Not much can compete with sipping the smoothest stout in a lively pub, listening to traditional Irish music with a classic Irish novel in your hand, beside the River Liffey. Here are five places to appreciate the finest Dublin has to offer.
Dublin Castle
Founded in 1204, Dublin Castle is situated at the very heart of Dublin, at the junction of the River Liffey and the River Poddle. The castle has been central to Irish history and served many functions over the years: fortress, treasury, prison and courts of law. It was also the seat of English Administration in Ireland for about 700 years. It was rebuilt and renovated many times throughout the centuries. Today, it spans over 11 acres, containing The Garda (Police) Museum, The Revenue Museum and the Chester Beatty Library.
Guinness Storehouse
The world-famous Irish stout Guinness is brewed at St. James's Gate. Next door is the Guinness Storehouse, which has become Ireland's top visitor attraction. The Storehouse offers seven floors of exhibits detailing the company's history and importance to Ireland's heritage. You will learn the ingredients and brewing process behind the dark ruby stout. The Storehouse also displays the evolution of Guinness' publicity campaigns over the years, from the iconic toucan to the "Guinness for Strength" advertisements. On the fourth floor, an experienced staff member will teach you how to pull the perfect pint of Guinness. The best feature of the Storehouse, however, is the Gravity Bar where you can enjoy a tall glass of the good stuff from the source with a panoramic view of Dublin.
Temple Bar
Temple Bar, an area of central Dublin, is well known for its lively nightlife where the "craic" (Irish for fun and merriment) is never in short supply. Follow the cobblestone streets to The Temple Bar, one of the city's best-known watering holes with daily traditional Irish music sessions. If you stroll through the area, you will find nightlife options on almost every corner. But it's also a place that stirs intellectual curiosity. On the south bank of the River Liffey, Temple Bar has always been at the center of the city, as long as we have had records. Promoted as Dublin's Cultural Quarter, Temple Bar is home to over 50 of Dublin's cultural and artistic organizations. Here, performance arts lovers will find a wide array of theaters: Smock Alley Theatre, The New Theatre, The Olympia and the Project Arts Centre.
Trinity College
Founded in 1592, Trinity College is Ireland's oldest university. It covers 40 acres in the center of Dublin. The university has produced many notable alumni such as E.T.S. Walton (the physicist who won the Nobel Prize for splitting the atom) and William Rowan Hamilton (the mathematician who invented quaternions). The university is famed for its many treasures, such as the Book of Durrow and the Book of Kells. You can see the Book of Kells, a ninth century illuminated manuscript containing the four Gospels of the New Testament. Celtic monks created this visual masterpiece with traditional Christian iconography and Insular art ornamentation. Today, it is one of the most celebrated manuscripts on the planet.