Until two friends of mine moved to Dublin last year, the city was unknown to me and quite low on my to do list. My friends’ cool stories and beautiful pictures made me curious about exploring the capital of ‘The Emerald Isle’. Once arrived, it became clear to me that Dublin is a vibrant city with a rich history, so I was really looking forward to start my sightseeing adventure.
Christ Church Cathedral
This church was build in 1030 by the Vikings as a small wooden construction. The present brick version has been used since 1172. Christ Church is often used as the decor for movies and TV-series such as, ‘The Tudors’. Thanks to the picturesque covered bridge that connects the Cathedral to the old Synod Hall, Christ Church is one of the most photographed places of Dublin.
Temple Bar District
The Temple Bar District is the most well-known and touristic part of Dublin. The ambiance there is fantastic and abundant, with plenty of restaurants and bars to pick from. However the one you cannot skip while in Dublin, is the world famous Temple Bar! During our four days trip, we’ve passed by the bar several times, but it was always to busy to get in. On our last day I wanted to try again and luckily for me, we immediately found a table. The bar was founded in 1840 and is World famous for the traditional Irish ambiance and live Music. We had the pleasure to watch one of the gigs, and the atmosphere was really amazing. I just loved how everyone was singing along with the music and felt genuinely happy to be there. The pub has the largest Whiskey collection in Ireland.
Dublinia
For me a citytrip isn’t complete without a visit to a museum, so we visited Dublinia. This museum pays a lot of attention to the history of Dublin, so you get to know the city better. You can see Dublin as it was 500 years ago and during the Viking period. For history lovers like myself definitely worth a visit.
Saint Patricks Cathedral
Saint Patricks Cathedral, the largest cathedral of Ireland was founded in 1191 and is still active. While the exterior of the cathedral is very beautiful, it’s primarily the inside that surprised me. Asides from the grandeur from the marble floors and gold leaf all around, the church comes to live thanks to the interesting stories and anecdotes.
In 1492 there was a meeting in the cathedral between two rivalling Irish families, the Butlers and the FitzGeralds. They were fighting at both sides of the door of the Chapter House. In order to end the fight Gerald FitzGerald put his hand through a hole in the door as a gesture of good faith. Both families shook hands and made peace. Today this door is known as the “Door of Reconciliation”. Rumour has it that the story lives on in a famous expression in Ireland “To chance your arm”.
Ha’penny Bridge
It’s easy to guess where the bridge’s name is coming from: back in the days the toll to cross the pedestrian bridge over the Liffey was half a penny. This cast-iron bridge with lovely lanterns is nowadays one of the most photographed places of Dublin.
Phoenix Park & Dublin Zoo
A little bit outside of the historic heart of Dublin lay the Phoenix Park & Dublin Zoo. Phoenix Park is the largest park of Europe. The houses of the American ambassador and Irish president are located in the middle of the park, as is the zoo. The Dublin Zoo is by far one of the most popular tourist attractions of Dublin and one of the oldest zoos in the World.
The 1916 Tour: Beyond Barricades
As every local we spoke to talked about the 1916 rebellion, we decided to participate in the ‘The 1916 Tour: Beyond Barricades’. All through this guided tour, two actors reconstruct the journeys and stories of the revolution from the Irish against the Brits. To state clearly, what would have become one of the most important passages in the Irish history, the bus drives by City Hall, Dublin Castle, St. Stephen’s Green Park, Four Courts, North King Street en The General Post Office (GPO), one by one places that were meaningful during the rebellion. Later on we stopped by in the GPO, to see where the rebellion began. You can also take a tour there, but we skipped that as the bus tour gave us a complete idea about the Easter Rising.
Daytrip Malahide Castle & Howth
When in the land of castles, one must most definitely visit a castle! And so we did! Malahide Castle & Gardens are located in the charming village Malahide. For about 800 years the castle was used as a fortress and private home of the Talbot family. Malahide Castle is the longest occupied castle in the Irish history. The castle is filled with lovely furniture from the 17th century. Especially the banqueting room is a real eye catcher. Afterwards we went to Howth, which was originally an island. Today it’s the northern end of the coast along Dublin Bay. According to our guide it’s lovely to hike around the cliffs, but because of the cold weather, we limited our walk to the harbour an decided to enjoy the wonderful seafood off Beshoffs.
Shopping
The car-free Grafton Street is the most visited shopping street in Dublin. Over there you can find the high end and vintage stores all together. Don’t forget to stop by the ‘Brown Thomas’ store, which is the Irish variant of Selfridges. However this store mostly stands for haute couture clothing and luxury make-up, it’s really nice to have a look around and enjoy the beauty of the shop.
Across the Liffey river lays Henry Street, the other famous shopping street in Dublin. It’s too bad that the stores were the same as back home, so I didn’t do a lot of shopping. When travelling I like to discover shops that we don’t have in Belgium and that are typical for the country I visit.
Dublin happily surprised me. It’s a vibrant, modern city with a lot of history. The people are very friendly and there is so much to do. Unfortunately for me, the main tourist attraction, The Book of Kells, was closed for Christmas. I guess I’ll just have to go back then! If you are looking for some nice restaurant suggestions, check out my Dublin Hotspot post!
Practical information Dublin
- The Airlink bus takes you from Dublin Airport to the city centre in 15 minutes. You’ll pay € 10 for a roundtrip.
- Currency: Euro (€)