|
Dublin is widely regarded as one of Europe’s friendliest cities. It also boasts a slew of fine restaurants and boutiques, world-renowned enclaves of art and education, and pubs that are the stuff of legend. Dublin is a beautiful gateway into the rest of Ireland, well-stocked with culture, Celtic cuisine and one rather famous stout.
Depending on how much you want to fit in, Dublin is an ideal destination for a weekend break or a six day holiday. Two main shopping districts bisect the city: to the north, the Jervis Centre, Ireland’s biggest shopping centre; to the south, the high end Grafton Street where you’ll find exclusive designer boutiques decked out with haute couture. But though you might go to Dublin with commerce in mind, it’s the city’s singular culture that will stay with you. As proven by some of the greatest English-language writers ever to have lived, from James Joyce to Seamus Heaney, Sean O’Casey to G B Shaw, Dublin’s famous lyricism and wit is honed just as much from the stools of the Temple Bar district as it is from the desks of Trinity College. Far from being a distraction, the porterhouse ales, stouts and drams are an integral component of Dublin’s vibrant literary and musical traditions. Even a teetotaller would regard a trip to Dublin without a visit to the iconic Guinness Storehouse as incomplete. The Old Jameson Distillery is almost as essential. Both have as much to teach you about Irish history as Dublin Castle. Other highlights on the tourist trail include Dublin Zoo, and Phoenix Park, the largest urban park in Europe. Simply wandering around the cobbled streets is a treat. The nightlife is the equal of any great world city, with modern Irish food beginning to catch up to the estimable renown of the drink. You won’t go hungry or thirsty in this city. And though Dublin is understandably attractive to the multitudes of stag and hen parties that totter through her streets, it’s also a great destination for family holidays and romantic vacations. If you venture further afield than the city limits, you might hear a common Irish epithet directed at the capital: Dublin isn’t Ireland. You may agree with the ambiguous sentiment, but you’ll also know that defining what exactly Dublin is takes considerably longer. By the time you’ve had a pint and a craic before ambling across the Liffey on the aptly-named Mellows Bridge, you’re probably past caring anyway. Be sure to browse our collection of Dublin hotels including hotels near Dublin city centre and hotels near Temple Bar. |
