Guide to Dublin
A guided tour of Dublin is a tour through the culture and history of one of the most colourful, diverse and vibrant cities in Europe.
Always renowned for its literary tradition (think James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Brendan Behan and Roddy Doyle), the city today is riding an energetic wave of new talent in the theatre, the arts, music and film.
Temple Bar, the Cultural Quarter of Dublin, is home to more than 50 arts groups and cultural organisations.
Perhaps more famous in the UK as a venue for stag and hen parties, it nevertheless boasts some of the most spectacular and innovative cultural venues you’ll find anywhere, hosting regular exhibitions, film festivals and performances of all kinds.
There is also a year round programme of free outdoor activities for all the family, centered around Meeting House Square, a spectacular open air performance area, and the surrounding public streets and spaces.
At the weekend, Temple Bar’s Markets draw tourists and locals alike from across the city and beyond.
The Saturday Food Market, Book Market and Cow’s Lane Fashion and Design Market are famed for their choice, quality and atmosphere and remain leading attractions in a city where the competition is, to say the least, fierce!
The University of Dublin, Trinity College, is one of the oldest and most enduring landmarks in the city.
Founded in 1592, it covers over 40 acres of cobbled squares and green spaces, and its halls, colleges and chapels represent some of Dublin’s most architecturally important buildings of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.
But Trinity’s significance to Dublin isn’t all historical. Far from it.
Its 12,000 students are as dedicated to living for today as students anywhere. And in a city that offers more ways to enjoy the student lifestyle than most, their contribution to the colour, atmosphere and excitement of Dublin’s nightlife is a considerable one.
Once crumbling victims of neglect, the elegant streets and squares of Georgian Dublin have been restored to their former glory in recent years and now enjoy a new lease of life as exclusive residences and offices among a bohemian mixture of art galleries, bars, restaurants, clubs and quirky shops.