Welcome to Dublin!
Like me before my trip, you might be asking yourself “what’s the appeal outside of
the bars and all that Guinness?”. well firstly, this is a young person’s city; Dublin’s
boasts Europe’s youngest population, where some 50% of people living here are under the
age of 25. So yes, bars, nightlife, parties and Guinness are popular, though definitely
not exclusive to this demographic. And while Dublin certainly does dabauchery famously,
it’s only when you visit this old and beautiful city that you really see how the Republic
of Ireland’s capital is way more than hedonistic haven for hen do’s and lad’s weekends
away. Just take a mosey down the cobbled streets and it’s like nothing has changed over the
last hundred odd years. The greatest thing about my time Dublin was realising that this
city is one with a rich and colourful history. There’s a banging food scene, and of course,
there are plenty of things to see and do during your trip. Coming up, I’m gonna tell you
about transport, money and some of my favorite things to do, but first, let’s take a look
at getting here.
The airport is 10km outside Dublin and is the only international airport serving the
city. From here, your choices for transport to the centre are bus or a taxi, as there’s
no train station at the airport.
Dublin airport’s Aircoach will take you to various locations across the city, so make
sure you know which stop is nearest your hotel.
Dublin is compact, which means if you’re staying in the city centre, you can pretty
much walk to everything. However, if you want to get around quickly, hop on a tram. The
Lewes is Dublin’s tram system; there are two lines, red and green. And the walk from
the end of the green line to the red line is about 15 minutes. Don’t forget to always
tap in and tap out, otherwise you’ll get charged the maximum possible fare.
If you plan on making multiple journeys, we recommend getting a Leap Card. It’s Dublin’s
public transport top-up smart card and you can get them at the airport or at local shops,
wherever you see the sign.
Dublin’s nightlife is legendary, and Temple Bar is the centre of it all. Yes, it’s where
all the tourists go, but Temple Bar is packed with pubs, bars, live music and clubs. If
you want to have a great night out in Dublin, this is where to go.
Written by Irish monks around 800AD, the Book is a decorated version of the Paul Gospels
that’s kept at the centre of an exhibition in Trinity College. Just don’t expect a
photo, as no cameras are allowed near the book, no even ours! However, our highlight
has to be the Long Room, holding around 200,000 books, it’s a vast collection that seems
to go on and on and on and on and on and on and on, forever.
Next is Kilmainham Gaol, a former Irish prison that held many of the revolutionaries of the
past, in particular, the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. Abandoned in 1924 and restored
in the 1960s, it now serves as a museum where you can learn all about the history of Irish
independence. The gaol is 3 and a half kilometers out of the city centre, so you’ll need to
get the Luas or the bus here. Tickets are available online, you book your timeslot and
the website recommends arriving 15 minutes before your tour is due to start. Because
the museum can only take a limited number of people at a time, booking ahead is the
only way to guarantee entry on the day.
Dublin Zoo is the most popular family attraction in Ireland. It’s in Phoenix Park, a 15 minute
walk from the Houston Station Luas stop. There are over 400 animals here, spread over 28
hectares and split into zones like the African Savannah and the Asian Forests. What we really
like about the zoo is all the conservation work they do across the globe; i works together
with many others to maintain breeding programs and reintroduces endangered species into the
wild. It’s had particular success with animals such and the Gold Lion Tamarin and the Scimitar-Horned
Oryx.
They say that good things come to those who wait, and last on our list is the Guinness
Storehouse. The storehouse is a 7 storey monument to the the history and production and advertising
of Ireland’s most famous export. Inside, you’ll be able to pull your own pint of
the Black Stuff, learn about how Guinness can be used in some traditional Irish cooking,
discover some of the secrets that go on in the brewing process and finally enjoy a complimentary
pint in the panoramic gravity bar on the top floor. The storehouse is a 20 minute walk
or a 10 minute bus journey from the centre of town. As usual, we recommend booking your
tickets online, as you’ll save 20% on adult tickets, and you’ll be able to use the fast
track queue.
Dublin is bisected by the River Liffey, which runs across the city. There used to be a pronounced
cultural divide, with the poor living in the North and the South being home to the upper
and middle classes. Today, that’s not the case and Dublin can be divided into some distinct
districts…
The Medieval district is the oldest part of Dublin. It’s here that you can find Dublin
Castle, Christchurch and St.Patrick’s Cathedral.
The Georgian District starts at St.Stephen’s Green and Trinity College and continues up
to the canal.
Dublin’s Docklands is where lots of the world’s biggest tech companies have offices.
The Cultural District is where you’ll find Temple Bar. This area is home to pubs, clubs,
markets and Dublin’s most energetic nightlife.
A word of warning about the weather in Dublin - it’s late June and, as you can see, the
weather is glorious… If you’re a duck! But, seriously, the weather in Dublin constantly
changes. During the time in the city, we’d often have warm sun, torrential rain and overcast
skies; all on the same day. Our advice is to be prepared and pack a light waterproof
or small umbrella.
The food here in Dublin is terrific and with so many places to eat, we couldn’t possibly
hope to cover it all in one video. However, if there’s one thing that Dublin and Ireland
do better than anyone else in the world, it’s their seafood, especially their oysters.
One place we definitely recommend you go is Klaw. It’s a tiny seafood restaurant on
Crown Alley, just off Temple Bar Square. It’ll probably be full when you arrive so you may
have to wait outside with a pint of Guinness but it’s worth it, we promise.
When it comes to drink, Guinness is obviously what Dublin is best known for, and for good
reason. Ireland’s most famous export definitely tastes better in its home city. They say it’s
in the water, but what we know is that you can’t come to Dublin without at least trying
it just once…or twice…three times…you get the idea!
But there’s more to Ireland than just the Black Stuff!
We recommend trying out the Porterhouse. It’s the city’s original craft beer pub and they’ve
been serving for 20 years. I’ve gone for a Dublin pale ale, which is €5 and, according
to this, is an Irish-style pale ale with an orange, lemon and lime hop character… Not
bad!
How expensive is Dublin? Well, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that it’s
still cheaper than London, the bad news is that it’s the 8th priciest city in Europe
and still pricier than the rest of the UK.
This Guinness in Temple Bar was €5.95. This pub meal cost €13.50.
This coffee cost €2.50. A Temple Bar hotel cost roughly €170 per
night.
Quick tip - if at the chip and PIN machine you get the choice to use Pounds or Euros,
always choose Euros. Shops will give you a worse exchange rate than your bank will.
So that’s your guide to Dublin. For more on what to do while you’re here, check out
our other videos.