Days Out in Dublin, Ireland

Charlotte writes for Sykes Cottages Ltd. She enjoys visiting lots of places in the UK and Ireland, taking photos and writing about her holidays.

Dublin is situated on the east coast of the Republic of Ireland at the mouth of the River Liffey. It is both the capital of Ireland and the most heavily populated city but it is also has more green space per mile than any other European capital city and makes a fabulous holiday destination. Staying in a holiday cottage in Ireland strikes the perfect balance between busy city life and a good old Irish country welcome. So what do you do when you get there? Here is my guide to what not to miss in Dublin.

Guinness Brewery

The Guinness brewery was founded in 1759 by Arthur Guinness and has become synonymous with the city of Dublin. For many years the Guinness factory was both the largest brewery in the world and the biggest employer in Dublin. Nowadays, times have changed and although it isnít the largest brewery in the world, it is still the largest brewer of stout. No visit to Dublin is complete without a trip to the Guinness Storehouse, the Guinness themed tourist attraction that maps the story of Guinness in a seven story attraction, shaped cleverly around a pint shaped glass atrium. There is even chance to enjoy a pint of the black stuff on the seventh floor and take in a panoramic view of the city at the same time. Itís worth it just for the view!

Monument of Light

The Monument of light or the ëSpire of Dubliní as it is called locally is a stainless steel, pin-like monument that reaches 121.2 metres into the sky on O'Connell Street in the city centre. It was built as a replacement to Nelson's Pillar that was destroyed by bombing in 1966. It is lovely to visit the spire at dusk when it looks like the top of the pillar is merging into the night sky.

Temple Bar

Temple Bar is the best known area for nightlife in Dublin. The quirky street pattern with little narrow cobbled streets and unique Irish pubs make it a popular hangout for tourists and itís easy to see why.

Book of Kells

The Book of Kells is a lavishly decorated manuscript created around 800 AD by Irish monks. It documents the four Gospels of the New Testament and is regarded as one of Ireland's finest national treasures. It is on permanent display at the Trinity College Library in Dublin.

Kilmainham Gaol

This former prison was built in 1796 and was operational until the 1920ís. Nowadays itís a great place to visit to experience what it was like to be a prisoner and learn about the harsh conditions that prisoners of the past had to face.