WHY VISIT DUBLIN
The images and stories about Dublin and Ireland often suggest a reality out of time, full of green meadows crossed by pastures, Catholic churches, and Celtic cemeteries scattered in nothingness and centuries-old traditions that still affect life on the island; a sort of “poor sister” of England. Dublin itself has been the victim of this anachronistic vision of history. Once you arrive in the Irish capital, you immediately realize that this does not correspond to reality; Dublin is in fact a modern city, the operational headquarters of many multinationals, and increasingly “promised land” of young workers.
Crossed by the River Liffey, which cuts it in two, Dublin has undergone substantial urban changes in recent years, especially in its central areas, standardized to the characteristics of many European capitals and the world; modern buildings, offices, chains of the most famous fast food and the inevitable shopping street, Grafton street, the most glamorous of all of Ireland.
To return that uniqueness that have made Dublin famous all over the world, there are the statues of its most illustrious characters, that we can meet in the streets of the center, including Molly Malone, Oscar Wilde, and James Joyce; in addition to its numerous monuments and museums, gathered a few steps away, telling us about the millennial history of the Irish capital, founded by the Vikings as a center for trade in slaves.
Dublin offers tourists different types of attractions; for lovers of nature and greenery there are many parks, including the central St Stephen’s Green and the immense, but more peripheral, Phoenix Park; Temple Bar is the right neighborhood for those in search of entertainment, full of pubs with live music, street performers and young people in the mood to revel, especially on weekends and in mid-March, during the celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day, the patron saint of Ireland; for lovers of history and literature it is possible to visit the many monuments and museums of the city, but above all, it is possible to follow the numerous urban itineraries narrated in the novels of its greatest authors.
WHAT TO SEEÂ IN DUBLIN
Top attractions not to be missed are:
- Kilmainham Gaol
- Trinity College
- Drimnagh Castle
- St. Audoen’s Church
- St. Michan’s Church & Crypt
- St. Patrick’s Park & Cathedral
- Monument to Oscar Wilde
- Christ Church Cathedral
- The Famine Sculptures
- Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre
- City Hall
- Four Courts
- James Joyce Statue
- Dublin Castle
- St. Teresa’s Church
- John’s Lane Church
- Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church
- Leinster House
Following instead some hidden spots of the city that only locals know!
- St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral
- Georges Street Arcade
- Powerscourt Townhouse Centre
- Iveagh Gardens
WHEN TO GO TO DUBLIN
The best period to visit Dublin is from May to September.
Following a list of main events and typical festivals and celebrations of Dublin.
- St Patrick’s Festival (17 March)
- Dublin Fringe Festival
- Bloomsday Festival (June)
- Longitude Festival (July)
- Bram Stoker Festival (October)
- Dublin Theatre Festival (September)
HOW TO REACH AND MOVE IN DUBLIN
the main airport is the Dublin Airport
download the transportation map
download the transportation APP
WHAT TO DO IN DUBLIN
typical dishes of Dublin:
- Irish Stew, a stew of mand and root vegetables;
- Colcannon, mashed potatoes, and kale (or cabbage), with milk (or cream), butter, salt, and pepper;
- Champ, side dish of mashed potatoes and chopped scallions with butter and milk;
- Boxty, potato pancake fried on a griddle pan
- Boiled bacon and cabbage, unsliced back bacon boiled with cabbage and potatoes;
- Black Pudding, pork meat, fat and blood mixed with barley, suet, and oatmeal in a flavored sausage;
- White Pudding, same as Black Pudding, but without blood;
- Coddle, layers of roughly sliced pork sausages and rashers with sliced potatoes, onions, and barley;
- Irish Salmon
- Smoked Salmon
- Shellfish
- Barmbrack, yeasted bread with added sultanas and raisins;
- Soda bread
- Beer
- Whiskey
typical souvenirs of Dublin are:
- Claddagh ring
- knitwears
- handcrafted china
- ceramics
- glass
- textiles
- musical instruments
- wicker basket or lobster pot.
The main theatre in Dublin is the Abbey Theatre.
