The Irish capital: Dublin
The reputation of a fascinating city and great vacation destination rightly precedes Dublin, the Irish capital on its eastern shore. The cultural and historical richness of the city is far too comprehensive to summarize, but maybe we can help by giving some orientation among the numerous little treasures to be discovered here. So buckle up in your rental car and get ready to discover Dublin.
Hop out of your rental car and enjoy the shopping and sites!
Dublin is split along a geographical and social line. The River
Liffey cuts the city into the wealthy south side and the poorer north side.
An inexpensive rental car will make it quite easy to explore both parts, as they are both worth your time. A number of bridges across the Liffey connect both parts in the downtown area. This is also where you will find the best shopping opportunities. The main high streets
O’Connell Street,
Grafton Street, and
Harcourt Street carry the common retail chains as well as some local pearls of design.
Trinity College, founded in the 16th century by Queen Elizabeth I, is not far from here and has produced such legends as Oscar Wilde and Bram Stoker.
The south-western part of town is popular among friends of architecture for the excellent Gregorian design to be found here, mixed in with modern buildings. O’Connell Street holds one of Dublin’s most remarkable landmarks:
the Spire. Almost 400 ft of stainless steel stands up against the sky, spectacularly lit up at night.
Experience the Irish nightlife!
Moving on, you will inevitably come across the
Temple Bar district. This is the cultural gravitational center of town, colorful and vivid day and night. Countless bars, restaurants, and clubs provide tourists as well as locals with plenty of opportunity to exchange names, views, and phone numbers. In summer the streets themselves serve as outdoor pubs, with people simply standing around, sipping their beer, and enjoying the evening sun.
Temple Bar has managed to preserve its historical flair, helped by the rugged cobble streets. So park your rental car and get out for a night on the town!
Relax in the rich Irish culture
Apart from the happy buzz in Temple Bar and the down town area Dublin offers the alternative relaxation programme of stunning architecture, sophisticated galleries, and green, quiet parks. Among the abundance of sights the churches take a special place. The most important one,
Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, was named in honor of the national patron saint. The church was renovated during the 19th century by Sir Benjamin Guinness and proudly sports intricate Victorian decorations.
Besides this there are numerous museums, theatres and parks. Among them the Botanical Gardens, and the
Phoenix Park, the biggest in town, are most notable.
Whatever your focus of interest, you should take a few days to see the city and let it work its magic on you. Making just a quick pit stop in your rental car on the way would be a shame.