Dublin in a Day

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Dublin, Ireland is a place to spend an day if one wants to get away from the stressful hustle and bustle of London while still being able to enjoy all the fine cultural amenities of a big city. Dublin has the friendly, laid back feel of a small country town but offers a wide variety of shopping, museums, castles and bus tours.

One can do a lot in Dublin in a day because the city is easy to navigate and many of the main attractions are within walking distance of each other.

If one has the opportunity to visit Dublin for a day, must-see landmarks include the following places:

-Dublin Writers Museum
-the Custom House
-Trinity College, Dublin Castle
-Christ Church Cathedral
-St. Patrick’s Cathedral
-the Brazen Head Pub
-Carroll’s Irish Gifts.

The Dublin Writers Museum, located on Parnell Street North, just north of the Liffey River that runs through the center of the city, honors Ireland’s most famous and beloved authors. The museum also has its own bookstore that sells works by many of Ireland’s legendary authors like Joyce, Shaw, Wilde, and Yeats as well as some lesser known Irish novelists and poets.

Another must-see Dublin landmark is the Custom House, located right on the north bank of the Liffey River. The Custom House, built in 1791, is the location of the Irish government offices. During the 1920s, the Custom House was burned down by the Irish Republican Army, but it was completely restored during the 1980s.

On College Street, south of the Liffey River, is Trinity College. This college is home to the famous Old Library which contains over 200,000 books including the Book of Kells, an intricately illustrated version of the four Gospels, which dates back to the 800s AD.

Dublin Castle and the Chester Beatty Library, located on Dame Street, has been transformed into a library and art museum which can be seen on a guided tour of the castle’s interior. Dublin Castle also features a café and a gift shop that has many items on the history of the castle.

Next to see on the Dublin-in-a-Day list is Christ Church Cathedral on Christchurch Place. This Gothic-inspired church dates back to 1038 but was restored in the 1870s. It is one of Dublin’s two most famous Protestant churches. Dublin’s other most famous Protestant cathedral is St. Patrick’s Cathedral which has been around since the 1220s.

In addition to its famous historical landmarks, Dublin is also known for its great restaurants, particularly its pubs. The Brazen Head, built in the 1100s, is Ireland’s oldest pub. Irish author James Joyce visited the Brazen Head and even wrote about it in his famous novel ‘Ulysses.’

Finally, one can’t conclude the day in Dublin without stopping into one of Carroll’s Irish Gifts. The gift shop has a variety of Irish souvenirs including an entire section devoted to Guinness. This chain of souvenir shops located throughout Dublin carries everything from T-shirts, coffee cups, and dog toys, to beer mugs, shot glasses, and Irish candies.

For more information on Dublin tourist attractions visit:

http://www.dublintourist.com/popular_dublin/
http://www.visitdublin.com/seeanddo/DublinsTop10/DublinsTop10.aspx?id=246