Dublin is the most important city of the ‘emerald island’. It’s a very atmospheric and colorful destination. Also, the city is the largest sea port in the country opening the gates to the Adriatic Sea. Although the name of the city ‘Dublin’ means ‘black pond’ or ‘ town overgrown with a reed ‘, nowadays this name doesn’t reflect the real face of the city. Dublin is a city shining with hundreds of different shades, the homeland of one of the world’s greatest rock bands ‘U2’, the city of writers and lovers of literature, students and pubs. So, this amazing Irish destination cannot be missed. However, before visiting, check out the following important information…
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Don’t get drunk in the Temple Bar area
Temple Bar Quarter is a symbol of the culture of Dublin bars. But this is the place where you cannot see anything in the evenings, except for drunken tourists. In addition, prices in this spot are much higher. Therefore, visit the famous Temple Bar area during the day: set off to the Center of Photography, the Temple Bar Music Center and the Irish Film Institute.
What to do? In order to have fun in the evening, just visit places which are popular among locals. Recommended night clubs are ‘The Globe’ and ‘4 Dame Lane’. Good bars where you can drink excellent beers and watch sports games are ‘The Bernard Shaw’, ‘The Duke’, ‘Roddy Boland’ and ‘The Bleeding Horse’.
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Don’t expect to have fun until the morning
https://flic.kr/p/9rXttB
Many tourists come to Dublin with the conviction that the nightlife in the capital of Ireland always lasts until the morning. It’s just a myth. Many bars on weekdays close around midnight, and on weekends they work only for an hour or two longer.
What to do? Make new friends among locals. After the closure of establishments, all the evening parties continue in the homes of locals. By the way, don’t forget to buy alcohol until 10.30 pm, after that time it’s not for sale.
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Don’t try to get into Oscar Wilde’s home
The house of the famous writer, which is located at 21 Westland Row, is not a museum. This is the center of writers for students of Trinity College. When trying to break into O. Wilde’s former home, you can go straight to the lecture. In the square 1 Merrion you can see the house where the writer grew up.
What to do? Don’t get attached to one writer. Dublin is a city of writers and literature, so it certainly has something to look at. For example, visit the exhibition of William Yates. This is a wonderful and free exhibition open to all. And if you still want to see something related to Wilde, then on the Merrion Square you will find his monument.
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Don’t be interested only in the Irish and the British people
Dublin was officially founded in 988. The first inhabitants were the Vikings. The Irish constantly had to fight for their city – in the IX century, Dublin was captured by the Danes, and in 1171 they were driven away by the English, who settled in the city. Therefore, nowadays Dublin still has a plenty of interesting things related to the Vikings.
What to do? Do not concentrate only on studying the civil war of the Irish and British colonial times. Viking stories in Dublin are dedicated to special tours.
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Don’t say that the Irish people are British
This applies to the whole Irish Republic. Do you want to get into a fight? Tell the locals that Dublin is a beautiful British city.
What to do? Study this question thoroughly. The Irish Republic is independent of the British crown. It became a free nation in 1922. But Northern Ireland is a part of the UK.
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Don’t expect to listen to live traditional Irish music
Traditional dances of the Celts are quite popular all over the world. Rhythmic and synchronized performances of dancers, playing the violin, flute sounds and colorful signs on the streets of Dublin attract many tourists. But nowadays listening to live traditional Irish music is like seeing a rodeo in New York.
What to do? If you want real authenticity, go to the Irish province, where ancient traditions, music and dances are preserved. In fact, it would be better to find the Irish ‘stand up’ comedy club and have fun while listening to Dublin jokes. You will see a culture of humor of the Irish locals and have a splendid time.
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Don’t ignore the Irish food
Irish cuisine, unlike French or Italian one, is known for its poor reputation. Ireland has experienced many painful periods. Therefore, tourists think that the Irish cuisine is dominated by only potatoes and not attractive meat dishes, such as pork legs.
What to do? Try local foods. If you want to taste home-made Irish food, just visit “The Farm Restaurant” or “The Winding Stair Restaurant” offering good fish pies, sausages and mashed potatoes.
If you are a fan of sushi, then visit “Yamamori” restaurant, and if you want to taste pancakes and biscuits, then go to “Fafie’s French Creperie”.
Dublin is a great city, and if you like to spend your weekend in this incredible Irish city with the maximum pleasure, and without any problems, just follow these simple recommendations. By the way, there’s another advice for travelers: don’t use the public transport in Dublin, because it’s not convenient and you’ll waste much time waiting for it. Instead of this, rent a car at Dublin Airport, and feel free while traveling around Irish capital.
