Itinerary: Dublin

Dublin was not what I expected, though I can’t really tell you what I imagined it would be like. I’d honestly not given Dublin a lot of thought and it had not been high on my travel list. Two friends recently moved there and we had the opportunity to visit them, so why not? It’s quite different to experience a place through the eyes of someone who lives there than when you are traveling on your own. Luckily our friends had not been there too long yet so we were all able to play tourist. My intent with this site and these blogs is to help people plan better trips and this Dublin visit was one where I did not really do so much of the planning. The lowered expectations and lack of in-depth research made this a really different experience for me. All that being said, I really liked Dublin a lot and below is a list of places that I visited, personally enjoyed and would recommend. You’ll note that many of the heavy-hitter tourist sites (like the Guinness Storehouse) are missing since we were more focused on time with our friends. My intent here is not to write full reviews of these places, you can find so much of that easily on the internet, but to provide a short list of my best bets.

Dublin feels a lot like a big village or more accurately a collection of villages. There is not a lot of large office development around the city center core and the age and architecture of the city makes everything feel more to a human scale. It’s very walkable and most of our time was focused on the south side of the River Liffey. The city is full of young people, approximately 33% of the Irish population is under the age of 24, and you feel that energy everywhere you go and, of course, there is a vibrant pub culture. The Irish economy absolutely boomed from the late 90’s until the beginning of the financial crisis (this boom was known as the Celtic Tiger). While things have certainly slowed in Ireland along with the rest of the world, you still see a very international presence in the city – from a large and varied immigrant population, to a wide variety of cuisines, and significant multi-national business presence. I’d say it’s a rather casual and easy-going place and most everyone was very approachable and engaging.

If you are looking for any additional information or advice on Dublin, please feel free to send me a message and I will be happy to help.

My Top Suggestions:

Camden Street and Camden Hotel – Camden Street was very close to where we were staying so we spent a lot of time walking around there. Very local, neighborhood feel with many unusual shops and restaurants. We enjoyed lunch at the Palace inside the hotel, which has a very old school yet mod vibe as it’s in a renovated theater. There is also a pub and speakeasy as part of the complex.

St. Stephen’s Green – Gorgeous, small city park which gets lots of use on a bright sunny day

Grafton Street – one of the main shopping streets with lots window shoppers, musicians trying to make it big, flower stalls and things like that – shops include most of the high end names (see Brown Thomas) and local venues such as the luxurious and affordable Aran Sweater Market

George’s Street Arcade – A Victorian market dating from 1881 now housing an incredibly cool collection of indie shops

Opium – Exotic place for drinks and dinner – we enjoyed the upper level and outdoor “Botanical Garden” and had delicious pan-Asian specialties in the restaurant

EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum – Compelling story-telling about the Irish emigration experience using very innovative and technologically advanced exhibits. You will be surprised at the reach and influence of the Irish people around the world.

The Ivy, Dawson Street – Glorious décor, attentive staff, adventurous food, ladies who lunch, and business deals – really lovely experience

Powerscourt Center – Dating from the 1770’s, this complex houses an impressive array of high-end boutiques, art galleries, coffee shops, and restaurants with a beautiful interior courtyard

Christ Church Cathedral – Originating from the early 1000’s, the beautiful cathedral is well known for its large crypt, the mummified cat and rat, and it has been featured in several films and TV shows, such as HBO’s The Tudors

Dublin Castle – Including the Dubh Linn Garden, monument to fallen policemen, and the State Rooms. A castle has been on this site since the early 1200’s, now it’s a tourist site and government complex.

Bunsen Burger – Some of the best hamburgers ever – the menu fits on a business card so it’s pretty simple, wine and beers too – multiple locations to choose from

Café en Seine – So amazing we went there twice! Massive art nouveau restaurant and bar complex – excellent for brunch in their covered “street” area, we saw a great jazz band while brunching. By night turns into a very posh hangout full of fashionistas and current dance tunes – loads of fun.

Trinity College – Including the Book of Kells and the Long Room of the Old Library – Most people come for the Books of Kells and the Long Room. Plan to wait a long time in line. The Book of Kells was interesting though you mostly see information panels about the book and not the book itself. The Long Room is beautiful but very crowded.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral – Very intimate feeling for a cathedral – especially loved the statue of a young and zealous St. Patrick and the monument to the 1st Earl of Cork and his wife

Gaiety Theater – The “Grand Old Lady of South King Street” is a beautifully maintained theater with a full slate of programming

Shelbourne Hotel – Opulent 200-year old hotel that is now part of the Marriott family. We only had drinks in the No. 27 Bar and Lounge but the entire facility is very sophisticated.

Public art and monuments – Just walking around town there is so much official and “not official” art, including: Molly Malone statue, Irish Famine Memorial, Millennium Children, and loads of “graffiti art”