Explore The National Drinks
If you are interested in Ireland’s national drinks such as whiskey and dark beer, you can learn how they are made and go on a few food tasting rounds. If you travel to Dublin, you have to spend some time in Temple Bar, the area which is full of wonderful pubs, charming restaurants and trendy clubs. After Ireland’s economic rise, Dublin has become a destination to be reckoned with and it is just getting better.
Cozy Pub Life
Dublin is on one hand full of cozy pubs, on the other hand it is filled with ambitious design and hip markets where the traditional shepherds pie is getting replaced by burgers with sourdough bread and organic ketchup. The city is perfect for a weekend getaway, it’s easy to get around here and take a break in a cozy pub on every corner.
We have listed the highlights not to be missed on a visit to the Irish capital for the perfect weekend getaway.
Drink beer at Ireland’s oldest pub
In his groundbreaking novel Ulysses, James Joyce protagonist Leopol Bloom wandered around Dublin. One of the sites he mentioned is Ireland ‘s oldest pub, The Brazen Head. Cultural giants, such as Jonathan Swift and Francis Bacon, spent many evenings here. Order a large bowl of steaming mussels or the famous Guinness stew.
Mussels, folk music and Guinness
Despite the lack of evidence that Molly Malone really existed, the song about her life is Dublin’s unofficial song. Around the corner from the bronze statue on Suffolk Street is O’Neill’s restaurant. It serves traditional Irish cuisine in a classic pub environment – a mandatori stop on the Dublin trip!
O’Donoghue’s
Do you want to visit the place where the group “The Dubliners” had their first concert? The answer is O’Donoghue’s, one minute walk from St. Stephen’s Green in the Temple Bar district. This is where you should go if you want to experience traditional folk music, the atmosphere is great here in the evening. Rihanna visited this pub when she was in Dublin.
The World’s most beautiful library
Anyone who has seen the movie “Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones” will recognize the Trinity College Library. This is where George Lucas got his inspiration, the Jedi Archives in the movie is virtually a copy. This library is home to over 200,000 historical books. And for those who are interested in architecture this is a must, well worth a visit.
Fascinating tour in a prison
Just over three kilometers outside of town is the Kilmainham jail which is worth a visit for anyone interested in history. Kilmainham is one of the largest prisons although not in use, it covers some of the most tragic – and heroic – events in Irish history from the 1780s to 1924. Even women and children were imprisoned here and guided tours testify to many interesting stories.
Classical and ultra-modern
Do you like the hip hotel chain Ace? Hotel “The Dean” attracts the same type of hipsters and is decorated with design furniture and flashing neon signs. The restaurant “Sophie’s” has a great roof terrace offering a 360 degree view of the city.
At the five-star Merrion Hotel you will find Ireland’s only two-star Michelin restaurant “Patrick Guibaud”. The menu is season-based with a focus on local ingredients. Playfully decorated rooms at the Dylan Hotel look like they are taken from a Tim Burton movie. The hotel is located at Merrion Square, where one can find some of the city’s best galleries and museums .
Francis Bacon
Artist Francis Bacon, the leader of expressionism, was born in Dublin. After his death in 1992, his studio with over 7000 objects was moved to the Hugh Lane Gallery. His belongings: dried oil paintings, brushes and hundreds of empty champagne bottles are displayed at the gallery today. An audio recording of Bacon’s voice gives an extra dimension to the exhibition.
The city of writers
Dublin is a literary city, and several influential writers were born here – including George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett and William Butler Yeats . All three of them have won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Another writer who lived in Dublin was Oscar Wilde, his statue stands in one of the city’s parks. The memory of all the writers lives in the city, and the Dublin Writers Museum – well worth your time for a visit – pays tribute to their work.
Phoenix Park
Every big city has its own version of Central Park, in Dublin it is Phoenix Park. The park is located north of the River Liffey and can easily compete to be Europe’s largest city park with it’s 800 hectares. The park is a nice green spot in the vibrant city, it is also home to the Dublin Zoo and several cozy cafés .
You can read more about Dublin here
