| Why
Travel to Dublin?
An architecturally striking city, with a dramatic history full of
extraordinary personalities - many of them engraved in stone or
bronze and scattered around the streets - Dublin has recently reinvented
itself as a chic eurocity. It is this mix of grand old and funky
new that makes it such an attractive, lively destination.
The craic is mighty, to be sure.
Dublin climate guide:
Best: May - Sept Worst: Jan, Feb [cold, dull, rain, dull, wind, dull]
Click on any image below to see the Ireland Travel Guide and Pictures
Dublin's Ha'penny Bridge
Attractions and Activities:
The architecture for which the city is most famous is its numerous
Georgian squares and streets, including Merrion Square and Fitzwilliam
Square.
Trinity College dates from Elizabeth 1st and is a must for architectural
students - don't miss the Book of Kells when you're there - as is
the Four Courts and the Customs House.
And when you need a break, head for the best known meeting place
in Dublin - Bewley's Café in Grafton Street.
If you need some green, try Phoenix Park, one of the largest city
parks in the world, along with its deer, zoo and houses of the rich
and famous.
Don't leave Dublin without visiting the cast-iron Ha'penny Bridge
[Picture above]over the River Liffey and taking in a tour of
the nearby Guinness Brewery.
And if you're interested in history, the Viking Centre is not far
away, along with two eleventh century cathedrals.
Trinity College, home of the Book of Kells, in Dublin
The Book of Kells: Also known as the Book of Columba this is thought by many to be Ireland's finest treasure. It's an illustrated Christian manuscript that represents the best Western calligraphy ever seen. Created by Celtic monks in AD 800, it comprises the four Gospels of the New Testament in Latin with much elaborate and vivid ornamentation including humans, animals and strange creatures.
Short
Trips:
- Dublin or Wicklow mountains.
- huge sandy beaches at Howth or Brittas.
- the ancient burial mounds at Dowth, Knowth and Newgrange.
- Dun Laoghaire, a nice little harbour town to the south.
Dublin Cathedral
Festivals:
March, St Patrick's Festival
June, Organ and Choral Festival
June, Music in Great Irish Houses Festival, mostly Dublin, plus
counties Wicklow and Kildare. Excellent.
June, the Writer's Festival
June-Aug, Contemporary Arts Festival, Temple Bar.
First 2 weeks of Oct, Theatre Festival.
end Sept - mid Oct, Fringe Theatre Festival
For
some precise dates or more information see: European
Festivals or Arts
Festivals.
Arts:
The city is famous for its theatres. The Abbey, the Gate and the
Gaity are the best known and show a great variety of modern and
classical theatre.
Museums
& galleries:
The Natural History Museum will keep the kids happy for hours and
the National Museum has wonderful artefacts from Ireland's Celtic
past.
The Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery of Modern Art is justly famous.
You must see the extraordinary, illustrated 8th century Book of
Kells in Trinity College.
The Chester Beatty museum houses a great collection of oriental
art.
The National Gallery is worth a visit. If you like Turner water
colours, it opens its magical, gem-like collection only once a year,
on New Year's Day.
Dublin Castle
Nightclubs:
It's a great place for clubbing and wild weekends. Many travel there
for stag and hen nights. There is a thriving pub culture, with attractive
pubs everywhere, many of them providing live music and staying open
late.
Cuisine:
More famous for epic drinking, this is not a city renowned for gastronomic
delights, but over the last few years Irish chefs returning from
travel abroad have triggered a taste renaissance with modern Irish
cuisine, featuring plenty of organic produce and seafood.
Traditional Irish cooking is based on potatoes, cabbage and fat
bacon and is best avoided.
Shopping:
Grafton Street is a pedestrian shopping street with the usual chain
stores; Brown Thomas as the most glamorous.
The Powerscourt Centre at the top of Grafton Street is the best
known shopping centre.
Souvenirs:
Irish crystal is expensive but gorgeous, as are Irish woollens.
Wild Irish smoked salmon is delicious and reasonably priced.
Irish whiskey and Irish silver are, of course, world renowned.
You will also find a large number of different items, less well
known, sporting tiny green men in pointed hats. You need at least
one of these, and another hole in your head.
Dublin Links |
