We arrived at Prague on a low-cost flight from Dublin following our Ireland trip. We found a lavish Airbnb apartment at a good price, 10 minutes from the city center by metro. The apartment had a really cool design and we had a hot tub and fully furnished kitchen. The bed room was charming and pleasant. Update: this apartment is no longer available on airbnb.
Search for other accommodations.
Prague had a ton of great things to do, but seeing as we only had two and half days at our disposal, we elected to go with the attractions that seemed coolest to us. We decided on four types of tours, each one letting us see the city from a different angle. We went for a cocktail in the tallest tower in the Czech Republic, to the market and had local cuisine.
Attractions in Prague
Tour in a retro vehicle
Before arriving in Prague, I’ve done extensive research into special tours available. When I came across a stunning retro vehicle tour with Prague old car company and immediately knew it was going to be something we’ll want to do.
We pre-ordered the tour and had no clue what vehicle we were going to get, so every time a retro vehicle drove by we were left wondering if it was going to be ours. Lucky for us, we ended up getting the coolest and most unique vehicle and had a really charming driver as well. Click here to read more about our old car tour experience.
Panoramic bike and castle tour
One of our favorite ways of exploring new places is through bike tours. Having done a tour of the major landmarks with the retro vehicle, we wanted to check out a different area. We found a panoramic tour, which sounded really beautiful, through Praha Bike. Their tour sounded quite special – A combination of vantage points and a castle, with some physical challenge thrown into the mix. Click here to read more about our bike tour experience.
Ghost stories and legends tour
I have to admit the whole ghost thing scares me a bit, but when I came across the ghost story tour in the evening hours in Prague, it sounded like something worth trying – even if I don’t get any sleep afterwards.
We preordered the tour through Mysterium tours company.
Click here to read more about our spooky ghosts tour experience.
Television tower vantage point
Zizkov television tower is the highest tower in the Czech Republic, rated the 2nd ugliest in the world. As soon as you see it, you’ll understand why. It may be ugly on the outside, but don’t judge a book by its cover – Its interior design is super cool and there are several things to do there. You can go up to the head of the tower and see the city in 360 degrees.
You can sit on the fun swing couches and look over the city at the same time. Afterwards, you can go down a floor and sit at the bar, where you can get drinks (and food) and enjoy the amazing view.
I’d recommend getting there in time for sunset or during the late morning hours, not while the sun is directly above and glaring. We ordered two cocktails and enjoyed the view. The price to go up the tower isn’t too high at about 6 euros and the drink prices are reasonable as well. I would definitely recommend visiting it while in Prague.
Food market and souvenirs
Havelské tržiště Market – To be honest, we came across the market accidently while wandering around the old town, but we really like local markets and so were glad to run into it. There are lots of souvenir, jewelry, fruit and food stalls. All the different berries looked really good. We were there during lunch hours, so we decided to have a hot dog for lunch. We found a really nice stall called Ceske Uzeniny.
We both chose a spicy sausage in a bun along with some hot wine (One of the must tries in Prague, especially on cold days). I liked the sausage a lot and the bun was really good because he toasted it before serving. The market is open every day from 06:00 to 19:00, and on Sundays from 07:00 to 18:30.
Free tour in the city
Whenever we arrive at a new city, we always do the free tour (tip based), so we can get to know it better and hear of its history. We took the tour through Sandemans, who’s tours we had enjoyed in Dublin, Berlin and Jerusalem. The tour was around three and a half hours and was very thorough.
Our guide was really nice and told of Prague’s history in an interesting manner. I definitely recommend doing this tour on one of your first days in town, as the guide gives suggestions for recommended locations such as restaurants, bars and attractions. We followed his suggestion to a bar with the largest variety of beers in the Czech Republic. During the tour, there is a break of approximately half an hour during which you can get some food and drink and get some tips from the guide. It’s a light and interesting tour.
One of our favorite ways of exploring new places is through bike tours. We searched for a bike tour in Prague and found a panoramic tour, which sounded really beautiful, through Praha Bike. Their tour sounded quite special – A combination of vantage points and a castle, with some physical challenge thrown into the mix.
Our tour stated at 10:00, the meeting point being one of the company’s stores. Turns out only Roman and I were on the tour that day – so we got a private tour with the excellent guide, Jim.
We picked out our bikes, and Jim tuned the seats to fit our heights – then we started.
About the bike tour
At first, we rode through the city, then across the bridge and up through a beautiful park. We stopped at some really gorgeous vantage points and Jim was patient while I took a ton of photos, and he even photographed Roman and I together. The ride up the slope wasn’t too hard, but did require a certain physical effort, at least on my part, as Roman wasn’t particularly phased.
The park also had a bar Jim recommended we visit after sunset and have a beer to the city’s beautiful view. This sounded like a great suggestion, but unfortunately, we didn’t have the time to put it to good use. The place is easily reachable by metro.
The tour is supposed to include entry to a castle, but we had to forfeit the notion due to the amount of people waiting in line to get in. So, if you really want to visit the castle, I’d recommend going alone, as early as possible, and not count on seeing it during a tour.
From the castle area we continued to another great vantage point, which required riding up a slope some more – There we stopped to take pictures. From that point we started a pretty scary descent, it was very steep and felt like a Luna park. After the initial fear it got pretty fun.
At every stop Jim told us about the place, and at sometimes we spoke while riding. The tour was really cool and with stunning views of the city.
If you like riding a bike and are in relatively good shape this tour is a must in Prague.
I have to admit the whole ghost thing scares me a bit, but when I came across the ghost story tour in the evening hours in Prague, it sounded like something worth trying – even if I don’t get any sleep afterwards.
We preordered the tour through Mysterium tours Company. This company also has tours in Madrid and Budapest.
This tour is like an individual play. You get sucked into the guide’s stories and feel like you’re really in the scene she’s talking about. This tour is a completely different experience from others, since it makes you feel like you’re a part of a scary story. It also makes you see the city in a different light, and besides, a nightly tour is always nice – especially in a beautiful city like Prague.
The tour kicks off at 20:30. We chose a tour of The Dark Shadows of the Old Town.
Our guide’s name was Christina and she was incredible. First, the outfit she wore and the night lamp she carried immediately created an atmosphere of mystery and fright. She told the stories really well, in a dramatic and theatrical way that was very sweeping.
During the tour we stopped at several places known for ghost stories. Each story was unique and they were all spooky and interesting. We were a small, intimate group of six and we really enjoyed listening to the stories. It was also very nice to tour the city in the late evening hours.
If you like horror movies or stories about ghosts and the supernatural, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this tour a lot. It’s a tour for both teenagers and adults, and it’s available in a number of languages: English, French, Spanish and Italian.
The moment you enter Prague’s old-town, you’ll come across many beautiful and impressive vehicles. If you’ve always dreamed of riding in a prestigious car, now’s the time to fulfil that fantasy. Albeit we only took a 40-minute tour, I’ve got to say feeling like the rich and famous for even a short while feels really good 🙂
During our stay in Prague we’ve seen many retro-vehicle tour companies, but the one we chose had the most impressive car, we thought. We toured with Prague Old Car, having pre-ordered the tour. Seeing as we weren’t staying at a central location, they met us at a predetermined meeting point they sent us in advance. If you’re staying at a hotel in the middle of town, they’ll pick you up straight from there.
They offer two kinds of vehicles and several different tours. We took the 40-minute tour, which allows you to see the city’s main sites. There’s also an option to order a bottle of champagne and flowers ahead of time.
Our driver was really charming and told us about every place we drove by in a few sentences. The car being a convertible and the windy weather made him a bit difficult to hear (Would have helped if he had a microphone), but we were still able to make out what he was saying, and besides, the ride was so much fun. Honestly, we didn’t want it to end.
At one point we stopped at the John Lennon graffiti wall and took a few photos.
We love incorporating the luxurious lifestyle in our travels and this tour definitely fits in with that niche. The hair flapping in the wind, the prestigious blankets, the hypnotizing vehicle and view of the romantic city of Prague all made us feel like the very rich.
The tour is reasonably priced when compared to what you’re getting. It’s good for 1 to 5 passengers, so if you’re a group of friends or family you can all take the tour together.
I recommend asking for the car we got ahead of time.
When I arrived at a blogger convention in Killarney, one of the bloggers told me of a tour centered around HBO’s Game of Thrones in Northern Ireland. The tour visits several sites the show was filmed at. Upon hearing this, I immediately knew it was something we had to do – Roman and I love the show and it sounded like an awesome experience.
We didn’t have much time left in Ireland, so when I found out the tour leaves from Belfast, a two hour drive north of Dublin, I was really excited. I’ve begun searching for companies offering this tour and found Brit Movies. Their tour looked really cool, and it included a visit to a stunning area named Giant’s Causeway – An enormous area consisting of about 40,000 basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. (Unrelated to the show, but it’s in the area and is very recommended). Link for booking the tour.
We took an express bus from Dublin to Belfast which takes two hours. In Belfast we reserved a lovely Airbnb apartment at the city center. It had two bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen and a fun living room. A cozy, beautifully designed apartment that I would highly recommend – Link to the apartment. Search for other accommodations
Game of thrones tour
The Brit Movies Game of Thrones tour leaves at 9AM from Donegall Square 9 (A short walking distance away from our apartment). The tour was by van, and we were a small nine-person group. The guide was really nice and as it turns out – had been an extra on the show a couple of times, so she had interesting stories to share throughout the tour. It was lightly raining when we started and towards the end as well, but we were lucky enough to have perfect weather for the most part.
Putting the show’s amazing locations aside, the ride itself was exhilarating and we passed beautiful scenery along the way.
At every filming site you can find a picture showing which scene was shot there. We haven’t seen the seventh season yet so there we a few scenes we didn’t get to watch yet, but now I can’t wait to watch them and go “Cool, we were there in real life!” :).
As I don’t want to spoil the show for you or ruin the enjoyment of the tour, I’ll just share the crazy pictures we took at the locations we visited. I’ll only show you the first scene from the site we went to.
We stopped at a number of locations and each one was absolutely breathe-taking.
In this location for an extra charge, you may pass over a rope bridge. It’s not particularly scary, and not a must for sure – But it was nice and allowed us to take photos from a new angle. The views in this location were spectacular. We could spend hours there.
Lunch time
At the Giant’s Causeway, we ate lunch at Antik restaurant. It was really good, Roman had chowder (A traditional Irish soup) and goulash and I had an open sandwich with shrimp which was tasty and light.
The walk to the site itself takes about 15 minutes, but since we were short on time we took the shuttle (Costs a pound each way) which leaves from near the restaurant and drops you off right at the spot. The Giant’s Causeway is unbelievable. It’s crazy how beautiful nature can be.
We really liked touring with Brit Movies, and it turns out they’re among the few who offer tours by van and not a large bus. Touring in a van was more fun, the atmosphere was relaxed, you could talk to the guide as much as you wish – and the van reached places a bus wouldn’t have been able to go. You can do the tour independently but I think the guide’s input turns the whole experience much more special. Brit movies company also offers another Game of Thrones tour (link).
At the last site we were given show related props so we could feel like we’re part of the Game of Thrones. It was a ton of fun and we took some great pictures.
Even if you haven’t watched the show, this tour will astound you. The views are just breathe-taking and you might get encouraged to start watching, then you too could say “How cool is it that we were there in real life”.
We heard that visiting the Cliffs of Moher is a must while traveling in Ireland. So we decided to take a tour there from Dublin. We took this tour through Irish Day Tours company. We really enjoyed touring with them and our driver was very nice.
We had to have a very early start, as it’s a day with lots of traveling (Over 700 Km in a single day). Therefore, by 6:45 we were already waiting at the tour’s meeting point, by Molly’s statue. The drive to the cliffs is about three and a half hours long, although about an hour and a half into the trip scheduled stop at a restaurant where you can get tea or coffee and some breakfast. Coffee was vital considering our early start.
During the ride the driver doubles as a tour guide, giving detailed regarding each place we pass – This served to make the ride much more intriguing. Truly, the views were so beautiful that I’ve spent most of the ride hypnotized by Ireland’s grace.
Cliffs of Moher
We arrived at the cliffs of Moher at around 10:30 and had some free time to roam the area. Luckily for us, the weather was amazing and visibility was great. We started on the right side and went up the tower (At 3 euros per person). The tower provided a good vantage point over the cliffs. Afterwards we continued to the left side. We had plenty of time to take photos (A ton of them!!) and explore both sides.
Lunch time at Doolin village
From there, we moved on to Doolin village where we had lunch. There were several restaurants at the area we were dropped off at. The driver told us about a fish and chips place named Chervil, and Roman led us straight there. It’s better to figure out where you want to eat ahead of time, as all the tours stop at the same area and restaurants are packed as a result.
I’d recommend heading straight for the restaurant and not dallying too long over where you want to sit.
While the line does move quickly and the food is quickly prepared, it would be better to sit as fast as possible if only to have more time to enjoy a quite meal. We ordered two servings of fish and chips there. There is also chowder on the menu, which is a creamed fish soup. Although I’m not really into deep fried food, I gathered that you can’t visit Ireland and not try the fish.
Burren
After lunch, we went to Burren – an area dominated by karst landscape, displaying large swathes of layered limestone which goes back to the ice age. We had free time to roam and take photos there. The area is quite slippery and should be traversed with care.
Galway
From there, we drove on to the city of Galway where we had about an hour to ourselves. The city was truly charming – if we had more time on our trip we might have gone there for a night or two. The central area is home to lots of shops, restaurants and cafes, as well as many cool street performances. We had a blast walking around and enjoying the jovial atmosphere. We also sat down at the Caffe Nero and had coffee with cookies.
When we were finished, we walked over to the Spanish arch. It’s very pleasant there – lots of people took their coffee to go and just sat around it.
We came back to Dublin at around 19:30. This proved to be one of our favorite tours of the whole trip and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Usually we like to rent a car to travel but the rental costs in Ireland were high, the roads narrow and hard to drive on – not to mention that they drive on the opposite side of the road. We felt that the tours were a great way to explore Ireland that was also less tiring for us.
In Dublin many people choose to go for a beer tour at the Guinness factory, which sounds quite nice –Yet we decided to go for a whiskey tour, particularly since while we have heard some stories of the beer before, the history of whiskey was far less known to us.
After searching for a whiskey tour in Dublin online, I’ve come across several options and had finally chosen the Irish Whiskey Museum tour.
Their tour includes tastings, and there was also another where you could blend your own whiskey. We pre-ordered a spot on the tour, since the tour groups are rather small and demand is high.
We arrived for the 4 o’clock tour. Our group totaled nine people, and our guide, Hannah, was really lovely. We moved on to the next room after brief introductions
In this first room, Hannah told us of the history of whiskey and how it used to be made.
Afterwards, we went on to a room designed as a bar where we talked further of the history of whiskey, before finally entering a room with a large bar table.
Next to each seat were four glasses of whiskey, and an empty one with a pipette in it. Hannah told us about each whiskey and how to properly taste it.
We smelled and tasted each of the whiskies and discussed their flavors. Considering I’m not a great whiskey enthusiast, I’ve found the flavors too strong for my taste – but any whiskey lover would surely have enjoyed the experience.
Having tried the four whiskies, we could then blend them to our own taste using the pipette.
If you’re a whiskey enthusiast, you’re sure to enjoy this part, as you can try your drink with each addition and keep balancing it to your liking.
When we finished concocting our own whiskey, we were given a jar to store it in.
At the end of the tour, Hannah gave us some tips regarding restaurants and bars and even wrote them down for us. The tour was a nice and engaging experience, and I enjoyed the design of the rooms we got to visit.
I think this tour is definitely worth it when visiting Dublin, though If you’re not a big fan of whisky – the standard tasting tour may be enough.
During our stay in Dublin we did a great day tour to the Malahide castle & Howth with DoDublin company.
Following breakfast, we headed to the meeting point for the Day Trip.
This particular tour leaves at 11:00 daily, from the DoDublin offices (They offer many additional tours).
The bus
Ours was a nice green bus, who’s driver was also the guide, offering explanations and background for the sights along the trip. Initially we sat down at the back of the bus’s first floor, but the engine noise drowned out what the driver had to say and so we moved a few minutes later. We moved upstairs, where we could hear much more clearly – So I would recommend doing so immediately. After an approximately 45-minute drive we arrived at the castle.
The castle
With about 10 minutes before the castle tour kicks off, we headed inside to wait. The tour’s price includes the guided part within the castle. We walked from room to room down the castle’s corridors, as the tour guide told us of the family that used to inhabit it. The castle’s household had belonged to a single dynasty for the past 800 years up until no legitimate heir was left and it was abandoned.
The castle’s tour
The castle itself is very impressive, yet has a homey feeling to it. I could almost see the family’s daily life in it, and to be honest I wanted to live there myself.
As the tour came to a close, we had about 45 minutes of free time. We walked the castle gardens and went over to a large shopping center on site which included a big food court. Roman bought a sandwich while I had juice.
After the castle we rode on to Howth harbor, a lovely area with many boats – a beautiful place to take photos at. They had a huge variety of sea-food restaurants, as well as other cuisine and cafes. We had about an hour of free time there, and so walked around and took some pictures.
Roman got a bit peckish after a time, so we went into a simple pizza and wrap place Prego Pizza. Roman had a chicken wrap which turned out really good (I tried it myself, of course, and thought it was very tasty). This is an awesome choice if you’re looking for something light for lunch in the area.
We started off back to Dublin around 15:00 and had practically finished the tour by 16:00.
Ordering a ticket online awards you a 20% discount. The tour ticket also doubles as a pass for the 17:00 o’clock “hop-on hop-off” bus and can be used to tour the city.
If you’re looking for a place to celebrate a special occasion, such as a birthday or anniversary, or just feel like treating yourself to a night to remember – Look no further than the L’Ecrivain restaurant. It belongs to Ireland’s Blue Book, a chain of incredible boutique hotels and high-class restaurants. We had a reservation for 19:00 and ended up staying until nearly 23:00, a sure testimony to just how much we enjoyed ourselves!
First off, the restaurant’s design is very prestigious and appealing, and service is without a hitch
On offer are a 90 euro (per person) tasting menu, as well as a three-course seasonal menu for 75 (First, main and dessert). We elected to go with the seasonal menu, as it featured both a lobster risotto and a shrimp dish I’ve yearned to try.
We followed it up with a glass of wine each – I had a glass of rose and Roman had champagne (You may choose to order several glasses of wine, so as to accompany each individual dish to your preference).
The meal began with a small appetizer of clams with potato mousse – Roman later claimed this was one of tonight’s “winning” dishes and perhaps the best clam he’s ever had.
First dishes
Afterwards, we were served our two first dishes of choice, a lobster risotto and shrimps, with fennel and cucumber and red pepper sauces. We shared each other’s food so we can both try more dishes.
Both dishes were outstanding. The shrimps were crunchy and the lobster risotto was pleasantly tart and subtly flavoured.
For an additional fee we ordered an extra dish of Mackerel, and a good thing we did – as it was by far the best Mackerel I’ve ever had. It was garnished with cauliflower and caviar and was absolutely delicious.
Having finished our first course, we were served a refreshing palate, to prepare us for the main course.
Main Dishes
Our mains were fish and venison. I must say the venison blew me away, it was definitely tonight’s winning dish in my book. The fish was excellent as well, you could really feel the freshness of the ingredients shining through in both dishes, and the presentation was very appetizing.
For dessert we went with a cheese plate and an amazing chocolate cake.
The cheese plate turned out to be a brilliant idea, as it easily proved good enough to be a standalone dish and paired delightfully with our wine.
The chocolate cake with berries was excellent. We ended the meal with tea, served with balls of chocolate, gel and macarons –
a perfect finish to a perfect evening.
The delicious food, exquisite presentation and 5+ star service all play a part in turning the meal into an entire night of culinary delight.
Killarney is a charming town from the 19th century, it’s located in the Kerry County Ireland. There are many things to do and see in Killarney and in its surrounding areas.
I stayed at a homey hotel close to the town center called Harmoni Inn – Glena House. I booked a single room but got a spacious one with two beds. The room was clean and had hot water. The breakfast was really nice with a small buffet and a dish from the menu like a traditional Irish breakfast, scrambled eggs with salmon, and more. The staff was very nice and helpful.
I arrived into Killarney from Dublin. The ride lasted about 4 hours. It’s a nice trip on which you get to see some of the beauty of Ireland. You can book a train ticket in advance from this site. If you book it in advance you get a reserved seat and your name will appear above it (I found that to be pretty cool).
Things to do in Killarney
Do a trip to the Gap of Dunloe
There are many day trips you can do from Killarney, but after a little research on the Internet I decided that the place that I wanted to visit the most was the Gap of Dunlow. The trip includes a boat tour that lasts 1.5 hours in a gorgeous area in which you cross several lakes and hike for about 3 hours in an amazing place.
I booked the tour from the company Gap of Dunloe. I arrived in the morning at their office which is located in the town center, and from there I had a transfer to Castle Ross. I had a few minutes to spend in the castle area and then the boat tour started. In the beginning the weather was very stormy with heavy rain, so it was hard to enjoy the view, but after about 20 minutes the showers stopped and the sky turned clear, and from that moment on, the tour was awesome.
We crossed through beautiful landscapes and beneath a few bridges. The tour ended in a place that has a cafe-restaurant. So whoever wanted to, could eat something or grab a drink there. I chose to drink a coffee with the beautiful view. From there I started hiking.
You can do the trail by walking, on a horse carriage, or cycling. If you want to cycle, you need to bring the bikes from the town center to the boat with you. The trail is not flat all the time so if you want to cycle you should be aware that there are some difficult uphills.
You do the hiking independently and there signs that show you the way. I met two German girls on the boat and walked with them. We stopped every few minutes to take pictures and videos and, except for a few rain drops, the weather was lovely. After the hike we had a transfer back to the town center.
You can do the trip in the opposite way; to start with the hike and then to do the boat tour.
You can also arrive independently to the Ross Castle by car or bike and there to pay only for the boat tour.
Visit Muckross House
What a magical place it is. The house was built in 1840 and it’s located near a beautiful lake and surrounded by amazing gardens. Everything is colorful and well-maintained. You can spend hours there just wandering around the gardens.
There’s an option to do a trip with a horse carriage, or a tour, or to walk by yourself and enjoy the silence and the birds’ tweets.
You can also do a tour inside the house which costs 9 Euro.
The place is open every day from 09:00-17:30
Visit the Killarney National Park
Ross Castle and Muckross House are part of the Killarney National Park. In the park there are many walking trails and a there’s a waterfall. You can go with bikes and cycle there.
Beyond that, there’s a fantastic viewpoint which overlooks all the park. And at this viewpoint there is also a cafe-restaurant so you can drink a coffee on the roof balcony with an amazing view. The name of this viewpoint was given by the queen Elizabeth, who visited there and was impressed by the view.
Hang out in a cool Irish bar
In Killarney, like the rest of Ireland, there are many local traditional bars with fun music, lots of alcohol, and a happy atmosphere. I had the chance to visit some bars in Killarney and the one I loved the most was Reidy’s Bar, which is a huge place with many sitting areas outside and inside, and a large variety of drinks. The music there is great and sometimes there’s a live show.
Another bar was Courtney’s Bar, which is a cozier place where many locals and tourists hang out.
Wander around in the town center
In the town center there are many shops, restaurants, coffee shops, and bars. It’s very nice to wander around the main street and side ones. If you want to do some shopping they have a Penny’s store which is actually Primark.
It’s huge store with a big variety of clothes and accessories at affordable prices. If you want to buy an electrical adapter, water, and other stuff you should visit Dealz, which offers stuff for 1.5 euro.
Eat tasty food
Close to the town center there is a local beer brewery called Killarney Brewing Company, which has great beers and delicious pizza. I sat there with some friends and they all enjoyed the beers and pizza. I ordered a tasting of three beers and they were great.
I also loved an Asian restaurant called Khao Asian Street Food. There, I ate one of the best Pad Thai I have ever tried.
A great bar-restaurant is Celtic Whiskey Bar & Larder, where I ordered three small buns with beef, lamb, and salmon and they were really good.
There is also a good gelato place called Murphy’s that has special ice cream flavours. I took the Caramel Special which came with yummy toppings.
If you are looking for an organic coffee shop with vegan options, I highly recommend Lir Cafe which is located at the entrance of the old town. It’s a really great coffee shop. I drank a coffee and ate a raspberries cake there.
