Dublin

10:31am Thursday 27th September 2007

As a result of unprecedented investment, the modern city of Dublin is adding its own delights to its layers of history. The Spire, Smithfield Village, the Liffey Boardwalk and the redevelopment of O'Connell Street and Docklands combine to make Dublin a truly vibrant city. Today's Dublin blends its historical mystique with urban chic - complete with designer boutiques, inspiring architecture, verdant parks and sweeping coastline

Architecture

Dublin Castle
Built on the site of the first Viking fortress in Dublin where the Poddle and Liffey rivers meet, Dublin Castle symbolized English rule for 700 years. It is currently used for the inauguration of Irish presidents and heads of state and EU ministers stay in its well-appointed apartments.

St Patrick's Cathedral
The cathedral's architectural beauty and historical relevance to Dublin then are just two reasons why it is among the must-see destinations in Dublin. Built between 1200 and 1270, the cathedral underwent a major restoration between 1860 and 1900, carried out by the Guinness family.

Shopping

Moore Street Market
The Moore Street Market is a long-established Dublin tradition filled with local colour and chatter. The open-air stalls showcase mostly fresh fare including fish, flowers, fruits and vegetables. Open Monday to Saturday, the market is a mix of ethnicities and eccentricities.

Grafton Street
Grafton Street has everything from department stores to shoe shops, gift shops and restaurants.

Brown Thomas
This exclusive department store is a must for fashion aficionados with designs from Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci and a Vera Wang bridal salon.

Culture

Dublin's cultural quarter
Located on the south bank of the River Liffey in Dublin, Temple Bar is home to Dublin's Cultural Quarter. A 28-acre maze of cobbled streets has emerged as a cultural hot spot with outdoor music, movies and more. At weekends and on Wednesdays, visitors will love Temple Bar's book market, food market and fashion and design market. The book market is typically hosted each weekend, while foodies will delight in their market of choice on Saturdays and Wednesdays, and look for the fashion and design market only on Saturdays.

Festivals

Dublin Theatre Festival and St Patrick's Festival
At 50 years and still running, the Dublin Theatre Festival continues its tradition of bringing the best available international theatre to Dublin. Founded in 1957, the Dublin Theatre Festival, from September to October, is considered a premier cultural event. Among the noteworthy recent productions include The Coat directed by Peter Brook and Cloudstreet from Company B Belvoir and Black Swan Theatre (Australia). In March, Dublin is also home to Ireland's biggest bash, St Patrick's Festival, held in honour of St Patrick, celebrating Ireland's heritage and attracting more than a million people.

Traditional Irish Musical Pub Crawl

Pubs, pints, professional musicians and a tour of Irish history through song - is there more to be said? Well, yes, actually.

While the Traditional Irish Musical Pub Crawl has all that, there's even more to be found in the wit and wisdom of the Irishmen and women at the pubs you'll meet along the way, and in the songs sung by the crawl's musical leaders. Said to be entertainment for your ears while never letting your throat get dry, the pub crawl assembles at Oliver St, upstairs at John Gogarty's Pub and lasts about two and a half hours. For tickets, book in advance at the Dublin Tourism Office or pay on the night.

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