I'm going to Dublin with my mum on Saturday?

Question

We dont really want to go shopping - mostly sightseeing. Can anyone recommend somewhere nice/interesting to visit?

Also, I was going to park in Phoenix park and travel on the Luas maybe. How long can you leave your car in the Phoenix Park? Do they close the gates at a certain time?

Answer 1

There is a limit of about two hours I think for parking there but you should get long term car parks as well. If the weather is good get the dart train to North to Howth takes about 40 mins it is a lovely seaside town or head south to Greystones same idea but it has a beach. Visit Trinity college in the centre and go to the book of Kells if you are into Art go to the national gallery on Merrion square, 15min walk from trinity college The guinness factory is good it is a litle further away so you will need to get a bus. There is a tiny pub upstairs on Fleet street (in Temple bar very central) that has good trad music it is called the Palace (Do not get confused with The Palace on Wexford st it is a nasty nightclub).
The National museum on Kildare sreet has some very intersting exhibits of ancient bodies found in the bogs around Ireland. The Writers museum on Parnell square is very good if you like irish literature and it is next to the Hugh Lane gallery , both on the northside of the city.
have fun!!!

Answer 2

The Phoenix Park never closes, but get there early at a weekend to guarantee a nice parking spot, you don't want to have to walk forever to get to the Luas.

I'd advise you head for Suffolk St. first, there's an old Abbey there which is an great tourist centre, it will give you all the info you need on where to go and how to get there and you won't waste much time there either, the staff are really professional and they'll help you in any way possible. Suffolk Street is just off Dame Street & Grafton Street. You'll find it very easily..... go to the bottom of Grafton St (the river end), and turn right, the contre is about 100 yards up across the road from the post office.

Answer 3

Dublin is a great city. I've been there twice for long weekend breaks with my best mate. We would highly recommend the Guinness Warehouse - very interesting - and you can sample the black stuff in the sky bar with window walls giving you a panoramic view 360 degrees over the city. The zoo is good, if you're into that kind of thing (it's in Phoenix Park). If its culture you're after, visit Trinity College and have a peek at the Book of Kells and their fantastic old library. Temple Bar is fun (sort of like Covent Garden with street performers, etc.) and when you get hungry, we can recommend The Bad *** Cafe (Temple Bar) which serves great food at a reasonable price (Sinead O'Connor used to be a waitress there) or if you want something a bit more special, try La Med (also Temple Bar - bright yellow frontage), but make sure you book as it gets busy. You could also book up for the traditional Irish night at The Arlington (?) Hotel on the North bank of the Liffey - all singing and dancing entertainment while you eat Steak & Guinness pie! And if you don't want to drive everywhere, the Hop-on Hop-off bus is great for getting around the city. Afraid I can't help with the car parking in Phoenix Park as I've never been there with a car. Hope you have a great time! I'm very jealous! (Have just previewed this and I'm not allowed to mention the name of the cafe, but it's The Bad 'Donkey' cafe.....I'm sure you'll work it out!)

Answer 4

There is the National Art Gallery, the National Museum and the Natural History Museum (the 'Dead Zoo'). They are on Kildare St (I think) and the enrty is free. There is also lovely Georgian Squares in this area. Merrion Sq and St. Stephens' Green.
Kilmainham Jail is worth a visit (there is a small fee for the tour), if you are interested in Irish history and our fight for independence from the British.
Dublin Zoo is in the Pheonix park.
www.VisitDublin.Com or www.Ireland.ie are good places to start.
I was disapointed in the Guinness Hops store, the worst pint of Guinness I have ever experienced... There is a good view though. There is also a viewing tower in Smithfield (on the North Side).
St. Patrick's Cathederal and Christ Church.
Dublin is divided in two by the river liffey. O'Connell St is North Side and Grafton St is South side for example.
The Pheonix park is the largest park in a city in Europe.
The 'DART' (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) is a train that goes up to Howth and down to Graystones (In Co. Wicklow) along by the Coast. It is used by commuters to get to work so avoid the usual peak periods. You can get it at Tara St or Connolly Station.
The book of Kells in Trinity College is worth a view, but a lot of tourists think that and the queues may be long, but probably not at this time of year.
Temple Bar can get a bit 'boisterous' at night (It probably has the highest density of Stag and Hens per head of population in the world), but can be worth a wander around during the day.
The city centre can easily be walked, but it would take about an hour to walk from the Pheonix park to O'Connell St.
Enjoy.
Wander around, talk to people.
Mind yourself, especially at night. It is a city like a lot of others. Keep your wits about you..
Glendalough in Co. Wicklow and Newgrange in Co. Meath are only about an hours drive from the city (traffic permitting) and are worth a trip if you have the time.

Answer 5

There is A LOT to do in Dublin. A Dublin City Bus tour is a good start. The Guiness Brewery, St. Patrick's & Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin Castle, Trinity Collage, National Gallery, National Museum and the Temple Bar area are all "main attractions" in Dublin. There is always Grafton St. if you change your mind about shopping. ; )

Answer 6

Kilmainham Jail is really interesting if you know anything at all about Irish history. It's no longer used as a jail, obviously, but has been used in the production of several films and drama series.

The tour is free, as is entry, as far as I know. There's also a museum, the downstairs of which is crap. But upstairs is brilliant; you can read letters to loved ones from the inmates sentanced to die, see guns and uniforms used in the various rebellions and war for independance.

It's been brilliantly restored, and they take you right beneath it. You see the isolation chambers (the blackest room I've ever been in), the chapel, the yard with the execution area, the cells of the various 1916 martyrs and the really cool inscriptions and paintings done inside the cell.

IMO, well worth a visit!

Answer 7

dublin is great for sight seeing, most notably the guiness and jamesons brewerys. there is a bus service which allows you to pay for a day ticket which visits most of the sights of interest. should cost no more than £10 for the day pass. The temple bar area of the city is the most popular with many pubs and restaurants etc...

not sure about the car parks but would imagine open till late. try contacting the tourist office. should be able to find it by searching the web.

Answer 8

The Phoenix Park doesn't close, just check that there's nothing on in there at the weekend like road races or anything cos then there'll be pretty limited parking.

Answer 9

I have never been in Dublin, unfortunately, even I would like to go there... I can't answer your question as you expected, but I can give you this link, it's a webcam live from Dublin, very nice... Have a nice time in Dublin!

http://www.allcladdagh.com/webcam.htm

Answer 10

the Guiness factory is really good and you get a complimentary pint in the tower at the top and really good veiws of dublin!

Thats it really! Trinity college has the book of Kells if you are into lots of history.

Don't get too excited about seeing lots of irish things, its very cosmopolitan and i was disapointed not to feel that i was in Ireland.