Friday, August 15, 2008

A Dubliner's Guide to Dublin




I wanted to write this article because I love my home city. I have traveled extensively in Europe and beyond and I believe that Dublin is one of the most friendly, atmospheric and beautiful cities in the world. There is so much to learn here about the a people who have scattered all over the world. It is in Dublin that you can truly discover the warmth and charm of the Irish people

Whether you are here purely for sightseeing, you are a shopaholic or you are a party animal Dublin has something for you!

GETTING THERE
If you are coming from the UK then Ryanair is the cheapest way to arrive with flightd from £1.99 each way from Stansted. If yo are arriving from the US then Aerlingus(aerlingus.com) has some good deals

ATTRACTIONS
The first sight to visit in the Dublin is the Ha'penny bridge. This is located on the lower keys, near the train station and it was originally opened in 1816. It has been give a retouch lately. Up until 2000 it was the only pedestrian bridge across the Liffey.

Temple Bar is straight across from the Ha'penny Bridge. This area is a maze of shops, restaurant and quirky little shops. It is not the most atmospheric of areas, especially during high season when tourists clog its streets. However, it is worth mentioning as it has some really excellent restaurants. Here are some of my top picks:

Elephant and Castle, 18 Temple Bar, Dublin 2 This place serves a wide variet of cuisines. Try the chicken wings they are delish! This place is also very reasonably priced by Dublin standards.

Luigi Malones,The Friary, 5-6 Cecilia Street,Temple Bar, Dublin 2
This is a bit of an Irish Italian Mix. The steak here is said to be one of he best in all Dublin and I agree.

If you are thirsty and fancy a nice pint of Guinness the there are countless places around here to try it. The Porter House on Dawson Street is one of the best pubs in Dublin. It is right next to Trinity College and also brews its own concoctions. Try the chocolate ale it is surprisingly tasty

SHOPPING
If you are one of those people who likes to shop for souvenirs then Temple Bar is the ideal destination. For upmarket brands try Grafton Street. Here you will find boutiques from Chanel and Louis Vuitton and the upmarket department store Brown Thomas. St. Stephen's Green shopping centre at the bottom of Grafton St. offers a wide variety of high street brands also.

1 comment:

molly said...

i can't wait to visit ireland for the first time this june! we will be going to my husbands home town of ardee. about 45 mins out of dublin? vacation!!!!