What are your personal favorites in Ireland? This question recently came from a reader, and I decide to split the overall question in two, one answer will be about my favorite places in Ireland outside of Dublin, while this answer highlights my favorites from Dublin.
What are your personal favorites in Dublin?
Any answer to that question must be, well, personal, and feel free to disagree endlessly, debating the meaning and sensitivity of my choices until the cows come home, declaring me a madman who ‘doesn’t know the first thing about Dublin. “(As I was once labeled by a staunch defender of the Temple Bar hype).
Frankly, my dear, I don’t give… whatever.
And note that such a list would almost automatically exclude any attraction in the “been there, done that, bought the overpriced shirt” category. Instead, these are places that I find myself visiting over and over again when I visit Dublin, be it for a brief glimpse if something has changed or longer to soak up the atmosphere once more. Either with visitors who want to see more than the main tourist attractions, or in splendid solitude, because that’s my thing …
But without further ado, let me list, in no particular order, some of my favorite Dublin spots:
- Moore Street and Moore Street Mall are firm favorites, simply because there is a throbbing life, there are jokes, there is easy multiculturalism at work, and there is an abundance of well-priced food, often even cheap. Basic Dublin, unpretentious. And the Chapters bookstore is also nearby. Find out more about Moore Street here.
- Glasnevin Cemetery – With a million or more Dubliners at your feet, you’re sure to find something interesting here. Or just ponder the question of mortality as you wander the winding and winding roads through the mighty necropolis. Find out more about Glasnevin here.
- The General Post Office : Above all, it is a splendid post office, with all the old world charm you could wish for. And then there are the historical overtones, the Easter Rising and all that. But even without this (the current building is a post-1916 recreation, after all), it’s worth checking out. Especially since it seems to be eternally destined for “rejuvenation.” Find out more about the Dublin General Post Office here.
- The Powerscourt Town House : maybe, no, definitely the most interesting shopping center in Dublin, with plenty of little shops to browse all kinds of products… which are not 99% big names in fashion, as you will find elsewhere. Jump to Monte Cristo to buy old things that you can afford. Or just enjoy a relaxed coffee after window shopping. Find out more about Powerscourt Town House here.
- The Chester Beatty Library : yes, I admit it, I’m a culture fanatic, interested in all kinds of things, and a bibliophile. Like Chester Beatty, it appears that the entire inventory was taken as a gift to the citizens of Dublin. It’s always worth a return visit, even if there aren’t any special exhibits going on… and the delicious Silk Road Café makes for a culinary feast too. Learn more about the Chester Beatty Library here.
- Trinity College – Explosion in the center of Dublin (and not worth a second glance at first glance), Trinity only shows its best parts to the visitor who is actually heading for the inner courtyards, which amaze with a variety or styles of architecture and works of art in display. Just walking around the university is fun, as is exploring the nooks and crannies (including Dublin’s smallest cemetery). Find out more about Trinity College Dublin here.
- Clonycavan Man and his companions… this might be a bit macabre, but not only does the National Museum on Kildare Street see me quite often, I always make sure to check out the Kingship and Sacrifice exhibit. Yes, the swampy bodies. Ancient relics that have fascinated me since I was a child. It is always good to meditate on the ancient world and what we really don’t know about it. Find out more about Clonycavan Man here.
- The village of Howth , north of Dublin City… there is so much to do and see here, there are fresh fish and frolicking seals, there are invigorating walks on quays and cliffs, there are historic lighthouses in stunning locations. There are also crowds, so you generally won’t see me here on the weekends. Just say’. Find out more about Howth here.
- And I have to mention Amir’s Delights , Dublin’s Arabic coffee, for having perhaps the best coffee in Dublin, definitely the best mint tea and those sweets that are worth every penny. Also, always a warm welcome to the stranger. A true oasis of hospitality in the center of Dublin’s ‘Italian Quarter’ (which never really took off). Find out more about Amir’s delicacies here.
And if you want to find out more about my favorite Irish places outside of Dublin, follow this link …
