They say that at the end of a rainbow is a pot ‘o gold and for those that want to see something precious, they should set their sights on the wonderful country of Ireland. This country right at the northwestern region of Europe is filled to the brim with historic sights, lush greeneries and countless experiences to absorb. But of course, though Ireland may not be the largest country in the world, there are still countless areas to explore and to get the most of your trip, you may need to set your sights on a few cities first. If this will be your first time in Ireland, then you may want to visit The Fair City, Dublin.
Dublin is the capital of Ireland and it is also currently the largest city in the nation. It lies on the east coast of Ireland right at the province of Leinster and nearby River Liffey. The city is considered as Ireland’s center of historical and contemporary education, arts, administration,
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Dublin, Ireland’s History
According to archaeologists and historians the areas that is now known as Dublin Bay has been inhabited by humans since the early years of the world. Despite the solid evidence, the city of Dublin only celebrated its official millenium in 1988. This basically meant that the government at the area only recognized 988 as the year that the area was first inhabited. There have been many debates regarding the origin of Dublin and a consensus is yet to be reached yet.
Then in the 10th century, Dublin was established as a Viking settlement. The early settlers fought hard to stave off the Viking rule and they were only able to overthrow the power during the Norman invasion of Ireland in Wales back in 1169. Since then, Ireland saw the passing and changing of many kings. Of course, the struggle for power has been very prominent during Dublin’s early years.
The city continued to proper and it had massive growth well into the 18th century. It eventually became the second largest city of the British Empire and the fifth largest city in Europe. During this period of enlightenment and change, most of Dublin’s structures were built. This included the Four Courts, the Custom House, Temple Bar and even Grafton Street. At the latter parts of the century, the Merrion Square, the Royal Exchange and the Wide Streets Commission were built.
After centuries of growth, Dublin’s boom started to slow down during the 19th century and this was because of the Acts of Union 1800. Under this, Dublin’s seat of government was given to the Westminster Parliament. Because of this, Dublin’s role in the Industrial Revolution became weaker. It was at this time that Belfast started to catch up to Dublin’s growth.
Dublin began turning into the massive city that it is today starting in 1997. By then, it stood front and center during Ireland’s economic expansion in the Celtic Tiger period. Businesses were built, public transportation was improved and a lot of attractions were built. Now, it is Ireland’s crowning glory.
We get that you’re excited to visit this tiger of a city but before anything else, here are some of the important things you need to know about it.
How to Get to Dublin, Ireland?
Since this is Ireland’s capital we are talking about, getting to it is relatively easy. All you have to do is book a flight to Dublin Airport. This is Dublin’s primary airport and it serves international flights from all over the globe. The airport is roughly 10 km north of Collinstown, Fingal, a town in the city. From here, you simply need to get a cab to get around The Fair City.
Getting around Dublin is relatively easy as well. For most of your trips, you’re going to be using buses and the Dublin Area Rapid Transit or DART for short. This train system will get you to most parts of Dublin, at least those that are truly worth visiting. This is one of the cheaper modes of transportation and you’ll be seeing a scenic view from Dublin Bay as well.
What is the Budget For Dublin?
Sadly, Dublin isn’t as cheap as we’d like it to be. Budget travelers may end up spending at least $75 per day and this will only include food, transportation, tickets to attractions and room rates. This is just the average though. If you manage to become really frugal on this trip, you can spend at least $50 per day. Our tip is to book rooms that come with free breakfast. Most of your expenses will be coming from food as the restaurants in the city aren’t exactly cheap. What’s good is that the food is amazing and tasty.
Best Time To Visit Dublin
Considering the weather conditions and temperatures, the best time to visit Dublin would be from June through August. During these months, the temperatures are warm and there are many occasions and festivals to partake in as well. Some of the events you should look out for are Bloomsday, Taste of Dublin, and Dublin LGBTQ in June. If you want to have a little fun and excitement while filling your stomach, visit in August to participate in the Big Grill BBQ and Craft Beer Festival.
The average temperature plays around the mid-60s so you can enjoy walks in the city without any discomfort. While the temperature is perfect, you may want to expand you budget for trips during these months as hotels and airfare tickets are relatively more expensive. A day in Dublin is already expensive on its own. Also expect to see many tourists during this time of the year.
We have a lot to tackle ahead of us so let’s now take a look at some of the things you can do in Dublin, Ireland.
Are there Cool Things to Do in Berlin?
Berlin, Ireland is yet another city that is filled to the brim with amazing sights to see. But there’s too many of them and it can be quite overwhelming. Allow us to give you some recommendations about where to go and what unusual and cool things to do in Berlin should you try out.
1Visit the Temple Bar
Its name can be quite confusing for but, nope, this isn’t the kind of temple that you have in mind that’s turned into a bar. Rather, this is a pub that’s probably named after its owner, Sir William Temple.
Built in the early 1300s, the Temple bar is a place that’s great for tourists and locals alike who want to have a glass or two (or maybe even three) of strong Irish whiskey being served here and enjoy the night. Aside from its impressive and unique red exteriors, the Temple Bar draws flocks of tourists from all over the globe because of its nightlife scene. If you’re traveling to Berlin, don’t miss out going here.
2Drink inside The Church
Yes, you read it right. Drinking inside The Church is one of the cool things to do in Berlin. But don’t let your faith be shaken yet. The Church that we’re talking about is not what its name may make it seem, though. Apparently, it’s just the bar’s name and it’s not a place where people go to every Sunday for Christian worship.
Actually, The Church only got its name because the place was used to be called St. Mary’s Church. However, in the early 1960s, it closed. In 2007, it was converted and restored into the popular bar and nightclub that we know today. And no, there aren’t any statue of saints or whatnot. On its main floor, you can get to see a magnificent island bar, that nearly spans the length of the church, complete with tables, booths, and bar stools. You can find a stage where live traditional Irish music is performed from Sundays to Wednesdays at 7-9 PM. Meanwhile, downstairs is a nightclub that’s open every Friday and Saturday night from 10 PM to 3 AM.
3Explore Castles
Exploring castles is one of the cool things to do in Berlin too. Berlin has a lot of castles for you to explore. Some castles are so grand that it would even make you feel like you’re a Disney Princess. Aside from making you feel what it’s like to be a princess living in a castle, you’ll also get to know Berlin, as well as the whole country even more and get a glimpse of what it’s like in the past. Here are some of the popular castles that you can visit in Berlin.
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle is one of the 10 most historical Dublin places. It envelops 800 years of Irish memories in its walls and has witnessed some of the most significant events in all of Ireland’s history. Spanning more than 11 acres, it has a lot of rooms and gardens for you to explore, guided or not. It even has several museums like the Chapel Royal, the Garda Museum, Revenue Museum, and the Chester Beatty Library.
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Malahide Castle
Malahide Castle is one of the beautifully preserved castles in Ireland. Like the Dublin Castle, Malahide Castle also played a big role and witnessed a lot of significant events in Medieval Irish history. In fact, some parts of this castle date back to the 12th century. This nearly 8-century-old castle boasts of its eclectic mix of architectural designs. Inside, you’ll find various pieces of beautiful period furniture plus a huge collection of Irish portrait paintings.
4Take a tour inside a prison
Taking a tour inside a prison is also one of the cool things to do in Dublin. But don’t fret much, you’re not going to visit a prison packed with detainees. Instead, you’ll tour an abandoned prison.
Called as the Kilmainham Gaol, this abandoned prison has restored quarters that you can get to see for only 4 euros. Accompanied by a guide, you’ll be in for a 45-50-minute tour where you can get to know the stories behind its doors, detailing the extremely poor treatment of its detainees. You can get to know more facts about the restoration and politics of the prison as well.
5See The Cliffs of Moher
If you’re a Potterhead and if you’ve always wanted to see the places where Harry Potter has been to, this is the place. Actually, this IS the exact location where some scenes of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince were filmed. Going on a tour in this place is one of the cool things to do in Dublin as you’ll definitely relive your favorite scenes from Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.
The Princess Bride was also filmed here. But aside from the fact that you’ll feel as if you’re a part of your favorite movies, the breathtaking view of the place is, needless to say, one of the main reasons to be here. There are a lot of tour packages being offered where a tour to The Cliffs of Moher is included. Tour packages costs between 15 to 40 euros and every penny is all the more worth it.
6Drink at a museum
Ireland has a rich history that you shouldn’t miss. Its booze is not to be overlooked as well. It’s a good thing that you can get to experience and taste both of them at the same time in Dublin. But this museum is not the museum that you probably have in mind. It’s not an art museum nor a history museum. Rather, it is a museum of whiskeys. And if you’re looking to try this unique experience, head on to the popular Grafton street area and visit the Irish Whiskey Museum.
Here, you can get to learn more about whiskey and how it started. The best part of it is that you can get to try out some whiskey too. The museum offers three types of tours. Here are some details.
The Classic Tour
This basic whiskey tour will take you an hour to complete. You’ll have a guide who will show you around and you can get to taste three perfectly crafted Irish whiskeys. Don’t worry if you’re not in for the whiskey tastings or if you have kids with you as they also offer soft drinks for non-drinking adults and children. The first tour starts at 10:30 AM and the last tour is at 5:30 PM.
The Premium Tour
This guided tour is nearly the same as the classic tour wherein you can get to drink three crafted Irish whiskeys. However, the premium tour comes with an additional fourth Irish whiskey. On top of that, you will receive a unique whiskey glass as a souvenir for this fun experience. Premium tours also start at 10:30 AM and the last tour is at 5:30 PM.
Whiskey Blending Experience
In the whiskey blending experience, you can also get to taste 4 Irish whiskeys like in the premium tour. But this guided tour, unlike the previous ones mentioned, is an extended 1 hour and 15-minute experience. This is because with this tour, as the name suggests, you can get to blend your own miniature bottle of whiskey. And the best part of it is that you can take your own miniature bottle at home. You’ll not just get a souvenir but your friends and family can get a taste of it as well. But unlike the classic and the premium tour, the whiskey blending experience tour is only available at 4 and 6 PM only. So if you’re eyeing to try this experience, might as well plan your schedule ahead so you won’t miss it.
Note that the tickets to each tour vary. The tickets for the classic tour, for instance, starts at 20 euros. The premium tour starts at €23 and the whiskey blending experience starts at €30. You can click here for more information about the tours.
Dublin is the biggest city in Ireland. That said, aside from these cool things to do in Dublin that we suggested, there are still more activities and attractions waiting to get discovered. Although these are just a small portion of the activities that you can do in Dublin, we’re sure that you will still have a lot of fun doing these.
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