Dublin City Attractions
Spending your vacation in Dublin is not complete without visiting the diverse city attractions. The city offers a wide selection of the greatest historical structures, gardens and parks, museums, churches, libraries and art galleries. The city dates back a thousand years old and has a rich history. Every structure and monument has a story to share regarding the past of the city. There are hundreds of tourists that visit Dublin on yearly basis and you are one of them. Before heading out to the attractions in Dublin, make sure that you already have appropriate accommodations during your stay in the city.
There are many city attractions that are worth visiting during your stay in Dublin. You can visit them on your own one by one or you can join one of the package tours that will show you around the major sites in the city. Of course, if you to explore on your own, you will definitely embark on a wonderful adventure in Dublin.
The Guinness Storehouse is situated in St. James Gate Brewery at the heart of the city. Dropping by is definitely worthwhile while you are in Dublin. You will learn all about the most popular beer in the globe. The Guinness Storehouse covers seven floors that surround an atrium made out of glass that strikingly resembles a Guinness pint.
The Dublinia exhibition showcases the early history of Dublin starting from 1170 up to the 1540s. The exhibition is situated in Christchurch. In the exhibition, you will catch a glimpse on diverse models, reconstructions and videos that are worth seeing if you want to learn about the early history of Dublin. The Trinity College in Dublin was founded back in 1592. The college alumni boast a list of prominent names such as Oliver Goldsmith and even Samuel Beckett to name a few. The chief attractions in the campus that you should visit include the Book of Kells and the Old Library. The Kilmainham Gaol is situated in the Kilmainham district. It is basically a prison that was erected back in 1792. At the present, it is an abandoned prison. A number of Irish nationalists and even Young Irelanders and Society of United Irishmen members were imprisoned there.
The Temple Bar is located in the cultural quarter of Dublin that offers a wide selection of art studios, galleries and exhibitions. You will catch a glimpse on modern art in one of these venues. All throughout the city, culture flourishes, particularly in the Gate Theatres, National Concert Hall, The Abbey and Trinity College. If you love sports, the Croke Park is definitely a must visit site. It is more than just an outstanding stadium, but also a part of the history as well as the development of the national sports of Ireland.
Do not forget to drop by at the Phoenix Park. It is considered as the most extensive and illustrious city parks in Europe. The Visitor Center showcases an exhibition on the history of the park along with the wildlife that dates backs 3,500 BC.
County Dublin
The County of Dublin was divided into three new areas with county-level status as well as having its own administration back in 1994, specifically Fingal, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and South County Dublin.
The South County Dublin which includes the governmental counties of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and portion of Dublin city, is the region located at the southern side of River Liffey as well as Dublin that goes up to the Dublin Mountains that are close to County Wicklow. Most of this area is occupied by the suburbs of Dublin but there is also a substantial area of hills, hinterland and mountains. With the M50 Motorway, it allows easy accessibility to all the national main routes, seaports and the railway. The South County Dublin is one of the best places to visit since many of the tourist spots are situated in the suburbs close to the DART line. The area has also access to an extensive bus service as well as the new tramway system called LUAS. Dalkey, the only elected heritage town in Dublin is located in South County Dublin. The town boasts a number of tourist spots that includes castles, harbors, an island and a visitor center. There are also several first class restaurants, cafes and pubs to try out while at the same time enjoying the best views of Dublin and the Wicklow Mountains. Dn Laoghaire is the main town in South County Dublin as well as serving as the second port of Dublin. The harbor is the main attraction but other spots worth visiting include the maritime museum and the Pavilion Theater.
The North County Dublin or Fingal has an extensive reach to the north of River Liffey and the city border to Balbriggan. The area is basically flat and a countryside area populated with villages, towns and some of the ideal tourist spots to visit. The towns such as Howth and Clontarf are ideal spots to enjoy watersports. Malahide is a village situated on the northernmost point of the DART railway line. It offers tourist spots such as the Malahide Castle, Fry Model Railway and the Talbot Botanic Gardens. Do not forget the Newbridge House that offers an architectural grandeur worth visiting. The villages of Rusk and Lusk as well as the town of Skerries show links to both history and the sea.
In the town of Balbriggan in the North County Dublin, the best attractions such as the Victorian Garden, Ardgillan Castle and Demesne are found. North County Dublin is also offers a vast scale of parkland and woodland golf courses that can cater to both beginner and expert golfers. The county also offers the best beaches in Dublin which is packed during the months of July, August and September. Other attractions worth visiting in North County Dublin include the Casino Marino which is one of the finest neoclassical structures in Europe and the National Botanic Gardens located in Glasnevin.
Any visit to Dublin is not complete without taking a trip to the scenic Irish countryside. Far beyond Dublin, there are still many places that are worth visiting. Even a short day trip beyond Dublin to one of the bordering counties such as Meath, Wicklow or Kildare will provide a glimpse on the stunning scenery.
The City of Dublin
Dublin is the largest city in Ireland and an ideal place to visit. Dublin city is one of the main destinations for the majority of tourists because there are so many attractions to visit. It is one of the most popular city destinations in the world.
Founded by the vikings around the 9th century, the port has prospered through the centuries and the city has grown to one of the most prosperous cities in Europe today.
One of the most popular areas in the city is the temple bar, which has been transformed in recent years into a cultural area of theatres, galleries and cafes. Merrion square is another tourist attraction where you can see Georgian Dublin nearby.
Trinity college is one of the main attractions in Dublin. It was founded by Queen Elizabeth 1st to encourage students to remain in Ireland to study rather than going abroad. The college spanning centuries of academic tradition is one of the most distinguished universities in Europe.
Some of the buildings in the grounds date back to the 18th century.
The most modern building is the library which was built in the 1960′s and is very popular with the students.