Dublin!!!

[madameimadam]

Am off to Dublin for a lovely weekend with my friend next week. We like pubs, nice food, walks, quirky shops and exploring. I love history & we are very open to new and interesting places.

I’ve heard Temple Bar is a ‘visit just to say you’ve been there but then go somewhere else’ place. Where else would you recommend?
We’re there for 4 days and have planned one of the days to go to Howth for a walk along the coast.

Any other gems?? Very excited!!

Croke Park sky tour ! Very Dublin - there is small gaa museum but that’s not main/only attraction of it. Great views and tour lead - actually focuses on highlighting different landmarks in Dublin opposed to focus on sports. Appealed to different interests in our group.
also O Connell street - if you are interested in history. We did free walking tours which was good.

DART south to Dun Laoghaire/Dalkey/Bray. Nice views and walks.

Try pubs in the Grafton Street area rather than Temple Bar. Still touristy but lots of Irish people as well. Baggot Street also good for pubs.

Shopping in and around Grafton Street can be interesting, small shopping arcades and interesting streets with pubs and cafes.
Kilmainham Gaol if you have any chance of getting a ticket. The Art Gallery is good too, nice cafe and located near some lovely squares.

Are you staying centrally?

When you’re in Howth, go to Anne’s for ice cream - it’s at the start of the pier. The ice cream is delicious.
just off Grafton Street, there’s a pizza restaurant called “Gotham Cafe”. Lovely pizza and they do an amazing s’more dessert which is very tasty.
if you’re in Dublin on a Sunday, lots of local artists display their work all along the outside railings of Merrion Square. It can be fun to look at the art.

The Georgian townhouse museum in Henrietta Street; it subsequently became a tenement in the 19th century. Fascinating if you like history and the guides tell some really great stories about the place. Also Marsh’s library behind the cathedral where Bram Stoker and James Joyce used to go to read and work - it’s like something out of Harry Potter: there are bullet holes in some of the books from the 1916 uprising. I’d recommend a walking tour as well; we did the Highlights and Hidden Gems tour which was brilliant. And if you can get a table at the Church for an evening meal with live music and Irish dancing I’d recommend it - very noisy but a great atmosphere.