British Isles Princess Cruise – Ireland/Northern Ireland (September 2023)
I’ve finally decided to write about one of my the other places I went last summer (July 2022). I know its been over a year since I went but I could never get the words right about what to say about each city.
Ireland is one of the most beautiful places to visit. It has amazing views and friendly people. While in Ireland and Northern Ireland we had ports in Cork, Dublin, and Belfast. Now I know most people (including my sister and Dad) like to visit the city and see all that is there. However whenever I visit a place on cruises I like to visit the surrounding areas. My philosophy on this is that if I ever go back to these places, I will most likely stay in the city and not really go out to the other parts of the country.
Our first port in these countries was Cork. The entire family decided to stay together today. We first headed toward the Lismore Castle (which we only saw from a distance but still a beautiful Castle). We continued on through The Vee (which is a gap in the Knockmealdown Mountains) through the countryside. We ended up at the Rock of Cashel. This is a Cathedral that has significant meaning throughout the symbols of power and seats of Kings and churchmen that have ruled over the regions.
In Dublin, my mom and I stayed together. On our way over to the Powerscort area, we stopped in the town of Bray which had a lovely seaside. We continued on to the Powerscourt Waterfall which is a beautiful natural feature. There are many hikes to do around the area if you have the time. We then stopped off for lunch at a local place in Enniskerry Village (If you have seen Disney’s Disenchanted they filmed some parts in the town square). We finished off at Powerscourt Estate (cover photo). This could give Versailles a run for its money (of course the gardens were based off Versailles). You could spend hours here going through the Italian garden, the Japanese garden, pet cemetery, and so much more.
Belfast was just me and my mom again. There is so much to see in Belfast. Even getting out of the city, there are many gems around the area. Giant’s Causeway is a major feature as a rock formation off the coast. Ballycastle is a town that actually has one of the Game of Throne’s Doors (if you are on a hunt to see them all). I was definitely not brave enough to go anywhere near the Cattick-A-Rede Rope Bridge but it looked (from a safe distance) like a great thing to do if you are not afraid of heights.
Have you wanted to visit Ireland?
What place do you really want to see there or was your favorite place while you were there?
