AUTUMN is the perfect time for a city break, and as Loganair announce it is increasing capacity from Aberdeen to Dublin and lowering fares, the Irish city is the perfect destination. Here are the highlights of things to see and do while you’re in Dublin.
The Guinness Storehouse
THERE’S no better place to enjoy a pint of Guinness than in its home. The Storehouse is the original brewery, and Guinness is still brewed here today. Although you won’t get to poke around and watch any actual brewing, you can learn about the process and the history, tour the seven floors of displays, restaurants and bars, and finish off in the rooftop Gravity Bar for a pint of the good stuff, where you can enjoy incredible views over the city.
Temple Bar Book Market
TEMPLE Bar might be better known for its pubs and its lively night-time scene, but on Saturday and Sunday daytime it’s a completely different atmosphere. You can still pop into a pub or two, but if you love books or just a good second-hand flea market, the Temple Bar Book Market is a real find. Stalls are piled high with old and rare books, and the area has a European andlovely, lazy feel.
Kilmainham Gaol
THIS former prison, built in 1796, stands just outside the city. It ceased to be a jail in 1924 and is now a fascinating museum. It’s a vast building – the largest unoccupied building in Europe – and a guided tour takes you from cell to cell, viewing prisoners’ letters and personal belongings. When you step out into the yard where an uprising occurred in 1916, you get a real sense of the desperation of the place when you see the spot these prisoners were executed on.
Phoenix Park
MORE than just a park, these 709 hectares of greenery and gardens is also where you’ll find Dublin Zoo and the Papal Cross where Pope John Paul II said Mass in 1979. The park is home to the Irish president’s official residence, plus a majestic herd of deer. It’s a great spot to wander and take your time, to get away from the busy city for a while – and to stop and have a picnic. There are often pop-up events and small markets taking place, and the park is so big you can easily spend the day here.
Live Music
DUBLIN is a music city and when you wander the streets in the evening, hopping from pub to pub, you’ll find it’s everywhere you go. Trad sessions frequently take place in most traditional pubs in the city and live bands are playing in the more modern bars. The atmosphere of the Dublin nightlife is contagious, and before you know it, you’re singing along. If you can play an instrument, you can sit down and join a trad session. In some bars, you might get a little music lesson. Or you can sit back, relax, and enjoy a pint while the music plays.
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