Dublin is a perfect city to visit in just one weekend. Despite everything, the things to see in the city are different thanks to a really rich history. Here are 5 things to see in Dublin in a few days.
St. Patrick's Cathedral
One of the symbols of Dublin is the Anglican cathedral of St Patrick, patron saint of Ireland who, according to legend, baptized many converts to Christianity in this area.
The cathedral is located in the southwest area of the city center, where you can also see other historical testimonies. The construction of the church dates back to the Middle Ages but underwent several damage and towards the end of the 1800s it was restored, with fairly substantial interventions, by Mr. Guinness, who brought the cathedral to its current splendor.
Built in austere English Gothic style, the cathedral retains the charm of Nordic buildings and tells the long history of the city, of the lords and of the struggles that have characterized Dublin and the whole of Ireland.
Trinity College
One of the most renowned universities in Europe is located right in the heart of Dublin, in a complex where there are school buildings, a library, sports facilities and large green spaces. Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett also studied here and many students flock every year to attend this prestigious college dating back to the end of the 500th century and built by Elizabeth I as a copy of Oxford.
In the beautiful library, one of the most important in the world, it is possible to see the famous Book of Kells, an ancient manuscript, dating back to before the year one thousand and made by Irish monks. It takes its name from the town of Kells, north of Dublin, in whose abbey it has been preserved for centuries. It contains the Latin text of the Gospels and some notes of the monks who made it and is preserved and visible (but not photographable), on the ground floor of the library. Admission is paid and allows you to visit the Long Room on the first floor, a large room that houses about 200.000 old books and the oldest harp in Ireland, the one that appears on the coins.
The smell of books, the silence and the wooden shelves exude culture and wisdom and is one of the must-see points of interest in Dublin.
Temple Bar
It is the most animated and cheerful district of Dublin, formed by a series of pedestrian streets where there are many pubs where you can drink beer, listen to music and where young Dubliners spend part of their free time.
In most of the clubs the music is played live, especially on weekends, both Celtic and the more modern and contemporary. The neighborhood takes its name from Mr. Temple who in the seventeenth century redeveloped the entire area that was infamous and frequented by beggars, making it a lively, colorful area in which to spend pleasant and fun hours.
Guinness Storehouse
Whether you are a beer lover or not, you cannot go to Dublin without visiting the Guinness Museum. It is a bit outside the city center but is connected by some buses and can be quickly reached in a few stops.
Docklands
The docks area, the old port depot, is located in the eastern part of the city and has been redeveloped in recent decades, becoming one of the new attractions from both a tourist, business and residential point of view. The renovation of some of the historic buildings and the construction of large complexes that house apartments, shops and cafes have revitalized an area that was abandoned and infamous. The center of this new area is Grand Canal Square, the square in front of the ultra-modern Bord Gáis Energy Theater designed by the star architect Daniel Libeskind.
Another point of interest in the docks area is the Samuel Beckett Bridge, on the Liffey, the river that divides Dublin in two. The bridge was designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and its shape and tie rods represent the Celtic harp, the symbol of Ireland.
On the north bank of the river is the convention center, inaugurated in 2010 which, with its asymmetrical glass cylinder, dominates the skyline of modern Dublin. Did you like these five places? Search for tickets to Dublin and discover our tips on the Irish city to better enjoy the city and at a low cost.
