My husband and I will be taking a quick trip to Dublin in late June. We only have a couple of days to get a feel for Ireland. If we spent a day in Dublin, what are "must sees." We'd also like to take a day in the countryside. Any recommendations for good day tour operators? Thanks!

That is very quick. The best way to get an overview of Dublin in the short time you have is to take the hop-on, hop-off bus tour. The bus will take you past the major attractions, and you are free to hop off as you wish to spend some time there. Whenever you are ready you can get back on the bus and pick up the tour right where you left off.

I hope someone else can make a suggestion for a day trip.

Silly me, I forgot to tell you that if you want to get a feel for Ireland, be sure to visit a pub.

toppping for Shaney

Go for the hop on and hop off tour. If you go to Jameson distillery there is a great food place across the courtyard called Christoffs. I eat here a lot and used to live in the area. Another great lunch spot is in the Chester beatty library behind Dublin castle whoich is an Asian art nuseum. The food is Med style and all fresh. I eat here as well. A new discovery has been Chez Max (Ate dinner here last week) fab French place at the entrance to Dublin castle and Gruel (great lunch and serves dinner which is not pretty inside just cheap and cheerful but fantastic food.

The bus tour is the best way to see a lot.

agree with hop on/off tour...our favorite stops were kilmainham jail and trinity college/book of kells (check-not sure if both companies offer to go out to kilmainham jail)

also enjoyed the organized pub crawls-music and literary

I would suggest for a day tour either north to newgrange/knowth and hill of tara or south to glendalough and powerscourt...we went on our own by car but I believe that there are several tour operators