Curator’s statement
London and Dublin are two cities that can very easily be combined by train and a ferry ride; alternatively, you could fly, but I chose the former because I wanted to experience the scenic route. England and Ireland were the 2nd and 3rd countries that I visited as a single solo female traveler and a great place to start if you have the itch to go. Both are easy to navigate, safe and without a language barrier. I took this trip during mid-March to experience St. Patrick's Day in Dublin, but you could implement this guide from spring to fall.
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Where to stay in London and Dublin
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Things to do in London and Dublin
London
With so many incredible sights to see, one easy way to make your way around the city is to purchase a 24- or 48-hour sightseeing ticket to hop on and hop off the open-top, double-decker Big Bus. This will drop you off right at the entrance to many of London's top attractions, including: Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park, St. Paul's Cathedral, The London Eye and more. As a beginner, this was a super easy way to get around the city. If you are in good physical shape, a personal recommendation would be to purchase a sightseeing ticket to St. Paul's Cathedral and climb the 528 steps up to the Golden Gallery for some phenomenal photos of the city. The views are fantastic and some of my best photos! A few other recommendations would be to take a ride in The London Eye and visit the Princess Diana Memorial Garden, located behind Kensington Palace. When in London, you absolutely want to take a full-day trip to visit Stonehenge and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city of Bath.
Dublin
Having visited on St. Patrick's Day, that was a once-in-a-lifetime experience if you can do it! Several must-see sights in the city include: The Temple Bar, The Guiness Storehouse, Jameson Distillery, Dublin Castle, The Book of Kells and St. Patrick's Cathedral. A couple highly recommended day trips include a Cliffs of Moher Tour - including Wild Atlantic Way and Galway City and a Northern Ireland Highlights Day trip including Giant Causeway from Dublin.
Day Trips
London
Stonehenge & Bath day trip
Harry Potter Tour of Warner Bros. Studio with luxury transport
Leeds Castle, Cliffs of Dover and Canterbury day trip.
Dublin
Cliffs of Moher day trip from Dublin
Northern Ireland Highlights including Giant's Causeway from Dublin
Blarney Castle day trip
Places to eat & drink in London and Dublin
London dinner restaurants: Le Gavroche, J Sheeky, The English Grill and Clos Maggiore.
London breakfast: E Pellici and Rosslyn Coffee Queen Victoria St.
London bars: The Beaufort Bar and Cahoots London.
Dublin dinner restaurants: The Vintage Kitchen, La Caverna Restaurant and Wine Bar, FIRE Steakhouse & Bar and Old Mill Restaurant.
Dublin Breakfast: Urbanity and The Pepper Pot.
Dublin Bar: The Temple Bar Pub.
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Travel Advisor
Katie Anderson
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Looking for more travel inspiration? Check out my guide, A Scenic Summer Getaway to Banff.
This guide is part of our ongoing series on travel to England.