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Dublin

Dublin

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As the capital of Ireland, Dublin is crammed with fabulous museums, hundreds of restaurants, pubs and clubs, and endless historical sites to explore.

Luckily Dublin is a walking city. You can get almost anywhere by foot, which makes the city more of a delight to discover, even when the weather is freezing. You might visit the National Museum of Ireland to gain a better understanding of Ireland and Dublin’s culture and history; or duck into the Old Library at Trinity College to view the architecture and gorgeous original manuscripts like the Book of Kells. Weather permitting, don’t miss the National Botanic Gardens, or join a walking tour of the charming and decrepit Glasnevin Cemetery.

The Dublin Writers Museum is fascinating, chronicling the lives and achievements of Irish writers like Joyce and Yeats. Dublin Castle is an interesting collage of architecture and history, and the guided tours here are captivating and extremely affordable.

Try to stop in for a pint and a wander at the Guinness Storehouse or the Old Jameson Distillery; there are even literary pub crawls where you follow the lives of great writers and learn about Dublin’s architecture, historical bohemian sub cultures and enjoy great old pubs like The Brazen Head and The Cobblestone.

For top quality accommodation the Four Seasons Hotel Dublin wins hands down, but you can also find many good inns and other lodging options now in this vibrant European capital.

Travel Tips

  1. Visiting Dublin’s world-class museums is a commitment. They are vast, they are many, and they will saturate you with information. Try Dublin’s National Museum of Ireland for its riveting collection of Irish archaeology or visit the Decorative Arts & History Museum for its repository of Irish furniture, silver, ceramics and glassware.
  2. Dublin’s Guinness Storehouse is entertaining for the range of activities available in one place. You can visit the storehouse’s top floor glass-enclosed Gravity Bar and sip Guinness with beautiful views of Dublin all around. Tours take you through the storehouse and explain the history of this beloved beer, as well as the brewing process and interesting facts about shipping and marketing around the world.
  3. Two Dublin sights that can’t be missed are St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Trinity College. At St. Patrick’s you’ll find the permanent Living Stones exhibition and the grave of author Jonathan Swift. At the 16th century Trinity College you can view gorgeous and ornate biblical manuscripts and tread along the same paths as artists the likes of Oscar Wilde and Bram Stoker.
  4. Although Dublin isn’t touted as a culinary capital in Europe, there are very good restaurant to try out, beginning with 101 Talbot for its organic Clare Island salmon and house-made chutneys. You pay a bit more at Chapter One, but the atmosphere is classier, and the organic meats and vegetables are superb. At the top of the food chain is L’Ecrivain, a pricey, glamorous restaurant known for its tender venison and excellent wine list.
  5. A Dublin pub crawl ought to be high on your list, seeing as boozing and cocktail patter are such an important component in Irish social life. Begin at The Hole in the Wall, a massive bar encompassing our linked-together homes. Move on to the 18th century watering hole, The Brazen Head; McDaid’s just for its bizarre art deco interiors, and round out the evening at four-story Messrs Maguire and sample some of its tipples made at their in-house microbrewery.

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