Dublin is one of Europe’s boom cities, packed with tourists who want to party and enjoy the Irish craic. It can mean meeting a few too may stag parties at weekends – a feature the city is trying to reduce - but there’s no escaping the fact that this is a fun city.
Sitting on the banks of the River Liffey, possibly Dublin’s greatest attraction is the atmospheric pubs, now smoke-free, where Guinness, a product of the city, is downed in great quantities, often to the accompaniment of live music.
The artistic heritage of the likes of James Joyce and W B Yeats is apparent too, for this is not a city of amazing buildings but more of amazing people. Add to that some great sporting events and festivals and you’ll understand the attractions of Ireland’s capital city.
Sights include Trinity College; medieval Christchurch Cathedral; the cobbled streets of Temple Bar where much of the tourist night life is concentrated; Phoenix Park – which is Europe’s largest urban park; the landscaped St Stephen’s Green; museums such as the National Gallery of Ireland and the National Museum of Ireland; and the Guinness Brewery.
The city also has some superb Georgian architecture around Merrion and Fitzwilliam Squares while shopping areas like Grafton Street will attract many. North of the river is O’Connell Street and the stunning Custom House.
Dublin has the youngest urban population in Europe and the city has been called the ‘capital of Euro-cool’. However true, this is boom time and both Dubliners and visitors are taking advantage. It does mean the city is expensive but its citizens are intent on enjoying life. The sleek new nightlife also provides a strange contrast with the traditional pubs, busking fiddlers and horse-drawn carts on cobbled streets that are reminders of Dublin’s history.
There are fine excursions out of the city to the nearby Wicklow Mountains and a circular tour of the Military Road through wild and dramatic countryside and the monastic site at Glendalough. To the north, Howth, reached by DART train, offers bracing walking and superb views of Dublin Bay.
Dublin airport is growing rapidly and is served by many budget as well as national carriers. Ferries from Britain arrive at both Dublin Port and Dun Laoghaire, 9 miles south. The city has a good bus and rail network and trams have been introduced recently.
