Holiday Availability: All IES Abroad offices will be closed on Dec 24, Dec 25, Dec 31, and Jan 1 as we take some time to celebrate. During the weeks of 12/22 and 12/29, our team will be smaller, so responses may take longer than usual. Thanks for your understanding—and happy holidays!
Whether you’re visiting Dublin for a week or staying here for four months, you will not run out of things to do in this city. As my family and Pittsburgh roommates have come to visit me, I was able to be a tourist (or tour guide) in Dublin. Here is a list of things to do to help gain a great appreciation for this place:
1. Get lost in the Gothic Quarter.
The Gothic Quarter is known for its unique architecture and narrow allies. Located in the center of the city, the Gothic Quarter is home to Barcelona’s medieval and Roman roots. Walk down the allies and look up at the sky as you see buildings tower over. You might lose your service in some of the alleyways, but you’ll always find your way back if you look for the towering cathedral.
2. Go to the beach.
Last semester, I published a blog post about fashion and shopping in Amsterdam. The style is great here, and you have easy access to lots of awesome clothing and accessories. I briefly wrote about IJ-Hallen, a flea market that happens once every four weeks, but after going back again a few weeks ago, I thought that it warranted its own blog post.
There is something so unique about the comfort of old friends in new places.
My three best friends from college came all the way from the United States to see me for a few days! How awesome are they? They flew in from Barcelona, where they were visiting some of our other friends beforehand. They arrived in Nice on Wednesday morning, bright and early at 7:30 a.m. I met them at the beach, their first stop after dropping their bags at their hotel. We immediately had the biggest smiles on our faces and hugged each other for so long.
This past Sunday morning, I was woken by the sounds of cheers and honking cars from the street by my window. As I pressed my face up against the glass and strained my eyes, I could make out a small parade of people holding signs, banging pots and pans, and waving black, white, green, and red flags. I watched as the group of people made it down my street and as they were about to turn the corner, I impulsively decided to join them. I quickly patted down my hair, slid my shoes on, grabbed my camera, and bolted out the door.
Bonjour tout le monde! What a whirlwind of a month.
After a beautiful few weeks of staying local to the South of France, I decided to pick up on my travel in the month of February.
Paris, France