephen Green Shopping Center, Pearse Street; and on the north shore, O'Connell, Abbey, Henry and Saint Mary Streets... in search of books, clothing, designer or vintage shops.