Dublin
The Republic of Ireland's bustling capital city of Dublin is disproportionately large for the size of the country, which makes it a busy and popular European city to visit. Dublin boasts an active nightlife and top tourist attractions, and despite its large size the main points of interest are easily navigated on foot.
What to do
Plenty of people visit Dublin each year to trace the family tree and to find their place in it. History buffs of all stripes have plenty to explore, from the National Museum of Ireland and Trinity College (home of the Book of Kells) to Dublin Castle and Christ Church Cathedral, there's plenty in Dublin to excite just about anyone on the subject of Irish history - whether your family is part of it or not.
Of course, not everyone comes to Ireland for the history - some just come for the Guinness! Enjoy your pint of Dublin's most famous drink at the Guinness Storehouse or in any number of pubs around the city. The oldest pub in Ireland is in Dublin, as well - The Brazen Head. Smoking in Irish pubs has been illegal since March 2004, and pubs tend to be open until 11:30pm on weekdays (sometimes until 3am on weekends). Be sure to check out some of the live music in the city as well, especially in the more traditional pubs.
Getting there
You can book a flight into Dublin Airport (code: DUB), which is by far the busiest airport in Ireland. Shannon Airport (code: SNN) has many flights on low-cost airlines, most notably Ryanair, but it's over 200 km from Dublin and ground transportation isn't too cheap. If you'll be exploring Ireland outside of Dublin, you might find that a BritRail + Ireland Pass is right for you, especially if you'll be visiting any of the other countries in the British Isles.
Where to stay
Dublin is not an inexpensive city to visit, and cheap accommodations tend to fill up early during busy seasons. Be sure to reserve your hostel well in advance. And if you're not the hostel type, no worries - there are plenty of hotels in Dublin to choose from.
Attractions in Dublin
Address: St James's Gate, Dublin 8
Dublin's Guinness Storehouse is arguably the most popular tourist attraction in all of Ireland, hosting millions of visitors since it opened. The museum chronicles both the history of Guinness as well as how the famous black beverage is created. An an homage to Guinness, the building itself is even designed around a central glass atrium shaped like a pint glass!
The Guinness Storehouse itself is actually inside the St. James's Gate Brewery, which is where Guinness is brewed - so this isn't a museum far away from the source, either. You're surrounded by Guinness the entire time.
You might not think there would be much to talk about with Guinness, but the museum covers seven floors. Perhaps the best part about the whole experience, however, is the free pint of Guinness that's included with every admission ticket. You pick up your pint at the end of the tour in The Gravity Bar - so long as you're of legal drinking age, that is.
Hours: Daily, 09:30-17:00 (last admission is at 17:00); during July and August, 09:30-19:00 (last admission is at 19:00); closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, St. Stephen's Day (Boxing Day) and Good Friday.
Admission: €14 adults, €10 student over 18 or senior citizen, €8 student under 18, €5 children age 6-12, €30 family (2 adults, 4 children), €13 per person in a group of 15 or more
Address: Clonmel Street, Dublin 2
It's hard to find information about the Iveagh Gardens in Dublin, and there's a reason for that. They may be lovely, but they're most often described as "well hidden" and the "least known" garden in the city. The good news is that if you do find them, you're in for a treat - because they're also often described as "among the finest" of Dublin's gardens, and one of the city's best-kept secrets.
The Iveagh Gardens were originally part of the Iveagh Estate and designed in the 19th century, and are a nice example of a Gothic garden. You'll find a grotto, sunken gardens, fountains, maze and lots of ivy. There's plenty of ground to cover, so you can certainly plan to spend at least an hour wandering through the garden. There are guide books available in English, and even guided tours available upon request.
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 08:00 opening; Sunday and bank holidays, 10:00 opening - closing time is dependent on when the sun sets. December-January, 16:00 closing; February and November, 17:00 closing; March-October, 18:00 closing
Admission: Free
Tip: The main access point is from Hatch Street, but disabled visitors can enter the gardens either at Hatch Street or Clonmel Street.
Address: Bow Street Distillery, Smithfield, Dublin
What would a trip to Ireland be without a tour of a whiskey distillery? A great historic one to visit is the Old Jameson Distillery. Although the famous Jameson whiskey is no longer distilled here (it's now done in Cork), it's still vatted in Dublin and the old distillery is a piece of Jameson history.
The Old Jameson Distillery was built in the late 1700s and has been recently restored. Visitors to the facility are treated to a guided tour which explains both how whiskey is made and also the history of Jameson. The tour includes a video introduction to whiskey, and every paid admission comes with a sample of Jameson whiskey at the end of the tour in the Jameson Bar (as long as you're of legal drinking age, of course!). A few lucky people are selected from each tour group to take part in a "tutored whiskey comparison," as well, so be ready to volunteer. Plus, each month one name is selected from all the people who visited the Old Jameson Distillery the previous month, and that person wins a bottle of the Jameson Distillery Reserve - a whiskey which is exclusive to the Dublin facility and a real collector's item.
Hours: Daily, 09:30-18:00 (last admission at 17:30); closed Good Friday and Christmas Holidays
Admission: €11 adults, €9 students over 18 (with ID) or senior citizens, €6 per person in a student group under 18 (before 11:00), €25 family (2 adults, 4 children under 18)
Study Abroad With CSA
Center For Study Abroad
For more Dublin travel information, be sure to check out BootsnAll's Dublin Travel Guide.
