I recently returned from a trip to my mecca—the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. I’ve been to more than my share of museums lately, and this one is certainly the most fun and not just because you get a free pint at the end (though that certainly does not hurt).

It takes about an hour to take the self-guided tour. It starts with a bit about the ingredients: barley (smells lovely), hops (finally get to see what that looks like), yeast, water. Moving onto the brewing process, and the master brewers, including the founder Arthur Guinness. There is also an exhibit on the advertisements. Totally got suckered into watching commercials for more than a few minutes there. It all ends with the previously mentioned free pint at the Gravity Bar, which has the best view of Dublin.

The waterfall in the Storehouse, a picture of the inside of the storehouse, and my pint with the view from the Gravity Bar.
My friend and I bought tickets for the hop-on, hop-off city tour, and we agreed this was one of the best decisions we ever made. It’s a great way to see a lot of the city in a little time, and spares one the bother of figuring out the rest of the bus system. Plus, the bus drivers were hilarious: “There are three Cathedrals in Dublin,” one said, “St. Patricks, Christ Church and the Guinness Storehouse.” They also were fond of singing songs, which, with the accent, were very soothing and lovely like lullabies until I listened to the words and realized he was singing about a dying prostitute.

My friend and I also visited the National Gallery, the Dublin Writers Museum, Trinity College and the shops on Grafton street and, of course, a pub or two in Temple Bar. Not bad for two days!